BULGARIA

• Country Name: Republic of Bulgaria
• Year Founded: 1990
• Population: 8,989,172
• Primary Language: bulgarian
• Ethnic Make-up: According to the 2001 census, Bulgaria's population consists mainly of ethinc Bulgarian (83.9%), with two sizable minorities, Turks (9.4%) and Roma (4.7%). Of the remaining 2.0%, 0.9% comprises some 40 smaller minorities, most prominently in numbers the Russians, Armenians, Vlachs, Jews, Crimean Tatars and Sarakatsani.
• Political System: Bulgaria is a parliamentary republic founded on the principle of the division of powers into legislature, executive and judiciary. The Constitution is the supreme law of the country.
• Year Entered the European Union: Since 2007 and of NATO since 2004.
• Representative of the European Union (include party): Consultative Party
• Type of Economy:The economy of Bulgaria is a lower middle-income country coming under the Europe and Central Asia region, according to the classification of the economies by region and income, FY 2005 made by the World Bank.
• Currency: Lev (BGL)
• Current Exchange rate for American Currency:
  1 = 0.65898 US Dollar 1 US Dollar (USD) = 1.51750 (BGL)
  Median price = 0.65394 / 0.65898 (bid/ask) Minimum price = 0.65394 / 0.65898 Maximum price = 0.65394 / 0.65898
• GDP:
  GDP (PPP)
  2008 estimate
  Total
  $93.8 billion
  -
  Per capita
  $12,370
• Percentage of Trade within the European Union: Bulgarian exports to other EU countries grew by 11,8% while imports also went up by 12,1%.
• Unemployment Rate: 6.3% (2008)
• Chief Exports: Fuels, minerals, and raw materials; machinery and equipment; metals and ores; chemicals and plastics; food and textiles.
• Key Imports: wheat, sunflower, maize, graped, tobacco, tomatoes, barley, potatoes, peppers, cucumbers, cherries, watermelons, cabbage, apples, plums, strawberries, etc.
• Major Religions: Bulgarian Orthodox 82.6%, Muslim 12.2%, other Christian 1.2%, other 4%.
• Surrounding Countries total: Greece, Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Turkey
• Literacy Rate: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 98.2% male: 98.7% female: 97.7% (2001 census).
• One Interesting Fact: that the first air-dropped bomb in military history was developed by the Bulgarian Air Force during the First Balkan War, and used on 16 October 1912 by Lieuts. Radul Milkov and Prodan Tarakchiev. Rayna Kasabova was the first woman ever to take part in a combat air mission, accomplished on 30 October 1912.

BY: STEPHANIE CELIS