Long-form name: People's Republic of Bulgaria

Type: Communist state

Capital: Sofia

Administrative divisions: 8 districts (oblasti, singular--oblast) and 1 city* (grad); Burgas, Grad Sofiya*, Khaskovo, Lovech, Mikhaylovgrad, Plovdiv, Razgrad, Sofiya, Varna

Independence: 22 September 1908 (from Ottoman Empire)

Constitution: 16 May 1971, effective 18 May 1971

Legal system: based on civil law system, with Soviet law influence; judicial review of legislative acts in the State Council; has accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

National holiday: Anniversary of the Socialist Revolution in Bulgaria, 9 September (1944)

Branches: legislative (National Assembly); judiciary, Supreme Court

Leaders: @m5Chief of State--Chairman of the State Council Todor Khristov ZHIVKOV (since 7 July 1971); @m5Head of Government--Chairman of the Council of Ministers Georgi Ivanov ATANASOV (since 21 March 1986)

Suffrage: universal and compulsory over age 18

Elections: held every five years for National Assembly; last election held in June 1986; more than 99% of electorate voted

Political parties and leaders: Bulgarian Communist Party, Todor Zhivkov, General Secretary; Bulgarian National Agrarian Union, a puppet party, Petur Tanchev, secretary of Permanent Board

Communists: 932,055 party members (April 1986)

Other political or pressure groups: Fatherland Front, Communist Youth Union, Central Council of Trade Unions, National Committee for Defense of Peace, Union of Fighters Against Fascism and Capitalism, Committee of Bulgarian Women, All-National Committee for Bulgarian-Soviet Friendship

Member of: CCC, CEMA, FAO, IAEA, ICAO, ILO, ILZSG, IMO, IPU, ITC, ITU, IWC--International Wheat Council, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO; Warsaw Pact, International Organization of Journalists, International Medical Association, International Radio and Television Organization

Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Velichko Filipov VELICHKOV; Chancery at 1621 22nd Street NW, Washington DC 20008; telephone (202) 387-7969; US--Ambassador Sol POLANSKY; Embassy at 1 Alexander Stamboliski Boulevard, Sofia (mailing address is APO New York 09213); telephone Õ359å (2) 88-48-01 through 05

Flag: three equal horizontal bands of white (top), green, and red with the national emblem on the hoist side of the white stripe; the emblem contains a rampant lion within a wreath of wheat ears below a red five-pointed star and above a ribbon bearing the dates 681 (first Bulgarian state established) and 1944 (liberation from Nazi control)

NOTE: The information regarding Bulgaria on this page is re-published from the 1989 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Bulgaria Government 1989 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Bulgaria Government 1989 should be addressed to the CIA.