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Turkey vs. Bulgaria

Introduction

TurkeyBulgaria
Background

Modern Turkey was founded in 1923 from the remnants of the defeated Ottoman Empire by national hero Mustafa KEMAL, who was later honored with the title Ataturk or "Father of the Turks." Under his leadership, the country adopted radical social, legal, and political reforms. After a period of one-party rule, an experiment with multi-party politics led to the 1950 election victory of the opposition Democrat Party and the peaceful transfer of power. Since then, Turkish political parties have multiplied, but democracy has been fractured by periods of instability and military coups (1960, 1971, 1980), which in each case eventually resulted in a return of formal political power to civilians. In 1997, the military again helped engineer the ouster - popularly dubbed a "post-modern coup" - of the then Islamic-oriented government. An unsuccessful coup attempt was made in July 2016 by a faction of the Turkish Armed Forces.

Turkey intervened militarily on Cyprus in 1974 to prevent a Greek takeover of the island and has since acted as patron state to the "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus," which only Turkey recognizes. A separatist insurgency begun in 1984 by the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), a US-designated terrorist organization, has long dominated the attention of Turkish security forces and claimed more than 40,000 lives. In 2013, the Turkish Government and the PKK conducted negotiations aimed at ending the violence, however intense fighting resumed in 2015. Turkey joined the UN in 1945 and in 1952 it became a member of NATO. In 1963, Turkey became an associate member of the European Community; it began accession talks with the EU in 2005. Over the past decade, economic reforms, coupled with some political reforms, have contributed to a growing economy, although economic growth slowed in recent years.

From 2015 and continuing through 2016, Turkey witnessed an uptick in terrorist violence, including major attacks in Ankara, Istanbul, and throughout the predominantly Kurdish southeastern region of Turkey. On 15 July 2016, elements of the Turkish Armed forces attempted a coup that ultimately failed following widespread popular resistance. More than 240 people were killed and over 2,000 injured when Turkish citizens took to the streets en masse to confront the coup forces. The government accused followers of the Fethullah Gulen transnational religious and social movement ("Hizmet") for allegedly instigating the failed coup and designates the movement's followers as terrorists. Since the attempted coup, Turkish Government authorities arrested, suspended, or dismissed more than 130,000 security personnel, journalists, judges, academics, and civil servants due to their alleged connection to Gulen's movement. Following the failed coup, the Turkish Government instituted a State of Emergency from July 2016 to July 2018. The Turkish Government conducted a referendum on 16 April 2017 in which voters approved constitutional amendments changing Turkey from a parliamentary to a presidential system. The amendments went into effect fully following the presidential and parliamentary elections in June 2018.

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

TurkeyBulgaria
LocationSoutheastern Europe and Southwestern Asia (that portion of Turkey west of the Bosporus is geographically part of Europe), bordering the Black Sea, between Bulgaria and Georgia, and bordering the Aegean Sea and the Mediterranean Sea, between Greece and SyriaSoutheastern Europe, bordering the Black Sea, between Romania and Turkey
Geographic coordinates39 00 N, 35 00 E43 00 N, 25 00 E
Map referencesMiddle EastEurope
Areatotal: 783,562 sq km

land: 769,632 sq km

water: 13,930 sq km
total: 110,879 sq km

land: 108,489 sq km

water: 2,390 sq km
Area - comparativeslightly larger than Texasalmost identical in size to Virginia; slightly larger than Tennessee
Land boundariestotal: 2,816 km

border countries (8): Armenia 311 km, Azerbaijan 17 km, Bulgaria 223 km, Georgia 273 km, Greece 192 km, Iran 534 km, Iraq 367 km, Syria 899 km
total: 1,806 km

border countries (5): Greece 472 km, Macedonia 162 km, Romania 605 km, Serbia 344 km, Turkey 223 km
Coastline7,200 km354 km
Maritime claimsterritorial sea: 6 nm in the Aegean Sea

exclusive economic zone: in Black Sea only: to the maritime boundary agreed upon with the former USSR

12 nm in Black Sea and in Mediterranean Sea
territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climatetemperate; hot, dry summers with mild, wet winters; harsher in interiortemperate; cold, damp winters; hot, dry summers
Terrainhigh central plateau (Anatolia); narrow coastal plain; several mountain rangesmostly mountains with lowlands in north and southeast
Elevation extremeshighest point: Mount Ararat 5,137 m

lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m

mean elevation: 1,132 m
highest point: Musala 2,925 m

lowest point: Black Sea 0 m

mean elevation: 472 m
Natural resourcescoal, iron ore, copper, chromium, antimony, mercury, gold, barite, borate, celestite (strontium), emery, feldspar, limestone, magnesite, marble, perlite, pumice, pyrites (sulfur), clay, arable land, hydropowerbauxite, copper, lead, zinc, coal, timber, arable land
Land useagricultural land: 49.7% (2018 est.)

arable land: 26.7% (2018 est.)

permanent crops: 4% (2018 est.)

permanent pasture: 19% (2018 est.)

forest: 14.9% (2018 est.)

other: 35.4% (2018 est.)
agricultural land: 46.9% (2018 est.)

arable land: 29.9% (2018 est.)

permanent crops: 1.5% (2018 est.)

permanent pasture: 15.5% (2018 est.)

forest: 36.7% (2018 est.)

other: 16.4% (2018 est.)
Irrigated land52,150 sq km (2012)1,020 sq km (2012)
Natural hazards

severe earthquakes, especially in northern Turkey, along an arc extending from the Sea of Marmara to Lake Van; landslides; flooding

volcanism: limited volcanic activity; its three historically active volcanoes; Ararat, Nemrut Dagi, and Tendurek Dagi have not erupted since the 19th century or earlier

earthquakes; landslides
Environment - current issueswater pollution from dumping of chemicals and detergents; air pollution, particularly in urban areas; deforestation; land degradation; concern for oil spills from increasing Bosporus ship traffic; conservation of biodiversityair 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 agreementsparty to: Air Pollution, Antarctic-Environmental Protection, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Environmental Modification
party to: 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: none of the selected agreements
Geography - notestrategic location controlling the Turkish Straits (Bosporus, Sea of Marmara, Dardanelles) that link the Black and Aegean Seas; the 3% of Turkish territory north of the Straits lies in Europe and goes by the names of European Turkey, Eastern Thrace, or Turkish Thrace; the 97% of the country in Asia is referred to as Anatolia; Istanbul, which straddles the Bosporus, is the only metropolis in the world located on two continents; Mount Ararat, the legendary landing place of Noah's ark, is in the far eastern portion of the countrystrategic location near Turkish Straits; controls key land routes from Europe to Middle East and Asia
Total renewable water resources211.6 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)21.3 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)
Population distributionthe most densely populated area is found around the Bosporus in the northwest where 20% of the population lives in Istanbul; with the exception of Ankara, urban centers remain small and scattered throughout the interior of Anatolia; an overall pattern of peripheral development exists, particularly along the Aegean Sea coast in the west, and the Tigris and Euphrates River systems in the southeasta fairly even distribution throughout most of the country, with urban areas attracting larger populations

