For Bulgaria

The spring water is rich in mineral elements and often runs unattended. Bottled spring water presents wonderful under explored opportunities as well. There has been very little done, however, as far as development and improvement of facilities.

Further, Bulgaria has around 600 natural mineral springs, with water temperatures ranging from 20 to 60 degrees Celsius, whose baths and health spas are famous tourist attractions. The larger seaside resorts draw huge crowds of tourists from Western Europe, who come attracted by the low prices. Bulgaria possesses beautiful landscapes and beaches, and perfect temperatures of water and air.  The land of roses, Bulgaria, is a beautiful mountainous country, with tourism opportunities being one of its biggest assets.

Rakiya brewed in Elena, central Bulgaria

Yogurt (кисело мляко kiselo mlyako), lukanka (луканка), banitsa (баница), shopska salad (шопска салата), lyutenitsa (лютеница), sirene (сирене) and kozunak (козунак) give Bulgaria a distinctive cuisine. Owing to the relatively warm climate and complex geography affording excellent growth conditions for a variety of vegetables, herbs and fruits, Bulgarian cuisine is diverse. Most dishes are oven baked, steamed, or in the form of stew. Deep-frying is uncommon, but grilling – especially different kinds of meats – is widely practiced. Pork is the most common meat, followed by chicken and lamb. Oriental dishes such as moussaka, gyuvech, and baklava are widely consumed. Bulgarian cuisine is also noted for the quality of dairy products and salads, as well as the variety of wines and local alcoholic drinks such as rakiya, mastika and menta.

Exports of Bulgarian wine go worldwide, and until 1990 the country exported the world’s second-largest total of bottled wine. As of 2007, 200,000 tonnes of wine were produced annually,^[170] the 20th-largest total in the world.^[171] Among the more prominent local sorts are Dimiat and Mavrud.

Tower of the 200 cm (79 in) telescope at the Rozhen Observatory.

In 2008 Bulgaria spent 0.4% of its GDP on scientific research,^[127] which represents one of the lowest scientific budgets in Europe.^[128] Chronic underinvestment in the scientific sector since 1990 forced many scientific professionals to leave the country.^[129] Bulgaria has traditions in astronomy, physics, nuclear technology, medical and pharmaceutical research, and maintains a polar exploration program by means of an artificial satellite and a permanent research base. The Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (BAS) is the leading scientific institution in the country and employs most of Bulgaria’s researchers in its numerous branches.

Bulgarian scientists have made several notable discoveries and inventions, such as the prototype of the digital watch (Peter Petroff); galantamine (Dimitar Paskov);^[130][131] the molecular-kinetic theory of crystal formation and growth (formulated by Ivan Stranski) and the space greenhouse (SRI-BAS).^[132][133] With major-general Georgi Ivanov flying on Soyuz 33 in 1979, Bulgaria became the 6th country in the world to have an astronaut in space.^[134]

Due to its large-scale computing technology exports to COMECON states, in the 1980s Bulgaria became known as the Silicon Valley of the Eastern Bloc.^[135] The country ranked 8th in the world in 2002 by total number of ICT specialists, outperforming countries with far larger populations,^[136] and it operates the only supercomputer in the Balkan region,^[137] an IBM Blue Gene/P, which entered service in September 2008.^[138]

Bulgaria has an industrialized, open free-market economy, with a large, moderately advanced private sector and a number of strategic state-owned enterprises. The World Bank classifies it as an “upper-middle-income economy”.^[95] Bulgaria has experienced rapid economic growth in recent years^[update], even though it continues to rank as the lowest-income member state of the EU. According to Eurostat data, Bulgarian PPS GDP per capita stood at 43 per cent of the EU average in 2008.^[96] The Bulgarian lev is the country’s national currency. The lev is pegged to the euro at a rate of 1.95583 leva for 1 euro.^[97]

In 2008, GDP (PPP) was estimated at $95.2 billion, with a per capita value of $13,100.^[98] The economy relies primarily on industry, although the services sector increasingly contributes to GDP growth. Bulgaria produces a significant amount of manufactures and raw materials such as iron, copper, gold, bismuth, coal, electronics, refined petroleum fuels, vehicle components, firearms and construction materials. The total labor force amounts to 3.2 million people.^[99] Since a hyperinflation crisis in 1996/1997, inflation and unemployment rates have fallen to 7.2% and 6.3%, respectively, in 2008. Corruption in the public administration and a weak judiciary have also hampered Bulgaria’s economic development.^[100]

