Industry of Bulgaria

Bulgaria is an industrial nation will well-developed heavy and light manufacturing industry which accounts for 31.7% of the total national GDP for 2007. [http://www.theodora.com/wfbcurrent/bulgaria/bulgaria_economy.html 2008 CIA WORLD FACTBOOK: Economy of Bulgaria (2008)] ] That makes the Bulgarian industry the second largest branch of economy after the service sector. As of 2007 the sector employs 33.6% of the labor force. [http://www.theodora.com/wfbcurrent/bulgaria/bulgaria_economy.html 2008 CIA WORLD FACTBOOK: Economy of Bulgaria (2008)] ]

Bulgaria is among Europe's leading countries in production of lead, zinc, copper, hydraulic machinery (around 10% of the world production [ [http://www.bnr.bg/RadioBulgaria/Emission_Bulgarian/Theme_Ikonomika_Ekologia_Turizam/Material/1601_m_stroene.htm Machine-building in Bulgaria] ] ), machine tools, caustic soda, nuclear energy, weapons and others. The country is a leading electricity exporter in South-eastern Europe.

The country has favourable natural, geographical, social and demographic factors for the development of industry. Bulgaria has strategic location on the crossroad of Europe, Asia and Africa; relatively rich mineral resources; social, transport and educational structure and highly-qualified work force. [] There is a large deposit of anthracite coal in Dobrich Province whose reserves are estimated at 1,2 bln t. but due to the large depth and moisture it is still unexploited. [cite book |last=Дончев |first=Д. |title=Теми по физическа и социално-икономическа география на България |publisher=Ciela |location=Sofia |pages=p. 44 |language=Bulgarian |isbn=954-649-717-7 |year=2004 ] The extraction of coal is 27,000,000 t ranking 19th in the world and 6th in the EU. [ [http://www.nationmaster.com/graph/ene_coa_pro-energy-coal-production Coal production (most recent) by country] ] The deposits of oil and natural gas, mainly in northern Bulgaria, are insignificant.

Although Bulgaria's fuel deposits are not very rich, the country is a major producer of electricity. As of 2007 the production of electricity is 45,7 billion kWh. [ [http://www.theodora.com/wfbcurrent/bulgaria/bulgaria_economy.html Economy of Bulgaria] ]

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