factbook.json/europe/bu.json

{
  "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": "almost identical in size to Virginia; slightly larger than Tennessee"
    },
    "Land boundaries": {
      "total": {
        "text": "1,806 km"
      },
      "border countries": {
        "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": {
      "highest point": {
        "text": "Musala 2,925 m"
      },
      "lowest point": {
        "text": "Black Sea 0 m"
      },
      "mean elevation": {
        "text": "472 m"
      }
    },
    "Natural resources": {
      "text": "bauxite, copper, lead, zinc, coal, timber, arable land"
    },
    "Land use": {
      "agricultural land": {
        "text": "46.9% (2018 est.)"
      },
      "agricultural land: arable land": {
        "text": "arable land: 29.9% (2018 est.)"
      },
      "agricultural land: permanent crops": {
        "text": "permanent crops: 1.5% (2018 est.)"
      },
      "agricultural land: permanent pasture": {
        "text": "permanent pasture: 15.5% (2018 est.)"
      },
      "forest": {
        "text": "36.7% (2018 est.)"
      },
      "other": {
        "text": "16.4% (2018 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Irrigated land": {
      "text": "987 sq km (2013)"
    },
    "Major rivers (by length in km)": {
      "text": "Danube (shared with Germany [s], Austria, Slovakia, Czechia, Hungary, Croatia, Serbia, Ukraine, Moldova, and Romania [m]) - 2,888 km<br><strong>note</strong> – [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth"
    },
    "Major watersheds (area sq km)": {
      "text": "Atlantic Ocean drainage: <em>(Black Sea)</em> Danube (795,656 sq km)"
    },
    "Population distribution": {
      "text": "a fairly even distribution throughout most of the country, with urban areas attracting larger populations"
    },
    "Natural hazards": {
      "text": "earthquakes; landslides"
    },
    "Geography - note": {
      "text": "strategic location near Turkish Straits; controls key land routes from Europe to Middle East and Asia"
    }
  },
  "People and Society": {
    "Population": {
      "text": "6,827,736 (2023 est.)"
    },
    "Nationality": {
      "noun": {
        "text": "Bulgarian(s)"
      },
      "adjective": {
        "text": "Bulgarian"
      }
    },
    "Ethnic groups": {
      "text": "Bulgarian 76.9%, Turkish 8%, Romani 4.4%, other 0.7% (including Russian, Armenian, and Vlach), other (unknown) 10% (2011 est.)",
      "note": "<strong>note:</strong> Romani populations are usually underestimated in official statistics and may represent 9–11% of Bulgaria's population"
    },
    "Languages": {
      "Languages": {
        "text": "Bulgarian (official) 76.8%, Turkish 8.2%, Romani 3.8%, other 0.7%, unspecified 10.5% (2011 est.)"
      },
      "major-language sample(s)": {
        "text": "<br>Светoвен Алманах, незаменимият източник за основна информация. (Bulgarian)<br><br>The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information."
      }
    },
    "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.)"
    },
    "Age structure": {
      "0-14 years": {
        "text": "14.03% (male 492,147/female 465,612)"
      },
      "15-64 years": {
        "text": "65.17% (male 2,263,479/female 2,185,969)"
      },
      "65 years and over": {
        "text": "20.81% (2023 est.) (male 570,425/female 850,104)"
      }
    },
    "Dependency ratios": {
      "total dependency ratio": {
        "text": "57.3"
      },
      "youth dependency ratio": {
        "text": "22"
      },
      "elderly dependency ratio": {
        "text": "35.3"
      },
      "potential support ratio": {
        "text": "2.8 (2021 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Median age": {
      "total": {
        "text": "43.7 years"
      },
      "male": {
        "text": "41.9 years"
      },
      "female": {
        "text": "45.6 years (2020 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Population growth rate": {
      "text": "-0.66% (2023 est.)"
    },
    "Birth rate": {
      "text": "7.97 births/1,000 population (2023 est.)"
    },
    "Death rate": {
      "text": "14.31 deaths/1,000 population (2023 est.)"
    },
    "Net migration rate": {
      "text": "-0.29 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2023 est.)"
    },
    "Population distribution": {
      "text": "a fairly even distribution throughout most of the country, with urban areas attracting larger populations"
    },
    "Urbanization": {
      "urban population": {
        "text": "76.7% of total population (2023)"
      },
      "rate of urbanization": {
        "text": "-0.28% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Major urban areas - population": {
      "text": "1.288 million SOFIA (capital) (2023)"
    },
    "Sex ratio": {
      "at birth": {
        "text": "1.06 male(s)/female"
      },
      "0-14 years": {
        "text": "1.06 male(s)/female"
      },
      "15-64 years": {
        "text": "1.04 male(s)/female"
      },
      "65 years and over": {
        "text": "0.67 male(s)/female"
      },
      "total population": {
        "text": "0.95 male(s)/female (2023 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Mother's mean age at first birth": {
      "text": "26.4 years (2020 est.)"
