[maxerickson]

That GDP growth is quarterly (or something, I didn't ponder it much).

They have annual data that makes more sense.

http://www.tradingeconomics.com/bulgaria/gdp-growth-annual

[credit_guy]

You ar right, it's not 1%, it's 2.89% (from your link). Still, a big distance from 8.4%.

[maxerickson]

In most of the years from 1998-2008 it was over 6%, with a spike above that.

[credit_guy]

And in most of the years after 2008 it was well below 5%, with some years of negative growth. Also, during the period 1998-2008, the GDP increased from about $15BN to about $55BN, representing an annualized rate of about 14%.