Area Guide - Bulgaria

Stunning mountain landscapes combined with golden sandy beaches make Bulgaria ideal for tourism and it is fast becoming a genuine resort paradise offering year round opportunities. The Black Sea Coast on its Eastern border is famous for fine sandy beaches and the ideal temperatures of both water and air, making it a perfect summer resort, while the mountain areas offer excellent winter sports facilities, including skiing.

Bulgaria is divided into twenty eight provinces and lies in South Eastern Europe, occupying the north eastern part of the Balkan Peninsula. In the east, it borders the Black Sea with Romania to the north separated by the Danube River. Serbia, Montenegro and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia are to the west and to the south are Greece and Turkey. The capital city of Bulgaria is Sofia. Bulgaria has a population of 7,450,349 (July 2005) and consists of 110,910 sq km of which 110,550 sq km is land and 360 sq km is water, with 354 km of coastline. The terrain is mainly mountainous with lowland in the north and southeast with the lowest point being the Black Sea at 0 metres and the highest point being Musala at 2,925 metres. Bulgaria is divided into 28 provinces.

There is something for everyone in Bulgaria. For those who like active holidays, there is swimming, skiing, riding, climbing, hunting, fishing, boating and so on. While if you prefer relaxing holidays there are sunny beaches, healing spas, monasteries, churches and hospitable towns and villages.

It would be a shame to leave Bulgaria without exploring its amazing nature, ancient culture and endless beaches. There are high mountains with marvellous gorges and caves, clear fishing lakes and rivers, wide valleys and healing springs. The people are extremely friendly and the mouth-watering cuisine and wines should not be missed

Just over 40% of the country is arable land with the main agricultural products being vegetables, fruits, tobacco, livestock, wine, wheat, barley, sunflowers and sugar beet. Despite its numerous tourist attractions Bulgaria is a poor country and many people live below the poverty line. The villagers mainly live on what they raise and preserve which is almost everything, even meat.

In 2007, Bulgaria will join the EU and extensive efforts are under way to harmonise Bulgarian legislation with EU legislation, which makes the investment property potential very attractive to foreign investors.

Politically, Bulgaria is rated as a stable democracy. The Chief of State is President Georgi Purvanov and the Vice President is Angel Marin both of whom have been in office since 22 January 2002. The Prime inister is Sergei Stanishev and Deputy Prime Minister is Ivaylo Kalfin who have been in office since 16 August 2005. The Cabinet (Council of Ministers) are nominated by the Prime Minister and elected by the National Assembly.

The History of Bulgaria

A Central Asian Turkic tribe called The Bulgars merged with the local Slavic population in the late 7th century to form the first Bulgarian State. In the following centuries Bulgaria struggled with the Byzantine Empire to assert its place in the Balkans, but by the end of the 14th century the Ottoman Turks overran the country. Northern Bulgaria attained autonomy in 1878 and all of Bulgaria became independent in 1908. Having fought on the losing side in both World Wars, Bulgaria fell within the Soviet sphere of influence and became a People's Republic in 1946. Communist domination ended in 1989, when Bulgaria held its first multiparty 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 democratisation keep Bulgaria on a path toward eventual integration into the EU. The country joined NATO in 2004.

Travel to Bulgaria

Bulgaria is situated at a crossroads between Europe and Asia and is easily accessible by road, river and sea transport from a large group of countries. There are 4 International Airports at Sofia, Plovdiv, Varna and Bourgas with regular flights from many local UK, European and worldwide airports.

Medical, Water and Vaccinations

There is a reciprocal healthcare agreement in place between the UK and Bulgaria in advance of Bulgaria joining the EU but will require a UK passport and medical card number plus an E111. Hospital treatment and other medical and dental treatment is usually free but payment will have to be made for medicines supplied by the public pharmacy. Bulgaria is putting major reforms into its Health Service in preparation for its entry into the EU.
Drinking water in major towns is generally safe, though it may be wise to drink bottled water in more rural areas.No vaccinations are required for persons travelling from EU countries.

Healthcare in Bulgaria

When you consider a property purchase in Bulgaria, it is important to know something about the medical provisions available to foreigners. Below is some general advice and information on Bulgarian health care and what you should expect.

Although some initial emergency medical treatment may be given free of charge, British nationals are likely to be charged for the majority of medical expenses incurred whilst in Bulgaria (including tests and investigations, medication and overnight stays in hospital, whether state or private).

It is strongly recommended that you take out comprehensive travel and medical insurance to cover the full period you will be in the country, and it should include Medivac to the UK if necessary. (Be aware however, that most insurance companies will not authorise Medivac to the UK as a matter of routine, or because local hospitals are not up to UK standards).

Facilities in most Bulgarian hospitals are adequate and medical care is considered to be acceptable, although specialised equipment/treatment may not be available and the majority of hospital staff are unlikely to speak English.

Avian Influenza (Bird Flu) - There have been no reported cases of Bird Flu (also known as Avian Influenza) in Bulgaria during the current series of outbreaks. For further information on health, check the Department of Health's website at: www.dh.gov.uk

Useful Links

Bulgaria Travel
Official Bulgarian tourist office site - lots of useful info on Bulgaria and plenty of pretty pics.

Banskoski
Useful site for skiiers.

Bulgaria Ski
Good guide to all the ski resorts

Bulgarian Sea Resorts
Guide to the best of the Black Sea Coast

My Bulgaria
Interested in Bulgarian properties for sale or rent, moving to Bulgaria or need Bulgarian travel advice? This portal has lots of useful information

Information Required When Travelling to Bulgaria

Facts and Figures - Bulgaria

Here is a summary of facts and figures about Bulgaria which will assist you when making a decision about your next Bulgarian property investment.

Before purchasing a property as a home or investment, it is essential to learn as much as possible about the area you are considering purchasing in. We have collated some useful information on the Bulgaria for potential homebuyers and property investors:

• Data for Bulgaria collected from the CIA Factbook – Bulgaria

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