    },
    "Maternal mortality ratio": {
      "text": "7 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)"
    },
    "Infant mortality rate": {
      "total": {
        "text": "7.82 deaths/1,000 live births"
      },
      "male": {
        "text": "8.85 deaths/1,000 live births"
      },
      "female": {
        "text": "6.72 deaths/1,000 live births (2023 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Life expectancy at birth": {
      "total population": {
        "text": "75.83 years"
      },
      "male": {
        "text": "72.64 years"
      },
      "female": {
        "text": "79.21 years (2023 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Total fertility rate": {
      "text": "1.51 children born/woman (2023 est.)"
    },
    "Gross reproduction rate": {
      "text": "0.73 (2023 est.)"
    },
    "Contraceptive prevalence rate": {
      "text": "NA"
    },
    "Drinking water source": {
      "improved: urban": {
        "text": "urban: 99.5% of population"
      },
      "improved: rural": {
        "text": "rural: 97.4% of population"
      },
      "improved: total": {
        "text": "total: 99% of population"
      },
      "unimproved: urban": {
        "text": "urban: 0.5% of population"
      },
      "unimproved: rural": {
        "text": "rural: 2.6% of population"
      },
      "unimproved: total": {
        "text": "total: 1% of population (2020 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Current health expenditure": {
      "text": "8.5% of GDP (2020)"
    },
    "Physicians density": {
      "text": "4.2 physicians/1,000 population (2018)"
    },
    "Hospital bed density": {
      "text": "7.5 beds/1,000 population (2017)"
    },
    "Sanitation facility access": {
      "improved: urban": {
        "text": "urban: 100% of population"
      },
      "improved: rural": {
        "text": "rural: 100% of population"
      },
      "improved: total": {
        "text": "total: 100% of population"
      },
      "unimproved: urban": {
        "text": "urban: 0% of population"
      },
      "unimproved: rural": {
        "text": "rural: 0% of population"
      },
      "unimproved: total": {
        "text": "total: 0% of population (2020 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Obesity - adult prevalence rate": {
      "text": "25% (2016)"
    },
    "Alcohol consumption per capita": {
      "total": {
        "text": "11.18 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)"
      },
      "beer": {
        "text": "4.44 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)"
      },
      "wine": {
        "text": "1.72 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)"
      },
      "spirits": {
        "text": "4.96 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)"
      },
      "other alcohols": {
        "text": "0.06 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Tobacco use": {
      "total": {
        "text": "39% (2020 est.)"
      },
      "male": {
        "text": "40.9% (2020 est.)"
      },
      "female": {
        "text": "37.1% (2020 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Children under the age of 5 years underweight": {
      "text": "1.9% (2014)"
    },
    "Currently married women (ages 15-49)": {
      "text": "57.3% (2023 est.)"
    },
    "Education expenditures": {
      "text": "4% of GDP (2020 est.)"
    },
    "Literacy": {
      "definition": {
        "text": "age 15 and over can read and write"
      },
      "total population": {
        "text": "98.4%"
      },
      "male": {
        "text": "98.7%"
      },
      "female": {
        "text": "98.2% (2021)"
      }
    },
    "School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)": {
      "total": {
        "text": "14 years"
      },
      "male": {
        "text": "13 years"
      },
      "female": {
        "text": "14 years (2020)"
      }
    },
    "Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)": {
      "total": {
        "text": "14.2%"
      },
      "male": {
        "text": "14.3%"
      },
      "female": {
        "text": "14% (2021 est.)"
      }
    }
  },
  "Environment": {
    "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-Heavy Metals, Air Pollution-Multi-effect Protocol, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protection, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling"
      },
      "signed, but not ratified": {
        "text": "none of the selected agreements"
      }
    },
    "Climate": {
      "text": "temperate; cold, damp winters; hot, dry summers"
    },
    "Land use": {
      "agricultural land": {
        "text": "46.9% (2018 est.)"
      },
      "agricultural land: arable land": {
        "text": "arable land: 29.9% (2018 est.)"
      },
      "agricultural land: permanent crops": {
        "text": "permanent crops: 1.5% (2018 est.)"
      },
      "agricultural land: permanent pasture": {
        "text": "permanent pasture: 15.5% (2018 est.)"
      },
      "forest": {
        "text": "36.7% (2018 est.)"
      },
      "other": {
        "text": "16.4% (2018 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Urbanization": {
      "urban population": {
        "text": "76.7% of total population (2023)"
      },
      "rate of urbanization": {
        "text": "-0.28% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Revenue from forest resources": {
      "text": "0.22% of GDP (2018 est.)"
    },
    "Revenue from coal": {
      "text": "0.14% of GDP (2018 est.)"
    },
    "Air pollutants": {
      "particulate matter emissions": {
        "text": "18.82 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.)"
      },
      "carbon dioxide emissions": {
        "text": "41.71 megatons (2016 est.)"
      },
      "methane emissions": {
        "text": "6.77 megatons (2020 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Waste and recycling": {
      "municipal solid waste generated annually": {
        "text": "3.011 million tons (2015 est.)"
      },
      "municipal solid waste recycled annually": {
        "text": "572,993 tons (2015 est.)"
