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Situated in southeastern
Europe, Bulgaria occupies the northeastern part of
the Balkan Peninsula. To the North, via the Danube
River, it borders on Romania, to the West – on
Serbia and Montenegro and on the Former Yugoslav
Republic of Macedonia. To the South its neighbours
are Greece and Turkey. To the East Bulgaria touches
the Black Sea, which links it also to Russia,
Ukraine, and Georgia. The Black Sea borderline is
378 km (240 miles) long. The country’s total
territory is 111 000 sq. km (43 000 sq. miles).
History
As a state
established by khan Asparoukh, Bulgaria has been
existing for more than 13 centuries. Thracians were
the first settlers in the Bulgarian lands and their
civilisation is evidenced by the numerous
archaeological finds, uncovered tombs, discovered
gold and silver treasures. Testimonies for the
presence of life in the pre-historic ages have been
preserved in the best-preserved Neolithic housings
discovered world-wide – namely those off the town
of Stara Zagora, in the “Bacho Kiro” cave off
the town of Dryanovo and in the Magurata cave –
close to the town of Belogradchik. The first written
reference where the name “Bulgarians” is to be
found is included in an anonymous Roman chronograph
of 452 AD.
General
Information
Territory: 110,993,6
km2
Population: 7,973,671
Capital: Sofia
Official language: Bulgarian
Religion: Orthodox
Political system: Parliamentary Republic
Head of State: Georgi Purvanov
Prime Minister: Simeon Saxe–Coburg Gotha
Administrative regions: Sofia – city, Sofia
district, Bourgas, Varna, Plovdiv, Rousse, Haskovo,
Lovetch, Montana, Sliven, Yambol, Dobrich, Silistra,
Shumen, Gabrovo, Pleven, Vidin, Vratza, Veliko
Turnovo, Pazardjik, Smolyan, Razgrad, Targovishte,
Blagoevgrad, Pernik, Kardjali, Stara Zagora
National currency: Lev
Measures and scales: the metric system
Time zone: GMT +2
Official
Holidays
January 1st – New
Year’s Holiday
March 3rd – National Holiday
May 1st – Labour Day
May 6th – Gergyovden (Saint George's Day) and the
Day of the Bulgarian Army
May 24th – Cyril and Methodius Day
September 6th – Unification Day
September 22d – Independence Day
November 1st - National Day of the Bulgarian Revival
Leaders
December 24th, 25th and 26th – Christmas Days
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