Bulgaria Map of Size and borders of Bulgaria

• Bulgaria is a country in Southeast Europe bordering on the north with Romania, on the west with Serbia and the Republic of Macedonia, on the south with Greece and Turkey and on the east with the Black Sea. The Danube River, from the mouth of the Timok River to Silistra, is the natural border between the Republic of Bulgaria and Romania. The territory of the country is 110 993 km², of which 261,4 km2 are riverine waters and 101,3 km2 are river and sea islands. This area does not include the twelve-mile marine аquatory. Flag

The national flag of Bulgaria has a rectangular shape and consists of three colors: white, green and red, placed horizontally from top to bottom, the color fields being the same in shape and size. Economy

• Agriculture in Bulgaria is a major economic branch. It provides food for the population and raw materials for the light and food industry. Major crops are the production of grain (wheat, maize) and oilseeds - sunflower and oilseed rose, and in livestock - the production of raw milk, poultry and pork. Mountain

Rila is the highest mountain in Bulgaria and on the Balkan Peninsula. It is located in the southwestern part of the country, and more precisely in the northwestern part of the Rila-Rhodope mountain massif. The highest peak of the mountain - Musala, with its 2925.2 m, is the highest on the Balkan Peninsula and the whole of Eastern Europe. At the ridge of Rila passes the Main Bulgarian Waterfall, which coincides with the Main Balkan Water- Division separating the catchment areas of the Black and Aegean Seas. The Seven Rila Lakes

•The Seven Rila Lakes is a group of lakes with glacial origin located in the Rila Mountains. This is the most visited tourist group in Bulgaria and is one of the 100 national tourist sites. The lakes are located in the Lagoon part of the Northwest Rila and are situated in a stepwise fashion between 2095 and 2535 m above sea level. They occupy dents on the mountainside and the lakes are connected by small streams. When crossing the water, small waterfalls and waterfalls were formed along these streams.

• The Rila Monastery is a staturopical monastery located in Southwest Bulgaria, Kyustendil region, Rila Municipality. It was founded in the 10th century by St. Ivan Rilski, in the upper reaches of the Rilska River. •The Rila Monastery is one of the most significant cultural monuments in Bulgaria, a symbol of Bulgaria, included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. Mountain resorts

One of the biggest mountain resorts is Borovets, Bonsko and Pamporovo. There are ski runs and many hotels. Pamporovo is famous for its tower called Snezhanka. Bistritsa grandmother

• "Bistritsa grandmothers" is a group of singers for authentic folklore from the village of Bistritsa in . • It was created about 60 years ago. Presents authentic songs from Shoplouka. Because of its peculiar polyphonic singing, the Bistritsa grandmother's band became famous throughout the world. Their singing is unique, very ancient, preserved since the pre-Christian era. The grandmothers and their granddaughters represent Bulgaria and "Europeia" in Belgium in 2002. In 2005 Bistritsa grandmothers are included in the List of Masterpieces of World Non-Cultural Cultural Heritage of UNESCO Bulgarian Martenitsa

• Martenitsa is a small ornament, made mainly of wool or cotton yarn in two basic colors - white and red, with which Bulgarians hang each year on March 1 - Baba Marta. Nominated by Bulgaria, Macedonia, Moldova and Romania and entered on the UNESCO representative list of elements of the intangible cultural heritage of mankind. Bulgarian Rose

• It is obtained from Rosa damascena, which is cultivated in Bulgaria in industrial crops in the Sub-Balkan fields as an essential oil plant. Varieties of trigintipetala are characterized by one-off early-summer blooms for 20-30 days. It occupies almost 100% of the area of the oil-bearing rose in Bulgaria and is among the most recognizable national symbols of Bulgaria The Rocks of Belogradchik

• The Belogradchik Rocks are rock figures, up to 200 m high, located in the Western Fore-Balkan, near the town of Belogradchik. The rocks range in color from pure red to yellow. Many rocks have fantastic shapes and are included in interesting legends. They are often referred to as people or objects that resemble or remind them. Belogradchik rocks are listed as natural landmarks by the Bulgarian government and are the main tourist attraction in the region. Kardzhali Orpheus

Orpheus is a character of ancient Greek mythology, a legendary Thracian singer and a musician who founded Orphism and was considered the greatest singer and poet of antiquity. St. John the Baptist

Kardzhali Monastery "St. John Prodrom" is a Bulgarian Orthodox monasIt is located on the right bank of the river Arda in the town of Kurdzhali, Veselcane district.tery. Perperikon

• Perperikon or Perper is an archaeological complex in the Eastern Rhodopes, consisting of a large megalith sanctuary from 8,000 years ago during the Stone Age, monuments from antiquity and medieval fortress. In the Thracians, Perperek is a sacred rock city, capital and fortress with a royal palace. Later, there lived Romans, Goths, Romans and Bulgarians. Destroyed by the Ottoman Turks in the 14th century. Tatul

• Tatul is a prehistoric cult site on whose territory is located one of the most puzzling megalithic monuments on the territory of Bulgaria - a pyramid-shaped sarcophagus that has no analogue among the numerous megalithic monuments registered by the archaeologists on the territory of Bulgaria and around the world. This is the best preserved temple complex carved into a monolithic rock scale. Stone mushrooms

» Mushroom shaped rock formations are sculpted into rheolite volcanic tufts. The pink color is due to the mineral clonopilolite, and the blue and black spots are from manganese congeners. A greenish bar comes from the Salononite Mineral Salt. The rocks themselves are up to 2.5-3 m high. The petrified wedding

• According to scientific hypotheses, the petrified wedding began its formation 40 million years ago as a result of underwater volcanic activity from which the rocks of rheolite tufts were formed. Later, after the sea receded, the rocks were exposed to the rain, wind and sun, and these elements shaped their present forms. Different minerals in the rock are also responsible for the variety of colors and shades. Devil's Bridge

• The bridge is located 420 meters above sea level in a gorge surrounded by both sides of steep slopes up to 800 meters above sea level. Its length is 56 meters, its width is 3.5 meters, and its tributaries are made of arches with semicircular drains for draining the water. The height of the central vault is 11.5 - 12 meters, and on the edge is preserved a stone rail with a height of 12 cm Herons

• Medium and large-sized birds, their weight varies between half and two and a half pounds. They have long legs, long neck and medium to long beaks. The herons have a pronounced articular mobility on their cervical vertebrae and, with lightning movements, shoot their throat forward, causing the beak to strike the beak with the beak. In Bulgaria there are 9 species, all breeding, except the buffalo heron. Excellent fish eating on the waterfront. Flower of Orpheus

• This is a Balkan endemic, protected relict species. Known for its prolonged anabolic drought resistance, also known as the "rising plant" or the flower of Orpheus. Zlatograd

• Zlatograd is located in the southern part of the Rhodope Mountains in the valley of the Varbitsa River. The town is about 300 km southeast of Sofia, 60 km from the regional town of Smolyan and 6 km north of the border crossing point Zlatograd - Termes, which leads to the Greek town of Xanthi. • Zlatograd as a settlement is characterized by the smallest altitude in its municipality - from 420 to 550 meters.