      },
      "percent of municipal solid waste recycled": {
        "text": "19% (2015 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Major rivers (by length in km)": {
      "text": "Danube (shared with Germany [s], Austria, Slovakia, Czechia, Hungary, Croatia, Serbia, Ukraine, Moldova, and Romania [m]) - 2,888 km<br><strong>note</strong> – [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth"
    },
    "Major watersheds (area sq km)": {
      "text": "Atlantic Ocean drainage: <em>(Black Sea)</em> Danube (795,656 sq km)"
    },
    "Total water withdrawal": {
      "municipal": {
        "text": "840 million cubic meters (2020 est.)"
      },
      "industrial": {
        "text": "3.48 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)"
      },
      "agricultural": {
        "text": "760 million cubic meters (2020 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Total renewable water resources": {
      "text": "21.3 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)"
    }
  },
  "Government": {
    "Country name": {
      "conventional long form": {
        "text": "Republic of Bulgaria"
      },
      "conventional short form": {
        "text": "Bulgaria"
      },
      "local long form": {
        "text": "Republika Bulgaria"
      },
      "local short form": {
        "text": "Bulgaria"
      },
      "former": {
        "text": "Kingdom of Bulgaria, People's Republic of Bulgaria"
      },
      "etymology": {
        "text": "named after the Bulgar tribes who settled the lower Balkan region in the 7th century A.D."
      }
    },
    "Government type": {
      "text": "parliamentary republic"
    },
    "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"
      },
      "etymology": {
        "text": "named after the Saint Sofia Church in the city, parts of which date back to the 4th century A.D."
      }
    },
    "Administrative divisions": {
      "text": "28 provinces (oblasti, singular - oblast); Blagoevgrad, Burgas, Dobrich, Gabrovo, Haskovo, Kardzhali, Kyustendil, Lovech, Montana, Pazardzhik, Pernik, Pleven, Plovdiv, Razgrad, Ruse, Shumen, Silistra, Sliven, Smolyan, Sofia, Sofia-Grad (Sofia City), Stara Zagora, Targovishte, Varna, Veliko Tarnovo, 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": {
      "history": {
        "text": "several previous; latest drafted between late 1990 and early 1991, adopted 13 July 1991"
      },
      "amendments": {
        "text": "proposed by the National Assembly or by the president of the republic; passage requires three-fourths majority vote of National Assembly members in three ballots; signed by the National Assembly chairperson; note - under special circumstances, a \"Grand National Assembly\" is elected with the authority to write a new constitution and amend certain articles of the constitution, including those affecting basic civil rights and national sovereignty; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote in each of several readings; amended several times, last in 2015"
      }
    },
    "Legal system": {
      "text": "civil law"
    },
    "International law organization participation": {
      "text": "accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction"
    },
    "Citizenship": {
      "citizenship by birth": {
        "text": "no"
      },
      "citizenship by descent only": {
        "text": "at least one parent must be a citizen of Bulgaria"
      },
      "dual citizenship recognized": {
        "text": "yes"
      },
      "residency requirement for naturalization": {
        "text": "5 years"
      }
    },
    "Suffrage": {
      "text": "18 years of age; universal"
    },
    "Executive branch": {
      "chief of state": {
        "text": "President Rumen RADEV (since 22 January 2017); Vice President Iliana IOTOVA (since 22 January 2017)"
      },
      "head of government": {
        "text": "Prime Minister Nikolay DENKOV (since 6 June 2023)"
      },
      "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 14 and 21 November 2021 (next to be held in fall 2026); 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": "<em><br>2021</em>: Rumen RADEV reelected president in second round; percent of vote in first round - Rumen RADEV (independent) 49.4%, Anastas GERDZHIKOV (independent) 22.8%, Mustafa KARADAYI (DPS) 11.6%, Kostadin KOSTADINOV (Revival) 3.9%, Lozan PANOV (independent) 3.7%, other 8.6%; percent of vote in the second round - Rumen RADEV 66.7%, Anastas GERDZHIKOV 31.8%, neither 1.5%<br><em>2016: </em>Rumen RADEV elected president in second round; percent of vote - Rumen RADEV (independent, supported by Bulgarian Socialist Party) 59.4%, Tsetska TSACHEVA (GERB) 36.2%, neither 4.5%<br><br><em>2011:</em> Rosen PLEVNELIEV elected president in the second round; percent of vote in the second round - 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 open list, proportional representation vote to serve 4-year terms)"
      },
      "elections": {
        "text": "last held on 2 April 2023 (next election to be held in 2027)"
      },
      "election results": {
        "text": "percent of vote by party/coalition - GERB-SDS 25.4%, PP-DB 23.5%, Revival 13.6%, DPS 13.2%, BSP for Bulgaria 8.6%, ITN 3.9%, other 11.8%; seats by party/coalition GERB-SDS 69, PP-DB 64, Revival 37, DPS 36, BSP for Bulgaria 23, ITN 11; composition - men 182, women 58, percent of women 24.2%"
