Economy - overview:
Bulgaria, a former Communist country that entered the EU on 1 January 2007, averaged more than 6% annual growth from 2004 to 2008, driven by significant amounts of bank lending, consumption, and foreign direct investment. Successive governments have demonstrated a commitment to economic reforms and responsible fiscal planning, but the global downturn sharply reduced domestic demand, exports, capital inflows, and industrial production. GDP contracted by 5.5% in 2009, and has been slow to recover in the years since. Despite having a favorable investment regime, including low, flat corporate income taxes, significant challenges remain. Corruption in public administration, a weak judiciary, and the presence of organized crime continue to hamper the country's investment climate and economic prospects.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$132.6 billion (2015 est.) $130.4 billion (2014 est.) $128.2 billion (2013 est.)
note: data are in 2015 US dollars
country comparison to the world: 77
[see also: GDP country ranks ]

GDP (official exchange rate):
$47.17 billion (2015 est.)
[see also: GDP (official exchange rate) country ranks ]

GDP - real growth rate:
1.7% (2015 est.) 1.7% (2014 est.) 1.1% (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 155
[see also: GDP - real growth rate country ranks ]

GDP - per capita (PPP):
$18,400 (2015 est.) $18,100 (2014 est.) $17,800 (2013 est.)
note: data are in 2015 US dollars
country comparison to the world: 93
[see also: GDP - per capita country ranks ]

Gross national saving:
22.7% of GDP (2015 est.) 21.6% of GDP (2014 est.) 23.8% of GDP (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 64
[see also: Gross national saving country ranks ]

GDP - composition, by end use:
household consumption: 63%
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - household consumption country ranks ]
government consumption: 16.2%
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - government consumption country ranks ]
investment in fixed capital: 21.1%
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - investment in fixed capital country ranks ]
investment in inventories: 0.1%
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - investment in inventories country ranks ]
exports of goods and services: 66.7%
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - exports of goods and services country ranks ]
imports of goods and services: -67.1% (2015 est.)
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - imports of goods and services country ranks ]

GDP - composition, by sector of origin:
agriculture: 5.2%
[see also: GDP - composition, by sector of origin - agriculture country ranks ]
industry: 27.4%
[see also: GDP - composition, by sector of origin - industry country ranks ]
services: 67.4% (2015 est.)
[see also: GDP - composition, by sector of origin - services country ranks ]

Agriculture - products:
vegetables, fruits, tobacco, wine, wheat, barley, sunflowers, sugar beets; livestock

Industries:
electricity, gas, water; food, beverages, tobacco; machinery and equipment, base metals, chemical products, coke, refined petroleum, nuclear fuel

Industrial production growth rate:
3.5% (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 68
[see also: Industrial production growth rate country ranks ]

Labor force:
2.535 million
note: number of employed persons (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 113
[see also: Labor force country ranks ]

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 6.7%
[see also: Labor force - by occupation - agriculture country ranks ]
industry: 30.2%
[see also: Labor force - by occupation - industry country ranks ]
services: 63.1% (2013)
[see also: Labor force - by occupation - services country ranks ]

Unemployment rate:
10.2% (2015 est.) 11.2% (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 115
[see also: Unemployment rate country ranks ]

Population below poverty line:
21% (2012 est.)
[see also: Population below poverty line country ranks ]

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 2%
[see also: Household income or consumption by percentage share - lowest 10% country ranks ]
highest 10%: 35.2% (2007)
[see also: Household income or consumption by percentage share - highest 10% country ranks ]

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
35.4 (2012) 26 (2001)
country comparison to the world: 89
[see also: Distribution of family income - Gini index country ranks ]

Budget:
revenues: $17.81 billion
[see also: Budget revenues country ranks ]
expenditures: $19.14 billion (2015 est.)
[see also: Budget expenditures country ranks ]

Taxes and other revenues:
37.8% of GDP (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 50
[see also: Taxes and other revenues country ranks ]

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-):
-2.8% of GDP (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 103
[see also: Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-) country ranks ]

Public debt:
29.2% of GDP (2015 est.) 27.1% of GDP (2014 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
country comparison to the world: 143
[see also: Public debt country ranks ]

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
0.1% (2015 est.) -1.4% (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 38
[see also: Inflation rate (consumer prices) country ranks ]

Central bank discount rate:
0.03% (31 December 2014) 0.02% (31 December 2013)
note: Bulgarian National Bank (BNB) has had no independent monetary policy since the introduction of the Currency Board regime in 1997; this is BNB's base interest rate
country comparison to the world: 155
[see also: Central bank discount rate country ranks ]

Commercial bank prime lending rate:
7.5% (31 December 2015 est.) 8.28% (31 December 2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 114
[see also: Commercial bank prime lending rate country ranks ]

Stock of narrow money:
$19.39 billion (31 December 2015 est.) $19.34 billion (31 December 2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 66
[see also: Stock of narrow money country ranks ]

Stock of broad money:
$46.42 billion (31 December 2014 est.) $47.33 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 71
[see also: Stock of broad money country ranks ]

Stock of domestic credit:
$30.09 billion (31 December 2015 est.) $32.47 billion (31 December 2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 73
[see also: Stock of domestic credit country ranks ]

Market value of publicly traded shares:
$7.232 billion (31 December 2014 est.) $7.014 billion (31 December 2013) $6.666 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 81
[see also: Market value of publicly traded shares country ranks ]

Current account balance:
$459 million (2015 est.) $25 million (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 43
[see also: Current account balance country ranks ]

Exports:
$24.33 billion (2015 est.) $27.91 billion (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 67
[see also: Exports country ranks ]

Exports - commodities:
clothing, footwear, iron and steel, machinery and equipment, fuels

Exports - partners:
Germany 12.3%, Italy 9.1%, Turkey 8.9%, Romania 8.1%, Greece 6.8%, France 4.4%, Belgium 4.2% (2014)

Imports:
$27.66 billion (2015 est.) $31.6 billion (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 65
[see also: Imports country ranks ]

Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment; metals and ores; chemicals and plastics; fuels, minerals, and raw materials

Imports - partners:
Russia 14.5%, Germany 12.4%, Italy 7.2%, Romania 6.9%, Turkey 5.6%, Greece 5.2%, Spain 5% (2014)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$22.75 billion (31 December 2015 est.) $20.11 billion (31 December 2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 56
[see also: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold country ranks ]

Debt - external:
$49.16 billion (31 December 2014 est.) $51.86 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 64
[see also: Debt - external country ranks ]

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$54.98 billion (31 December 2015 est.) $52.78 billion (31 December 2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 59
[see also: Stock of direct foreign investment - at home country ranks ]

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$3.26 billion (31 December 2015 est.) $3.01 billion (31 December 2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 73
[see also: Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad country ranks ]

Exchange rates:
leva (BGN) per US dollar - 1.73 (2015 est.) 1.47 (2014 est.) 1.47 (2013 est.) 1.52 (2012 est.) 1.41 (2011 est.)