Wind turbines near cape Kaliakra. Bulgaria aims at producing 16 % of its electricity from renewable energy sources by 2020.^[101]

Amidst the Financial crisis of 2007–2010, unemployment rates increased to 9.1% in 2009, while GDP growth contracted from 6.3% (2008) to ?4.9% (2009). The crisis had a negative impact mostly on industry, with a 10% decline in the national industrial production index, a 31% drop in mining, and a 60% drop in “ferrous and metal production”.^[102] The International Monetary Fund predicts a 0.2% overall growth for the Bulgarian economy in 2010, and 2% in 2011.^[103]

Although it has relatively few reserves of fossil fuels, Bulgaria’s well-developed energy sector and strategic geographical location make it a key European energy hub.^[104] A single nuclear power station with two active 1,000 MW reactors satisfies 34% of the country’s energy needs,^[105] and another nuclear power station with a projected capacity of 2,000 MW is under construction. Thermal power stations, such as those at the Maritsa Iztok Complex, also have a large share in electricity production. Recent years^[update] have seen a rapid increase in electricity production from renewable energy sources such as wind and solar power.^[106] Large-scale prospects for wind energy development^[107] have spurred the construction of numerous wind farms, making Bulgaria one of the fastest-growing wind energy producers in the world.^[108]

A sunflower field in Dobrudzha, one of the most fertile regions in Bulgaria

Bulgaria’s mining industry is a significant contributor to economic growth and is worth $760 mln.^[109] In Europe, the country ranks as the 3rd-largest copper producer,^[110] 6th-largest zinc producer,^[111] and 9th-largest coal producer,^[112] and is the 9th-largest bismuth producer in the world.^[113] Ferrous metallurgy, including steel and pig iron production, takes place mostly in Kremikovtsi, Pernik and Debelt.

About 14% of the total industrial production relates to machine building, and 20% of the workforce is employed in this field.^[114]

In contrast with the industrial sector, agriculture in Bulgaria has marked a decline since the beginning of the 2000s, with agricultural production in 2008 amounting to only 66% of that between 1999 and 2001.^[115] Overall, Bulgaria’s agricultural sector has dwindled since 1990, with cereal and vegetable yields dropping with nearly 40% by 1999.^[116] A five-year modernization and development program was launched in 2007, aimed at strengthening the sector by investing a total of 3.2 billion euro.^[117] Specialized equipment amounts to some 25,000 tractors and 5,500 combine harvesters, with a fleet of light aircraft.^[118]

Bulgaria remains a major European producer of agricultural commodities such as tobacco (3rd)^[119] and raspberries (12th).^[120]

Bulgaria became a member of the United Nations in 1955, and a founding member of OSCE in 1995. As a Consultative Party to the Antarctic Treaty, the country takes part in the administration of the territories situated south of 60° south latitude.^[82][83] It joined NATO on 29 March 2004, signed the European Union Treaty of Accession on 25 April 2005,^[84][85] and became a full member of the European Union on 1 January 2007.^[86] In April 2006 Bulgaria and the United States of America signed a defence cooperation agreement providing for the usage of the Bezmer and Graf Ignatievo air bases, the Novo Selo training range, and a logistics centre in Aytos as joint military facilities. Foreign Policy magazine lists Bezmer Air Base as one of the six most important overseas facilities used by the USAF.^[87]

The military of Bulgaria, an all-volunteer body, consists of three services – land forces, navy and air force. As a NATO member, the country maintains a total of 645 troops deployed abroad.^[88] Historically, Bulgaria deployed significant numbers of military and civilian advisors in socialist-oriented countries, such as Nicaragua^[89] and Libya (more than 9,000 personnel).^[90]

Following a series of reductions beginning in 1990, the active troops today number about 32,000,^[91] down from 152,000 in 1988,^[92] and are supplemented by a reserve force of 303,000 soldiers and officers and paramilitary forces, numbering 34,000.^[93] The inventory includes highly capable Soviet equipment, such as MiG-29 fighters, SA-10 Grumble SAMs and SS-21 Scarab short-range ballistic missiles. Military spending in 2009 cost $1.19 billion.^[94]