      }
    },
    "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 into 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; judges can serve until mandatory retirement at age 65; 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": "Agrarian People's Union or ZNS [Roumen YONCHEV]<br>BSP for Bulgaria [Korneliya NINOVA] (alliance of BSP, PKT, Ecoglasnost)<br>Bulgaria of the Citizens or DBG [Dimitar DELCHEV]<br>Bulgarian Agrarian People’s Union or BZNS [Nikolay NENCHEV]<br>Bulgarian Rise or BV [Stefan YANEV]<br>Bulgarian Socialist Party or BSP [Korneliya NINOVA]<br>Citizens for the European Development of Bulgaria or GERB [Boyko BORISOV] (alliance with SDS) <br>Democratic Bulgaria or DB (alliance of Yes! Bulgaria, DSB, and The Greens) [Atanas ATANASOV, Hristo IVANOV]<br>Democrats for a Strong Bulgaria or DSB [Atanas ATANASOV]<br>Ecoglasnost [Emil GEORGIEV]<br>Green Movement or The Greens [Borislav SANDOV, Vladislav PENEV]<br>Middle European Class or SEC [Konstantin BACHIISKI]<br>Movement for Rights and Freedoms or DPS [Mustafa KARADAYI]<br>Movement 21 or D21 [Tatyana DONCHEVA]<br>New Dawn [Mincho MINCHEV]<br>Political Club Thrace or PKT [Stefan NACHEZ]<br>Political Movement \"Social Democrats\" or PDS  [Elena NONEVA]<br>Revival [Kostadin KOSTADINOV]<br>Stand Up.BG or IS.BG [Maya MONOLOVA]<br>Stand Up.BG, We Are Coming! or IBG-NI [Maya MONOLOVA, Nikolay HADZHIGENOV] (coalition of IS.BG, D21, DBG, ENP, and ZNS)<br>There is Such a People or ITN [Slavi TRIFONOV]<br>United People's Party or ENP [Valentina VASILEVA-FILADELFEVS]<br>Union of Democratic Forces or SDS [Rumen HRISTOV] (alliance with GERB) <br>Yes! Bulgaria [Hristo IVANOV]<br>Volt Bulgaria or Volt [Nastimir ANANIEV]<br>We Continue the Change of PP [Kiril PETKOV and Asen VASILEV] (electoral alliance of PP, PDS, SEC, and Volt)"
    },
    "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, Wassenaar Arrangement, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC"
    },
    "Diplomatic representation in the US": {
      "chief of mission": {
        "text": "Ambassador Georgi Velikov PANAYOTOV (since 7 June 2022)"
      },
      "chancery": {
        "text": "1621 22nd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008"
      },
      "telephone": {
        "text": "[1] (202) 387 5770"
      },
      "FAX": {
        "text": "[1] (202) 234-7973"
      },
      "email address and website": {
        "text": "<br>office@bulgaria-embassy.org<br><br>https://www.bulgaria-embassy.org/en/homepage/"
      },
      "consulate(s) general": {
        "text": "Chicago, Los Angeles, New York"
      }
    },
    "Diplomatic representation from the US": {
      "chief of mission": {
        "text": "Ambassador Kenneth MERTEN (since 7 April 2023)"
      },
      "embassy": {
        "text": "16, Kozyak Street, Sofia 1408"
      },
      "mailing address": {
        "text": "5740 Sofia Place, Washington, DC&nbsp; 20521-5740"
      },
      "telephone": {
        "text": "[359] (2) 937-5100"
      },
      "FAX": {
        "text": "[359] (2) 937-5320"
      },
      "email address and website": {
        "text": "<br>acs_sofia@state.gov<br><br>https://bg.usembassy.gov/"
      }
    },
    "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": "<strong>note:</strong> 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": "<strong>note:</strong> adopted 1964; composed in 1885 by a student en route to fight in the Serbo-Bulgarian War"
    },
    "National heritage": {
      "total World Heritage Sites": {
        "text": "10 (7 cultural, 3 natural)"
      },
      "selected World Heritage Site locales": {
        "text": "Boyana Church (c); Madara Rider (c); Thracian Tomb of Kazanlak (c); Rock-Hewn Churches of Ivanovo (c); Rila Monastery (c); Ancient City of Nessebar (c); Thracian Tomb of Sveshtari (c); Srebarna Nature Reserve (n); Pirin National Park (n); Primeval Beech Forests of the Carpathians (n)"
      }
    }
  },
  "Economy": {
    "Economic overview": {
      "text": "upper-middle-income EU economy; improving living standards and very robust economic growth; coal-based infrastructure; legacy structural vulnerabilities and widespread corruption; increasing Russian economic relations, particularly through energy trade"
    },
    "Real GDP (purchasing power parity)": {
      "Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2021": {
        "text": "$167.804 billion (2021 est.)"
      },
      "Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2020": {
        "text": "$155.902 billion (2020 est.)"
      },
      "Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2019": {
        "text": "$162.328 billion (2019 est.)"
      },
      "note": "<strong>note:</strong> data are in 2017 dollars"
    },
    "Real GDP growth rate": {
      "Real GDP growth rate 2021": {
        "text": "7.63% (2021 est.)"
      },
      "Real GDP growth rate 2020": {
        "text": "-3.96% (2020 est.)"
      },
      "Real GDP growth rate 2019": {
        "text": "4.04% (2019 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Real GDP per capita": {
      "Real GDP per capita 2021": {
        "text": "$24,400 (2021 est.)"
      },
      "Real GDP per capita 2020": {
        "text": "$22,500 (2020 est.)"
      },
      "Real GDP per capita 2019": {
        "text": "$23,300 (2019 est.)"