Demographics

TurkeyBulgaria
Population82,482,383 (July 2021 est.)6,919,180 (July 2021 est.)
Age structure0-14 years: 23.41% (male 9,823,553/female 9,378,767)

15-24 years: 15.67% (male 6,564,263/female 6,286,615)

25-54 years: 43.31% (male 17,987,103/female 17,536,957)

55-64 years: 9.25% (male 3,764,878/female 3,822,946)

65 years and over: 8.35% (male 3,070,258/female 3,782,174) (2020 est.)
0-14 years: 14.52% (male 520,190/female 491,506)

15-24 years: 9.4% (male 340,306/female 314,241)

25-54 years: 42.87% (male 1,538,593/female 1,448,080)

55-64 years: 13.15% (male 433,943/female 482,474)

65 years and over: 20.06% (male 562,513/female 835,053) (2020 est.)
Median agetotal: 32.2 years

male: 31.7 years

female: 32.8 years (2020 est.)
total: 43.7 years

male: 41.9 years

female: 45.6 years (2020 est.)
Population growth rate0.7% (2021 est.)-0.67% (2021 est.)
Birth rate14.54 births/1,000 population (2021 est.)8.15 births/1,000 population (2021 est.)
Death rate6.02 deaths/1,000 population (2021 est.)14.52 deaths/1,000 population (2021 est.)
Net migration rate-1.55 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2021 est.)-0.29 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2021 est.)
Sex ratioat birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

15-24 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

25-54 years: 1.03 male(s)/female

55-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.81 male(s)/female

total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2020 est.)
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female

0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female

15-24 years: 1.08 male(s)/female

25-54 years: 1.06 male(s)/female

55-64 years: 0.9 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female

total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2020 est.)
Infant mortality ratetotal: 19.87 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 21.58 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 18.08 deaths/1,000 live births (2021 est.)
total: 8.14 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 9.19 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 7.03 deaths/1,000 live births (2021 est.)
Life expectancy at birthtotal population: 75.96 years

male: 73.57 years

female: 78.46 years (2021 est.)
total population: 75.3 years

male: 72.08 years

female: 78.73 years (2021 est.)
Total fertility rate1.94 children born/woman (2021 est.)1.49 children born/woman (2021 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rateNA<.1% (2019 est.)
Nationalitynoun: Turk(s)

adjective: Turkish
noun: Bulgarian(s)

adjective: Bulgarian
Ethnic groupsTurkish 70-75%, Kurdish 19%, other minorities 7-12% (2016 est.)Bulgarian 76.9%, Turkish 8%, Romani 4.4%, other 0.7% (including Russian, Armenian, and Vlach), other (unknown) 10% (2011 est.)

note: Romani populations are usually underestimated in official statistics and may represent 9-11% of Bulgaria's population
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDSNA3,300 (2019 est.)
ReligionsMuslim 99.8% (mostly Sunni), other 0.2% (mostly Christians and Jews)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.)
HIV/AIDS - deathsNA<100 (2019 est.)
LanguagesTurkish (official), Kurdish, other minority languages

major-language sample(s):
The World Factbook, temel bilgi edinmek için vazgeçilmez bir kaynak. (Turkish)

The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.
Bulgarian (official) 76.8%, Turkish 8.2%, Romani 3.8%, other 0.7%, unspecified 10.5% (2011 est.)

major-language sample(s):
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The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.
Literacydefinition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 96.2%

male: 98.8%

female: 93.5% (2017)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 98.4%

male: 98.7%

female: 98.1% (2015)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)total: 18 years

male: 19 years

female: 18 years (2018)
total: 14 years

male: 14 years

female: 14 years (2018)
Education expenditures4.3% of GDP (2015)4.1% of GDP (2017)
Urbanizationurban population: 76.6% of total population (2021)

rate of urbanization: 1.11% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
urban population: 76% of total population (2021)

rate of urbanization: -0.28% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Drinking water sourceimproved: urban: 98.6% of population

rural: 100% of population

total: 98.9% of population

unimproved: urban: 1.4% of population

rural: 0% of population

total: 1.1% of population (2017 est.)
improved: urban: 100% of population

rural: 98% of population

total: 100% of population

unimproved: urban: 0% of population

rural: 2% of population

total: 0% of population (2017 est.)
Sanitation facility accessimproved: urban: 100% of population

rural: 91.6% of population

total: 97.3% of population

unimproved: urban: 0% of population

rural: 8.4% of population

total: 2.7% of population (2017 est.)
improved: urban: 100% of population

rural: 100% of population

total: 100% of population

unimproved: urban: 0% of population

rural: 0% of population

total: 0% of population (2017 est.)
Major cities - population15.190 million Istanbul, 5.118 million ANKARA (capital), 2.993 million Izmir, 1.986 million Bursa, 1.771 million Adana, 1.704 million Gaziantep (2020)1.284 million SOFIA (capital) (2021)
Maternal mortality rate17 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)10 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)
Children under the age of 5 years underweight1.5% (2018/19)1.9% (2014)
Health expenditures4.1% (2018)7.4% (2018)
Physicians density1.85 physicians/1,000 population (2017)4.03 physicians/1,000 population (2015)
Hospital bed density2.8 beds/1,000 population (2017)7.5 beds/1,000 population (2017)
Obesity - adult prevalence rate32.1% (2016)25% (2016)
Mother's mean age at first birth26.4 years (2019 est.)26.3 years (2019 est.)
Dependency ratiostotal dependency ratio: 49.1

youth dependency ratio: 35.7

elderly dependency ratio: 13.4

potential support ratio: 7.5 (2020 est.)
total dependency ratio: 56.6

youth dependency ratio: 23

elderly dependency ratio: 33.6

potential support ratio: 3 (2020 est.)

