History of Bulgaria since 1989
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Republic of Bulgaria
Република България
Republika Bǎlgariya (Bulgarian) |
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Motto:
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![Location of History of Bulgaria since 1989 (dark green)– in Europe (green & dark grey)– in the European Union (green) – [Legend]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:EU-Bulgaria.svg)
Location of History of Bulgaria since 1989 (dark green)
– in Europe (green & dark grey) |
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| Capital and largest city |
Sofia 42°41′N 23°19′E / 42.683°N 23.317°E |
| Official languages | Bulgarian |
| Official script | Cyrillic |
| Ethnic groups (2011) |
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| Demonym | Bulgarian |
| Government | Unitary parliamentary republic |
| Rumen Radev | |
| Ognyan Gerdzhikov | |
| Legislature | National Assembly |
| Formation | |
| 681–1018 | |
| 1185–1396 | |
| 3 March 1878 | |
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• Declaration of Independence from the Ottoman Empire
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5 October 1908 |
| 13 July 1991 | |
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• European Union accession
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1 January 2007 |
| Area | |
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• Total
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110,994 km2 (42,855 sq mi) (105th) |
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• Water (%)
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0.3 |
| Population | |
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• 2014 census
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7,202,198 (101st) |
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• Density
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64.9/km2 (168.1/sq mi) (95th) |
| GDP (PPP) | 2016 estimate |
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• Total
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$141.375 billion (66th) |
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• Per capita
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$19,839 (67th) |
| GDP (nominal) | 2016 estimate |
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• Total
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$48.957 billion (75th) |
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• Per capita
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$6,927 (76th) |
| Gini (2015) |
 37medium |
| HDI (2014) |
 0.782high · 59th |
| Currency | Lev (BGN) |
| Time zone | EET (UTC+2) |
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• Summer (DST)
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EEST (UTC+3) |
| Drives on the | right |
| Calling code | +359 |
| ISO 3166 code | BG |
| Internet TLD | .bg |
– in Europe (green & dark grey)
– in the European Union (green) – [Legend]
The History of Bulgaria since 1989 is the period of Bulgarian history that begins after the fall of socialism and the transition to capitalism.
The reforms towards liberalization, both social, political and economic in the Eastern Bloc started with Mikhail Gorbachev's reform program in the Soviet Union which was felt in Bulgaria in the late 1980s. In fact, the release of tightening started with the end of the Stalinist era and continued slowly to the point that many previously forbidden literary texts were translated, the same was relevant for Hollywood movies, etc., stores appeared with Western products that had elements of advertisement (advertisement of products was generally unknown and not used in the Eastern Bloc since everything was accessible and the same to all), these new features of the late communist years acknowledged the gradual breaking of the Iron Curtain for the Comcon people. This, together with the policies of Gorbachev, led to more freedom and expectations for democracy among people.
In November 1989, demonstrations on ecological issues were staged in Sofia, and these soon broadened into a general campaign for political reform. That Communists generally did not break the demonstrations was a sign of a possible change that would come. In fact communist politicians reacted by eventually voting for the removal of Todor Zhivkov as a communist party and country head and replacing him with Petar Mladenov, but this gained them only a short respite in power. In February 1990 the Communist Party, forced by street protests gave up its claim on power and in June 1990 the first free elections since 1931 were held, won by the Bulgarian Socialist Party (the new name of the Communist Party). In July 1991 a new Constitution was adopted, which regulates a representative elected President and a Prime Minister and Cabinet.
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