A Country Study: Bulgaria

• Bulgaria
• Foreword
• Acknowledgments
• Preface
• Table A. Chronology of Important Events
• Country Profile - Visit updated Profile (PDF)
  • Country
  • Geography
  • Society
  • Economy
  • Transportation and Communications
  • Government and Politics
  • National Security
• Introduction

• Chapter 1 - Historical Setting (Glenn E. Curtis)
  • Early Settlement and Empire
    • Pre-Bulgarian Civilizations
    • The Slavs and the Bulgars
    • The First Golden Age
    • The Second Golden Age
  • Ottoman Rule
    • Introduction of the Ottoman System
    • Bulgarian Society under the Turks
    • Early Decay and Upheaval in the Empire
  • National Revival, Early Stages
    • The Written Word
    • Commerce and Western Influences
    • European and Russian Policies, 1800
  • The Bulgarian Independence Movement
    • Revolution in the Balkans
    • Cultural Expressions of Nationalism
    • Religious Independence
    • Early Insurrections
    • Balkan Politics of the Mid-Nineteenth Century
    • The First Independence Organizations
    • The Final Move to Independence
    • San Stefano, Berlin, and Independence
  • The Decandes of National Consolidation
    • Forming the New State
    • The Stambolov Years
    • The Rule of Ferdinand
    • The Macedonian Issue
    • Full Independence
  • The Balkan Wars and World War I
    • The First Balkan War
    • The Second Balkan War
    • World War I
      • Prewar Bulgarian Politics
      • Early Successes
      • Stalemate and Demoralization
      • Capitulation and Settlement
  • The Interwar Period
    • Stamboliiski and Agrarian Reform
    • The Fall of Stamboliiski
    • The Tsankov and Liapchev Governments
    • The Crises of the 1930s
      • Political Disorder and Diplomatic Isolation
      • The Royal Dictatorship
    • The Interwar Economy
    • Foreign Policy in the Late 1930s
  • World War II
    • The Passive Alliance
    • Wartime Crisis
    • The Soviet Occupation
  • Communist Consolidation
    • Initial Maneuvering
    • The Dimitrov Constitution
    • Chervenkov and Stalinism in Bulgaria
    • Foreign and Economic Policies
    • After Stalin
      • The Fall of Chervenkov
      • Intellectual Life
      • Domestic Policy and Its Results
  • The Zhivkov Era
    • Zhivkov Takes Control
    • Zhivkov's Political Methodology
    • The Constitution of 1971
    • Foreign Affairs in the 1960s and 1970s
    • Domestic Policy in the 1960s and 1970s
    • The Political Atmosphere in the 1970s
    • Bulgaria in the 1980s

• Chapter 2 - The Society and Its Environment (Pamela Mitova)
  • Natural Features
    • Boundaries
    • Topography
    • Drainage
    • Climate
    • Environment
  • Population
    • Administrative Subdivisions
    • Settlement Patterns
    • Cities
    • Internal Migration
    • Foreign Citizens in Bulgaria
    • Population Trends
  • Ethnographic Characteristics
    • Government Minority Policy
    • Bulgarians
    • Turks
    • Pomaks
    • Macedonians
    • Gypsies
    • Other Minorities
  • Religion
    • Eastern Orthodoxy
    • Islam
    • Roman Catholicism
    • Protestantism
    • Judaism
  • Social System
    • Traditional Society
    • Family Life and Modern Society
    • Social Groups and Their Work
  • Social Services
    • Health
    • Housing
    • Education

