21 Barmy Facts about Bulgaria
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- Bulgaria is a Balkan country in south-eastern Europe.
- It shares a border with Serbia & Montenegro to the north-west, Romania to the north, Turkey to the south-east, Greece to the south and Macedonia to the south-west. It also has a glorious coastline along the Black Sea to the east of the country.
- This wonderful country has an area of 42,855 square miles (110,994 square kilometres).
- Should you wish to moor your boat upon its golden shores, the coordinates are 42.7500° N, 25.5000°
- Bulgaria’s population was 7.3 million in 2013.
- Bulgaria’s capital city is called Sophia; it covers an area of 521 square miles (1,349 square kilometres) and has a population of 1.2 million (2011).
- Sofia is the second oldest city in Europe, having been founded 7000 years ago!
- ‘Mastika’ is a popular drink here; it’s 47% proof and made with tree resin! Barmy!
- The terrain here is mostly mountainous, with lowlands bordering Romania in the north, and also to the south-east.
- Bulgaria enjoys a temperate climate with hot, dry summers and cold, wet winters. We all know about the wet wintery bit!
- Much like Scotland, the bagpipe is the national instrument of Bulgaria. They are called ‘Gaida’ and are typically made from goat or sheep hide.
- Did you know, Mark Zuckerberg, founder and CEO of Facebook, is half Bulgarian? We certainly didn’t!
- Bulgaria is one of the few countries where nodding your head means no and shaking it means yes!
- The average life expectancy here is a lengthy 72 years.
- Despite being part of the European Union, the currency of Bulgaria is the Lev.
- Bulgarian rose oil is world famous and used in many expensive perfumes!
- Attention historians! The oldest known gold treasure was discovered at a burial site in Bulgaria in 1972. Around 3000 gold artefacts were discovered in nearly 300 graves, believed to date back to an incredible 4560 – 4450 BC.
- They grow vegetables, fruit and tobacco, rear livestock and produce that famous rose oil here.
- The country’s industry consists of electricity, gas, food, beverages and tobacco.
- Bulgaria exports rose oil (as you now know), iron, steel, clothing, footwear, machinery and equipment.
- The international dialling code for Bulgaria is 00359. To find out how to make cheap calls to Bulgaria, click here