1. INTRODUCTION 
The changes in Bulgaria by the end of 1989 strongly 
influence the economy of the country. The economic 
structures are changing, the participation of the 
government in the economy is decreasing considerably, 
the relations between it and the private physical and legal 
entities are changing, the private incentives in the trade, 
commerce and banking are stimulated. 
The economic changes are accomplished in four 
directions: 
(i) Restitution of ownership of urban property and 
industrial enterprises, 
(ii) Privatisation of state-owned industrial enterprises, 
(iii) Restitution of private ownership of agricultural lands. 
(iv) Restitution of private ownership of forests. 
All this requires considerable changes in the 
organisation, management and performance of the 
geodetic, cartographic and cadastral activities in the 
country, including the introduction of new technologies 
and equipment. 
The territory of Bulgaria is 111 thousand sq. km 60% of 
which are farming lands and 40% are arable lands. The 
settlements are above 5 thousand and occupy 4.5% of 
the territory. The population of Bulgaria is 8.5 million. 
2. MANAGEMENT 
The geodetic, cartographic and cadastral activities are 
managed by the Main Department of Cadastre and 
Geodesy at the Ministry of Regional Development and 
Construction. Some 28 Regional Offices of Cadastre and 
Geodesy are established on the territory of the country 
which are local bodies of the Main Department of 
Cadastre and Geodesy. The Department, together with 
its Regional Offices, carry out the state policy, planning, 
financing, control and approval of all technical activities 
on cadastre, geodesy, photogrammetry and cartography, 
which are for civil purposes. 
Numerous companies most of which have surveying as 
the main production are involved in geodesy, surveying, 
cartography and cadastre in this country. About 60 of 
these companies are state-owned. The proportion of the 
technical activities done by the state companies is 75% 
and by the private companies — 25% (Katzarsky and 
Koleva, 1996). 
3. GEODETIC, CARTOGRAPHIC AND CADASTRAL 
MATERIALS AND DATA 
Except for some attempts in the remote past for mapping 
the territory occupied by present-day Bulgaria, as well as 
the plane-table survey at scale of 1:42 000 made by the 
Russian Topographic Corps during and right after the 
Russian-Turkish Liberation War of 1877-1878, the 
surveying and mapping activities in the country have 
more than hundred years history. In comparison with 
some other countries of similar size, historical destiny 
and economic potential, Bulgaria is well provided in 
geodetic and cartographic aspects (Katzarsky and 
Koleva, 1996). 
3.1. Geodetic Networks 
On the territory of Bulgaria geodetic networks are 
constructed consisting of about 60 thousand triangulation 
points, 15 thousand bench marks, as well as 335 
fundamental bench marks, about 400 gravimetric and 
800 magnetic points. Due to the intensive development of 
particular regions about 15% of the triangulation points 
were destroyed and the portion of the destroyed 
triangulation points in the settlements and in the industrial 
areas may reach 40%. 
Four tide gauge stations on the Black Sea coast, two 
control measurement bases, one magnetic station and 
one gravimetric polygon were built. A space station for 
observation of earth artificial satellites for geodetic 
purposes as well as a geodynamic station were built. 
3.2. Topographic Maps 
The country is covered by a topographic map at scale of 
1:25 000 with contour interval 5 and 10 m, as well as with 
by-product maps at smaller scales. The map is five- 
coloured and is revised every 8-10 years. 
The compilation of a large-scale topographic map began 
in 1954 and was completed in 1984. About 90% of the 
map is at scale of 1:5000 and about 10% - at scale of 
1:10 000. The contour interval is 1, 2, 5 and 10 m 
depending on the scale and the terrain configuration. The 
map is five and three-coloured and about 40% of it is 
updated. 
For some specific purposes (mainly for investigation of 
linear and hydro-technical projects) maps at scale of 
1:2000 and larger are made. 
3.3. Orthophotomaps 
In the 1981-1991 period orthophotomaps without 
contours were made at scale of 1:5000 of 60 thousand 
Sq. km and at scale of 1:10 000 of 24 thousand sq. km of 
the territory of the country. Orthophotomaps at scale of 
1:2000 are prepared for some parts of the country. 
3.4. Urban Maps 
In Bulgaria there are above 5 thousand settlements of 
different size and type as well as other settlement 
formations (hamlets, railway stations, industrial zones). 
For most of them maps at scale of 1:1000 and 1:500 are 
made and for some central parts of the towns - also 
maps at scale of 1:250. About 50-6096 of the urban maps 
are actual. The maps are three-coloured with contour 
interval 1 and 0.5 m. 
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International Archives of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing. Vol. XXXI, Part B4. Vienna 1996 
  
  
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