BULGARIA

Bulgaria is a small country that has existed for more than 13 centuries in Europe, linking East and West. Situated in Southeastern Europe, Bulgaria occupies the northeastern part of the Balkan Peninsula. Bulgaria covers 110,993.6 sq km and has a population of 7,973, 673 people. The Capital city is Sofia and the official language is Bulgarian. Bulgaria has been an associated member of the European Union (EU) since 1992. And the national monetary unit has been referred to the EURO. Perhaps Bulgaria’s biggest attraction is the low cost of living and property, which is the cheapest in Europe. This is beginning to change, however. Property values in Bulgaria have been increasing rapidly in many areas – up to 35 per cent in 2004/05 – and are expected to rise by around 25 per cent per year leading up to EU membership in 2007. The highest rises tend to be in the coastal areas, where there’s increasing development for tourism. Climate Despite being a small country, Bulgaria has a varied climate due to the mountains and valleys crossing the country. There are essentially two climatic zones. The northern part of the country has a continental climate, with cold winters and warm summers, while the south-west and the Black Sea coast in the east have more of a Mediterranean climate, with hot summers and mild winters. The two zones intersect along the Balkan Range, which runs through the middle of Bulgaria from east to west. There are four distinct seasons in most areas of Bulgaria. Summers tend to be dry and not too hot, with temperatures rarely rising above 30ºC (86ºF) and low humidity. While there can be long, hot spells, these are often interrupted by storms, with hail and heavy rain. Further inland the weather is cooler, with warm summers in Sofia. Education in Bulgaria is mainly supported by the state, through the Ministry of Education and Science. School education is compulsory for children from seven to 16 years of age. The Bulgarian educational system falls within the continental European tradition. The main types of secondary schools are: general educational, vocational, language schools and foreign schools. Private schools are also being established and they are beginning to compete successfully with state schools. There are 41 higher educational institutions in Bulgaria offering degrees at undergraduate and graduate levels. The academic year for most Bulgarian universities begins around October 1 and consists of fall and spring semesters. The academic year covers up to 30 weeks. For more information, visit Welcome to Bulgaria.