{
  "Introduction": {
    "Background": {
      "text": "The Bulgars, a Central Asian Turkic tribe, merged with the local Slavic inhabitants in the late 7th century to form the first Bulgarian state. In succeeding centuries, Bulgaria struggled with the Byzantine Empire to assert its place in the Balkans, but by the end of the 14th century the country was overrun by the Ottoman Turks. Northern Bulgaria attained autonomy in 1878 and all of Bulgaria became independent from the Ottoman Empire in 1908. Having fought on the losing side in both World Wars, Bulgaria fell within the Soviet sphere of influence and became a People's Republic in 1946. Communist domination ended in 1990, when Bulgaria held its first multiparty election since World War II and began the contentious process of moving toward political democracy and a market economy while combating inflation, unemployment, corruption, and crime. The country joined NATO in 2004 and the EU in 2007."
    }
  },
  "Geography": {
    "Location": {
      "text": "Southeastern Europe, bordering the Black Sea, between Romania and Turkey"
    },
    "Geographic coordinates": {
      "text": "43 00 N, 25 00 E"
    },
    "Map references": {
      "text": "Europe"
    },
    "Area": {
      "total": {
        "text": "110,879 sq km"
      },
      "land": {
        "text": "108,489 sq km"
      },
      "water": {
        "text": "2,390 sq km"
      }
    },
    "Area - comparative": {
      "text": "slightly larger than Tennessee"
    },
    "Land boundaries": {
      "total": {
        "text": "1,806 km"
      },
      "border countries (5)": {
        "text": "Greece 472 km, Macedonia 162 km, Romania 605 km, Serbia 344 km, Turkey 223 km"
      }
    },
    "Coastline": {
      "text": "354 km"
    },
    "Maritime claims": {
      "territorial sea": {
        "text": "12 nm"
      },
      "contiguous zone": {
        "text": "24 nm"
      },
      "exclusive economic zone": {
        "text": "200 nm"
      }
    },
    "Climate": {
      "text": "temperate; cold, damp winters; hot, dry summers"
    },
    "Terrain": {
      "text": "mostly mountains with lowlands in north and southeast"
    },
    "Elevation extremes": {
      "lowest point": {
        "text": "Black Sea 0 m"
      },
      "highest point": {
        "text": "Musala 2,925 m"
      }
    },
    "Natural resources": {
      "text": "bauxite, copper, lead, zinc, coal, timber, arable land"
    },
    "Land use": {
      "agricultural land": {
        "text": "46.9% ++ arable land 29.9%; permanent crops 1.5%; permanent pasture 15.5%"
      },
      "forest": {
        "text": "36.7%"
      },
      "other": {
        "text": "16.4% (2011 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Irrigated land": {
      "text": "1,046 sq km (2007)"
    },
    "Total renewable water resources": {
      "text": "21.3 cu km (2011)"
    },
    "Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)": {
      "total": {
        "text": "6.12  cu km/yr (16%/68%/16%)"
      },
      "per capita": {
        "text": "821.8  cu m/yr (2009)"
      }
    },
    "Natural hazards": {
      "text": "earthquakes; landslides"
    },
    "Environment - current issues": {
      "text": "air pollution from industrial emissions; rivers polluted from raw sewage, heavy metals, detergents; deforestation; forest damage from air pollution and resulting acid rain; soil contamination from heavy metals from metallurgical plants and industrial wastes"
    },
    "Environment - international agreements": {
      "party to": {
        "text": "Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands"
      },
      "signed, but not ratified": {
        "text": "none of the selected agreements"
      }
    },
    "Geography - note": {
      "text": "strategic location near Turkish Straits; controls key land routes from Europe to Middle East and Asia"
    }
  },
  "People and Society": {
    "Nationality": {
      "noun": {
        "text": "Bulgarian(s)"
      },
      "adjective": {
        "text": "Bulgarian"
      }
    },
    "Ethnic groups": {
      "text": "Bulgarian 76.9%, Turkish 8%, Roma 4.4%, other 0.7% (including Russian, Armenian, and Vlach), other (unknown) 10% (2011 est.)"
    },
    "Languages": {
      "text": "Bulgarian (official) 76.8%, Turkish 8.2%, Roma 3.8%, other 0.7%, unspecified 10.5% (2011 est.)"
