Economy - overview:
|
Bulgaria, a former communist country striving to enter the European Union, has experienced macroeconomic stability and strong growth since a major economic downturn in 1996 led to the fall of the then socialist government. As a result, the government became committed to economic reform and responsible fiscal planning. A $300 million stand-by agreement negotiated with the IMF at the end of 2001 has supported government efforts to overcome high rates of poverty and unemployment.
|
GDP:
|
purchasing power parity - $49.23 billion (2002 est.)
|
GDP - real growth rate:
|
4.8% (2002 est.)
|
GDP - per capita:
|
purchasing power parity - $6,500 (2002 est.)
|
GDP - composition by sector:
|
agriculture: 13.7%
industry: 28.5%
services: 57.9% (2001)
|
Population below poverty line:
|
12.6% (2001 est.)
|
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
|
lowest 10%: 4.5%
highest 10%: 22.8% (1997)
|
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
|
26.4 (2001)
|
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
|
5.9% (2002 est.)
|
Labor force:
|
3.83 million (2000 est.)
|
Labor force - by occupation:
|
agriculture 26%, industry 31%, services 43% (1998 est.)
|
Unemployment rate:
|
18% (2002 est.)
|
Budget:
|
revenues: $5.57 billion
expenditures: $5.68 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001 est.)
|
Industries:
|
electricity, gas and water; food, beverages and tobacco; machinery and equipment, base metals, chemical products, coke, refined petroleum, nuclear fuel
|
Industrial production growth rate:
|
2% (2002 est.)
|
Electricity - production:
|
41.38 billion kWh (2001)
|
Electricity - production by source:
|
fossil fuel: 47.8%
hydro: 8.1%
other: 0% (2001)
nuclear: 44.1%
|
Electricity - consumption:
|
32.52 billion kWh (2001)
|
Electricity - exports:
|
6.79 billion kWh (2001)
|
Electricity - imports:
|
830 million kWh (2001)
|
Oil - production:
|
603 bbl/day (2001 est.)
|
Oil - consumption:
|
94,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)
|
Oil - exports:
|
NA (2001)
|
Oil - imports:
|
NA (2001)
|
Oil - proved reserves:
|
8.1 million bbl (37257)
|
Natural gas - production:
|
4 million cu m (2001 est.)
|
Natural gas - consumption:
|
5.804 billion cu m (2001 est.)
|
Natural gas - exports:
|
0 cu m (2001 est.)
|
Natural gas - imports:
|
5.8 billion cu m (2001 est.)
|
Natural gas - proved reserves:
|
3.724 billion cu m (37257)
|
Agriculture - products:
|
vegetables, fruits, tobacco, livestock, wine, wheat, barley, sunflowers, sugar beets
|
Exports:
|
$5.3 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)
|
Exports - commodities:
|
clothing, footwear, iron and steel, machinery and equipment, fuels
|
Exports - partners:
|
Italy 15.5%, Germany 9.6%, Turkey 9.4%, Greece 9.2%, France 5.3%, US 4.8% (2002)
|
Imports:
|
$6.9 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)
|
Imports - commodities:
|
fuels, minerals, and raw materials; machinery and equipment; metals and ores; chemicals and plastics; food, textiles
|
Imports - partners:
|
Russia 14.6%, Germany 14.4%, Italy 11.4%, Greece 6.1%, France 5.7%, Turkey 5% (2002)
|
Debt - external:
|
$10.3 billion (yearend 2002)
|
Economic aid - recipient:
|
$300 million (2000 est.)
|
Currency:
|
lev (BGL)
|
Currency code:
|
BGN
|
Exchange rates:
|
leva per US dollar - 2.08 (2002), 2.18 (2001), 2.12 (2000), 1.84 (1999), 1.76 (1998)
note: on 5 July 1999, the lev was redenominated; the post-5 July 1999 lev is equal to 1,000 of the pre-5 July 1999 lev
|
Fiscal year:
|
calendar year
|