      },
      "note": "<strong>note:</strong> data are in 2017 dollars"
    },
    "GDP (official exchange rate)": {
      "text": "$68.49 billion (2019 est.)"
    },
    "Inflation rate (consumer prices)": {
      "Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2021": {
        "text": "3.3% (2021 est.)"
      },
      "Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2020": {
        "text": "1.67% (2020 est.)"
      },
      "Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2019": {
        "text": "3.1% (2019 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Credit ratings": {
      "Fitch rating": {
        "text": "BBB (2017)"
      },
      "Moody's rating": {
        "text": "Baa1 (2020)"
      },
      "Standard & Poors rating": {
        "text": "BBB (2019)"
      },
      "note": "<strong>note: </strong>The year refers to the year in which the current credit rating was first obtained."
    },
    "GDP - composition, by sector of origin": {
      "agriculture": {
        "text": "4.3% (2017 est.)"
      },
      "industry": {
        "text": "28% (2017 est.)"
      },
      "services": {
        "text": "67.4% (2017 est.)"
      }
    },
    "GDP - composition, by end use": {
      "household consumption": {
        "text": "61.6% (2017 est.)"
      },
      "government consumption": {
        "text": "16% (2017 est.)"
      },
      "investment in fixed capital": {
        "text": "19.2% (2017 est.)"
      },
      "investment in inventories": {
        "text": "1.7% (2017 est.)"
      },
      "exports of goods and services": {
        "text": "66.3% (2017 est.)"
      },
      "imports of goods and services": {
        "text": "-64.8% (2017 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Agricultural products": {
      "text": "wheat, maize, sunflower seed, milk, barley, rapeseed, potatoes, grapes, tomatoes, watermelons"
    },
    "Industries": {
      "text": "electricity, gas, water; food, beverages, tobacco; machinery and equipment, automotive parts, base metals, chemical products, coke, refined petroleum, nuclear fuel; outsourcing centers"
    },
    "Industrial production growth rate": {
      "text": "1.72% (2021 est.)"
    },
    "Labor force": {
      "text": "3.291 million (2021 est.)",
      "note": "<strong>note:</strong> number of employed persons"
    },
    "Labor force - by occupation": {
      "agriculture": {
        "text": "6.8%"
      },
      "industry": {
        "text": "26.6%"
      },
      "services": {
        "text": "66.6% (2016 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Unemployment rate": {
      "Unemployment rate 2021": {
        "text": "5.42% (2021 est.)"
      },
      "Unemployment rate 2020": {
        "text": "5.12% (2020 est.)"
      },
      "Unemployment rate 2019": {
        "text": "4.23% (2019 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)": {
      "total": {
        "text": "14.2%"
      },
      "male": {
        "text": "14.3%"
      },
      "female": {
        "text": "14% (2021 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Population below poverty line": {
      "text": "23.8% (2019 est.)"
    },
    "Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income": {
      "Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2019": {
        "text": "40.3 (2019 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Average household expenditures": {
      "on food": {
        "text": "19.3% of household expenditures (2018 est.)"
      },
      "on alcohol and tobacco": {
        "text": "5% of household expenditures (2018 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Household income or consumption by percentage share": {
      "lowest 10%": {
        "text": "1.9%"
      },
      "highest 10%": {
        "text": "31.2% (2017)"
      }
    },
    "Budget": {
      "revenues": {
        "text": "$24.487 billion (2020 est.)"
      },
      "expenditures": {
        "text": "$26.544 billion (2020 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)": {
      "text": "1.8% (of GDP) (2017 est.)"
    },
    "Public debt": {
      "Public debt 2020": {
        "text": "32.24% of GDP (2020 est.)"
      },
      "Public debt 2019": {
        "text": "26.92% of GDP (2019 est.)"
      },
      "Public debt 2018": {
        "text": "28.69% of GDP (2018 est.)"
      },
      "note": "<strong>note:</strong> 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"
    },
    "Taxes and other revenues": {
      "text": "20.27% (of GDP) (2020 est.)"
    },
    "Fiscal year": {
      "text": "calendar year"
    },
    "Current account balance": {
      "Current account balance 2021": {
        "text": "-$373.66 million (2021 est.)"
      },
      "Current account balance 2020": {
        "text": "-$31.19 million (2020 est.)"
      },
      "Current account balance 2019": {
        "text": "$1.264 billion (2019 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Exports": {
      "Exports 2021": {
        "text": "$51.505 billion (2021 est.)"
      },
      "Exports 2020": {
        "text": "$39.541 billion (2020 est.)"
      },
      "Exports 2019": {
        "text": "$44.041 billion (2019 est.)"
      },
      "note": "<strong>note:</strong> Data are in current year dollars and do not include illicit exports or re-exports."
