 GEOGRAPHY |
Bulgaria is located in South-eastern Europe, bordering the Black Sea to the East, between Romania to the North, Yugoslavia and Macedonia to the West, and Greece and Turkey to the South. It is strategically close to the Turkish Straits and sits across key land routes from Europe to the Middle East and Asia.
Bulgaria has a total area of 110,993.61 square kilometers (since 1941). Its international boundaries span for 2,245 kilometers with as many as 25 border crossings (including ports and airports). Its Black Sea coastline is 378 kilometers long. Arable land is estimated at 34% of the total area.
Bulgaria offers a lot of sunshine. The climate is continental, and in the south and east the climate is moderated by the influence of the Mediterranean Sea and the Black Sea; although north-westerly winds can bring sometimes very cold weather.
The Black Sea coast has mild winters, while there is excellent snow for winter sports in the mountains. Snow cover in the high mountain regions stays sometimes up to 200 days.
 | Mean temperatures countrywide average an annual 10.5oC. The winter temperature varies between -5oC +5oC. The average summer temperatures are between +20oC and +30oC. Average volume of rainfalls estimated at 698 mm.
The terrain is predominantly mountainous, with an average elevation of 430 m above sea level. The highest peak, Moussala in the Rila Mountain, has an elevation of 2,925 m above the sea level.
There are some 2800 mines in Bulgaria. Forty coal basis contain an estimated 4.1 billion t of proven recoverable reserves (more than 99% lignite).
The main coal mining areas are the Pernik Basin (SE of Sofia), the Maritsa Basin (S of Stara Zagora), Lom (on Danube).
Iron ore deposits estimated at 317 million t, with one of the largest reserves (300 million t) at Kremikovtsi (N of Sofia).
Significant deposits of nonferrous ores have been established: copper in Sredna Gora, lead and zinc in the Rhodopes, and gold in Sredna Gora (Chelopech) and the Rhodopes (Madjarovo).
Bulgaria is rich also in less valuable minerals like marble, rock salt, gypsum, limestone, etc.
There are a total of 530 hot mineral water springs with temperature from 20 to 100oC
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