Government

TurkeyBulgaria
Country nameconventional long form: Republic of Turkey

conventional short form: Turkey

local long form: Turkiye Cumhuriyeti

local short form: Turkiye

etymology: the name means "Land of the Turks"
conventional long form: Republic of Bulgaria

conventional short form: Bulgaria

local long form: Republika Bulgaria

local short form: Bulgaria

former: Kingdom of Bulgaria, People's Republic of Bulgaria

etymology: named after the Bulgar tribes who settled the lower Balkan region in the 7th century A.D.
Government typepresidential republicparliamentary republic
Capitalname: Ankara

geographic coordinates: 39 56 N, 32 52 E

time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

etymology: Ankara has been linked with a second millennium B.C. Hittite cult center of Ankuwash, although this connection is uncertain; in classical and medieval times, the city was known as Ankyra (meaning "anchor" in Greek and reflecting the city's position as a junction for multiple trade and military routes); by about the 13th century the city began to be referred to as Angora; following the establishment of the Republic of Turkey in 1923, the city's name became Ankara
name: Sofia

geographic coordinates: 42 41 N, 23 19 E

time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

etymology: named after the Saint Sofia Church in the city, parts of which date back to the 4th century A.D.
Administrative divisions81 provinces (iller, singular - ili); Adana, Adiyaman, Afyonkarahisar, Agri, Aksaray, Amasya, Ankara, Antalya, Ardahan, Artvin, Aydin, Balikesir, Bartin, Batman, Bayburt, Bilecik, Bingol, Bitlis, Bolu, Burdur, Bursa, Canakkale, Cankiri, Corum, Denizli, Diyarbakir, Duzce, Edirne, Elazig, Erzincan, Erzurum, Eskisehir, Gaziantep, Giresun, Gumushane, Hakkari, Hatay, Igdir, Isparta, Istanbul, Izmir (Smyrna), Kahramanmaras, Karabuk, Karaman, Kars, Kastamonu, Kayseri, Kilis, Kirikkale, Kirklareli, Kirsehir, Kocaeli, Konya, Kutahya, Malatya, Manisa, Mardin, Mersin, Mugla, Mus, Nevsehir, Nigde, Ordu, Osmaniye, Rize, Sakarya, Samsun, Sanliurfa, Siirt, Sinop, Sirnak, Sivas, Tekirdag, Tokat, Trabzon (Trebizond), Tunceli, Usak, Van, Yalova, Yozgat, Zonguldak28 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
Independence29 October 1923 (republic proclaimed, succeeding the Ottoman Empire)3 March 1878 (as an autonomous principality within the Ottoman Empire); 22 September 1908 (complete independence from the Ottoman Empire)
National holidayRepublic Day, 29 October (1923)Liberation Day, 3 March (1878)
Constitutionhistory: several previous; latest ratified 9 November 1982

amendments: proposed by written consent of at least one third of Grand National Assembly of Turkey (TBMM) members; adoption of draft amendments requires two debates in plenary TBMM session and three-fifths majority vote of all GNA members; the president of the republic can request TBMM reconsideration of the amendment and, if readopted by two-thirds majority TBMM vote, the president may submit the amendment to a referendum; passage by referendum requires absolute majority vote; amended several times, last in 2017
history: several previous; latest drafted between late 1990 and early 1991, adopted 13 July 1991

amendments: 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 systemcivil law system based on various European legal systems, notably the Swiss civil codecivil law
Suffrage18 years of age; universal18 years of age; universal
Executive branchchief of state: President Recep Tayyip ERDOGAN (chief of state since 28 August 2014; head of government since 9 July 2019); Vice President Fuat OKTAY (since 9 July 2018); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government

head of government: President Recep Tayyip ERDOGAN (head of government since 9 July 2019; chief of state since 28 August 2014); note - a 2017 constitutional referendum eliminated the post of prime minister after the 2018 general election 

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president

elections/appointments: president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 24 June 2018 (next scheduled for June 2023)

election results: Recep Tayyip ERDOGAN reelected president in the first round; Recep Tayyip ERDOGAN (AKP) 52.6%, Muharrem INCE (CHP) 30.6%, Selahattin DEMIRTAS (HDP) 8.4%, Meral AKSENER (IYI) 7.3%, other 1.1%
chief of state: President Rumen RADEV (since 22 January 2017); Vice President Iliana IOTOVA (since 22 January 2017)

head of government: Interim Prime Minister Stefan YANEV (since 12 May 2021); note - YANEV is leading a caretaker government until elections are held on 11 July 2021

cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the prime minister, elected by the National Assembly

elections/appointments: 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 6 and 13 November 2016 (next to be held in fall 2021); 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: 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%
Legislative branchdescription: unicameral Grand National Assembly of Turkey or Turkiye Buyuk Millet Meclisi (600 seats - increased from 550 seats beginning with June 2018 election; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote to serve 5-year terms - increased from 4 to 5 years beginning with June 2018 election)

elections: last held on 24 June 2018 (next to be held in June 2023)

election results: percent of vote by party - People's Alliance 53.7% (AKP 42.6%, MHP 11.1%), Nation Alliance 33.9% (CHP 22.6%, IYI 10%, SP 1.3%), HDP 11.7%, other 0.7%; seats by party - People's Alliance 344 (AKP 295, MHP 49), National Alliance 189 (CHP 146, IYI 43), HDP 67; composition - men 496, women 104, percent of women 17.3%; note - only parties surpassing a 10% threshold can win parliamentary seats
description: 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: last held on 11 July 2021 (next election to be held in 2025)

election results: percent of vote by party/coalition - ITN 23.8%, GERB-SDS 23.2%, BSP for Bulgaria 13.2%, DB 12.5%, DPS 10.6%, ISMV 5%, other 11.7%; seats by party/coalition ITN 65, GERB-SDS 63, BSP for Bulgaria 36, DB 34, DPS 29, ISMV 13
Judicial branchhighest courts: Constitutional Court or Anayasa Mahkemesi (consists of the president, 2 vice presidents, and 12 judges); Court of Cassation (consists of about 390 judges and is organized into civil and penal chambers); Council of State (organized into 15 divisions - 14 judicial and 1 consultative - each with a division head and at least 5 members)

judge selection and term of office: Constitutional Court members - 3 appointed by the Grand National Assembly and 12 by the president of the republic; court president and 2 deputy court presidents appointed from among its members for 4-year terms; judges serve 12-year, nonrenewable terms with mandatory retirement at age 65; Court of Cassation judges appointed by the Board of Judges and Prosecutors, a 13-member body of judicial officials; Court of Cassation judges serve until retirement at age 65; Council of State members appointed by the Board and by the president of the republic; members serve renewable, 4-year terms

subordinate courts: regional appeals courts; basic (first instance) courts; peace courts; aggravated crime courts; specialized courts, including administrative and audit; note - a constitutional amendment in 2017 abolished military courts unless established to investigate military personnel actions during war conditions
highest courts: 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: 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: appeals courts; regional and district courts; administrative courts; courts martial
Political parties and leadersDemocrat Party or DP [Gultekin UYSAL]
Democratic Regions Party or DBP [Sebahat TUNCEL, Mehmet ARSLAN]
Felicity Party or SP [Temel KARAMOLLAOGLU]
Free Cause Party or HUDAPAR [Ishak SAGLAM]
Good Party or TYIi [Meral AKSENER]
Grand Unity Party or BBP [Mustafa DESTICI]
Justice and Development Party or AKP [Recep Tayyip ERDOGAN]
Nation Alliance (CHP, IYI, SP) (electoral alliance)
Nationalist Movement Party or MHP [Devlet BAHCELI]
People's Alliance (AKP, MHP) (electoral alliance)
Patriotic Party or VP [Dogu PERINCEK]
Peoples' Democratic Party or HDP [Pervin BULDAN, Sezai TEMELLI]
Republican People's Party or CHP [Kemal KILICDAROGLU]

