Bulgaria Country Guide: Geography, Capital and Population

Bulgaria is a country in Southeastern Europe with a Black Sea coastline to the east. With an area of about 111,000 km², it is one of the largest countries in the Balkans. It borders Romania to the north (the Danube forms the border), Serbia and North Macedonia to the west, and Greece and Turkey to the south.

The country has a varied geography stretching from the Danube plain in the north to mountainous regions in the south. The Balkan Mountains cut across the country east to west; Musala peak on Mount Rila in the southwest (about 2,925 m) is the highest point in the Balkans. The Black Sea coast, home to cities such as Varna and Burgas, is a major tourism region.

The capital Sofia, founded at the foot of a mountain in the west of the country, is the largest city and the administrative-economic center. It has a deep history reaching from antiquity to the present.

Plovdiv is considered one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world and stands out for its rich history. Varna and Burgas on the Black Sea coast are port and tourism cities.

Bulgaria has a population of about 6.4 million. The official language is Bulgarian, written in the Cyrillic alphabet. The country has a significant Turkish-speaking community in regions close to Turkey. Bulgaria has been a member of the European Union since 2007.

As of 1 January 2026, the country adopted the euro as its official currency, with the euro replacing the Bulgarian lev used until then. EU membership and the euro make the country stand out in terms of integration with the European market. At Veranova Balkans we share this general picture with you in Turkish during the planning stage.