The Republic of Bulgaria is a country situated in South-East Europe. In the north it borders the Republic of Romania, in the east it ranges to the Black Sea, in the south it neighbours the Republic of Turkey and the Republic of Greece, and in the west it borders (former Yugoslavian) Republic of Macedonia and Republic of Serbia.

Area: 110,993.6 sq km

Population: 7,364, 570

Capital city: Sofia

Official language: Bulgarian

Alphabet: Cyrillic

Religion: There is freedom of religious confessions. Traditional religion in the Republic of Bulgaria is Eastern Orthodox Christianity

National holiday: March 3, the Day of the Liberation of Bulgaria from Ottoman domination (1878)

Public (non-working) holidays:

3 March – Liberation Day (national holiday)

1 January – New Year

Easter (Resurrection of Christ) – two days (Easter Sunday and Easter Monday)

1 May – Labour Day (the Day of International Working Class Solidarity)

6 May - Day of Bravery and Bulgarian Army, Gergyovden (St. George’s Day)

24 May – Day of Bulgarian Education and Culture, and of the Slavonic Alphabet

6 September - Unification Day

22 September - Independence Day

1 November – Day of the National Revival Leaders

24 December – Christmas Eve

25 and 26 December - Christmas

Monetary unit: the Bulgarian Lev (BGN)

Administrative division: 28 regions, named after their respective regional centres

State system: a parliamentary republic with a one-chamber parliament (National Assembly), consisting of 240 national representatives, elected for a four-year term of service. The head of state of the republic is the President, elected for a five-year term of service. The Council of Ministers is the main body of executive power.

Climate: moderate continental with Black Sea influence in the east and Mediterranean in the south

Waters: rivers (main rivers are the Danube, Maritsa, Mesta, Strouma, Iskar, and Yantra); warm and cold mineral springs (more than 600)

Transport: railway, automobile, air and water

International automobile sign: BG

International telephone code: +359 ………..    

International telephone code for Ruse: +359 82 ………..