note:  as of December 2018, 83 political parties were legally registered
Agrarian People's Union or ZNS [Roumen YONCHEV]
Bulgarian Agrarian People's Union [Nikolay NENCHEV]
Bulgarian Socialist Party or BSP [Korneliya NINOVA] (alliance of BSP, ZNS, PKT, New Dawn, Ecoglasnost)
Bulgaria of the Citizens or DBG [Dimiter DELCHEV]]
Citizens for the European Development of Bulgaria or GERB (alliance with SDS) [Boyko BORISSOV]
Democratic Bulgaria or DB (alliance of Yes! Bulgaria, DSB, and The Greens) [Atanas ATANASOV, Hristo IVANOV]
Democrats for a Strong Bulgaria or DSB [Atanas ATANASOV]
Ecoglasnost [Emil GEORGIEV]
Green Movement or The Greens [Borislav SANDOV, Vladislav PENEV]
Movement for Rights and Freedoms or DPS [Mustafa KARADAYI]
Movement 21 or D21 [Tatyana DONCHEVA]
New Dawn [Mincho MINCHEV]
Political Club Thrace or PKT [Stefan NACHEZ]
Stand Up.BG or IS.BG [Maya MONOLOVA]
Stand Up! Mafia, Get Out! or ISMV (coalition of IS.BG, D21, DBG, ENP, ZNS, and Volt) [Maya MONOLOVA, Nikolay HADZHIGENOV] 
There is Such a People or ITN [SLAVI TRIFONOV]
United People's Party or ENP [Valentina VASILEVA-FILADELFEVS]
Union of Democratic Forces or SDS [Rumen HRISTOV]
Yes! Bulgaria [Hristo IVANOV]
Volt Bulgaria or Volt [Nastimir ANANIEV]
International organization participationADB (nonregional member), Australia Group, BIS, BSEC, CBSS (observer), CD, CE, CERN (observer), CICA, CPLP (associate observer), D-8, EAPC, EBRD, ECO, EU (candidate country), FAO, FATF, G-20, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIC, OPCW, OSCE, Pacific Alliance (observer), Paris Club (associate), PCA, PIF (partner), SCO (dialogue member), SELEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNRWA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZCAustralia 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 USchief of mission: Ambassador Hasan MURAT MERCAN (since 20 April 2021)

chancery: 2525 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 612-6700; [1] (202) 612-6701

FAX: [1] (202) 612-6744

email address and website:
embassy.washingtondc@mfa.gov.tr

http://washington.emb.mfa.gov.tr/Mission

consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York
chief of mission: Ambassador Tihomir Anguelov STOYTCHEV (since 27 June 2016)

chancery: 1621 22nd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 387-0174; [1] (202) 299-0273, [1] (202) 483-1386

FAX: [1] (202) 234-7973

email address and website:
office@bulgaria-embassy.org; Embassy.Washington@mfa.bg

https://www.bulgaria-embassy.org/en/homepage/

consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, New York
Diplomatic representation from the USchief of mission: Ambassador David M. SATTERFIELD (since 28 August 2019)

embassy: 110 Ataturk Boulevard, Kavaklidere, 06100 Ankara

mailing address: 7000 Ankara Place, Washington  DC 20512-7000

telephone: [90] (312) 455-5555

FAX: [90] (312) 467-0019

email address and website:
Ankara-ACS@state.gov

https://tr.usembassy.gov/

consulate(s) general: Istanbul

consulate(s): Adana
chief of mission: Ambassador Herro MUSTAFA (since 18 October 2019)

embassy: 16, Kozyak Street, Sofia 1408

mailing address: 5740 Sofia Place, Washington, DC  20521-5740

telephone: [359] (2) 937-5100

FAX: [359] (2) 937-5320

email address and website:
acs_sofia@state.gov

https://bg.usembassy.gov/
Flag descriptionred with a vertical white crescent moon (the closed portion is toward the hoist side) and white five-pointed star centered just outside the crescent opening; the flag colors and designs closely resemble those on the banner of the Ottoman Empire, which preceded modern-day Turkey; the crescent moon and star serve as insignia for Turkic peoples; according to one interpretation, the flag represents the reflection of the moon and a star in a pool of blood of Turkish warriorsthree 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: the national emblem, formerly on the hoist side of the white stripe, has been removed
National anthemname: "Istiklal Marsi" (Independence March)

lyrics/music: Mehmet Akif ERSOY/Zeki UNGOR

note: lyrics adopted 1921, music adopted 1932; the anthem's original music was adopted in 1924; a new composition was agreed upon in 1932
name: "Mila Rodino" (Dear Homeland)

lyrics/music: Tsvetan Tsvetkov RADOSLAVOV

note: adopted 1964; composed in 1885 by a student en route to fight in the Serbo-Bulgarian War
International law organization participationhas not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCtaccepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
National symbol(s)vertical crescent moon with adjacent five-pointed star; national colors: red, whitelion; national colors: white, green, red
Citizenshipcitizenship by birth: no

citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Turkey

dual citizenship recognized: yes, but requires prior permission from the government

residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years
citizenship by birth: no

citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Bulgaria

dual citizenship recognized: yes

residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years

Economy

TurkeyBulgaria
Economy - overview

Turkey's largely free-market economy is driven by its industry and, increasingly, service sectors, although its traditional agriculture sector still accounts for about 25% of employment. The automotive, petrochemical, and electronics industries have risen in importance and surpassed the traditional textiles and clothing sectors within Turkey's export mix. However, the recent period of political stability and economic dynamism has given way to domestic uncertainty and security concerns, which are generating financial market volatility and weighing on Turkey's economic outlook.

Current government policies emphasize populist spending measures and credit breaks, while implementation of structural economic reforms has slowed. The government is playing a more active role in some strategic sectors and has used economic institutions and regulators to target political opponents, undermining private sector confidence in the judicial system. Between July 2016 and March 2017, three credit ratings agencies downgraded Turkey's sovereign credit ratings, citing concerns about the rule of law and the pace of economic reforms.

Turkey remains highly dependent on imported oil and gas but is pursuing energy relationships with a broader set of international partners and taking steps to increase use of domestic energy sources including renewables, nuclear, and coal. The joint Turkish-Azerbaijani Trans-Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline is moving forward to increase transport of Caspian gas to Turkey and Europe, and when completed will help diversify Turkey's sources of imported gas.

