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Geography

Bulgaria is situated in Eastern Europe and bordered to the north by the River Danube and Romania, to the east by the Black Sea, to the south by Turkey and Greece and to the west by Serbia and Macedonia. The Balkan Mountains cross the country reaching to the edge of the Black Sea and its golden beaches. The land is heavily cultivated, covered with forests and crossed by rivers. Although Bulgaria lies in the very southeast corner of Europe, the climate is never extreme in summer, even on the red-earthed plains of Southern Thrace. The Black Sea resorts have some of the largest beaches in Europe and offer sunbathing from May until October, while in winter heavy falls of snow are virtually guaranteed in the mountain ski resorts.
Territory of Bulgaria:
110,994 sq km (42,855 sq miles).
Population of Bulgaria
7.3 million (official estimate 2007).
Population Density of Bulgaria
65.8 per sq km.
Capital city of Bulgaria
Sofia. Population: 1.4 million (official estimate 2006



EU

Member since 2007.
Government

Democratic Republic since 1990.
Head of State

President Georgi Parvanov since 2002.
Head of Government
Prime Minister Sergei Stanishev since 2005
Language

Bulgarian is the official language and the Cyrillic alphabet is used - Bulgaria is the only EU nation to use it. Turkish and Macedonian are amongst the minority languages. English, German, French and Russian are spoken in major tourist resorts and hotels.
Religion

The majority of the population are Christian, the main denomination being Bulgarian Orthodox Church with a membership of 83% of the population. Eastern Orthodox Christianity is considered to be the traditional religion in Bulgaria. There is also a significant Muslim minority (13%) and a small Jewish community.


Electricity

220 volts AC, 50Hz. Plugs are two-pin.
Social Conventions

Normal courtesies should be observed and handshaking is the normal form of greeting. Dress should be conservative but casual. If invited to the home, a small souvenir from one's homeland is an acceptable gift, and something for their children is always welcome. Do not give money. Remember that a nod of the head means ‘No' and a shake means ‘Yes'.

Smoking: Bulgarian restaurants, cafes, nightclubs etc have zones for smokers and non-smokers. There is no smoking in public places.



Climate



Unless you visit for skiing, summer is the most comfortable time in Bulgaria, with low humidity and temperatures averaging 75°F (24°C); winter temperatures average around 32°F (0°C).