Where is Bulgaria?

[Sarah]

• Bulgaria is located in Europe.

• Bulgaria is located in Europe, where is shares a border with five other countries. The capital is Sofia, which also serves as its largest city, containing 1/7th of the countries entire population. A relatively small country in Europe, is territory covers slightly less than 43,000 square feet.

• The border of Bulgaria is shared by the countries of the Republic of Macedonia, Greece, Serbia, Turkey, and Romania. Its shared border with Romania is the longest, and is marked by the Danube River. Along with those countries, Bulgaria also shares part of its border with the Black Sea.

• The geography of Bulgaria is largely varied. Three mountain ranges can be found within the borders of the country: The Balkan Mountains, located in the central part of the country, the Rhodope Mountains, located in the southern portion of the country and also runs along Bulgaria's border with Greece, and the Rila Mountains, where Musala Mount, the country's highest point, is able to be found.

• In addition to its several mountain ranges, Bulgaria has several large rivers, including the Danube River, which runs along the border between Bulgaria and Turkey. Other notable rivers include the Maritsa, Yantra, Tundzha, Struma, and Iskur Rivers.

• Another notable feature is the Maritsa Basin, a large area of lowlands located in the south-eastern portion of the country. This basin is drained by a series of several rivers in the Black Sea, resulting in large swaths of fertile valleys and lowlands.

• The climate of Bulgaria is a temperate-continental climate, being very similar to that of the United States. Winters are usually long and extremely cold, summers are usually hot, as well as specific, defined seasons, though specific climate can vary, especially around the mountainous regions, where it tends to be cooler.

• The population of Bulgaria is slightly more than 7 million, making it the 101st largest country in the world. The country doesn't have a large, centered area of population, instead the citizens are generally spread out across the country. The ethnic majority in Bulgaria are Bulgarian, holding at close to 90% of the population. Other ethnic groups include the Turks, the Roma, and very small percentages of a variety of ethnic groups from around Europe.

• The official language of Bulgaria is Bulgarian, spoken by more than 88% of the population, and is recognized as one of the official languages in the European Union.