After Turkey experienced a severe financial crisis in 2001, Ankara adopted financial and fiscal reforms as part of an IMF program. The reforms strengthened the country's economic fundamentals and ushered in an era of strong growth, averaging more than 6% annually until 2008. An aggressive privatization program also reduced state involvement in basic industry, banking, transport, power generation, and communication. Global economic conditions and tighter fiscal policy caused GDP to contract in 2009, but Turkey's well-regulated financial markets and banking system helped the country weather the global financial crisis, and GDP growth rebounded to around 9% in 2010 and 2011, as exports and investment recovered following the crisis.

The growth of Turkish GDP since 2016 has revealed the persistent underlying imbalances in the Turkish economy. In particular, Turkey's large current account deficit means it must rely on external investment inflows to finance growth, leaving the economy vulnerable to destabilizing shifts in investor confidence. Other troublesome trends include rising unemployment and inflation, which increased in 2017, given the Turkish lira's continuing depreciation against the dollar. Although government debt remains low at about 30% of GDP, bank and corporate borrowing has almost tripled as a percent of GDP during the past decade, outpacing its emerging-market peers and prompting investor concerns about its long-term sustainability.

Bulgaria, a former communist country that entered the EU in 2007, has an open economy that historically has demonstrated strong growth, but its per-capita income remains the lowest among EU members and its reliance on energy imports and foreign demand for its exports makes its growth sensitive to external market conditions.

The government undertook significant structural economic reforms in the 1990s to move the economy from a centralized, planned economy to a more liberal, market-driven economy. These reforms included privatization of state-owned enterprises, liberalization of trade, and strengthening of the tax system - changes that initially caused some economic hardships but later helped to attract investment, spur growth, and make gradual improvements to living conditions. From 2000 through 2008, Bulgaria maintained robust, average annual real GDP growth in excess of 6%, which was followed by a deep recession in 2009 as the financial crisis caused domestic demand, exports, capital inflows and industrial production to contract, prompting the government to rein in spending. Real GDP growth remained slow - less than 2% annually - until 2015, when demand from EU countries for Bulgarian exports, plus an inflow of EU development funds, boosted growth to more than 3%. In recent years, strong domestic demand combined with low international energy prices have contributed to Bulgaria's economic growth approaching 4% and have also helped to ease inflation. Bulgaria's prudent public financial management contributed to budget surpluses both in 2016 and 2017.

Bulgaria is heavily reliant on energy imports from Russia, a potential vulnerability, and is a participant in EU-backed efforts to diversify regional natural gas supplies. In late 2016, the Bulgarian Government provided funding to Bulgaria's National Electric Company to cover the $695 million compensation owed to Russian nuclear equipment manufacturer Atomstroyexport for the cancellation of the Belene Nuclear Power Plant project, which the Bulgarian Government terminated in 2012. As of early 2018, the government was floating the possibility of resurrecting the Belene project. The natural gas market, dominated by state-owned Bulgargaz, is also almost entirely supplied by Russia. Infrastructure projects such as the Inter-Connector Greece-Bulgaria and Inter-Connector Bulgaria-Serbia, which would enable Bulgaria to have access to non-Russian gas, have either stalled or made limited progress. In 2016, the Bulgarian Government established the State eGovernment Agency. This new agency is responsible for the electronic governance, coordinating national policies with the EU, and strengthening cybersecurity.

Despite a favorable investment regime, including low, flat corporate income taxes, significant challenges remain. Corruption in public administration, a weak judiciary, low productivity, lack of transparency in public procurements, and the presence of organized crime continue to hamper the country's investment climate and economic prospects.

GDP (purchasing power parity)$2,371,374,000,000 (2019 est.)

$2,349,836,000,000 (2018 est.)

$2,282,304,000,000 (2017 est.)

note: data are in 2010 dollars
$161.654 billion (2019 est.)

$155.894 billion (2018 est.)

$151.218 billion (2017 est.)

note: data are in 2010 dollars
GDP - real growth rate0.98% (2019 est.)

3.04% (2018 est.)

7.54% (2017 est.)
3.39% (2019 est.)

3.2% (2018 est.)

3.5% (2017 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP)$28,424 (2019 est.)

$28,545 (2018 est.)

$28,141 (2017 est.)

note: data are in 2010 dollars
$23,174 (2019 est.)

$22,191 (2018 est.)

$21,371 (2017 est.)

note: data are in 2010 dollars
GDP - composition by sectoragriculture: 6.8% (2017 est.)

industry: 32.3% (2017 est.)

services: 60.7% (2017 est.)
agriculture: 4.3% (2017 est.)

industry: 28% (2017 est.)

services: 67.4% (2017 est.)
Population below poverty line14.4% (2018 est.)23.8% (2019 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage sharelowest 10%: 2.1%

highest 10%: 30.3% (2008)
lowest 10%: 1.9%

highest 10%: 31.2% (2017)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)15.4% (2019 est.)

16.2% (2018 est.)

11.1% (2017 est.)
3.1% (2019 est.)

2.8% (2018 est.)

2% (2017 est.)
Labor force25.677 million (2020 est.)

note: this number is for the domestic labor force only; number does not include about 1.2 million Turks working abroad, nor refugees
3.113 million (2020 est.)

note: number of employed persons
Labor force - by occupationagriculture: 18.4%

industry: 26.6%

services: 54.9% (2016)
agriculture: 6.8%

industry: 26.6%

services: 66.6% (2016 est.)
Unemployment rate13.68% (2019 est.)

11% (2018 est.)
5.66% (2019 est.)

6.18% (2018 est.)
Distribution of family income - Gini index41.9 (2018 est.)

43.6 (2003)
40.4 (2017 est.)

38.3 (2016)
Budgetrevenues: 172.8 billion (2017 est.)

expenditures: 185.8 billion (2017 est.)
revenues: 20.35 billion (2017 est.)

expenditures: 19.35 billion (2017 est.)
Industriestextiles, food processing, automobiles, electronics, mining (coal, chromate, copper, boron), steel, petroleum, construction, lumber, paperelectricity, gas, water; food, beverages, tobacco; machinery and equipment, automotive parts, base metals, chemical products, coke, refined petroleum, nuclear fuel; outsourcing centers
Industrial production growth rate9.1% (2017 est.)3.6% (2017 est.)
Agriculture - productsmilk, wheat, sugar beet, tomatoes, barley, maize, potatoes, grapes, watermelons, appleswheat, maize, sunflower seed, milk, barley, rapeseed, potatoes, grapes, tomatoes, watermelons
Exports$310.671 billion (2019 est.)

$296.288 billion (2018 est.)

$271.866 billion (2017 est.)
$42.369 billion (2019 est.)

$40.779 billion (2018 est.)

