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Having decided to buy a property or just
thinking about buying a property in Bulgaria, it is strongly
advised to get acquainted with the Country and its regions in
 order to be able to decide
where you would like your property to be, e.g. Sea coast or
mountains. Furthermore, you should strongly consider whether
you would like your property to be in a large town; in a small
city or village; or just out in the wilderness.
For your convenience we have outlined the
main towns and regions with their relevant terrain i.e.
mountains or sea side. We have also pointed out the main
attractions in the regions.
This is a general guide to the country, the
regions and the towns. By having a clear idea of your
requirements we can advise you on the best options and supply
you with information for your specific requirements and the
suitable properties i.e. retirement home, holiday property,
investments - for resale or lettings, or industrial property -
warehouse, production facility or just land with favorable
development possibilities.
 It is strongly advised to take a
trip to Bulgaria either a holiday package or a viewing trip,
in order to get an idea of the country and what exactly you
can expect and to look for.
Bulgaria, the land of the roses, is a small
country of ancient culture, scenic beauty, friendly people,
hospitality and warmth. Situated in south-eastern Europe, it
occupies the central part of the Balkan peninsula on both
sides of the Balkan Range (the Balkans), from which the
peninsula has taken its name. The greater part of the northern
border with Romania passes along the Danube. Meanwhile, the
eastern border is the Black Sea. The land borders with
Yugoslavia and Macedonia to the west, with Turkey to the
south-east, and with Greece to the south. Bulgaria is a
beautiful mountainous country, with tourism opportunities
being one of its biggest assets. Not only does it possess
beautiful landscapes and beaches, but also it is becoming
truly a resort paradise. The Black Sea Coast on its East
border is famous for its fine sanded beaches, and perfect
water and air temperatures. The larger seaside resorts draw
huge crowds of tourists from Western Europe, who are attracted
by the low prices. Furthermore, Bulgaria has around 600
natural mineral springs, with water temperatures ranging from
20 to 60 degrees Celsius, whose baths and health spas are
famous tourist attractions.  There has been very
little done, however, as far as development and improvement of
facilities is concerned. The spring water is rich in mineral
elements and often runs unattended. Bulgaria is situated in
Southeast Europe and occupies an area of 111 000 sq. km in the
eastern part of the Balkan Peninsula. The average altitude is
470 metres.
Population: About 8 million
Capital: Sofia,
population over one million
Some large
Cities: Plovdiv,
Varna,
Burgas,
Ruse
Religion:
Predominantly Eastern Orthodox, The Church is
autonomous-headed by a Patriarch.
Politics: Bulgaria is a
constitutional republic. Curiously, the current Prime Minister
is Simeon Sax Koburgotski (a distant relative of Queen
Elizabeth II) who as a child was crowned Tzar of Bulgaria and
then exiled after a 1946 referendum which abolished monarchy.
Bulgaria is a candidate member of the EU and NATO. Bulgaria
hopes to join the EU no later than 2007. Extensive legislative
efforts are under way to harmonise Bulgarian legislation with
the EU legislation and encourage development and growth of a
market economy.
 Economics:
Bulgaria is undergoing a transition from centrally planned
economy to a market one. Tourism and agriculture emerge as the
main industries. Wine is Bulgaria's biggest export. Over 90%
of Bulgarian land was never fertilized with non-organic
fertilizer. Hence, the potential for organic only farming.
Bulgaria's work force is well educated & not expensive.
Nature & Tourism: To the
East Bulgaria borders entirely the Black Sea. Beautiful sandy
beaches cover nearly 55% of the coastal line & attract
numerous local and foreign visitors each year. The Black Sea
is an enclosed sea that connects to the Mediterranean via the
Bosporos. Hence, the water temperature is higher than that of
the Atlantic ocean. It is not unusual that on a hot summer's
day sea temperature reaches 25°C. Bulgaria boasts several
magnificent mountains. The Rhodopes, home of the popular ski
resort Pamporovo. Rilla Mountain, home of the popular ski
resort Borovets. Stara Planina Mountain range which crosses
the country East/West dividing it into North and South
Bulgaria respectively. Pirin a home of 45 peaks each above
2590 m and the emerging ski resort Bansko.The numerous nature
reserves & natural parks offer great opportunity for
outdoor pursuits such as mountaineering, bird watching etc.
Language: The official
language is Bulgarian and uses only the Cyrillic alphabet. To
facilitate
tourists, road and direction signs in populated
areas, resorts, railway stations, airports and along the main
motorways are also spelled in Roman letters. English, German,
French, Russian and other languages are spoken in the
country.
Time Difference: Winter: GMT+2H
(October - March); Summer: GMT+3H (April -September).
Public holidays: January
1st- New Year
March 3rd - National day of the Liberation
from Ottoman Domination
Easter - Two days (Sunday and
Monday) according to the Orthodox calendar
May 6th - St.
George's Day
May 24th - the Day of Bulgarian Enlightenment
and Culture and Slav Script
September 6th - National Day of
Bulgaria's Reunion in the year of 1885
September 22nd -
Independence Day
November 1st - Day of the Bulgarian
Revival Leaders
December 24th-26th - Christmas Eve and
Christmas
December 31st - New Year's Eve
The Bulgarian Currency: The
unit of currency in Bulgaria is the lev, divided into 100
stotinki. The Bulgarian National Bank is the bank of issue and
handles government funds and state-owned enterprises. On the
5th of July, 1999, the Bulgarian National Bank acted on the
previously announced re-denomination of the Bulgarian Lev by
introducing new banknotes and coins. The Bulgarian Council of
Ministers together with the National Assembly passed and
enacted a package of laws and decrees outlining and regulating
the re-denomination well before the 5th of July, 1999. The
entire process was performed in order to facilitate all
payments, as well as all accounting and exchange operations.
Simultaneously with the re-denomination, the Bulgarian
National Bank began to circulate new banknotes and coins.
Regions and Cities : The 1987
law-enforced administrative-territorial division of the
country divides the territory into 9 administrative regions,
279 municipalities and 3913 mayoralties. The local authorities
are responsible for the implementation of the laws and the
fulfilment of the approved regional development programs. The
community network comprises 5336 communities, of which 238
towns, 4445 villages and 653 hamlets. Each region varies and
not one is the same as the previous. Each region has its own
diverse ecology with a unique character. | 
