Military of Bulgaria
Military branches: | Bulgarian Armed Forces: Ground Forces, Naval Forces, Bulgarian Air Forces (Bulgarski Voennovazdyshni Sily, BVVS) (2006) |
Military service age and obligation: | 18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; service in the Army is mandatory for all men under the age of 27; conscript service obligation - 9 months; as of May 2006, 67% of the Bulgarian Army comprised of professional soldiers; conscription into the Army to end as of 1 January 2008; Air and Air Defense Forces and Naval Forces became fully professional at the end of 2006; Bulgarian Armed Forces encountered difficulties meeting conscript quotas in April 2007 (2007) |
Manpower available for military service: | males age 18-49: 1,661,211 females age 18-49: 1,660,982 (2005 est.) |
Manpower fit for military service: | males age 18-49: 1,302,037 females age 18-49: 1,365,126 (2005 est.) |
Manpower reaching military service age annually: | males age 18-49: 51,023 females age 18-49: 48,651 (2005 est.) |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: | 2.6% (2005 est.) |