General Information about Bulgaria

Bulgaria covers an area of about 42,800 square miles, comprised mostly of mountains with lowlands in the north and southeast. It shares borders with Greece, Macedonia, Romania, Serbia and Turkey.
Territory: 110 912 km2, Population: 8.4 millions.

Bulgaria is a parliamentary republic ruled by a democratically elected government. Members are elected for a period of four years. The President of the Republic is elected for a five-year period. Presidential elections are due in 2006.

Sofia is the capital with 1.2 million people.

The official language is Bulgarian. Bulgarians write Cyrillic, the successor of the ancient slavonic-bulgarian script. Most of the young generation speak English or German, French and Russian.

Religion is Christian-Orthodox (85%), Muslim (8%), Others (7%).

On the East the climate is influenced by Black Sea: the summer is cool, the autumn is pleasant, warm and long. The four seasons - spring, summer, autumn and winter are strongly expressed.

Official Holidays:

1 January - New Year
3 March - - National day: Commemorating liberation from the Ottoman yoke in 1878
The Easter - Two days - Sunday and Monday, which are defined by the Orthodox calendar
1 May - Labour day
6 May - St. George - Day of the Bulgarian Army
24 May - Day of the Bulgarian culture and the Slavonic script
6 September - Day of Unification
22 September - Independence day
1 November - Day of the leaders of Bulgarian National Revival
25/26 December - Christmas

Voltage/Current: 220V, 50Hz (European Standard);

Time zone: Greenwich Mean Time + 2 hours;

International Relations with Neighbours and International Community

Bulgaria has accorded high priority to promoting good relations with its neighbours. It has signed significant bilateral confidence building agreements with both Turkey and Greece, and established a Balkan initiative for regional security and co-operation.

Bulgaria began accession negotiations with the EU in March 2000 and formally finished them in December 2004. Provided that it fulfils its commitments to implement European standards in areas such as the economy and the judicial system Bulgaria will become a full member of the EU in January 2007. In 2004, Bulgaria became member of the NATO.

* Source of the materials provided partially by FCO (Foreign & Commonwealth Office)

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