Cycling Bulgaria - general information about Bulgaria

Coordinates: N: 41°14'05" / 44°12'15"; E: 22°21'40" / 28°36'35" Boundaries: N - Romania; E - Black Sea (coastline 378 km.); W - Yugoslavia, Macedonia; S - Greece, Turkey; Territory: 110,993,6 sq. km Population: 7 801 273 (2003) Capital: Sofia (1 182 698 people in 1992) Official language: Bulgarian Religion: Orthodox Political system: Parliamentary Republic Administrative regions: Sofia - city, Sofia district, Bourgas, Varna, Plovdiv, Rousse, Haskovo, Lovetch, Montana, Sliven, Yambol, Dobrich, Silistra, Shumen, Gabrovo, Pleven, Vidin, Vratza, Veliko Turnovo, Pazardjik, Smolyan, Razgrad, Targovishte, Blagoevgrad, Pernik, Kardjali, Stara Zagora. Official holidays: January 1st - New Year's Holiday; March 3rd - National Holiday; Easter, and the first Monday after Easter; May 1st - Labour Day; May 6th - Gergyovden (Saint George's Day), and the Day of the Bulgarian Army; May 24th - Cyril and Methodius Day; September 6th - Unification Day; September 22d - Independence Day; November 1st - National Day of the Bulgarian Revival Leaders; December 24th ,25th, and 26th - Christmas Days; National currency: Lev Measures and scales: the metric system Time zone: GMT +2 Mountains: 37 (biggest - Balkan Mountain: length - ~ 550 km.; width - ~ 30-60 km.); (highest - Rila Mountain - peak Musala - 2 925 m.a.s.l.) Distribution of the lands: 0 - 400 m.a.s.l. - 59,8 %; 400 - 1000 m.a.s.l. - 27,6 %; 1000 - 2000 m.a.s.l. - 11,9 %; over 2000 m.a.s.l. - 0,7 % Mean year temperature: + 10,5 °C (Abs. Min. - -38,3 °C ; Abs. Max. - + 45,2 °C) Mean rainfall per year: 416 - 650 mm. in the lowlands; 650 - 1193 mm. in the highlands Forests: broad-leaved - ~21 600 sq.km.; coniferous - ~ 5 400 sq.km.; mixed - ~ 6 800 sq. km. Protected areas: 545 004 ha (4,9 % of the territory of Bulgaria)