    },
    "Religions": {
      "text": "Eastern Orthodox 59.4%, Muslim 7.8%, other (including Catholic, Protestant, Armenian Apostolic Orthodox, and Jewish) 1.7%, none 3.7%, unspecified 27.4% (2011 est.)"
    },
    "Population": {
      "text": "7,186,893 (July 2015 est.)"
    },
    "Age structure": {
      "0-14 years": {
        "text": "14.53% (male 538,266/female 505,927)"
      },
      "15-24 years": {
        "text": "9.95% (male 373,340/female 341,507)"
      },
      "25-54 years": {
        "text": "43.35% (male 1,598,130/female 1,517,744)"
      },
      "55-64 years": {
        "text": "13.45% (male 451,841/female 514,696)"
      },
      "65 years and over": {
        "text": "18.72% (male 547,887/female 797,555) (2015 est.)"
      },
      "population pyramid": {
        "text": null
      }
    },
    "Dependency ratios": {
      "total dependency ratio": {
        "text": "51.9%"
      },
      "youth dependency ratio": {
        "text": "21.5%"
      },
      "elderly dependency ratio": {
        "text": "30.4%"
      },
      "potential support ratio": {
        "text": "3.3% (2015 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Median age": {
      "total": {
        "text": "42.1 years"
      },
      "male": {
        "text": "40.2 years"
      },
      "female": {
        "text": "44.2 years (2015 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Population growth rate": {
      "text": "-0.58% (2015 est.)"
    },
    "Birth rate": {
      "text": "8.92 births/1,000 population (2015 est.)"
    },
    "Death rate": {
      "text": "14.44 deaths/1,000 population (2015 est.)"
    },
    "Net migration rate": {
      "text": "-0.29 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2015 est.)"
    },
    "Urbanization": {
      "urban population": {
        "text": "73.9% of total population (2015)"
      },
      "rate of urbanization": {
        "text": "-0.31% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Major urban areas - population": {
      "text": "SOFIA (capital) 1.226 million (2015)"
    },
    "Sex ratio": {
      "at birth": {
        "text": "1.06 male(s)/female"
      },
      "0-14 years": {
        "text": "1.06 male(s)/female"
      },
      "15-24 years": {
        "text": "1.09 male(s)/female"
      },
      "25-54 years": {
        "text": "1.05 male(s)/female"
      },
      "55-64 years": {
        "text": "0.88 male(s)/female"
      },
      "65 years and over": {
        "text": "0.69 male(s)/female"
      },
      "total population": {
        "text": "0.95 male(s)/female (2015 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Infant mortality rate": {
      "total": {
        "text": "8.66 deaths/1,000 live births"
      },
      "male": {
        "text": "9.73 deaths/1,000 live births"
      },
      "female": {
        "text": "7.52 deaths/1,000 live births (2015 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Life expectancy at birth": {
      "total population": {
        "text": "74.39 years"
      },
      "male": {
        "text": "71.05 years"
      },
      "female": {
        "text": "77.93 years (2015 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Total fertility rate": {
      "text": "1.45 children born/woman (2015 est.)"
    },
    "Contraceptive prevalence rate": {
      "text": "69.2%",
      "note": {
        "text": "percent of women age 20-49 (2007)"
      }
    },
    "Health expenditures": {
      "text": "7.6% of GDP (2013)"
    },
    "Physicians density": {
      "text": "3.87 physicians/1,000 population (2012)"
    },
    "Hospital bed density": {
      "text": "6.4 beds/1,000 population (2011)"
    },
    "Drinking water source": {
      "improved": {
        "text": " ++ urban: 99.6% of population ++ rural: 99% of population ++ total: 99.4% of population"
      },
      "unimproved": {
        "text": " ++ urban: 0.4% of population ++ rural: 1% of population ++ total: 0.6% of population (2015 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Sanitation facility access": {
      "improved": {
        "text": " ++ urban: 86.8% of population ++ rural: 83.7% of population ++ total: 86% of population"
      },
      "unimproved": {
        "text": " ++ urban: 13.2% of population ++ rural: 16.3% of population ++ total: 14% of population (2015 est.)"
