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BULGARIA IN BRIEF

Bulgaria is situated in the South-East part of Europe.
Area: 110,993.6 km2.
Population: 7.97 million
To the north Bulgaria borders Romania.
To the south - with Greece and Turkey.
To the west - with Serbia and Montenegro and Macedonia.
To the east - with the Black Sea.
Capital City: Sofia (population: 1,122,302)
The capital city Sofia is situated in the Western part of the country, at the foot of the Vitosha mountain, the plain is 550m. above sea level.
Official language: Bulgarian.

National day (Bulgaria’s Day of Liberation): 3 March (1878)

Alphabet: Cyrillic;

Religion: East Orthodox Christians (85 %),
Muslims (13%), Catholics (1%);

Currency: Lev
Exchange Rate 1 BGN = 0.51129 EUR
BGN is pegged to the Euro at the rate of BGN 1 per EUR 0.51129.

Time: GMT+2;

Tel. Code:  +359 (2 for Sofia).

The average elevation throughout the country is 470 m. above sea level.
The highest peak is Musala - 2,925 m.
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.

In winter the average temperature is about -1 , - 2  C.

Bulgaria is a parliamentary republic and conforms with the Constitution of the Republic passed by the Grand National Assembly in July 1991. The Constitution of the Republic of Bulgaria is the supreme law of the country and no other law may contravene it. All international treaties, which are ratified pursuant to the constitutional procedure, are considered part of the domestic legislation.
 
The National Assembly is a one-chamber parliament. It consists of 240 Members of Parliament who are directly elected every four years. The National Assembly is a permanent acting body, directed by a board of Chairmen including a Chairman of the National Assembly. The Speaker of the National Assembly represents the National Assembly is H.E. Mr. Georgi Pirinski.

The head of the state is the President, who embodies the unity of the nation and represents the Republic of Bulgaria in its international relations. The President of the Republic of Bulgaria is H.E. Mr. Georgi Parvanov. 

The Council of Ministers is the executive state body and directs the domestic and foreign policy of the country. The government manages the implementation of the state budget, organizes the management of state property and approves or rescinds certain categories of international treaties pointed out in the Constitution. The Prime Minister of the Republic of Bulgaria is H.E. Mr. Sergei Stanishev.

The date 10 November 1989 marked the beginning of the democratic changes in Bulgaria. A new Constitution was adopted (1991). Bulgaria chose the way of democratic development and market economy.

Bulgaria’s foreign policy is oriented to cohesion with the European structures. The country has been a member of the Council of Europe since 1991. In 2004, Bulgaria joined NATO. In 1995, Bulgaria started the process of accession to the European Union. In 1999, it started the accession negotiations. On 25 April 2005, in Luxembourg was signed the Treaty of Accession of Republic of Bulgaria to the European Union.

Source: http://www.government.bg/