$40.091 billion (2017 est.)
Exports - commoditiescars and vehicle parts, refined petroleum, delivery trucks, jewelry, clothing and apparel (2019)refined petroleum, packaged medicines, copper, wheat, electricity (2019)
Exports - partnersGermany 9%, United Kingdom 6%, Iraq 5%, Italy 5%, United States 5% (2019)Germany 16%, Romania 8%, Italy 7%, Turkey 7%, Greece 6% (2019)
Imports$258.385 billion (2019 est.)

$272.933 billion (2018 est.)

$291.523 billion (2017 est.)
$44.853 billion (2019 est.)

$42.841 billion (2018 est.)

$40.53 billion (2017 est.)
Imports - commoditiesgold, refined petroleum, crude petroleum, vehicle parts, scrap iron (2019)crude petroleum, copper, cars, packaged medicines, refined petroleum (2019)
Imports - partnersGermany 11%, China 9%, Russia 9%, United States 5%, Italy 5% (2019)Germany 11%, Russia 9%, Italy 7%, Romania 7%, Turkey 7% (2019)
Debt - external$438.677 billion (2019 est.)

$454.251 billion (2018 est.)
$39.059 billion (2019 est.)

$41.139 billion (2018 est.)
Exchange ratesTurkish liras (TRY) per US dollar -

7.81925 (2020 est.)

5.8149 (2019 est.)

5.28905 (2018 est.)

2.72 (2014 est.)

2.1885 (2013 est.)
leva (BGN) per US dollar -

1.61885 (2020 est.)

1.7669 (2019 est.)

1.7172 (2018 est.)

1.7644 (2014 est.)

1.4742 (2013 est.)
Fiscal yearcalendar yearcalendar year
Public debt28.3% of GDP (2017 est.)

28.3% of GDP (2016 est.)
23.9% of GDP (2017 est.)

27.4% of GDP (2016 est.)

note: 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
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold$107.7 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$106.1 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
$28.38 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$25.13 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
Current Account Balance$8.561 billion (2019 est.)

-$20.745 billion (2018 est.)
$2.06 billion (2019 est.)

$611 million (2018 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate)$760.028 billion (2019 est.)$68.49 billion (2019 est.)
Credit ratingsFitch rating: BB- (2019)

Moody's rating: B2 (2020)

Standard & Poors rating: B+ (2018)
Fitch rating: BBB (2017)

Moody's rating: Baa1 (2020)

Standard & Poors rating: BBB (2019)
Ease of Doing Business Index scoresOverall score: 76.8 (2020)

Starting a Business score: 88.8 (2020)

Trading score: 91.6 (2020)

Enforcement score: 71.4 (2020)
Overall score: 72 (2020)

Starting a Business score: 85.4 (2020)

Trading score: 97.4 (2020)

Enforcement score: 67 (2020)
Taxes and other revenues20.3% (of GDP) (2017 est.)35.7% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)-1.5% (of GDP) (2017 est.)1.8% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Unemployment, youth ages 15-24total: 25.2%

male: 22.4%

female: 30.3% (2019 est.)
total: 8.9%

male: 9.3%

female: 8.3% (2019 est.)
GDP - composition, by end usehousehold consumption: 59.1% (2017 est.)

government consumption: 14.5% (2017 est.)

investment in fixed capital: 29.8% (2017 est.)

investment in inventories: 1.1% (2017 est.)

exports of goods and services: 24.9% (2017 est.)

imports of goods and services: -29.4% (2017 est.)
household consumption: 61.6% (2017 est.)

government consumption: 16% (2017 est.)

investment in fixed capital: 19.2% (2017 est.)

investment in inventories: 1.7% (2017 est.)

exports of goods and services: 66.3% (2017 est.)

imports of goods and services: -64.8% (2017 est.)
Gross national saving26% of GDP (2019 est.)

27.7% of GDP (2018 est.)

26% of GDP (2017 est.)
26.1% of GDP (2019 est.)

24.2% of GDP (2018 est.)

25.3% of GDP (2017 est.)

Energy

TurkeyBulgaria
Electricity - production261.9 billion kWh (2016 est.)42.29 billion kWh (2016 est.)
Electricity - consumption231.1 billion kWh (2016 est.)32.34 billion kWh (2016 est.)
Electricity - exports1.442 billion kWh (2016 est.)9.187 billion kWh (2017 est.)
Electricity - imports6.33 billion kWh (2016 est.)4.568 billion kWh (2016 est.)
Oil - production55,000 bbl/day (2018 est.)1,000 bbl/day (2018 est.)
Oil - imports521,500 bbl/day (2017 est.)133,900 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Oil - exports0 bbl/day (2017 est.)0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Oil - proved reserves341.6 million bbl (1 January 2018 est.)15 million bbl (1 January 2018 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves5.097 billion cu m (1 January 2018 est.)5.663 billion cu m (1 January 2018 est.)
Natural gas - production368.1 million cu m (2017 est.)79.28 million cu m (2017 est.)
Natural gas - consumption53.6 billion cu m (2017 est.)3.313 billion cu m (2017 est.)
Natural gas - exports622.9 million cu m (2017 est.)31.15 million cu m (2017 est.)
Natural gas - imports55.13 billion cu m (2017 est.)3.256 billion cu m (2017 est.)
Electricity - installed generating capacity78.5 million kW (2016 est.)10.75 million kW (2016 est.)
Electricity - from fossil fuels53% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)39% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)
Electricity - from hydroelectric plants33% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)23% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Electricity - from nuclear fuels0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)20% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Electricity - from other renewable sources14% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)19% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Refined petroleum products - production657,900 bbl/day (2017 est.)144,300 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Refined petroleum products - consumption989,900 bbl/day (2017 est.)97,000 bbl/day (2016 est.)
Refined petroleum products - exports141,600 bbl/day (2017 est.)92,720 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Refined petroleum products - imports560,000 bbl/day (2017 est.)49,260 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Electricity accesselectrification - total population: 100% (2020)electrification - total population: 100% (2020)

Telecommunications

TurkeyBulgaria
Telephones - main lines in usetotal subscriptions: 11,532,903

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 14.13 (2019 est.)
total subscriptions: 975,355

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 13.91 (2019 est.)
Telephones - mobile cellulartotal subscriptions: 80,790,877

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 98.97 (2019 est.)
total subscriptions: 8,134,581

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 116.02 (2019 est.)
Internet country code.tr.bg
Internet userstotal: 57,725,143

percent of population: 71.04% (July 2018 est.)
total: 4,571,851

percent of population: 64.78% (July 2018 est.)
Telecommunication systemsgeneral assessment:

following earthquake damage to infrastructure in 2020, telecom sector undergoing rapid modernization and expansion, especially in mobile-cellular services; mobile broadband becoming increasingly popular; near saturation of 4G LTE coverage for the population; strides made with 5G through investment by Huawei and Ericcson; fixed and mobile infrastructure will help to underpin Smart City initiatives; tight government control on social media platforms; importer of broadcasting equipment and computers from China (2021)