      }
    },
    "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": {
      "text": "NA"
    },
    "HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS": {
      "text": "NA"
    },
    "HIV/AIDS - deaths": {
      "text": "NA"
    },
    "Obesity - adult prevalence rate": {
      "text": "25.6% (2014)"
    },
    "Education expenditures": {
      "text": "3.8% of GDP (2011)"
    },
    "Literacy": {
      "definition": {
        "text": "age 15 and over can read and write"
      },
      "total population": {
        "text": "98.4%"
      },
      "male": {
        "text": "98.7%"
      },
      "female": {
        "text": "98.1% (2015 est.)"
      }
    },
    "School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)": {
      "total": {
        "text": "14 years"
      },
      "male": {
        "text": "14 years"
      },
      "female": {
        "text": "15 years (2012)"
      }
    },
    "Unemployment, youth ages 15-24": {
      "total": {
        "text": "28.1%"
      },
      "male": {
        "text": "29.5%"
      },
      "female": {
        "text": "26% (2012 est.)"
      }
    }
  },
  "Government": {
    "Country name": {
      "conventional long form": {
        "text": "Republic of Bulgaria"
      },
      "conventional short form": {
        "text": "Bulgaria"
      },
      "local long form": {
        "text": "Republika Balgariya"
      },
      "local short form": {
        "text": "Balgariya"
      }
    },
    "Government type": {
      "text": "parliamentary democracy"
    },
    "Capital": {
      "name": {
        "text": "Sofia"
      },
      "geographic coordinates": {
        "text": "42 41 N, 23 19 E"
      },
      "time difference": {
        "text": "UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)"
      },
      "daylight saving time": {
        "text": "+1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October"
      }
    },
    "Administrative divisions": {
      "text": "28 provinces (oblasti, singular - oblast); Blagoevgrad, Burgas, Dobrich, Gabrovo, Khaskovo, Kurdzhali, Kyustendil, Lovech, Montana, Pazardzhik, Pernik, Pleven, Plovdiv, Razgrad, Ruse, Shumen, Silistra, Sliven, Smolyan, Sofiya (Sofia), Sofiya-Grad (Sofia City), Stara Zagora, Turgovishte, Varna, Veliko Turnovo, Vidin, Vratsa, Yambol"
    },
    "Independence": {
      "text": "3 March 1878 (as an autonomous principality within the Ottoman Empire); 22 September 1908 (complete independence from the Ottoman Empire)"
    },
    "National holiday": {
      "text": "Liberation Day, 3 March (1878)"
    },
    "Constitution": {
      "text": "several previous; latest drafted between late 1990 and early 1991, adopted 12 July 1991; amended several times, last in 2007 (2007)"
    },
    "Legal system": {
      "text": "civil law"
    },
    "International law organization participation": {
      "text": "accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction"
    },
    "Suffrage": {
      "text": "18 years of age; universal"
    },
    "Executive branch": {
      "chief of state": {
        "text": "President Rosen PLEVNELIEV (since 22 January 2012); Vice President Margarita POPOVA (since 22 January 2012)"
      },
      "head of government": {
        "text": "Prime Minister Boyko BORISOV (since 7 November 2014); Deputy Prime Ministers Tomislav DONCHEV (since 7 November 2014), Rumyana BACHVAROVA (since 7 November 2014), Meglena KUNEVA (since 7 November 2014), Ivaylo KALFIN (since 7 November 2014); note - this is BORISOV's second term as prime minister, he first served between 27 July 2009 and 13 March 2013"
      },
      "cabinet": {
        "text": "Council of Ministers nominated by the prime minister, elected by the National Assembly"
      },
      "elections/appointments": {
        "text": "president and vice president elected on the same ballot by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 23 and 30 October 2011 (next to be held in 2016); chairman of the Council of Ministers (prime minister) elected by the National Assembly; deputy prime ministers nominated by the prime minister, elected by the National Assembly"
      },
      "election results": {
        "text": "Rosen PLEVNELIEV elected president in runoff election; percent of vote - Rosen PLEVNELIEV (independent) 52.6%, Ivailo KALFIN (BSP) 47.4%"
