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Bulgaria (its capital Sofia) and neighboring states

Wealth and National Well-Being

Country Comparisons:
2010: see chart

World Factbook: "Bulgaria...has experienced strong growth since a major economic downturn in 1996. Successive governments have demonstrated a commitment to economic reforms and responsible fiscal planning, but have failed so far to rein in rising inflation and large current account deficits."

Unemployment rate
2009: 9.1%
2008: 6.3%

Agriculture has been 12.5 percent of its GDP, declining as of the 2004 estimate to 11.5 percent.

Unemployment rate

2003: 14.3%
2004: 12.7 %

People

Living in an urban area
71% (2010)

World Factbook (2011) estimates that people are moving out of urban areas at a rate of 0.3% per year.

Migration

2011: More leaving than arriving; a net loss of 2.82 persons per 1,000 population.
2009: More leaving than arriving; a net loss of 3.11 persons per 1,000 population.
2008: More leaving than arriving; a net loss of 3.41 persons per 1,000, population

Ethnicities
2001 census: Bulgarian 83.9%, Turk 9.4%, Roma 4.7%, other 2% (including Macedonian, Armenian, Tatar, Circassian). Turkic people from Central Asia mixed with local Slavic people in the late 600s.

Religions
2001 census: Bulgarian Orthodox 82.6%, Muslim 12.2%, other Christian 1.2%, other 4%

Geography

Southeastern Europe, bordering the Black Sea, between Romania and Turkey.

Government

Bulgaria is a parliamentary democracy. President and vice-president are elected on the same ticket by popular vote for a five-year term. Parliament is unicameral -- the National Assembly. Members are elected by popular vote to four-year terms.

Capital: Sofia

Recent History

In the late 1300s the Bulgarians were overrun by the Ottoman Empire, from which they acquired their independence in 1908. They were on the losing side in both world wars and were occupied by the Soviet army at the end of World War II. They were within the Soviet sphere of influence until the collapse of communism in Europe around 1990. In 2004 they joined NATO. They joined the European Union on January 1, 2007.

SOURCES:
http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/