    },
    "Exports - partners": {
      "text": "Germany 16%, Romania 8%, Italy 7%, Turkey 7%, Greece 6% (2019)"
    },
    "Exports - commodities": {
      "text": "copper, wheat, electricity, refined petroleum, packaged medicines (2021)",
      "note": "<strong>note:</strong> Bulgarian amphetamine production remains a significant illicit trade export"
    },
    "Imports": {
      "Imports 2021": {
        "text": "$50.059 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars"
      },
      "Imports 2020": {
        "text": "$38.197 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars"
      },
      "Imports 2019": {
        "text": "$41.843 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars"
      }
    },
    "Imports - partners": {
      "text": "Germany 11%, Russia 9%, Italy 7%, Romania 7%, Turkey 7% (2019)"
    },
    "Imports - commodities": {
      "text": "crude petroleum, copper, cars, packaged medicines, refined petroleum (2019)"
    },
    "Reserves of foreign exchange and gold": {
      "Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2021": {
        "text": "$39.188 billion (31 December 2021 est.)"
      },
      "Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2020": {
        "text": "$37.86 billion (31 December 2020 est.)"
      },
      "Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2019": {
        "text": "$27.902 billion (31 December 2019 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Debt - external": {
      "Debt - external 2019": {
        "text": "$39.059 billion (2019 est.)"
      },
      "Debt - external 2018": {
        "text": "$41.139 billion (2018 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Exchange rates": {
      "Currency": {
        "text": "leva (BGN) per US dollar -"
      },
      "Exchange rates 2021": {
        "text": "1.654 (2021 est.)"
      },
      "Exchange rates 2020": {
        "text": "1.716 (2020 est.)"
      },
      "Exchange rates 2019": {
        "text": "1.747 (2019 est.)"
      },
      "Exchange rates 2018": {
        "text": "1.657 (2018 est.)"
      },
      "Exchange rates 2017": {
        "text": "1.735 (2017 est.)"
      }
    }
  },
  "Energy": {
    "Electricity access": {
      "electrification - total population": {
        "text": "99.8% (2021)"
      },
      "electrification - urban areas": {
        "text": "99.9% (2021)"
      },
      "electrification - rural areas": {
        "text": "99.5% (2021)"
      }
    },
    "Electricity": {
      "installed generating capacity": {
        "text": "11.097 million kW (2020 est.)"
      },
      "consumption": {
        "text": "30,905,170,000 kWh (2019 est.)"
      },
      "exports": {
        "text": "7.115 billion kWh (2020 est.)"
      },
      "imports": {
        "text": "3.707 billion kWh (2020 est.)"
      },
      "transmission/distribution losses": {
        "text": "2.767 billion kWh (2019 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Electricity generation sources": {
      "fossil fuels": {
        "text": "36.5% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)"
      },
      "nuclear": {
        "text": "44.7% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)"
      },
      "solar": {
        "text": "4% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)"
      },
      "wind": {
        "text": "4% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)"
      },
      "hydroelectricity": {
        "text": "9.1% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)"
      },
      "tide and wave": {
        "text": "0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)"
      },
      "geothermal": {
        "text": "0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)"
      },
      "biomass and waste": {
        "text": "1.9% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Nuclear energy": {
      "Number of operational nuclear reactors": {
        "text": "2 (2023)"
      },
      "Number of nuclear reactors under construction": {
        "text": "0"
      },
      "Net capacity of operational nuclear reactors": {
        "text": "2.01GW (2023)"
      },
      "Percent of total electricity production": {
        "text": "34.6% (2021)"
      },
      "Percent of total energy produced": {
        "text": "40% (2021)"
      },
      "Number of nuclear reactors permanently shut down": {
        "text": "2"
      }
    },
    "Coal": {
      "production": {
        "text": "22.298 million metric tons (2020 est.)"
      },
      "consumption": {
        "text": "23.213 million metric tons (2020 est.)"
      },
      "exports": {
        "text": "35,000 metric tons (2020 est.)"
      },
      "imports": {
        "text": "675,000 metric tons (2020 est.)"
      },
      "proven reserves": {
        "text": "2.366 billion metric tons (2019 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Petroleum": {
      "total petroleum production": {
        "text": "4,500 bbl/day (2021 est.)"
      },
      "refined petroleum consumption": {
        "text": "97,800 bbl/day (2019 est.)"
      },
      "crude oil and lease condensate exports": {
        "text": "0 bbl/day (2018 est.)"
      },
      "crude oil and lease condensate imports": {
        "text": "119,800 bbl/day (2018 est.)"
      },
      "crude oil estimated reserves": {
        "text": "15 million barrels (2021 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Refined petroleum products - production": {
      "text": "144,300 bbl/day (2015 est.)"
    },
    "Refined petroleum products - exports": {
      "text": "92,720 bbl/day (2015 est.)"
    },
    "Refined petroleum products - imports": {
      "text": "49,260 bbl/day (2015 est.)"
    },
    "Natural gas": {
      "production": {
        "text": "62.439 million cubic meters (2020 est.)"
      },
      "consumption": {
        "text": "2,929,401,000 cubic meters (2019 est.)"
      },
      "exports": {
        "text": "2.747 million cubic meters (2020 est.)"
      },
      "imports": {
        "text": "2,950,157,000 cubic meters (2019 est.)"
      },
      "proven reserves": {
        "text": "5.663 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Carbon dioxide emissions": {
      "total emissions": {
        "text": "38.373 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)"
      },
      "from coal and metallurgical coke": {
        "text": "20.483 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)"
      },
      "from petroleum and other liquids": {
        "text": "12.248 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)"
      },
      "from consumed natural gas": {
        "text": "5.642 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Energy consumption per capita": {
      "Total energy consumption per capita 2019": {
        "text": "103.924 million Btu/person (2019 est.)"