      }
    },
    "Legislative branch": {
      "description": {
        "text": "unicameral National Assembly or Narodno Sabranie (240 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote to serve 4-year terms)"
      },
      "elections": {
        "text": "last held on 5 October 2014 (next to be held in 2018)"
      },
      "election results": {
        "text": "percent of vote by party - GERB 32.7%, BSP 15.4%, DPS 14.8%, RB 8.9%, PF 7.3%, BBTs 5.7%, Ataka 4.5%, ABV 4.2%, other 6.5%; seats by party - GERB 84, BSP 39, DPS 38, RB 23, PF 19, BBTs 15, Ataka 11, ABV 11"
      }
    },
    "Judicial branch": {
      "highest court(s)": {
        "text": "Supreme Court of Cassation (consists of a chairman and approximately 72 judges organized into penal, civil, and commercial colleges); Supreme Administrative Court (organized in 2 colleges with various panels of 5 judges each); Constitutional Court (consists of 12 justices); note - Constitutional Court resides outside the Judiciary"
      },
      "judge selection and term of office": {
        "text": "Supreme Court of Cassation and Supreme Administrative judges elected by the Supreme Judicial Council or SJC (consists of 25 members with extensive legal experience) and appointed by the president; judge tenure NA; Constitutional Court justices elected by the National Assembly and appointed by the president and the SJC; justices appointed for 9-year terms with renewal of 4 justices every 3 years"
      },
      "subordinate courts": {
        "text": "appeals courts; regional and district courts; administrative courts; courts martial"
      }
    },
    "Political parties and leaders": {
      "text": "Alternative for Bulgarian Revival or ABV [Georgi PARVANOV] ++ Attack (Ataka) [Volen Nikolov SIDEROV] ++ Bulgarian Socialist Party or BSP [Mihail MIKOV] ++ Bulgaria of the Citizens or DBG [Meglena KUNEVA] ++ Bulgaria Without Censorship or BBTs [Nikolay BAREKOV] ++ Citizens for the European Development of Bulgaria or GERB [Boyko BORISOV] ++ Coalition for Bulgaria or CfB [Sergei STANISHEV] (coalition of parties dominated by BSP) ++ Democrats for a Strong Bulgaria or DSB [Radan KANEV] ++ IMRO - Bulgarian National Movement or IMRO-BNM [Krasimir KARAKACHANOV] ++ Movement for Rights and Freedoms or DPS [Lyutvi MESTAN] ++ National Front for the Salvation of Bulgaria or NFSB [Valeri SIMEONOV] ++ National Movement for Stability and Progress or NDSV [Hristina HRISTOVA] (formerly National Movement Simeon II or NMS2) ++ Order, Law, and Justice or RZS [Yane YANEV] ++ Patriotic Front or PF (alliance of IMRO-BNM and NFSB) ++ Union of Democratic Forces or SDS [Bozhidar LUKARSKI] ++ Reformist Bloc or RB (a five-party alliance including the DSB, DBG, and SDS)"
    },
    "Political pressure groups and leaders": {
      "text": "Confederation of Independent Trade Unions of Bulgaria or CITUB ++ Podkrepa Labor Confederation",
      "other": {
        "text": "numerous regional, ethnic, and national interest groups with various agendas"
      }
    },
    "International organization participation": {
      "text": "Australia Group, BIS, BSEC, CD, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECB, EIB, EU, FAO, G- 9, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IHO (pending member), ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NATO, NSG, OAS (observer), OIF, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, SELEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC"
    },
    "Diplomatic representation in the US": {
      "chief of mission": {
        "text": "Ambassador Elena POPTODOROVA (since 4 August 2010)"
      },
      "chancery": {
        "text": "1621 22nd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008"
      },
      "telephone": {
        "text": "[1] (202) 387-0174"
      },
      "FAX": {
        "text": "[1] (202) 234-7973"
      },
      "consulate(s) general": {
        "text": "Chicago, Los Angeles, New York"
      }
    },
    "Diplomatic representation from the US": {
      "chief of mission": {
        "text": "Ambassador Marcie B. RIES (since 5 September 2012)"
      },
      "embassy": {
        "text": "16 Kozyak Street, Sofia 1408"
      },
