n by Frequency of Issue,
1971 192

11 Bulgaria, Circulation of Newspapers and Periodicals,
Selected Years, 1939-71 193

12 Bulgaria, Number of Radio Stations and Subscribers,
Selected Years, 1939-71 194

13 Bulgaria, Book and Pamphlet Publication, 1971 198

14 Libraries in Bulgaria, 1971 200

15 Bulgaria, Films Produced and Translated, Selected Years,
1939-71 201

16 Bulgaria, Production of Major Crops, Annual Average,
Selected Years, 1958-60 to 1966-70, and 1970 242

17 Bulgaria, Livestock Numbers, Selected Years, 1948-72 244

18 Bulgaria, Production of Meat, Selected Years, 1948-71 247

19 Bulgaria, Production of Milk, Eggs and Wool, Selected
Years, 1960-71 247

20 Output of Selected Industrial Products in Bulgaria,
Selected Years, 1960-71 266

[Illustration: _Figure 1. Bulgaria_]

SECTION I. SOCIAL

CHAPTER 1

GENERAL CHARACTER OF THE SOCIETY

In mid-1973 Bulgaria was under the complete control of the Bulgarian
Communist Party (BKP--see Glossary) as it had been since the latter days
of World War II. As that war came to a close, the Kingdom of Bulgaria
was occupied by the Soviet army and was governed by a coalition under
the communist-dominated Fatherland Front. By 1947 the monarchy had been
deposed, a new constitution had been promulgated, and the country had
become the People's Republic of Bulgaria under the BKP. Todor Zhivkov,
who became first secretary of the party in 1954, retained that position
in 1973 and, with nineteen years' tenure, was senior in length of
service among the top leaders of the Soviet-aligned, communist countries
of Eastern Europe. Zhivkov, who weathered several years of intraparty
struggles after assuming the secretaryship, has led an apparently stable
regime since an abortive coup d'etat failed to dislodge him in 1965. The
hallmark of Zhivkov's leadership has been his intense loyalty to the
leaders of the Soviet Union.

Zhivkov's critics accuse him of what they call subservience to the
Soviet Union, stating that he relies on Soviet backi