      }
    }
  },
  "Communications": {
    "Telephones - fixed lines": {
      "total subscriptions": {
        "text": "787,637 (2021 est.)"
      },
      "subscriptions per 100 inhabitants": {
        "text": "11 (2021 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Telephones - mobile cellular": {
      "total subscriptions": {
        "text": "7,902,756 (2021 est.)"
      },
      "subscriptions per 100 inhabitants": {
        "text": "115 (2021 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Telecommunication systems": {
      "general assessment": {
        "text": "<p>Bulgaria’s telecom market was for some years affected by the difficult macroeconomic climate, as well as by relatively high unemployment and a shrinking population; these factors continue to slow investments in the sector, though revenue growth has returned since 2019; there still remains pressure on revenue growth, with consumers migrating from fixed-line voice telephony to mobile and VoIP alternatives, while the volume of SMS and MMS traffic has been affected by the growing use of alternative OTT messaging services; investing in network upgrades and its development of services based on 5G have stimulated other market players to invest in their own service provision; by the end of 2022 about 70% of the population is expected to be covered by 5G; the broadband market in Bulgaria enjoys excellent cross-platform competition; the share of the market held by DSL has fallen steadily as a result of customers being migrated to fiber networks; by early 2021 about 65% of fixed-line broadband subscribers were on fiber infrastructure; Bulgaria joins the U.S. State Department’s Clean Network initiative in a bid to protect its 5G communications networks</p> (2022)"
      },
      "domestic": {
        "text": "fixed-line over 11 per 100 persons, mobile-cellular teledensity, fostered by multiple service providers, is over 115 telephones per 100 persons (2021)"
      },
      "international": {
        "text": "country code - 359; Caucasus Cable System via submarine cable provides connectivity to Ukraine, Georgia&nbsp;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) (2019)"
      }
    },
    "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"
    },
    "Internet country code": {
      "text": ".bg"
    },
    "Internet users": {
      "total": {
        "text": "5.175 million (2021 est.)"
      },
      "percent of population": {
        "text": "75% (2021 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Broadband - fixed subscriptions": {
      "total": {
        "text": "2,115,053 (2020 est.)"
      },
      "subscriptions per 100 inhabitants": {
        "text": "30 (2020 est.)"
      }
    }
  },
  "Transportation": {
    "National air transport system": {
      "number of registered air carriers": {
        "text": "8 (2020)"
      },
      "inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers": {
        "text": "44"
      },
      "annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers": {
        "text": "1,022,645 (2018)"
      },
      "annual freight traffic on registered air carriers": {
        "text": "1.38 million (2018) mt-km"
      }
    },
    "Civil aircraft registration country code prefix": {
      "text": "LZ"
    },
    "Airports": {
      "text": "68 (2021)"
    },
    "Airports - with paved runways": {
      "total": {
        "text": "57"
      },
      "civil airports": {
        "text": "5"
      },
      "military airports": {
        "text": "6"
      },
      "joint use (civil-military) airports": {
        "text": "1"
      },
      "other airports": {
        "text": "45"
      },
      "note": "<strong>note:</strong> paved runways have a concrete or asphalt surface but not all have facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control; the length of a runway required for aircraft to safely operate depends on a number of factors including the type of aircraft, the takeoff weight (including passengers, cargo, and fuel), engine types, flap settings, landing speed, elevation of the airport, and average maximum daily air temperature; paved runways can reach a length of 5,000 m (16,000 ft.), but the “typical” length of a commercial airline runway is between 2,500-4,000 m (8,000-13,000 ft.)"
    },
    "Airports - with unpaved runways": {
      "text": "11",
      "note": "<strong>note:</strong> unpaved runways have a surface composition such as grass or packed earth and are most suited to the operation of light aircraft; unpaved runways are usually short, often less than 1,000 m (3,280 ft.) in length; airports with unpaved runways often lack facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control"
    },
    "Heliports": {
      "text": "1 (2021)"
    },
    "Pipelines": {
      "text": "2,765 km gas, 346 km oil, 378 km refined products (2017)"
    },
    "Railways": {
      "total": {
        "text": "4,029 km (2020) 2,871 km electrified"
      }
    },
    "Roadways": {
      "total": {
        "text": "19,512 km (2011)"
      },
      "paved": {
        "text": "19,235 km (2011) (includes 458 km of expressways)"
      },
      "unpaved": {
        "text": "277 km (2011)"
      },
      "note": "<strong>note:</strong> does not include Category IV local roads"
    },
    "Waterways": {
      "text": "470 km (2009)"
    },
    "Merchant marine": {
      "total": {
        "text": "80"
      },
      "by type": {
        "text": "bulk carrier 3, general cargo 14, oil tanker 8, other 55 (2022)"
      }
    },
    "Ports and terminals": {
      "major seaport(s)": {
        "text": "Burgas, Varna (Black Sea)"
      }
    }
  },
  "Military and Security": {
    "Military and security forces": {
      "text": "Bulgarian Armed Forces (aka Bulgarian Army): Land Forces, Air Force, Navy<br><br>Ministry of Interior: General Directorate National Police (GDNP), General Directorate Border Police (GDBP), General Directorate for Combating Organized Crime (GDCOC), Fire Safety and Civil Protection General Directorate, Special Unit for Combating Terrorism (SOBT) (2023)",
      "note": "<strong>note:</strong> the GDMP includes the Gendarmerie, a special police force with military status deployed to secure important facilities, buildings and infrastructure, to respond to riots, and to counter militant threats"
    },
    "Military expenditures": {
      "Military Expenditures 2023": {
        "text": "1.8% of GDP (2023 est.)"