(2020)

domestic: additional digital exchanges are permitting a rapid increase in subscribers; the construction of a network of technologically advanced intercity trunk lines, using both fiber-optic cable and digital microwave radio relay, is facilitating communication between urban centers; remote areas are reached by a domestic satellite system; fixed-line 14 per 100 and mobile-cellular teledensity is 97 telephones per 100 persons (2019)

international: country code - 90; landing points for the SeaMeWe-3 & -5, MedNautilus Submarine System, Turcyos-1 & -2 submarine cables providing connectivity to Europe, Africa, the Middle East, Asia, Southeast Asia and Australia ; satellite earth stations - 12 Intelsat; mobile satellite terminals - 328 in the Inmarsat and Eutelsat systems (2020)

note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced downturn, particularly in mobile device production; many network operators delayed upgrades to infrastructure; progress towards 5G implementation was postponed or slowed in some countries; consumer spending on telecom services and devices was affected by large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home became evident, and received some support from governments

general assessment:

Bulgaria's telecoms sector benefited from adaptation of EU regulatory measures and privatization; population is moving to fiber over DSL for broadband connection; investment towards rural areas; migration from fixed-line voice to mobile and VoIP; private networks pursuing upgrades and development of services based on 5G; broadband market in Bulgaria enjoys cross-platform competition; operators deploy NB-IoT platform in several cities and released smart platform for utilities; government launched e-learning platform to help students continue their studies during lockdown (2021)

(2020)

domestic: fixed-line 14 per 100 persons, mobile-cellular teledensity, fostered by multiple service providers, is over 116 telephones per 100 persons (2019)

international: country code - 359; Caucasus Cable System via submarine cable provides connectivity to Ukraine, Georgia 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)

note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced downturn, particularly in mobile device production; many network operators delayed upgrades to infrastructure; progress towards 5G implementation was postponed or slowed in some countries; consumer spending on telecom services and devices was affected by large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home became evident, and received some support from governments

Broadband - fixed subscriptionstotal: 14,231,978

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 17.44 (2019 est.)
total: 2,014,772

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 28.74 (2019 est.)
Broadcast media

Turkish Radio and Television Corporation (TRT) operates multiple TV and radio networks and stations; multiple privately owned national television stations and 567 private regional and local television stations; multi-channel cable TV subscriptions available; 1,007 private radio broadcast stations

(2019)

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

Transportation

TurkeyBulgaria
Railwaystotal: 12,710 km (2018)

standard gauge: 11,497 km 1.435-m gauge (1.435 km high speed train) (2018)
total: 5,114 km (2014)

standard gauge: 4,989 km 1.435-m gauge (2,880 km electrified) (2014)

narrow gauge: 125 km 0.760-m gauge (2014)
Roadwaystotal: 67,333 km (2018)

paved: 24,082 km (includes 2,159 km of expressways) (2018)

unpaved: 43,251 km (2018)
total: 19,512 km (2011)

paved: 19,235 km (includes 458 km of expressways) (2011)

unpaved: 277 km (2011)

note: does not include Category IV local roads
Waterways1,200 km (2010)470 km (2009)
Pipelines14,666 km gas, 3,293 km oil (2017)2765 km gas, 346 km oil, 378 km refined products (2017)
Ports and terminalsmajor seaport(s): Aliaga, Ambarli, Diliskelesi, Eregli, Izmir, Kocaeli (Izmit), Mersin (Icel), Limani, Yarimca

container port(s) (TEUs): Ambarli (3,104,882), Mersin (Icel) (1,854,312), Izmet (1,715,193) (2019)

LNG terminal(s) (import): Izmir Aliaga, Marmara Ereglisi
major seaport(s): Burgas, Varna (Black Sea)
Merchant marinetotal: 1,216

by type: bulk carrier 50, container ship 42, general cargo 338, oil tanker 121, other 665 (2020)
total: 81

by type: bulk carrier 5, general cargo 15, oil tanker 8, other 53 (2020)
Airportstotal: 98 (2013)total: 68 (2013)
Airports - with paved runwaystotal: 91 (2013)

over 3,047 m: 16 (2013)

2,438 to 3,047 m: 38 (2013)

1,524 to 2,437 m: 17 (2013)

914 to 1,523 m: 16 (2013)

under 914 m: 4 (2013)
total: 57 (2017)

over 3,047 m: 2 (2017)

2,438 to 3,047 m: 17 (2017)

1,524 to 2,437 m: 12 (2017)

under 914 m: 26 (2017)
Airports - with unpaved runwaystotal: 7 (2013)

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2013)

914 to 1,523 m: 4 (2013)

under 914 m: 2 (2013)
total: 11 (2013)

914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2013)

under 914 m: 9 (2013)
Heliports20 (2013)1 (2013)
National air transport systemnumber of registered air carriers: 11 (2020)

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 618

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 115,595,495 (2018)

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 5,949,210,000 mt-km (2018)
number of registered air carriers: 8 (2020)

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 44

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 1,022,645 (2018)

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 1.38 million mt-km (2018)
Civil aircraft registration country code prefixTCLZ

Military

TurkeyBulgaria
Military branchesTurkish Armed Forces (TSK): Turkish Land Forces (Turk Kara Kuvvetleri), Turkish Naval Forces (Turk Deniz Kuvvetleri; includes naval air and naval infantry), Turkish Air Forces (Turk Hava Kuvvetleri); Ministry of Interior: Gendarmerie of the Turkish Republic, Turkish Coast Guard Command (2021)

note: in wartime, the Gendarmerie and Coast Guard would be placed under the operational control of the Land Forces and Naval Forces, respectively
Bulgarian Armed Forces: Land Forces (Army), Naval Forces, Bulgarian Air Forces (Voennovazdushni Sili, VVS), Joint Special Forces; Ministry of Interior: Border Guards (2021)
Military service age and obligationPresident Erdogan on 25 June 2019 signed a new law cutting the men's mandatory military service period in half, as well as making paid military service permanent; with the new system, the period of conscription was reduced from 12 months to six months for privates and non-commissioned soldiers (the service term for reserve officers chosen among university or college graduates will remain 12 months); after completing six months of service, if a conscripted soldier wants to and is suitable for extending his military service, he may do so for an additional six months in return for a monthly salary; under the new law, all male Turkish citizens over the age of 20 will be required to undergo a one month military training period, but they can obtain an exemption from the remaining five months of their mandatory service by paying 31,000 Turkish Liras (2019)18-27 years of age for voluntary military service; conscription ended in 2007; service obligation 6-9 months (2019)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP1.86% of GDP (2020 est.)

1.85% of GDP (2019)

1.82% of GDP (2018)

1.51% of GDP (2017)

1.45% of GDP (2016)
1.6% of GDP (2020 est.)