      "mailing address": {
        "text": "American Embassy Sofia, US Department of State, 5740 Sofia Place, Washington, DC 20521-5740"
      },
      "telephone": {
        "text": "[359] (2) 937-5100"
      },
      "FAX": {
        "text": "[359] (2) 937-5320"
      }
    },
    "Flag description": {
      "text": "three equal horizontal bands of white (top), green, and red; the pan-Slavic white-blue-red colors were modified by substituting a green band (representing freedom) for the blue",
      "note": {
        "text": "the national emblem, formerly on the hoist side of the white stripe, has been removed"
      }
    },
    "National symbol(s)": {
      "text": "lion; national colors: white, green, red"
    },
    "National anthem": {
      "name": {
        "text": "\"Mila Rodino\" (Dear Homeland)"
      },
      "lyrics/music": {
        "text": "Tsvetan Tsvetkov RADOSLAVOV"
      },
      "note": {
        "text": "adopted 1964; composed in 1885 by a student en route to fight in the Serbo-Bulgarian War"
      }
    }
  },
  "Economy": {
    "Economy - overview": {
      "text": "Bulgaria, a former Communist country that entered the EU on 1 January 2007, averaged more than 6% annual growth from 2004 to 2008, driven by significant amounts of bank lending, consumption, and foreign direct investment. Successive governments have demonstrated a commitment to economic reforms and responsible fiscal planning, but the global downturn sharply reduced domestic demand, exports, capital inflows, and industrial production. GDP contracted by 5.5% in 2009, and has been slow to recover in the years since. Despite having a favorable investment regime, including low, flat corporate income taxes, significant challenges remain. Corruption in public administration, a weak judiciary, and the presence of organized crime continue to hamper the country's investment climate and economic prospects."
    },
    "GDP (purchasing power parity)": {
      "text": "$128.6 billion (2014 est.) ++ $126.5 billion (2013 est.) ++ $125.1 billion (2012 est.)",
      "note": {
        "text": "data are in 2014 US dollars"
      }
    },
    "GDP (official exchange rate)": {
      "text": "$55.84 billion (2014 est.)"
    },
    "GDP - real growth rate": {
      "text": "1.7% (2014 est.) ++ 1.1% (2013 est.) ++ 0.5% (2012 est.)"
    },
    "GDP - per capita (PPP)": {
      "text": "$17,900 (2014 est.) ++ $17,600 (2013 est.) ++ $17,400 (2012 est.)",
      "note": {
        "text": "data are in 2014 US dollars"
      }
    },
    "Gross national saving": {
      "text": "21.6% of GDP (2014 est.) ++ 23.8% of GDP (2013 est.) ++ 21.1% of GDP (2012 est.)"
    },
    "GDP - composition, by end use": {
      "household consumption": {
        "text": "63.7%"
      },
      "government consumption": {
        "text": "17.1%"
      },
      "investment in fixed capital": {
        "text": "21.2%"
      },
      "investment in inventories": {
        "text": "-0.9%"
      },
      "exports of goods and services": {
        "text": "71.4%"
      },
      "imports of goods and services": {
        "text": "-72.5% ++  (2014 est.)"
      }
    },
    "GDP - composition, by sector of origin": {
      "agriculture": {
        "text": "4.9%"
      },
      "industry": {
        "text": "31.2%"
      },
      "services": {
        "text": "63.9% (2014 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Agriculture - products": {
      "text": "vegetables, fruits, tobacco, wine, wheat, barley, sunflowers, sugar beets; livestock"
    },
    "Industries": {
      "text": "electricity, gas, water; food, beverages, tobacco; machinery and equipment, base metals, chemical products, coke, refined petroleum, nuclear fuel"
    },
    "Industrial production growth rate": {
      "text": "3.5% (2014 est.)"
    },
    "Labor force": {
      "text": "2.981 million",
      "note": {
        "text": "number of employed persons (2014 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Labor force - by occupation": {
      "agriculture": {
        "text": "6.7%"
      },
      "industry": {
        "text": "30.2%"
      },
      "services": {
        "text": "63.1% (2013)"
      }
    },
    "Unemployment rate": {
      "text": "11.5% (2014 est.) ++ 11.8% (2013 est.)"