      },
      "Military Expenditures 2022": {
        "text": "1.6% of GDP (2022 est.)"
      },
      "Military Expenditures 2021": {
        "text": "1.6% of GDP (2021)"
      },
      "Military Expenditures 2020": {
        "text": "1.6% of GDP (2020)"
      },
      "Military Expenditures 2019": {
        "text": "3.1% of GDP (2019)"
      }
    },
    "Military and security service personnel strengths": {
      "text": "approximately 28,000 active-duty personnel (17,000 Army; 4,000 Navy; 7,000 Air Force) (2022)",
      "note": "<strong>note:</strong> in 2021, Bulgaria released a 10-year defense plan which called for an active military strength of 43,000"
    },
    "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": {
      "text": "the military's inventory consists primarily of Soviet-era equipment, although in recent years Bulgaria has procured limited amounts of more modern weapons systems from some Western countries (2023)"
    },
    "Military service age and obligation": {
      "text": "18 years of age for voluntary military service; conscription ended in 2007; service obligation 6-9 months (2022)",
      "note": "<strong>note 1:</strong> in 2021, women comprised about 17% of the Bulgarian military's full-time personnel<br><br><strong>note 2:</strong> in 2020, Bulgaria announced a program to allow every citizen up to the age of 40 to join the armed forces for 6 months of military service in the voluntary reserve"
    },
    "Military - note": {
      "text": "Bulgaria became a member of NATO in 2004; Bulgaria conducts its own air policing mission, but because of Russian aggression in the Black Sea region, NATO allies have sent detachments of fighters to augment the Bulgarian Air Force since 2014 (2023)"
    }
  },
  "Terrorism": {
    "Terrorist group(s)": {
      "text": "Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS); Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps/Qods Force",
      "note": "<strong>note:</strong> details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in Appendix-T"
    }
  },
  "Transnational Issues": {
    "Disputes - international": {
      "text": "<p>none</p>"
    },
    "Refugees and internally displaced persons": {
      "refugees (country of origin)": {
        "text": "22,226 (Syria) (mid-year 2022); 162,935 (Ukraine) (as of 27 June 2023)"
      },
      "stateless persons": {
        "text": "1,129 (2022)"
      },
      "note": "<strong>note:</strong> 91,531 estimated refugee and migrant arrivals (January 2015-May 2023); Bulgaria is predominantly a transit country"
    },
    "Trafficking in persons": {
      "tier rating": {
        "text": "Tier 2 Watch List &mdash; Bulgaria does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking but is making significant efforts to do so; officials prosecuted significantly more suspected traffickers, ordered restitution, and drafted an annual national program with increased funding for combating trafficking and protecting victims; however, the government did not demonstrate overall increasing efforts to improve its anti-trafficking capacity; authorities investigated and convicted significantly fewer traffickers, the fewest since the government began reporting trafficking data; courts continued to issue suspended sentences for most convicted traffickers; victim identification and assistance data remained unreliable, making it difficult to accurately assess trafficking; authorities penalized victims for crimes traffickers compelled them to commit; lack of resources, legal authority, and training impeded law enforcement; corruption in law enforcement and the judiciary hindered progress, and alleged complicity in trafficking crimes persisted; therefore, Bulgaria was downgraded to Tier 2 Watch List (2022)"
      },
      "trafficking profile": {
        "text": "human traffickers exploit domestic and foreign victims in Bulgaria, and traffickers exploit victims from Bulgaria abroad; Bulgaria remains one of the primary source countries of human trafficking in the EU; vulnerable groups include the unemployed, children in residential care, individuals working in commercial sex, and members of the Romani community; most victims are individuals with disabilities and those with mental health conditions; Bulgarian women and children are exploited in sex trafficking throughout Western Europe and Bulgaria; Bulgarians of Turkish ethnicity and Romani women and girls account for most of the sex trafficking victims in Bulgaria; traffickers typically exploit Bulgarian women and girls from poorer regions and increasingly use the internet or social media to recruit victims; family- or clan-based organizations and independent traffickers are overwhelmingly of Romani ethnicity and usually know the victims, who are also Roma; traffickers exploit Bulgarian men and boys in forced labor across Europe, predominantly in agriculture, construction, and the service sector; Romani children are exploited in forced labor, particularly begging and pick-pocketing in Austria, France, and Sweden; child trafficking cases reportedly are increasing; children are exploited in small family-owned shops, textile production, restaurants, and construction businesses, and some face sexual exploitation in government-run institutions; Ukrainian refugees are highly vulnerable to trafficking (2022)"
      }
    },
    "Illicit drugs": {
      "text": "source country for amphetamine tablets"
    }
  }
}