Republic of Bulgaria

World Factbook as of November 2014: "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... 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."

Economic growth rate
2011: 2.2%

Unemployment rate
2011: 8.8%
2010: 9.5%

Public debt
2011: 17.5% of GDP

Export commodities
clothing, footwear, iron and steel, machinery and equipment, fuels

Export partners
2010: Germany 10.9%, Italy 9.9%, Romania 9.5%, Greece 8.1%, Turkey 7.9%, France 4.1%

201: exports 91.9% of imports in cash value

Income Distribution – GINI index
Ranks 42nd among 140 countries (lower rank number is less equal). Less equal than Britain, which ranks 94th, and the US, which ranks 45th.

Health expenditures
2009: 7.4% of GDP

People

Living in an urban area
71% (2010)

World Factbook (2011) estimates that people are moving out of urban areas at a rate of 0.3% per year.

Net migration rate
2012: A net loss of 2.84 persons per 1,000 population per year.

Ethnic groups
2001 census: Bulgarian 83.9%, Turk 9.4%, Roma 4.7%, other 2% (including Macedonian, Armenian, Tatar, Circassian). Turkic people from Central Asia mixed with local Slavic people in the late 600s.

Religions
2001 census: Bulgarian Orthodox 82.6%, Muslim 12.2%, other Christian 1.2%, other 4%