    },
    "Population below poverty line": {
      "text": "21% (2012 est.)"
    },
    "Household income or consumption by percentage share": {
      "lowest 10%": {
        "text": "2%"
      },
      "highest 10%": {
        "text": "35.2% (2007)"
      }
    },
    "Distribution of family income - Gini index": {
      "text": "35.4 (2012) ++ 26 (2001)"
    },
    "Budget": {
      "revenues": {
        "text": "$19.62 billion"
      },
      "expenditures": {
        "text": "$21.25 billion (2014 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Taxes and other revenues": {
      "text": "35.6% of GDP (2014 est.)"
    },
    "Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)": {
      "text": "-3% of GDP (2014 est.)"
    },
    "Public debt": {
      "text": "25.3% of GDP (2014 est.) ++ 25.9% of GDP (2013 est.)",
      "note:": {
        "text": "defined by the EU's Maastricht Treaty as consolidated general government gross debt at nominal value, outstanding at the end of the year in the following categories of government liabilities: currency and deposits, securities other than shares excluding financial derivatives, and loans; general government sector comprises the subsectors: central government, state government, local government, and social security funds"
      }
    },
    "Fiscal year": {
      "text": "calendar year"
    },
    "Inflation rate (consumer prices)": {
      "text": "-1.4% (2014 est.) ++ 0.9% (2013 est.)"
    },
    "Central bank discount rate": {
      "text": "0.03% (31 December 2014) ++ 0.02% (31 December 2013)",
      "note": {
        "text": "Bulgarian National Bank (BNB) has had no independent monetary policy since the introduction of the Currency Board regime in 1997; this is BNB's base interest rate"
      }
    },
    "Commercial bank prime lending rate": {
      "text": "7.56% (31 December 2014 est.) ++ 8.11% (31 December 2013 est.)"
    },
    "Stock of narrow money": {
      "text": "$20.85 billion (31 December 2014 est.) ++ $19.05 billion (31 December 2013 est.)"
    },
    "Stock of broad money": {
      "text": "$46.42 billion (31 December 2014 est.) ++ $47.33 billion (31 December 2013 est.)"
    },
    "Stock of domestic credit": {
      "text": "$38.58 billion (31 December 2014 est.) ++ $40.21 billion (31 December 2013 est.)"
    },
    "Market value of publicly traded shares": {
      "text": "$7.232 billion (31 December 2014 est.) ++ $7.014 billion (31 December 2013) ++ $6.666 billion (31 December 2012 est.)"
    },
    "Current account balance": {
      "text": "$25 million (2014 est.) ++ $564.7 million (2013 est.)"
    },
    "Exports": {
      "text": "$29.25 billion (2014 est.) ++ $29.58 billion (2013 est.)"
    },
    "Exports - commodities": {
      "text": "clothing, footwear, iron and steel, machinery and equipment, fuels"
    },
    "Exports - partners": {
      "text": "Germany 12.3%, Italy 9.1%, Turkey 8.9%, Romania 8.1%, Greece 6.8%, France 4.4%, Belgium 4.2% (2014)"
    },
    "Imports": {
      "text": "$33.56 billion (2014 est.) ++ $32.81 billion (2013 est.)"
    },
    "Imports - commodities": {
      "text": "machinery and equipment; metals and ores; chemicals and plastics; fuels, minerals, and raw materials"
    },
    "Imports - partners": {
      "text": "Russia 14.5%, Germany 12.4%, Italy 7.2%, Romania 6.9%, Turkey 5.6%, Greece 5.2%, Spain 5% (2014)"
    },
    "Reserves of foreign exchange and gold": {
      "text": "$20.27 billion (31 December 2014 est.) ++ $19.78 billion (31 December 2013 est.)"
    },
    "Debt - external": {
      "text": "$54.04 billion (31 December 2014 est.) ++ $52 billion (31 December 2013 est.)"
    },
    "Stock of direct foreign investment - at home": {
      "text": "$52.75 billion (31 December 2014 est.) ++ $50.75 billion (31 December 2013 est.)"
    },
    "Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad": {
      "text": "$2.599 billion (31 December 2014 est.) ++ $2.199 billion (31 December 2013 est.)"
