Introduction to Geography of Bulgaria
Bulgaria, or Republic of Bulgaria, a country in southeastern Europe occupying part of the Balkan Peninsula. It fronts on the Black Sea and is bordered by Romania, Serbia and Montenegro, Macedonia, Greece, and Turkey. Bulgaria has an area of 42,823 square miles (110,912 km2). Maximum dimensions are about 310 miles (500 km) east-west and 190 miles (310 km) north-south.
Bulgaria is a country in southeastern Europe.Physical Geography
Bulgaria divides into four major physical regions, each running east and west. In the north is the Danubian Upland, a rolling to hilly plateau region cut by deep river valleys. The Balkan Mountains, which consist mainly of rounded summits 3,000 to 7,000 feet (900 to 2,100 m) in elevation, span north-central Bulgaria. South of the range lies the Thracian Plain, a fertile lowland formed by the valleys of the Maritsa River and its tributaries. The Rhodope Mountains, the highest on the Balkan Peninsula, occupy the south. Maximum elevations occur in the west, where Musala Peak attains 9,596 feet (2,925 m).
The Danube River forms most of the Bulgarian-Romanian border and drains the area north of the Balkan Mountains. Its chief Bulgarian tributary is the Iskur River. Southern Bulgaria is drained primarily by the Maritsa River and its tributaries, chief of which are the Tundzha and Arda. Other major rivers include the Struma and Mesta, which begin in the Rhodope Mountains and flow into Greece. Only the Danube is navigable. Many rivers have been dammed to provide hydroelectric power and water for irrigation.
Most of Bulgaria has a continental climate, with cold winters and warm summers. Average temperatures vary from 25° to 30° F. (-4° to -1° C.) in January and from 70° to 75° F. (21° to 24° C.) in July. Precipitation generally averages 20 to 25 inches (510 to 640 mm) a year, coming mainly in summer. On the Thracian Plain, where the climate is influenced by the Mediterranean Sea, temperatures are slightly higher and precipitation somewhat less than elsewhere in the country.
Economy
Prior to World War II Bulgaria was one of the poorest and most underdeveloped countries in Europe. After the war the economy expanded considerably, due in large part to massive investment by the Soviet Union. Bulgaria had a centrally planned economy, especially during the Communist rule, and the government owned a number of industries. During 1990–91, however, the government began instituting measures to establish a market-based economy, by redistributing land and selling state corporations to private owners. The bulk of Bulgaria's foreign trade is with other eastern European countries.
The economic production of Bulgaria is accounted for in terms of NMP, or net material product, which refers to the total value of goods and services used in the process of production in one year.
Bulgaria's basic currency unit is the lev.
Manufacturingemploys slightly more than a third of the nation's workers, and accounts for nearly half of Bulgaria’s NMP. The metallurgical and chemical industries—producing mainly iron and steel, machinery, electrical and transportation equipment, fertilizer, drugs, and petroleum products—are the largest. Bulgaria also produces electronic equipment and parts, which are increasingly important exports. In addition, textiles and processed foods are of major significance. Major industrial complexes are located in and around Sofia, Plovdiv, Burgas, Varna, Dimitrovgrad, and Ruse.
Service industries account for about a fifth of Bulgaria's NMP and involves around one third of the workforce. Service industries provide community, social, and personal services to the citizens of Bulgaria, and include such activities as education, health care, stores, restaurants and hotels, and transport and communication.
AgricultureFarming provides a livelihood for about one-fourth of the population. More than half the area of Bulgaria, amounting to almost 15 million acres (6 million hectares) is covered by farmland. During 1946–91, most farmland was in cooperatives or government-owned state farms, but some was set aside for private use. In 1991 the Bulgarian government began to sell all the state-owned and collectivized farms to private individuals. Wheat, barley, corn, oats, rye, rice, tobacco, and sugar beets are the chief crops. Bulgaria also produces a variety of fruits and vegetables, which include apples, grapes, potatoes, pears, tomatoes, and watermelons.. A major specialty crop is roses, which yield attar of roses, an essential oil used in making fine perfumes. Much of Bulgaria's crop production is exported, usually after some local processing. Cattle, hogs, sheep, goats, and chickens are the most widely raised farm animals, and cow’s milk is one of the major farm products.
