How Powerful Is Bulgaria?
In February 2016, two Syrian migrants were found frozen to death near the Bulgarian-Turkish border, raising suspicions about Bulgaria’s involvement.
Bulgarian authorities have recently come under attack for allegedly extorting and attacking Syrian refugees traveling through the Balkans.
the Republic of Bulgaria makes up roughly 43,000 square miles, making it the 105th largest country in the world That’s just slightly larger than the US state of Tennessee, however, within the European Union, Bulgaria is the 11th largest country.
Bulgaria’s population of around 7 point 2 million is predominantly made up of ethnic Bulgarians, with about 8% of the population made up of Turks from neighboring Turkey.
Like most other Balkan countries, Bulgaria has increased its economic standing since the transition from former soviet socialism to a free-market economy.
The Balkans are some of the weakest European economies.
Among those countries, excluding Greece and Turkey, Bulgaria ranks third, with a GDP of about $57 billion dollars.
Their biggest exports are petroleum, copper, and machinery, and in 2005, tourism indirectly contributed to as much as 15% of the country’s GDP.
That’s not all too surprising, besides beach resorts on the Black Sea, Bulgaria boasts 9 UNESCO World Heritage sites.
Militarily, Bulgaria doesn’t have much to boast about During Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014, Bulgaria’s former defense minister warned that their dependence on aging Russian-made equipment could put them in a precarious position.
The country spends roughly 700 million dollars on defense, placing them well below the 2% suggested for NATO members.
with about 340,000 active personnel, Bulgaria does rival its neighbors Serbia and Romania, but doesn’t measure up to Greece or Turkey.
When it comes to politics, Bulgaria *is* somewhat influential.
Their entry into the European Union in 2007 helped boost their international standing, and as a NATO ally, they hosted the 2006 Foreign Affairs forum in their capital.
But that’s not to say that Bulgaria has a clean reputation: their EU partners have consistently called for an end to the endemic crime and corruption in the Bulgarian government.
In 2014, a study by the Center for the Study of Democracy estimated that the country sees roughly 158,000 bribes paid out every month.
Bulgaria is a major player in the Balkans With its EU membership and NATO alliances, they have significant influence over their neighbors.
Yet internal corruption and controversies around the refugee crisis have lowered their standing on the international stage, making them moderately powerful but with a weak reputation.
Thousands of miles to the East is Kazakhstan and while it’s much bigger than Bulgaria, it doesn’t add up much in population.
Bulgarian authorities have recently come under attack for allegedly extorting and attacking Syrian refugees traveling through the Balkans.
the Republic of Bulgaria makes up roughly 43,000 square miles, making it the 105th largest country in the world That’s just slightly larger than the US state of Tennessee, however, within the European Union, Bulgaria is the 11th largest country.
Bulgaria’s population of around 7 point 2 million is predominantly made up of ethnic Bulgarians, with about 8% of the population made up of Turks from neighboring Turkey.
Like most other Balkan countries, Bulgaria has increased its economic standing since the transition from former soviet socialism to a free-market economy.
The Balkans are some of the weakest European economies.
Among those countries, excluding Greece and Turkey, Bulgaria ranks third, with a GDP of about $57 billion dollars.
Their biggest exports are petroleum, copper, and machinery, and in 2005, tourism indirectly contributed to as much as 15% of the country’s GDP.
That’s not all too surprising, besides beach resorts on the Black Sea, Bulgaria boasts 9 UNESCO World Heritage sites.
Militarily, Bulgaria doesn’t have much to boast about During Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014, Bulgaria’s former defense minister warned that their dependence on aging Russian-made equipment could put them in a precarious position.
The country spends roughly 700 million dollars on defense, placing them well below the 2% suggested for NATO members.
with about 340,000 active personnel, Bulgaria does rival its neighbors Serbia and Romania, but doesn’t measure up to Greece or Turkey.
When it comes to politics, Bulgaria *is* somewhat influential.
Their entry into the European Union in 2007 helped boost their international standing, and as a NATO ally, they hosted the 2006 Foreign Affairs forum in their capital.
But that’s not to say that Bulgaria has a clean reputation: their EU partners have consistently called for an end to the endemic crime and corruption in the Bulgarian government.
In 2014, a study by the Center for the Study of Democracy estimated that the country sees roughly 158,000 bribes paid out every month.
Bulgaria is a major player in the Balkans With its EU membership and NATO alliances, they have significant influence over their neighbors.
Yet internal corruption and controversies around the refugee crisis have lowered their standing on the international stage, making them moderately powerful but with a weak reputation.
Thousands of miles to the East is Kazakhstan and while it’s much bigger than Bulgaria, it doesn’t add up much in population.
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