About Bulgaria
Area: 110,994 sq km (42,855 sq miles).
Population: 7,973,671 (2001).
Capital: Sofia - population: 1,173,811 (2001).
Bulgaria is situated in Eastern Europe and bounded 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 the Former Yugoslav Republic of 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 skiing resorts.
Government: Democratic Republic since 1990. Head of Government: Prime Minister
Language: Bulgarian is the official language and the Cyrillic alphabet is used. 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. Eastern Orthodox Chrisitianity is considered to be the traditional religion in Bulgaria. There is also a significant Muslim minority (9 per cent) and small Roman Catholic and Jewish communities.
Time: GMT + 2 (GMT + 3 from last Sunday in March to Saturday before last Sunday in October).
Weather: influenced mostly by the Atlantic, European and Mediterranean climate zones resulting in four amazing and tender seasons:
hot, dry and sunny summers;
long, soft and pleasant autumns;
cold, damp, snowy and white winters;
fresh, blooming and energetic springs;
Bulgaria's most comfortable temperatures are found mid May to mid September. The greater part of Bulgaria has a moderate continental climate, which is tempered by Mediterranean influences in the south. ; Tmperatures as low as -37° F (-38° C) and as high as 113° F (45° C) have been recorded. Mean annual precipitation ranges from about 18 inches (450 millimetres) in the northeast to more than 47 inches in the highest mountains. The lowlands receive snowfall from mid-October to mid-May, with an annual average of 25–30 days of snow cover. Hailstorms occur between May and August.
Bulgaria Visa requirements:
In Bulgaria Visa is required by all travellers except the following:
- Nationals of EU countries don't need visa for Bulgaria for stays of up to 90 days within each six-month period (except nationals of Ireland and the UK, who may stay for up to 30 days within a six-month period);
- Nationals of Croatia, Chile, Japan, Korea (Rep), Litchenstein, Malaysia, Norway, San Marino and Switzerland don't need visa for Bulgaria for stays of up to 90 days within a six-month period;
- Nationals of Andorra, Australia, Canada, Israel, Macedonia (Former Yugoslav Republic of), Monaco, New Zealand, Romania, Serbia and Montenegro, USA and Vatican City don't need visa for Bulgaria for stays of up to 30 days within each six-month period;
Bulgaria Visa Application:If you intend to stay beyond that period you must obtain a "type D" bulgarian visa from the Bulgarian embassy in your originating country prior to arrival. There you can find the necessary visa application. Regardless of your nationality we recommend to check with the local Bulgarian embassy because the rules are often changed. Check here the list of all Bulgarian embassies abroad
