Bulgaria is situated in Southeastern Europe, in the heart of the Balkan Peninsular with a territory covering 111,000 km2. It borders Romania to the north, Yugoslavia and the Republic of Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south and the Black Sea to the east. Population is around 7.5 million people. The biggest city is the capital Sofia. It is situated in the western part of Bulgaria. Following Sofia by size come Plovdiv, Varna, Burgas.

The country has temperate continental climate. Mediterranean touch is felt in the southern parts, in the northwestern – Central European and in the northeastern – a touch of the Russian Steppes. The average temperatures during the winter season are around 0oC, during the summer season – around 23oC. Average sea water temperature during the summer is 23oC.

Bulgarian landscape is fascinatingly diverse – low, medium and high mountains, hills and plateaus, lowlands and plains, hollows and passages, valleys and meadows, bays and beaches.

Rila, Pirin, Stara Planina and the Western Rhodopes are mountains of extraordinary beauty. Their altitude is over 2900 m above sea level. The longest of all is Stara Planina which divides the country into two detached parts: northern and southern. Called also the Balkan, this mountain has given its name to the entire peninsular. Nature has moulded interesting phenomena as caves, gorges, rock pyramids.

Rivers are numerous, but not very long and deep. Coastal, riverside and mountain lakes and swamps are not big and are few in number, but some of them are preserves acknowledged worldwide. Part of the biggest natural resources of Bulgaria are the healing mineral springs scattered all over the territory of Bulgaria – over 600 natural springs, some of them being equivalent to the most famous spa and mud-treatment resorts’ waters worldwide by their composition.

Bulgaria is proud of its 3 national and 10 natural parks, which preserve the diversity, beauty and uniqueness of its natural and cultural heritage. “Srebarna” preserve included in Unesco list is a place of exceptional interest.

Thanks to its geographical and climatic conditions, Bulgarian land has the glory of a blessed for agriculture land since classical antiquity. Grape vine was cultivated here, it is one of the centers where vegetable-growing and fruit-growing are developed. Flora is mainly of European type. Fauna is typically European. Two of the main European “highways” for migratory birds cross Bulgaria – Via Pontica (along the Black Sea coast) and Via Aristotelis (along the Struma river). There are numerous endemites in Bulgarian flora and fauna – these are species that are met nowhere else in the world.

Founded in the year 681 AD, Bulgaria is one of the oldest European countries. According to the written sources the oldest native inhabitants of the eastern Balkans are the Thracians. The historical heritage of the country derives from the rich culture of ancient Thrace. Experiencing 1300 years of development, withstanding the imposed Byzantium and Turkish slavery, enduring cataclysms of several severe wars, after 1945, as a result of the agreements between Stalin, Churchill and Roosevelt, Bulgaria fell into the sphere of influence of the Soviet Union. Since November 10th, 1989 until now, under the pressure of inner and international circumstances Bulgaria has again set off to democratic development. It is a multi-party country and a parliamentary republic. Bulgaria has a functioning market economy. It is a NATO member. According to the signed on April 25, 2005 protocol of accession, Bulgaria is about to become a member of the European Union as from January 1, 2007.