• Chapter 3 - The Economy (William Marsteller)
  • Resource Base
    • Coal and Minerals
    • Agricultural Resources
    • Environmental Problems
  • Labor Force
    • Factors of Availability
    • Labor and Economic Reform
  • Economic Structure and Control Mechanisms
    • The Centrally Planned Economy
    • The Planning System
  • Economic Policy and Performance
    • Postwar Economic Policy
    • The First Five-Year Plans
    • The Era of Experimentation and Reform
      • Industrial Decentralization
      • Industrial Recentralization
      • Larger Economic Units
      • The New Economic Model
      • The Last Round of Zhivkov Reforms
  • Economic Sectors
    • Fuels
    • Energy Generation
      • Conventional Power Generation
      • Nuclear Power
    • Industry
      • Industrial Policy
      • Industrial Centers
      • Obstacles to Industrial Growth
    • Agriculture
      • Early Collectivization Campaigns
      • Farm Consolidation in the 1960s
    • Reform in the 1980s
    • Agricultural Products
      • The Role of Private Plots
      • Post-Zhivkov Agricultural Reform
    • Transportation
    • Communications
  • Banking and Finance
    • Currency and Exchange
    • Banking System
    • Investment Policy
    • Prices
  • Foreign Trade
    • Postwar Trade Policy
    • Bulgaria in Comecon
    • Trade with the West and the Third World
    • New Trade Conditions, 1990
  • Standard of Living
  • Market Reform
    • Reform Mechanisms
    • The Economic Policy Commission
    • Domestic and International Economic Policies in the 1990s

• Chapter 4 - Government and Politics (Glenn E. Curtis)
  • The Prewar Political Context
  • The Early Communist Era
    • The State under Dimitrov
    • The Chervenkov Era
  • The Zhivkov Era
    • The Rise of Zhivkov
    • Zhivkov Takes Control
    • The Constitution of 1971
    • The Last Zhivkov Decade
    • Issues of Dissent
    • The Removal of Zhivkov
  • Governance After Zhivkov
    • The Mladenov Government
    • The 1990 Stalemate
  • Government Structure
    • The Role of Unofficial Organizations
    • The National Assembly
      • The Assembly under Zhivkov
      • The First Freely Elected Assembly, 1990
    • The State Council and the Presidency
      • The Council of Ministers
      • The Judiciary
    • Local Government
    • Electoral Procedures
  • Non-Governmental Political Institutions
    • The Bulgarian Communist (Socialist) Party
    • The Union of Democratic Forces
    • Trade Unions
      • Unions under Communist Regimes
      • Independent Union Organizations
    • Youth Organizations
    • The Movement for Rights and Freedoms
    • Other Political Organizations
      • Ecological Organizations
      • Revived Prewar Parties
    • The Monarchist Movement
  • The Public and Political Decision Making
    • The Intelligentsia
    • Zhivkov and the Intelligentsia
    • The Ferment of 1988-90
    • The Media and Public Issues
    • The Turkish Problem
  • Foreign Policy
    • The Foreign Policy Establishment
    • Relations with Balkan Neighbors
      • Yugoslavia
      • Romania
      • Greece
      • Turkey
    • The Soviet Union
    • Western Europe and the United States

• Chapter 5 - National Security (Karl Wheeler Soper)
  • Development of the Armed Forces
    • Early Development
    • Struggle for National Independence to World War I
    • The Interwar Years and World War II
    • Postwar Development
  • National Defense Posture
    • Threat Perception
    • Doctrine and Strategy
  • Defense Organization
    • The Military in the Political System
    • Government Organization for Defense
    • High Command
    • Armed Services
      • Ground Forces
      • Air and Air Defense Forces
      • Naval Forces
      • Border Troops
      • Construction Troops
      • Civil Defense Troops
    • Logistics and Arms Procurement
    • Military Budget
  • Military Personnel
    • Recruitment and Service Obligations
    • Military Training
    • Officer Education
    • Reserves and Mobilization
    • Ranks, Uniforms, and Insignia
  • Foreign Military Relations
    • The Warsaw Pact
    • Military Cooperation and Exchanges
    • Arms Sales
  • Law and Order
    • Crime
    • Penal System
    • The Ministry of Internal Affairs
      • Police Organizations
      • The Penal System
    • Security and Intelligence Services
    • Terrorist and Espionage Activities

• Appendix. Tables
• Bibliography
• Glossary