Bulgaria is in southeastern Europe, in the area
known as the Balkan Peninsula. To the north is Romania, to the east is
the Black Sea, to the south are Greece and Turkey and to the west lie the
Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (Serbia and Montenegro) and the Former Yugoslav
Republic of Macedonia.
The terrain of Bulgaria is mostly hilly,
with flatlands in the north and central regions. Forests cover approximately
a third of the land. The Balkan Mountains cross the country from west to
east. Bulgarians call them Stara Planina or "Old Mountains." The Rhodope
and Rila Mountains are in the southwest, along the border with Greece. |
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Between Sofia and the Black Sea is a low-lying
area called the Valley of Roses, because it is an important rose-growing
area. The northern part of the Black Sea coast is rocky with high cliffs,
but the southern part is a resort area lined with beaches.
Sofia, which is located in the western part
of the country, is the largest city in Bulgaria, with a population of about
1.1 million, or about an eighth of Bulgaria's population. Plovdiv, the
second largest city, has a population of 360,000. |
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In general, Bulgarians will not find Canadian
weather very different from the four seasons in their home country. Although
the Black Sea coast has mild winters, there is snow for winter sports in
the mountains. The interior of the country can be bitterly cold and temperatures
may fall below -30°C. Summers are long, hot and dry in the interior
and cooler on the coast.
Official Name: |
Republic of Bulgaria |
Capital: |
Sofia |
Type of Government: |
Republic |
Population: |
8.4 million |
Area: |
110,900 sq. km |
Major Ethnic Groups: |
Bulgarians, Turks, Roma,
Armenians, Russians |
Languages: |
Bulgarian, Turkish, Roma,
Armenian, Hebrew |
Religions: |
Bulgarian Orthodox Church,
Islam, Roman Catholicism, Protestantism, Judaism |
Unit of Currency: |
Lev |
National Flag: |
White, green and red horizontal
stripes |
Liberty Day |
March 3, 2022 |
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