Bulgaria

Bulgaria Bulgaria is a country of contrasts, on one hand you have the country with the lowest birth rate in Europe, because of the struggling economy; on the other hand you have the nearly ten million Bulgarians who toil for a better life, living their lives with joy in spite of the difficulties. Bulgarians enjoy meeting people and they are particularly hospitable to those who come from far away. Give you a chance to meet this marvelous country.

Area: 110.912 Km²
Population: 7.801.000 (31/12/2003)
Density: 70 pop/Km²

System of government: Parliamentary Republic
Capital: Sofia (1.096.000 pop., 1.209.000 urban aggl.)
Major cities: Plovdiv 341.000 pop., Varna 315.000 pop., Burgas 193.000 pop., Ruse 162.000 pop.
Ethnic majority: Bulgarian 84%, Turk 9,5%, Roma 4,5%, others 2%
Border countries: Romania NORTH, Serbia and Montenegro, Macedonia WEST, Greece and Turkey SOUTH, Black Sea EAST

Principal mountains: Musala 2925 m
Principal rivers: Danube 520 Km (bulgarian tract, total 2858 Km), Iskar 368 Km, Marica 321 Km (bulgarian tract, total 514 Km), Struma 290 Km (bulgarian tract, total 408 Km)
Principal lakes: Jezero Studen Kladenec (artificial), Burgasko ezero
Principal islands: -
Climate: Continental - mediterranean

Language: Bulgarian (official), Turk, Macedonian, Romanian, Armenian
Religion: Orthodox 84%, Muslim 12%, others 4%
Currency: Lev (BGN)

Fixed public holidays: 1/1, 3/3, 1/5, 6/5, 24/5, 6/9, 22/9, 24/12, 25/12, 26/12
Dialling code: 00359
GMT: +2

World Heritage List:

• Boyana Church (1979)
• Madara Rider (1979)
• Rock-hewn Churches of Ivanovo (1979)
• Thracian Tomb of Kazanlak (1979)
• Ancient City of Nessebar (1983)
• Pirin National Park (1983)
• Rila Monastery (1983)
• Srebarna Nature Reserve (1983)
• Thracian Tomb of Sveshtari (1985)