Bulgaria

Fast facts

Full name: Republic of Bulgaria
Currency: Bulgarian LEV (1 lev = 0'5113 euro)
Government: Parliamentary Democracy
Leaders: President Georgi Purvanov, Prime Minister Boyko Borisov
People: Bulgarian (85%), Turkish (9%), Romanian (4'5%)
Capital: Sofia
Timezone: GMT +2
Dialing code: +359
Area: 110'910 km2
Population: 7'3 million
Language: Bulgarian
Literacy rate: 98'2%
Religion: Bulgarian Orthodox (83%), Muslim (12%), other (Roman Catholic,Armenian 5%)
Body language: Bulgarians shake their heads for 'yes' and nod for 'no'. It's confusing at first, then fun. To add to the confusion, some Bulgarians may do the opposite to 'help' confused foreigners. If there is any doubt, ask 'da' ili 'ne' (yes or no)?
Export: Bulgaria produces 10% of the world’s rose oil

Visas

Citizens of other EU member states, plus Australia, Canada, Israel, Japan, New Zealand and the USA can stay in Bulgaria visa-free for up to 90 days. Citizens of other countries should check the current requirements with their nearest Bulgarian embassy or consulate before their departure. Visas cannot be obtained at border crossings.

Bulgarian history at glance

The land that gave birth to the legendary Orpheus and Spartacus, Bulgaria is a country with a long, tumultuous and fascinating history. It has been invaded, conquered and settled by Greeks, Scythians, Romans, Byzantines and Turks, all of whom left their indelible marks on the landscape.
Bulgaria's medieval 'Golden Age', when the Bulgar Khans ruled over one of the largest empires in Europe, was bright but brief, while 500 years of subsequent, Turkish domination isolated the country from the rest of Europe. More recently, Bulgaria spent four decades as a totalitarian Soviet satellite, again leaving this small Balkan nation in the shadows as far as the Western world was concerned.
It’s no wonder, then, that Bulgarians are so passionate about preserving their history and their culture, which has survived so often against the odds. In the last years of the 20th century Bulgaria began opening up, and is one of the newest members of the EU.

Geography

Bulgaria covers just under 111000 square km at the heart of the Balkan Peninsula, and in that relatively small area encompasses an amazing variety of landscapes and landforms. About one-third of Bulgaria's terrain is mountainous and the country boasts seven distinct mountain ranges, each with a unique range of flora and fauna, and all covered with well-marked walking trails.
From the northern border with Romania, a windswept fertile plain gradually slopes south as far as the Stara Planina mountains, the longest mountain range in the Balkans, which virtually splits the country in half.
To the south, the Sredna Gora mountains are separated from the main range by a fault in which the Valley of Roses lies.
The Rila Mountains' sharply glaciated massifs, with their bare rocky peaks, steep forested valleys and glacial lakes are the geographical core of the Balkans and a paradise for hikers (and, in parts, skiers).
The Rodopi Mountains stretch along the Greek border east of the Rila and Pirin Mountains and spill over into Greece. The fascinating Yagodina and Trigrad caves are geological must-sees in the Rodopis, while Melnik's dramatic and unique sand pyramids are one of the more unusual highlights of the Pirin region.
The Thracian plain opens onto the Black Sea coast. The 378 km-long coast is lined with beaches and also features coastal lakes near Burgas, spectacular cliffs near Kaliakra and several gaping bays.

Climate

Bulgaria enjoys a temperate climate with hot, dry summers and cold, wet winters, often with heavy snow. Sofia’s climate is generally favourable, with average daytime highs of around 28°C in July and August and 3°C from December to February.

Religion

Most citizens of Bulgaria have associations — at least nominally — with the Bulgarian Orthodox Church.
Founded in 870 AD under the Patriarchate of Constantinople, the Bulgarian Orthodox Church has had autocephalous status since 927. The Orthodox Church re-established the Bulgarian Patriarchate in Sofia in the 1950s after the promulgation of the Bulgarian Exarchate in 1870.
The Bulgarian Orthodox Church, as the independent national church of Bulgaria plays a role as an inseparable element of Bulgarian national consciousness.
In 2001, the Bulgarian Orthodox Church had 6552000 members in Bulgaria (82'6% of the population). Despite the dominant position of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church in Bulgarian cultural life, a number of Bulgarian citizens belong to other religious denominations, most notably Islam, Roman Catholicism and Protestantism.