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Facts & Figures About Bulgaria

Demographic

Population: 7.8m
Population growth: -0.92%
Life expectancy: 71.75 years
Ethnic groups: 83.9% Bulgarian, 9.4% Turks, 4.7% Roma
Religions: 82.6% Orthodox Christian, 12.2% Muslim, 1.7% Roman Catholic
Literacy: 98.6%

Economic

Real GDP growth: 6.0% (est. 2004)
GDP per capita: $7600 (est. 2003 using PPP)
Population below poverty line: 13.4% (est. 2002). Note: US= 12.1% (est. 2002)
Unemployment: 14.3% (2003)
Local currency: Bulgarian Lev (fixed exchange rate with Euro)

Political

Government type: Parliamentary Democracy
Capital: Sofia
Independence: 22 September 1908 from Ottoman Empire
Legal system: Civil and criminal law based on Roman law

Geography

Location: Southeastern Europe, bordering the Black Sea, between Romania, Greece and Turkey
Area: 42,811 sq miles
Coastline: 220 miles
Terrain: Mostly mountains with lowlands in north and southeast
Elevation extremes: Low- Black Sea 0m High- Musala 9596 feet