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A picturesque small country called Bulgaria has existed for more
than 13 centuries in Europe, linking East and West. Bulgaria remembers
ancient civilisations and great people that wrote its turbulent
history.
Situated in southeastern Europe, Bulgaria occupies the northeastern
part of the Balkan Peninsula. To the north it has a border with
Romania, to the south - with Turkey and Greece, to the west - with
Serbia and Macedonia, to the east - Black sea. A country with total
area of 111 thousand sq.m. and 9 million people population.
The predominant climate in Bulgaria is moderate and transitional continental.
(2,000 to 2,400 hours of sunlight per year). There are four seasons,
with a dry and hot summer. Bulgaria offers pleasures for each one's
taste. Thinking of an active holiday? Bulgaria has it - swimming,
skiing, riding, climbing, hunting, fishing... Thinking of relaxing
- amazing nature, sunny beaches, healing space, monasteries and churches,
hospitable towns and villages...
Ancient culture, endless beaches and an emerald
sea, high mountains with marvellous gorges and caves, clear lakes
and rivers full of fish, wide valleys, healing springs, ancient
culture, hospitable people, tempting cuisine and wines, diverse
flora and fauna... Explore this land!
The Republic of Bulgaria
(General Information)
Location:
The republic of Bulgaria is situated in the south-east part of Europe
and more precisely in the eastern part of the Balkan peninsula. On
the north it has a common boundary with Romania and on the west with
Yugoslavia. On the south-west it is conterminous with Macedonia while
on the south-east it is contiguous to Turkey. On the east the country
is bounded by the Black Sea. The total length of the Bulgarian border-line
is 2245 km, 1181 of which are land frontier, 686 km river and 378
km sea-frontage.
Territory: 111 000 square kilometres
Population: 8 000 000 (according to the census taken in 2000)
Capital city: Sofia, with 1 188 000 inhabitants
Larger cities: Plovdiv (350 000 inhabitants), Varna (300 00 inhabitants),
Bourgas (200 000 inhabitants), Stara Zagora (150 000 inhabitants),
Rousse (140 000 inhabitants), Pleven (120 000 inhabitants)
Highway network: 36 720 km
Railway system: 4 300 km
Airports: Sofia, Varna, Bourgas
Harbours: on the Black Sea - Varna, Bourgas, Balchick, Nessebur;
on the Danube - Vidin, Lom, Oriakhovo, Nickopol, Svishtov, Rousse,
Toutrackan, Sillistra
Monetary unit: Lev (1 lev = ~ EUR 0.48), with bank-notes (bills)
of 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50 and 100 leva
Official language: Bulgarian - the oldest written Slavonic language.
Religion: Orthodox Christianity (over 85%)
Relief: The lowlands occupy 31%, the plains and the hilly terrains
41%, and the mountains 28% of the country.s territory. The larger
mountain ranges are the Balkan mountains (with its highest peak Botev
- 2376 m), the Rhodopes (highest peak - Goliam Perrelick - 2191 m),
Rila (highest peak - Moussala - 2925 m), Pirin (highest peak - Vihren
- 2914m), Vitosha (highest peak - Cherni Vruh -2290 m).
Water resources: On the east Bulgaria borders on the Black Sea.
The common length of the sea-frontage from the north (Romania) to
the south (Turkey) is 378 km. The rivers in Bulgaria flow into the
Black and the Aegean Seas. The biggest and the longest rivers take
their sources from the Rila mountains. The larger rivers are: The
Danube (covering 609 km of the Bulgarian northern boundary), Iskur
(length - 368 km on Bulgarian territory), Toundja (length - 349 km
on Bulgarian territory), Maritza (length - 321 km on Bulgarian territory),
Ossum (length - 314 km), Strouma (length - 290 km on Bulgarian territory),
Yantra (length - 285 km), Kamtchya (length - 244 km).
Climate: The climate in Bulgaria is moderate continental with
four yearly seasons and average annual temperature of 10.5 degrees
centigrade. The coldest month is January with an average temperature
of 0 degrees centigrade. The average air temperature in the summer
is 30 degrees c. and the average water temperature - 25 degrees c.
Vegetation and animals: Basic characteristic features of the country.s
natural life are the great variety and wealth of animal and plant
species and their considerable ecological and biogeographical diversity.
The vegetable life of Bulgaria numbers about 12 000 species - 71 kinds
of trees, 119 kinds of bushes, 3300 kinds of flower plants, about
4000 kinds of seaweed, etc.
The most common and often met animals and birds are the typical of
Europe: hinds, deer, wild-boars, bears, wolves, foxes, jackals, wood-grouses,
vultures, sparrows, grass-snakes, etc. Altogether in Bulgaria are
to be found about 40 000 invertebrate species, 659 vertebrate species,
337 bird species, 117 fish species and 92 mammal species.
Protection of Nature: Protection of the natural world is one of
the country.s major concerns. The protected territories in Bulgaria
are 49, the biospherical reserves - 17 (the greatest recorded number
in Europe), the national parks - 7, the reserves - 82, the protected
natural sites - 3055, the protected plants - 63 and the protected
animals - 419. The air and water resources of the country are some
of the purest in Europe.
History: The Bulgarian people is one of the most ancient. The
Bulgarian state was founded on the present-day territory of Europe
in 681 and ever since that time the name of the country has always
been the same. What follows are some of the most significant dates
and events in the history of Bulgaria:
* 885 - Cyril and Methodius created the Slavonic script
* 864 - 866 - Bulgaria adopted Christianity
* 1018- 1185 - Bulgaria fell within the limits of the Byzantine Empire
and Rule
* 1185 - Restoration of the Bulgarian state
* 1396 - 1878 - Bulgaria was under the Turkish Slavery
* 1878 - 1944 - Bulgaria was a constitutional monarchy
* 1944 - 1989 - Bulgaria was a peoples republic, governed by the communist
party
Since 10th of November, 1989 Bulgaria has been a parliamentary republic.
Important telephone numbers for all built-in areas of the country:
Police - 166, Fire Brigade - 160, Road Duty - 146, First Aid - 150
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