BULGARIA
Bulgaria is situated in south-eastern
Europe, in the north-eastern part of the Balkan
Peninsula. The country earned its independence from the
Ottoman Empire in 1878, but having fought on the losing side in both
World Wars, it fell within the Soviet sphere of influence and became a
People's Republic in 1946. Communist domination ended in 1990, when
Bulgaria held its first multi-party election since World War II and
began the contentious process of moving toward political democracy and a
market economy while combating inflation, unemployment, corruption, and
crime. Today, reforms and democratization keep Bulgaria on a path toward
eventual integration into NATO and the EU - with which it began
accession negotiations in 2000.
Bulgaria has a territory of 110 911 square
kilometres which is 22% of the Balkan Peninsula. Its length is 520 km
and its width is 330 km. The overall length of its borders is 2245 km.
Bulgaria borders to the north on Rumania (the frontier line runs along
the Danube river and continues on land to the north-east), to the south
- on Greece and Turkey, to the west - on Serbia and Macedonia (former
Yugoslavia) and to the east - on the Black Sea.
The climate in Northern Bulgaria is moderate continental, while the
climate in Southern Bulgaria is intermediate continental tending to
Mediterranean. The climate in the regions with an altitude of 1900-2000
m above sea level is mountainous and along the
Black Sea coast it is maritime. The climate of the seaside
regions is milder in the winter and cooler in the summer than the
climate of the interior of the country. The average annual temperature
is 10,50C, in winter about 00C. The lowest temperature - 38,30C - was
measured in 1947.
The official language is
Bulgarian and uses only the Cyrillic
alphabet. To facilitate tourists, road and direction signs in populated
areas, resorts, railway station, airports and along the main highways
are also spelled in Roman letters. English, German, French, Russian and
other languages are spoken in the country.
The capital of Bulgaria is the city of Sofia.
The post-1989 changes have manifested themselves most visibly in Sofia
in the explosive growth of small businesses. Smart boutiques and chic
restaurants provide a sharp contrast to their somber state-run
counterparts. Even the humble outdoor food bazaars have been spiffed up
and now feature larger and more varied selections, with imported fresh
fruits and vegetables available year-round. Luxury BMWs and Mercedes
overshadow the once-ubiquitous Ladas and Moskvitches. The building boom
in the mountainside suburbs of Boyana, Dragalevtsi and Simeonovo, with
posh villas going up in rapid succession, demonstrates that at least one
sizeable segment of the population is enjoying new-found wealth.
One readily apparent downside to the "changes" is the city's nin-down
appearance and neglected infrastructure as evidenced by crumbling
building facades, pothole-filled streets and litter-strewn public
places. Yet, while Sofia - a city of 1.1 million - may not at present
compare favorably to other European capitals, progress is undeniably
being made. Certain sections of the city, most notably Maria Louisa
Boulevard and the area around the pedestrian Pirotska Street, are
gradually giving way to gentrification. The
European Union has allocated $300,000 for a "Beautiful
Bulgaria" campaign to refurbish the city's building facades. The
municipality has recently allocated funds to repair the streets and
clean up the litter, plant greenery strips along the motorways, and
revive the park and garden fountains which have not functioned for
years. The underground metro, which debuted in January 1998, should help
to reduce traffic snarl and engender a measure of civic pride. Given
heightened foreign investment and continued sound planning by the city
administration, Sofia could become - while not quite the "Paris of the
Balkans"- at least a city worthy of its historic pedigree and choice
natural setting. Indeed, few cities anywhere can boast such a scenic
backdrop as that provided by imposing Mount
Vitosha.