MiningBulgaria has relatively few mineral resources. Copper, lead, and zinc are mined in small quantities. Iron ore, coal, and some petroleum and natural gas are produced, but quantities fall far short of meeting domestic needs. Other minerals found in Bulgaria include kaolin, pyrite, salt, and sulfur. There is a nuclear power plant at Kozloduy, which supplies some of the power required by the country, the rest being imported from other countries.
TradeBulgaria trades chiefly with Germany, Greece, Italy, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States. A large bi-annual trade fair is held in Plovdiv. Bulgaria also receives financial aid from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, which was founded in 1990 to help rebuild the economies of Eastern European countries.The chief imports of Bulgaria include fuels, industrial equipment, metals, and such raw materials as iron ore and coke. Bulgaria’s main exports are cigarettes and tobacco, grapes, machinery, rose oil, and wine.
Transportation and CommunicationBulgaria has a fairly extensive system of paved roads, which link major cities. The length of the roadways amounts to 22,660 miles (36,470 kilometers) of which only about a fourth are paved. Railways, which cover almost 2,700 miles (4,300 kilometers) of track, are the chief means of transporting freight; however, trucks are handling an increasing share of the traffic. The Danube is used for inland shipping, with Ruse as the primary river port. Varna and Burgas, on the Black Sea, are the nation's principal maritime ports. Sofia's airport is the nation's busiest. Bálkan, the national airline, provides domestic and international flights; a number of foreign airlines also provide international service.. There are additional airports at Burgas, and Varna.
Unlike in the Communist era, there is now no censorship in Bulgaria. State-owned and privately owned radio and TV networks broadcast in Bulgaria. International and national news is provided by the official news agency of Bulgaria, the Bulgarian Telegraph Agency.
The People
Bulgarians are basically Slavs of the Southern Slavic branch. Their name, however, comes from their Bulgar ancestors—Asiatic invaders who were assimilated into a much larger Slavic population.
Bulgaria's population was 8,472,724 in 1992. Most of the people are Bulgarians; probably fewer than 10 per cent are Turks. Other minorities include Gypsies, Jews, Macedonians, Armenians, and Romanians.
Language and ReligionThe Bulgarian language belongs to the Slavic family, and is similar to Serbo-Croatian and Russian. The Cyrillic alphabet is used.
Most Bulgarians belong to the Bulgarian Orthodox Church, which is headed by its own patriarch. The Turks are Muslims. There are about 80,000 Bulgarian Muslims, called Pomaks. Other religious groups are Roman Catholics, Protestants, Jews, and Armenian Christians.
EducationElementary education is free and compulsory from 7 to 16. Most Bulgarian children continue their education beyond age 16. They have a free choice of secondary schools—general, vocational, or trade. About 98 per cent of the population is literate. There are universities at Sofia, Plovdiv, and Veliko Turnovo.
Government
The constitution of 1947 established Bulgaria as a Communist state. In 1990 the constitution was amended and the Communist party lost its monopoly on political power. A new constitution, which established Bulgaria as a parliamentary democracy, was ratified in 1991.
The constitution of 1991 provides for a single-chamber legislature, the National Assembly. The 240 members of the Assembly are elected for four-year terms. The president is head of state and is elected by popular vote for a five-year term. He acts as the commander in chief of the armed forces and holds legal and administrative duties. The prime minister, who is the head of government, is elected by the party with the majority of seats in the Assembly. The prime minister heads the Council of Ministers, a cabinet, which helps him carry out the daily operations of the country.
All Bulgarians who are aged 18 years or more may vote.
There are 100 administrative regions in Bulgaria, each governed by a popularly elected official. There also exist some 1,100 urban and rural communities, each of which is governed by an official appointed by an elected people's council.
Bulgaria’s highest court is the High Judicial Council, which consists of 11 members appointed by the National Assembly, 11 appointed by other judicial authorities, and 3 appointed by the president. The lower courts of Bulgaria include a Supreme Court of Appeals; a Supreme Administrative Court; and regional, district, and appeals courts. The military has its own individual court.
Bulgaria’s defense forces consist of a regular army, an air force, and a navy, and all men who are 18 years old or more may be recruited to serve for a period of 18 months.