Bulgaria

Bulgaria, founded in 681 AD, is the homeland of ancient civilizations, and remnants of their cultures, and the ruins of their cities, palaces and monasteries are found throughout the country.

Total area: 110 994 km²

Located in the Eastern Part of the Balkan Peninsula, in South Eastern Europe. Bordered by the Serbia, Macedonia, Greece, Turkey, the Danube (the border with Romania) and the Black Sea

Official language: Bulgarian. English, German, and Russian is spoken in the country's resorts, and hotels.

Alphabet - Cyrillic. Signs along international motorways, in airports and resorts are also spelled in Roman letters.

Time difference: Bulgaria's time zone lies two hours ahead of Greenwich Meridian Time (GMT). Along with the majority of European countries, Bulgaria has established so-called Summer Time.
Summer time begins at 3:00АМ on the last Sunday in March (the clock is moved forward with 1 hour) and lasts until 4:00АМ on the last Sunday in October (clock returns with 1 hour back)

Currency: Currency unit in the Republic of Bulgaria is the Bulgarian Lev or BGN.
1 lev = 100 stotinki. Pegged exchange rate: EUR 1 = BGN 1.955
For other exchange rates, look at the menu on the left (Extra Tools -> Currency Converter)

Currency Exchange In banks and 24-hour change bureaux. The exchange rate is announced every day.

Credit Cards: Valid card types in bank machines: Eurocard, MasterCard, Maestro, Cirrus, JCB, VISA, VISA Election

Working Hours banks - 9.00 a.m. to 3.00 p.m.(Monday to Friday)
shops - 10.00 a.m. to 8.00 pm. (Monday to Friday, Saturday until noon)

Public Transport: in big cities: trams, trolley-buses, buses; inter-city transport: train, buses, plane, taxi;

Rent-a-Car: AVIS, Hertz, Intertel, Europcar, Budget and International Car Rental in the country's big cities and resorts.

Information on the 112 number from the European Commission website

Phone numbers
•  00359 - Country Dialing Code
•  +359 2 937 2211;   +359 2 937 2212;   +359 2 937 2213; - Sofia Airport - Call Center

See allso the contact details of foreign embassies in Bulgaria

More information

Government type: parliamentary democracy

Capital: Sofia (1.2mln), Major cities: Plovdiv, Varna and Bourgas

Coastline: 354 km; The longest river: Iskar (368 km);  Highest peak: Musala (2925 km)

Distance: London/Sofia - 2100km; Sofia/Varna - 470km, Sofia/Bourgas - 400 km.

Population: 7,54 mil. (2003) Population density: 71/km²

Ethnic groups  •  Bulgarian (85%),    •  Turkish (10%),     •  Roma, Hebrew, Armenian and others (about 5%)

Religion:  • Bulgarian Orthodox (88%);  • Muslim (10%)
  • The Bulgarian Church is autonomous and headed by a Patriarch.

Important dates:
•  First Bulgarian State Established - AD 681.
•  Creation of Cyrillic alphabet, now used in Bulgaria and the new states of former USSR and Yugoslavia
(Russia,Ukraine, Croatia, Montenegro, Serbia, Macedonia, Bosnia) - AD 865.
•  Liberation from Ottoman empire - 1878.

The official Holidays are:    •  January 1 - New Year;    •  March 3 - Bulgaria's Liberation;    •  April - Easter;
   •  May 1 - Labour Day;    •  May 24 - The Day of Bulgarian Enlightenment and Culture and the Slav Script;    •  September 22 - The Independence Day    •  December 25 - Christmas

If you are interested and ask for more, please visit:
   •  Bulgaria - World atlas (map and information page);   •  visitBG.net - Your Bulgarian travel guide;
   •  Tourism Bulgaria