BULGARIA- INFO

BASIC

• Surface Area: 110 993.6 sq km
• Borders: Romania, Greece, Turkey, Serbia, FYROM and Black Sea
• Capital City: Sofia
• Population: 7 659 764 (2007)
• Official language: Bulgarian
• Population (Age structure & projected population growth):
  • Population aged (0-14) - 13.4%
  • Population aged (15-64) - 69.3%
  • Population aged (65+) - 17.3%
  • Population growth rate: minus 0.64% (medium variant from 2005-2010)

ECONOMIC

• Natural Resources:
  Bauxite, copper, lead, zinc, coal, timber, arable land.
• Industries:
  Electricity, gas and water; food, beverages and tobacco; machinery and equipment, base metals, chemical products, coke, refined petroleum, nuclear fuel.
• Agriculture – products: Vegetables, fruits, tobacco, livestock, wine, wheat, barley, sunflowers, sugar beets.
• Currency & Code : Lev; Code: BGN
• Industrial Growth: n/a
• GDP (in currency): 28.4 EUR billions (2007)
• GDP Growth:: 6.20% (2007)
• GDP per capita: 7,497.66 EUR
• Consumer Inflation: 8% (2007)
• Unemployment: 5.6% (2008)
• Foreign Direct Investment: (in currency): 6.163 EUR millions(2008)
• Current Account(in currency): minus 6.066 EUR millions (2007)
• Public Debt: (as % of GDP): n/a
• External debt(in currency): 28,952.7 EUR millions (2007)
• Exports(in currency): 21.180 EUR millions
• Imports(in currency): 27.152 EUR millions

TRAVEL TIPS

CLIMATE

• Bulgaria is at the border line between the temperate and Mediterranean climatic areas. The climate is temperate continental in its northern part, while the Mediterranean climatic influence is strongly felt in its southern part.

GETTING AROUND

• Car Rental Companies: MD Rent A Car,Rentauto, Tourist Service Rent-A-Car
• Taxi Companies: Sofia Airport Transfers & Taxi, Rosat Taxi, Yes & Yellow,Softaxi,One Euro
• Banks: Bulgarian National Bank,, DSK Bank, Bulbank Plc, Hebros Commercial Bank, Bulgarian Investment Bank

WHERE TO STAY

• Luxury Hotels: Arena di Serdica Hotel, Kempinski Hotel Zografski, Central Park Hotel, Grand Hotel Sofia, Hilton Sofia

WHAT TO SEE

• Main Squares: Prince Alexander of Battenberg Square
• History and Culture: Ivan Vazov National Theatre, National Historical Museum, Church of St Sophia, National Palace of Culture
• Shopping: Graf Ignatiev Street and Pirotska Street
• Parks and Gardens: Knyaz Boris' Garden