• Main international airport: Sofia (1.36m passengers)
• Merchant fleet, total tonnage: 151 ships (747900 grt)

The transportation network

• Extent of inland waterways navigable by commercial craft: 470 km (292 miles)
• Extent of national paved road network: 35,049 km (21,778 miles)
• Extent of motorways, freeways or major national highways: 324 km (201 miles)
• Extent of commercial rail network: 4318 km (2683 miles)

At the crossroads between Europe and Asia, Bulgarian railroads and expressways were underfunded under Zhivkov (when north–south routes were left undeveloped) and in the economically uncertain 1990s. Funding for modernizing key routes is now in place. Ferries are used for most cross-Danube traffic. In 2000 agreement was reached with Romania on building a second bridge across the river, scheduled to open in 2005.

Bulgaria became a member of NATO in March 2004. Not included in the 2004 expansion of the EU, it has been told that membership is likely in 2007.

Bulgaria conscientiously adhered to UN sanctions against Yugoslavia, despite the costs of lost trade. Relations with Russia are no longer close, but are maintained carefully because of dependence on Russia for oil and gas. Relations with Turkey have greatly improved since the tensions of the final years of communist rule.