    },
    "Exchange rates": {
      "text": "leva (BGN) per US dollar - ++ 1.465 (2014 est.) ++ 1.4736 (2013 est.) ++ 1.52 (2012 est.) ++ 1.4053 (2011 est.) ++ 1.4774 (2010 est.)"
    }
  },
  "Energy": {
    "Electricity - production": {
      "text": "47.21 billion kWh (2014 est.)"
    },
    "Electricity - consumption": {
      "text": "28.5 billion kWh (2013 est.)"
    },
    "Electricity - exports": {
      "text": "6.2 billion kWh (2013 est.)"
    },
    "Electricity - imports": {
      "text": "3.351 billion kWh (2013 est.)"
    },
    "Electricity - installed generating capacity": {
      "text": "12.9 million kW (2013 est.)"
    },
    "Electricity - from fossil fuels": {
      "text": "46% of total installed capacity (2013 est.)"
    },
    "Electricity - from nuclear fuels": {
      "text": "15.5% of total installed capacity (2013 est.)"
    },
    "Electricity - from hydroelectric plants": {
      "text": "21% of total installed capacity (2013 est.)"
    },
    "Electricity - from other renewable sources": {
      "text": "17.5% of total installed capacity (2013 est.)"
    },
    "Crude oil - production": {
      "text": "1,400 bbl/day (2013 est.)"
    },
    "Crude oil - exports": {
      "text": "0 bbl/day (2012 est.)"
    },
    "Crude oil - imports": {
      "text": "124,700 bbl/day (2010 est.)"
    },
    "Crude oil - proved reserves": {
      "text": "15 million bbl (1 January 2014 est.)"
    },
    "Refined petroleum products - production": {
      "text": "128,500 bbl/day (2010 est.)"
    },
    "Refined petroleum products - consumption": {
      "text": "94,000 bbl/day (2013 est.)"
    },
    "Refined petroleum products - exports": {
      "text": "73,740 bbl/day (2010 est.)"
    },
    "Refined petroleum products - imports": {
      "text": "50,130 bbl/day (2010 est.)"
    },
    "Natural gas - production": {
      "text": "283 million cu m (2013 est.)"
    },
    "Natural gas - consumption": {
      "text": "2.813 billion cu m (2013 est.)"
    },
    "Natural gas - exports": {
      "text": "0 cu m (2013 est.)"
    },
    "Natural gas - imports": {
      "text": "2.569 billion cu m (2013 est.)"
    },
    "Natural gas - proved reserves": {
      "text": "5.663 billion cu m (1 January 2014 est.)"
    },
    "Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy": {
      "text": "44.51 million Mt (2013 est.)"
    }
  },
  "Communications": {
    "Telephones - fixed lines": {
      "total subscriptions": {
        "text": "1.8 million"
      },
      "subscriptions per 100 inhabitants": {
        "text": "25 (2014 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Telephones - mobile cellular": {
      "total": {
        "text": "9.9 million"
      },
      "subscriptions per 100 inhabitants": {
        "text": "137 (2014 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Telephone system": {
      "general assessment": {
        "text": "inherited an extensive but antiquated telecommunications network from the Soviet era; quality has improved with a modern digital trunk line now connecting switching centers in most of the regions; remaining areas are connected by digital microwave radio relay"
      },
      "domestic": {
        "text": "the Bulgaria Telecommunications Company's fixed-line monopoly terminated in 2005 in an effort to upgrade fixed-line services; mobile-cellular teledensity, fostered by multiple service providers, has reached 150 telephones per 100 persons"
      },
      "international": {
        "text": "country code - 359; submarine cable provides connectivity to Ukraine and Russia; a combination submarine cable and land fiber-optic system provides connectivity to Italy, Albania, and Macedonia; satellite earth stations - 3 (1 Intersputnik in the Atlantic Ocean region, 2 Intelsat in the Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions) (2011)"
      }
    },
    "Broadcast media": {
      "text": "4 national terrestrial TV stations with 1 state-owned and 3 privately owned; a vast array of TV stations are available from cable and satellite TV providers; state-owned national radio broadcasts over 3 networks; large number of private radio stations broadcasting, especially in urban areas (2010)"
    },
    "Radio broadcast stations": {
      "text": "AM 31, FM 63, shortwave 2 (2001)"
    },
    "Television broadcast stations": {
      "text": "39 (plus 1,242 repeaters) (2001)"
    },
    "Internet country code": {
      "text": ".bg"
    },
    "Internet users": {
      "total": {
        "text": "4.1 million"
      },
      "percent of population": {
        "text": "57.0% (2014 est.)"