3.15% of GDP (2019)

1.45% of GDP (2018)

1.23% of GDP (2017)

1.25% of GDP (2016)
Military - notethe ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) has actively pursued the goal of asserting civilian control over the military since first taking power in 2002; the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) role in internal security has been significantly reduced; the TSK leadership continues to be an influential institution within Turkey, but plays a much smaller role in politics; the Turkish military remains focused on the threats emanating from the Syrian civil war, Russia's actions in Ukraine, and the PKK insurgency; primary domestic threats are listed as fundamentalism (with the definition in some dispute with the civilian government), separatism (Kurdish discontent), and the extreme left wing; Ankara strongly opposed establishment of an autonomous Kurdish region in Iraq; an overhaul of the Turkish Land Forces Command (TLFC) taking place under the "Force 2014" program is to produce 20-30% smaller, more highly trained forces characterized by greater mobility and firepower and capable of joint and combined operations; the TLFC has taken on increasing international peacekeeping responsibilities including in Afghanistan; the Turkish Navy is a regional naval power that wants to develop the capability to project power beyond Turkey's coastal waters; the Navy is heavily involved in NATO, multinational, and UN operations; its roles include control of territorial waters and security for sea lines of communications; the Turkish Air Force adopted an "Aerospace and Missile Defense Concept" in 2002 and has initiated project work on an integrated missile defense system; in a controversial move, it purchased the Russian S-400 air defense system for an estimated $2.5 billion in July 2019; Air Force priorities include attaining a modern deployable, survivable, and sustainable force structure, and establishing a sustainable command and control system; Turkey is a NATO ally (joined 1952) and hosts NATO's Land Forces Command in Izmir, as well as the AN/TPY-2 radar as part of NATO Missile DefenseBulgaria officially became a member of NATO in 2004
Military and security service personnel strengthsinformation varies; approximately 425,000 active duty personnel (325,000 Army; 50,000 Navy; 50,000 Air Force); approximately 150,000 Gendarmerie (2021)the Bulgarian Armed Forces have approximately 30,000 active duty personnel (16,000 Army; 4,000 Navy; 7,000 Air Force; 3,000 other, joint staff, support) (2021)
Military equipment inventories and acquisitionsthe Turkish Armed Forces inventory is mostly comprised of a mix of domestically-produced and Western weapons systems, although in recent years, Turkey has also acquired some Chinese, Russian, and South Korean equipment; since 2010, the US is the leading provider of armaments to Turkey, followed by Italy, South Korea, and Spain; Turkey has a robust defense industry capable of producing a range of weapons systems for both export and internal use, including armored vehicles, naval vessels, and unmanned aerial platforms, although it is heavily dependent on Western technology; Turkey's defense industry also partners with other countries for defense production (2020)the Bulgarian Armed Forces inventory consists primarily of Soviet-era equipment, although in recent years Bulgaria has procured limited amounts of more modern weapons systems from Western countries, including France, Italy, Norway, and the US (2020)
Military deploymentsest. 200 (Azerbaijan; monitoring cease-fire, clearing mines); 250 Bosnia-Herzegovina (EUFOR); est. 25-35,000 Cyprus; 300 Kosovo (NATO/KFOR); est. 1,500-2,000 Qatar; est. 200 Somalia (training mission); est. 10-20,000 Syria (2021)

note(s): between 2016 and 2020, Turkey conducted four major military campaigns in northern Syria; Turkey has deployed troops into northern Iraq on numerous occasions to combat the Kurdistan Worker's Party (PKK), including large operations involving thousands of troops in 2007, 2011, and 2018; its most recent incursions were smaller-scale raids in April and February of 2021; in 2020, Turkey deployed an undetermined number of Turkish military troops and an estimated 3,500-5,000 Syrian fighters to Libya to support the Libyan Government of National Accord (GNA)
120 Afghanistan (NATO) (2021)

Transnational Issues

TurkeyBulgaria
Disputes - international

complex maritime, air, and territorial disputes with Greece in the Aegean Sea; status of north Cyprus question remains; Turkey has expressed concern over the status of Kurds in Iraq; in 2009, Swiss mediators facilitated an accord reestablishing diplomatic ties between Armenia and Turkey, but neither side has ratified the agreement and the rapprochement effort has faltered; Turkish authorities have complained that blasting from quarries in Armenia might be damaging the medieval ruins of Ani, on the other side of the Arpacay valley

none

Illicit drugskey transit route for Southwest Asian heroin to Western Europe and, to a lesser extent, the US - via air, land, and sea routes; major Turkish and other international trafficking organizations operate out of Istanbul; laboratories to convert imported morphine base into heroin exist in remote regions of Turkey and near Istanbul; government maintains strict controls over areas of legal opium poppy cultivation and over output of poppy straw concentrate; lax enforcement of money-laundering controlsmajor 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
Refugees and internally displaced personsrefugees (country of origin): 3,705,188 (Syria) (2021); 173,250 (Iraq) (asylum seekers), 116,400 (Afghanistan) (asylum seekers), 27,000 (Iran) (asylum seekers) (2020)

IDPs: 1.099 million (displaced from 1984-2005 because of fighting between the Kurdish PKK and Turkish military; most IDPs are Kurds from eastern and southeastern provinces; no information available on persons displaced by development projects) (2020)

stateless persons: 117 (2018)
refugees (country of origin): 17,551 (Syria) (2019)

stateless persons: 1,141 (2020)

note: 61,920 estimated refugee and migrant arrivals (January 2015-July 2021); Bulgaria is predominantly a transit country

Terrorism

TurkeyBulgaria
Terrorist Group(s)Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS); Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan; Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps/Qods Force; Kurdistan Workers' Party; al-Qa'ida; Revolutionary People's Liberation Party/Front

note: 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
Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS); Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps/Qods Force

note: 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

Environment

TurkeyBulgaria
Air pollutantsparticulate matter emissions: 41.97 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.)

carbon dioxide emissions: 372.72 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions: 57.53 megatons (2020 est.)
particulate matter emissions: 18.82 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.)

carbon dioxide emissions: 41.71 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions: 6.77 megatons (2020 est.)
Total water withdrawalmunicipal: 6.016 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)

industrial: 2.898 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)

agricultural: 50.05 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)
municipal: 882 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

industrial: 3.942 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)

agricultural: 834.5 million cubic meters (2017 est.)
Revenue from forest resourcesforest revenues: 0.08% of GDP (2018 est.)forest revenues: 0.22% of GDP (2018 est.)
Revenue from coalcoal revenues: 0.05% of GDP (2018 est.)coal revenues: 0.14% of GDP (2018 est.)
Waste and recyclingmunicipal solid waste generated annually: 31.283 million tons (2015 est.)municipal solid waste generated annually: 3.011 million tons (2015 est.)

municipal solid waste recycled annually: 572,993 tons (2015 est.)

percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 19% (2015 est.)

Source: CIA Factbook