About Bulgaria

Bulgarian Location:

The Republic of Bulgaria is located in the southeastern part of Europe. It occupies the eastern half of the Balkan Peninsula. On the north it is bounded by Romania, on the east - by the Black Sea, on the west - by Serbia and Montenegro, on the southwest - by the FYR Macedonia, and on the south - by Greece and Turkey. The total lenght of Bulgaria borders is 2.245 km, 1,181 km of which run on land, 686 km - along the Danube, and 378 km - along the Black Sea.

Area: 111,000 sq. km
Population: 8,000,000 (2000c.)
Total number of towns and villiges: 5,406
Capital: Sofia - 1,188,000
Major towns: Plovdiv (pop. 350,000), Varna (pop. 3000,000), Burgas (pop. 200,000), Stara Zagora (pop. 150,000), Ruse (pop. 140,000), Pleven (pop. 120,000)
Road network: 36,720 km
Railway network: 4,300 km
Airports: Sofia, Varna, Burgas
Ports: On the Black Sea - Varna, Burgas, Balchik, Nesebur
On the Danube - Vidin, Lom, Oryahovo, Nikopol, Svishtov, Ruse, Tutrakan, Silistra
Currency: Bulgarian Lev, banknotes of 1, 2, 5, 10, 20 , 50 Leva
Official Language: Bulgarian, the oldest written Slavonic language
religions: Eastern Orthodox, Islam

RELIEF

31% of the country's territory comprises lowlands, 41%-plains and hills, and 28% - mountains. The chief mountains are the Balkan Mountains (MtBotev - 2376 m), the Rhodopie Mountaines (Mt. Golyam Pernik - 2191m), Rila (Mt. Musala-2925m), Pirin , Vitosha

Waters
On the east Bulgaria is bounded by the Black Sea. The total length of the sea border from north (Romania) to the south (Turkey) is 378 km.
Bulgarian rivers flow into the Black and the Aegean Seas. The largest and the longest rivers spring from the Rila Mountain. The chief rivers are: the Danube (609 km along Bulgarian territory), Iskur (368kn) , The Tundzha (349 km) , The Maritsa (321 km), the Osum, the Struma, the Yantra, the Kamchia.

Climate
The cliamte in Bulgaria is temperate contintetal with four seasons and an average annual temperature of 10.5 C. The coldest month is January with an average temperature of 0 C. The average summer temperature of the air is 30 C, and of the sea water - 25 C

Real Estate market is an undiscovered market offering wide variety of properties for sale/rent at competitive prices from newly build properties to rural houses.

In general, foreign citizens purchase properties in Bulgaria for a second retirement home, summer/winter villa or business development. Foreign buyers are attracted to Bulgaria because:
1. Low property price
2. Pleasant four-season climate
3. Low crime area
4. Low cost of living
5. Calm and friendly people
6. Two hours away by plane from West Europe and three hours from Moscow
7. Business opportunities

Now Bulgaria real estate market shows activity compared to the activity in the last several years. The increased number of buyers willing to own property and the introduction of the country to European Union increased Bulgarian Real Estate prices up to 20%-30% only this summer alone.

By the time, Bulgaria enters European Union Real Estate prices will only grow. This will approximately take tree to five years.