Country Guide • Bulgaria
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.
| Official Name | Republic of Bulgaria |
|---|---|
| Area | 110,910km² (42,822mile²) |
| Population | 7,537,900 |
| Continent | Europe |
| Population per mile² | 176 |
| Capital City | Sofia |
| Religions | Eastern Orthodox 85%, Muslims 13%, Roman Catholic 2%, Others 3%. Language: Bulgarian |
| Government | Democracy |
| Member of EU | No |
| Currency | Lev |
| GDP | $50.6 billion |
| GDP per Head | $6,600 |
| Natural Resources | Bauxite, copper, lead, zinc, coal and timber |
| Land Use | Arable Land 39% |
| Agriculture | Fruit and vegetables, tobacco, livestock, wine, wheat, barley, sunflowers and sugar beets |
| Industry | Food processing, machine building and metal work, electronics, chemicals, textiles, ferrous and nonferrous metal making |
| Tourism | Bulgaria's natural landscape is full of surprises - it has endless, sandy beaches along the Black Sea, wild mountain ranges and lush green hills, fertile plains, magnificent gorges, rivers, health spas and natural springs. It is also renowned as a Winter Wonderland - with snow-laden mountains and pine forests stretching out as far as the eye can see, glistening like diamonds against an ever-blue sky |
| Natural Hazards | Earthquakes and Landslides |
| Health Risks | None |
| Climate | Bulgaria has a continental climate with hot summers and cold winters. In the south the climate is Mediterranean with winters that are milder and moister. Average annual precipitation is 630 mm (25 inches) and average temperature ranges in Sofia are from -4 to 2°C in January to 16 to 27°C in July |
| Time | GMT/UTC+2 hours |
| National Days | March 3 |
| Visas | Nationals of some 30 countries - including the UK, USA, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and other EU countries - are admitted without a visa for stays of less than 30 days. Alternatively, a 90-day visa is available at an extra cost depending on which country you apply from. Visitors of most other nationalities are issued visas on a shifting fee scale depending on the type of visa sought - transit, tourist or business |
| British Embassy | Embassy Details |
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