BULGARIA –
A LAND OF BREATH-TAKING BEAUTY
AND OVERWHELMING TRADITIONS

Most probably you have already heard and even know a bit about Bulgaria. Depending on your approach to it (whether you are interested in the country as a tourist, a businessman, a student or you are just being curious to learn about it), you will find different pieces of information about it. The truth is, you will best experience Bulgaria when you visit it, and then fully taste its unique atmosphere. You are definitely more than welcome to do that, and until then, you may like to know some general facts about it.

Location

Bulgaria is situated in the South-Eastern Europe, in the North-Eastern part of the Balkan Peninsula. It borders the Black Sea to the east, Serbia and Montenegro and Macedonia to the west, Romania to the north and Greece and Turkey to the south.

Altitude

The average altitude throughout the country is about 470 metres (1,542 feet). The highest peak, Moussala, is 2,925 metres high (9,596.46 feet) and it is the highest point on the Balkan Peninsula.

Climate

The climate in Bulgaria is moderate continental in its northern part and rather intermediate continental tending to Mediterranean in its southern part.

There are four seasons, spring being fresh and stunning with lots of blossoming trees and plants (from the end of March till the end of June), hot and sunny summer, perfect for holidays at the superb sea and mountain resorts (from the end of June till the end of September), beautiful and relaxing golden autumn (from the end of September till the end of December) and sparkling white winter (from the end of December till the end of March, although the ski-season lasts from mid-December till mid-April) when ski resorts are full of local and foreign tourists, enjoying the excellent condition of the ski runs and the accommodation, and the amazing beauty of the surrounding nature.

Nature

There is an amazing combination between majestic mountains, real heaven for the fans of both winter and summer activities, and the Black sea coast, captivating with its luxury sea resorts, lovely white-sanded beaches and clean warm water. As an addition, along with the stunning ski and sea resorts, Bulgaria is famous for its natural hot mineral water springs (about 1,600 throughout the country) around which SPA resorts of an excellent quality have been built.

Annual temperature

The average annual temperature is about 10.5° C (50.90 degrees Fahrenheit), average winter temperature being about -1° C (30.20 degrees Fahrenheit) and average summer temperature being about 24° C (78.80 degrees Fahrenheit).

Size and population

The territory of the country is approximately 111,000 square kilometres (42,857.34 square miles), and the population – about 7,450,300. Its capital and the largest city is Sofia, situated in the north-western part of Bulgaria, at the foot of the Vitosha Mountain. Over 1,100,000 people live in the capital of the country.

Language

The official language in Bulgaria is Bulgarian, but most of the people speak English and other foreign languages (mainly French, German, Russian, Spanish and Italian), so visitors to Bulgaria can communicate freely with its people.

Since Bulgarian alphabet is Cyrillic and not Roman, most of the signs you will see will be written in Bulgarian with Cyrillic symbols, but in almost all cases next or under each sign in Bulgarian there will be a relevant sign in English / with Roman symbols.

Religion

Most people are Orthodox Christians by religion (approximately 88 %), about 10 % are Muslims and the rest belong to other religions.

National holiday

The national holiday of Bulgaria is 3rd March when people celebrate the liberation of the country. On the same date in 1878 Bulgaria was liberated after 500 years of Ottoman slavery.

Government

Bulgaria is a parliamentary republic.

Currency

The local monetary unit is called “lev” (BGN), and it is pegged to the Euro at the rate of BGN 1 per EUR 0.51, and respectively EUR 1 per BGN 1.95.

Time zone

Bulgarian time is GMT +2.

Measuring system

With regard to weight and measures, the metric system is used.

Tourism

Tourism has a major role in Bulgarian economy and has been developing successfully and amazingly fast during the past few years. At present, Bulgaria is considered one of the top range tourists’ and investors’ destination due to the beautiful nature offering perfect conditions for both winter and summer tourism, excellent accommodation and the most attractive prices. The number of visitors per year has been gradually increasing and the resorts and tourist facilities are being constantly improved and enlarged. The leading ski resorts of Bansko, Borovets, Pamporovo and Chepelare, as well as the beautiful Black Sea resorts, Sunny Beach (near the town of Burgas) and Golden Sands (near the town of Varna) have become world-famous and real hot spots for both great holidays and remarkable business investments.

Business perspectives

Extremely attractive from a business point of view, Bulgaria is a preferred place for foreign investors, especially now because of the 2007 European Union affiliation. Once Bulgaria is an official member of the EU, the prices of the real estate properties will increase considerably, which adds to the overall benefits of the country.

Why Bulgaria?

Bulgaria is a unique mixture of modern cities with fast urban life, busy roads and hard-working professionals, and quiet old villages where you can feel that old times spirit which will make your visit to Bulgaria an unforgettable experience for life. Bulgaria is remarkably rich in history, culture and traditions, places of interest, ancient monuments, and nature of breath-taking beauty. Once you have experienced some of the typical Bulgarian overwhelming customs and traditions, and tasted its world-famous wines and its typical cuisine rich in most delicious unique dishes, having been welcomed by its friendly hospitable people and having felt the majestic beauty of its nature, you will keep a precious memory of this marvelous country forever in your heart and mind, which will most probably make you come visit it again.