General Information about Bulgaria

Here is some general information on Bulgaria provided by Thomas N. Turba, International Representative of the Indianhead Council, BSA, in St. Paul, Minnesota. Tom led American Scout groups to Bulgaria in 1993 and 1995.


Bulgaria is located north of Greece and Turkey, east of Macedonia and what was formerly known as Yugoslavia, south of Romania, and west of the Black Sea. It occupies a land area of approximately 43,000 square miles, or about one half the size of Minnesota. Bulgaria has a population of approximately 9 million people, which is about twice the population of the state of Minnesota.

The political climate is stable, with no fighting, riots, or political unrest. Major economic changes are occurring in Bulgaria, but they are being done peacefully. Property taken from families and organizations 50 years ago is now being returned to its original owners. Inflation is running very high, but food is plentiful and affordable.

There are no major health problems and the food and water are fine throughout the country. Most cities have public drinking fountains from which it is safe to drink.

The atmosphere is more Mediterranean than Slavic, with an easy-going life style. This is partly the result of the area having been at the crossroads of civilization for well over 10,000 years. The area is rich in ancient ruins dating back 5,000 years and more.

The language of the country is Bulgarian, a Slavic language written in a Cyrillic alphabet similar to that used for Russian. The major religion is Bulgarian Orthodox.

The three largest cities in Bulgaria are: Sofia (the capital), Plovdiv, and Varna. Varna is a major sea port on the Black Sea, and has been a major tourist and resort area since Grecian times, when it was called Odessas. It is visited by many tourists from Germany, England, and other western-European countries.

The major attractions around Varna are its beaches, resorts and spas. The area has natural hot springs and a pleasant sun drenched atmosphere in the summer. Within the vicinity there are Roman ruins, ancient monasteries, imperial gardens, and a "Stone Forest" (a region of large stone pillars of unknown origin.)

By Thomas N. Turba
International Representative
Indianhead Council, B. S. A.
St. Paul, Minnesota.


If you would like more information on Scouting in Bulgaria, or on Tom’s visits with Scouts there, please write directly to: Thomas N. Turba at Thomas.Turba@Unisys.Com


  Tom Turba’sA Report on a Scout Trip to Bulgaria, 1995
  Return toScouting in Bulgaria
  Return to A Chronicle of Scouting in Eastern Europe and Russia

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Last Modified: 12:40 PM on June 16, 1997