      }
    }
  },
  "Transportation": {
    "Airports": {
      "text": "68 (2013)"
    },
    "Airports - with paved runways": {
      "total": {
        "text": "57"
      },
      "over 3,047 m": {
        "text": "2"
      },
      "2,438 to 3,047 m": {
        "text": "17"
      },
      "1,524 to 2,437 m": {
        "text": "12"
      },
      "under 914 m": {
        "text": "26 (2013)"
      }
    },
    "Airports - with unpaved runways": {
      "total": {
        "text": "11"
      },
      "914 to 1,523 m": {
        "text": "2"
      },
      "under 914 m": {
        "text": " ++ 9 (2013)"
      }
    },
    "Heliports": {
      "text": "1 (2013)"
    },
    "Pipelines": {
      "text": "gas 2,887 km; oil 346 km; refined products 378 km (2013)"
    },
    "Railways": {
      "total": {
        "text": "5,114 km"
      },
      "standard gauge": {
        "text": "4,989 km 1.435-m gauge (2,880 km electrified)"
      },
      "narrow gauge": {
        "text": "125 km 0.760-m gauge (2014)"
      }
    },
    "Roadways": {
      "total": {
        "text": "19,512 km"
      },
      "paved": {
        "text": "19,235 km (includes 458 km of expressways)"
      },
      "unpaved": {
        "text": "277 km"
      },
      "note": {
        "text": "does not include Category IV local roads (2011)"
      }
    },
    "Waterways": {
      "text": "470 km (2009)"
    },
    "Merchant marine": {
      "total": {
        "text": "22"
      },
      "by type": {
        "text": "bulk carrier 9, cargo 8, liquefied gas 2, petroleum tanker 1, roll on/roll off 2"
      },
      "foreign-owned": {
        "text": "14 (Germany 12, Russia 2)"
      },
      "registered in other countries": {
        "text": "30 (Belize 1, Comoros 4, Georgia 1, Malta 8, Moldova 1, Panama 6, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 9) (2010)"
      }
    },
    "Ports and terminals": {
      "major seaport(s)": {
        "text": "Burgas, Varna (Black Sea)"
      }
    }
  },
  "Military": {
    "Military branches": {
      "text": "Bulgarian Armed Forces: Ground Forces, Naval Forces, Bulgarian Air Forces (Bulgarski Voennovazdyshni Sily, BVVS) (2011)"
    },
    "Military service age and obligation": {
      "text": "18-27 years of age for voluntary military service; conscription ended in January 2008; service obligation 6-9 months (2012)"
    },
    "Manpower available for military service": {
      "males age 16-49": {
        "text": "1,637,470"
      },
      "females age 16-49": {
        "text": "1,621,352 (2010 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Manpower fit for military service": {
      "males age 16-49": {
        "text": "1,320,955"
      },
      "females age 16-49": {
        "text": "1,337,616 (2010 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually": {
      "male": {
        "text": "33,444"
      },
      "female": {
        "text": "32,075 (2010 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Military expenditures": {
      "text": "1.6% of GDP (2013) ++ 1.46% of GDP (2012) ++ 1.55% of GDP (2011) ++ 1.46% of GDP (2010)"
    }
  },
  "Transnational Issues": {
    "Disputes - international": {
      "text": "none"
    },
    "Refugees and internally displaced persons": {
      "refugees (country of origin)": {
        "text": "8,501 (Syria) (2014)"
      },
      "stateless persons": {
        "text": "67 (2014)"
      }
    },
    "Illicit drugs": {
      "text": "major European transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin and, to a lesser degree, South American cocaine for the European market; limited producer of precursor chemicals; vulnerable to money laundering because of corruption, organized crime; some money laundering of drug-related proceeds through financial institutions (2008)"
    }
  }
}