Population – 8,000,000
Capital – Sofia – 1,200,000 habitants
Large Cities: Plovdiv, Varna, Veliko Turnovo
Minimal salary – 120 leva, 1 euro=1.94 leva, average – 250 leva
General Information
Location
Bulgaria is situated in Southeast Europe and occupies the eastern part of the Balkan Peninsula.
To the north, it borders on Romania, to the west on the Republic of Macedonia and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, to the east on the Black Sea, to the south on Greece and to the southeast on Turkey's European part.
Area: 111,000 sq km.
Relief
Extremely varied: large plains and lowlands, low and high mountains, valleys and lovely gorges.
Climate
Temperate continental with clearly marked four seasons.
A Mediterranean influence is felt in the country's southern regions.
The average annual temperature is 10.5°C.
The average January temperature is around O°C.
Average summer temperatures rarely exceed 30°C.
Language:
Bulgarian
English, German, French and Russian is spoken in the country's resorts, hotels and restaurants.
Alphabet:
Cyrillic
Signs along international motorways, in airports and resorts are also spelled in Roman letters.
Religion
86.6% of the population is Eastern Orthodox, 13% are Muslims. The Bulgarian Church is autonomous and headed by a Patriarch.
State government
Bulgaria is a parliamentary republic.
Important Telephone Numbers
Police – 166
Ambulance – 150
Road assistance - 146
Currency Exchange
In banks and 24-hour change bureaus. The exchange rate is announced every day.
Credit Cards
Visa, MasterCard, JCB, Diners Club, American Express, Access, Airplus.They can be used for the payment of all standard services in hotels, restaurants, nightclubs, shops, car rentals, plane tickets, etc.
Accommodation
Bulgaria boasts an extensive accommodation network ranging from luxury five-star to unpretentious two-star hotels, small cozy hotels and private rooms, meeting all modern requirements. Reservations through tourist agencies or local accommodation offices.
