A Guide to Bulgaria

Bulgaria is a beautiful, sometimes challenging, interesting and engaging country. Bulgaria emerged from a communist regime on 10th November 1989 and since then the country has experienced rapid change and continues to develop.

Similar to many developing countries, there is much to learn and experience; if you intend to visit Bulgaria for a short or extended period of time the following description will give you a brief idea of the country.

Location:
Situated in southeastern Europe, Bulgaria occupies the northeastern part of the Balkan Peninsula. To the East Bulgaria touches the Black Sea. To the South its neighbours are the famous Greece and Turkey. Romania is to the north, much of it denoted by the River Danube, and Serbia and Macedonia are Bulgaria’s neighbors to the west.

Key Tourist Locations:
From a tourism perspective, the most popular destinations are those on the coast and several skiing resorts . The Black Sea Coast is dominated by the larger more successful summer resorts such as those at Sunny Beach, serviced by two main airports at Bourgas and Varna. The mountain destinations have grown in popularity substantially in recent years, the most successful one being at Bansko. From investor’s point of view the capital Sofia is becoming one the most attractive destinations in Europe serviced by Vrajdebna airport.

Events Overview:
Public holidays include the following:

New Year (1 and 2 January)

Liberation Day, National Bulgarian Day (3 March)

Easter - one week after the Catholic Easter

Labour day (1 May)

Cyrillic Alphabet Day (24 May)

Bulgaria’s Unification Day (6 September)

Bulgarian Independence Day (22 September)

Christmas (24, 25 and 26 December)

New Year’s Eve (31 December)

Bulgarians observe a number of traditional customs as well:

Trifon Zarezan on 14th February is the ancient festival of the wine growers. Vines are pruned and sprinkled with wine to ensure a bounteous harvest.

On 1st March Bulgarians give one another martenitsi, red and white tasselled threads which are worn for health and happiness at the coming of spring. When wearers see their first stork of the season, the martenitsa is tied to the nearest tree.

The Festival of Roses is celebrated with folk songs and dances at Kazanlak and Karlovo on the first Sunday in June.

The Jazz Festival – 8 -13 August, Bansko

Orpheus Music Festival – 17 – 19 June, Smolyan

Bagpipe Festival in Gela, Rhodope Mountains – Mid August, and many more.

Language:
The largest barrier faced by all visitors to Bulgaria is the language and the Cyrillic alphabet in particular. Most tourist resorts have signs and menus translated into English, service staff generally speak foreign languages (English or German). However, in the country side you may find that street signs are in Cyrillic and that there are few that speak English.

Economy:
Bulgaria has the most stable economy in the Eastern Europe region. This stability has been achieved with the help of the International Monetary Fund currency board, which pegged the Bulgarian Lev to the Euro in 1998 - 1999. For more economic information, visit http://investbg.government.bg/

Government:
Government Type - Parliamentary democracy

History:
Founded in the year 681, Bulgaria has linked the East and West, controlling the key land routes from Europe to the Middle East and Asia for millenia. Bulgaria is a land of crossroads and remembers many ancient civilizations such as Thracians, Slavs, Romans, Byzantines and the great people who wrote the pages of its remarkable history.

Nature:
Bulgaria is distinguished by its generous and varied nature. It offers great beaches in summer and great skiing in winter, as well as cultural, eco, rural and spa tourism, natural mineral springs and spas, diverse flora and fauna, small picturesque villages with living traditions and folklore. For an insight into the magnificent Bulgarian landscapes, visit http://photo-forum.net/joro/

Food:
Because of its geographical position and long tumultuous history, Bulgarian cuisine has evolved as a blend of the most enjoyable Slavonic, Greek and Turkish dishes. The harvest of the Black Sea brings nets full of fresh seafood, the fertile farms grow organic fruits and vegetables and local vineyards produce golden grapes and high quality red and white wines.

Drinking water:
Tap water is safe to drink in Bulgaria. There are also a lot of mineral water suppliers like Gorna Banya, Devin, Bankya and more. Refreshing and affordable mineral water is available in 0.5 and 1.5 liter bottles.

Data about Bulgaria

Area: 110,993.6 sq km

Population: 7,973, 673 (2001)

Capital city: Sofia

Official language: Bulgarian

Alphabet: Cyrillic

Religion: There is freedom of religious confessions. Traditional religion in the Republic of Bulgaria is Eastern Orthodox Christianity

National holiday: March 3, the day of the Liberation of Bulgaria from Ottoman domination (1878)

Monetary unit: the Bulgarian Lev

Administrative division: 28 regions, named after their respective regional centres.

State system: a parliamentary republic with a one-chamber parliament (National Assembly), consisting of 240 national representatives, elected for a four-year term of service. The head of state of the republic is the President, elected for a five-year term of service. The Council of Ministers is the main body of executive power.

Relief: most diverse. Average height above sea level � 470 m. Some 31.5% of the country�s territory is plain (up to 200 m above sea level), 41% are lowlands and hilly regions (from 200 to 600 m above sea level), and 27.5% are mountains (from 600 to more than 1,600 m above sea level).

Climate: moderate continental with Black Sea influence in the east and Mediterranean � in the south.

Waters: rivers (main rivers are Danube, Maritsa, Mesta, Strouma, Iskar, Yantra); warm and cold mineral springs (more than 600); lakes � coastal (some with curative mineral mud) and of glacial origin (in the Rila and Pirin mountains).

Plant and animal world: extremely diverse. An Act on the Protected Territories is operating in Bulgaria, aimed at the preservation of the country's flora and fauna. It has specified the following categories in the country: a national and nature park, a reserve and a tended reserve, a natural sight, a protected locality.

Economy: Bulgaria has been an associated member of the European Union (EU) since 1992. In 1997 an agreement was signed with the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank for economic stabilization and for the carrying through of economic reforms in the country. A currency board was introduced. The national monetary unit has been referred to the EURO. A structural reform is underway aimed at an economic growth, a functioning market economy and at paving the way for foreign investments in the country.

Transport: railway, automobile, air and water.

International automobile sign: BG

International telephone code: +359