Skip to content
Sofia rooftops and the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral with Vitosha mountain behind

About Bulgaria

Get to Know Bulgaria

The facts, history and everyday practicalities of the country, and the traditions, food and people that make it what it is.

Start with the Essentials Practical Tips

Bulgaria at a glance · 2026

Population, 31 December 2025
6.42 m
NSI via BTA
Area
110,994 km²
Wikipedia
Currency since 1 January 2026
Euro
European Central Bank
Eastern European Time; UTC+3 in summer
UTC+2
timeanddate.com

Every page in this section · 96 pages

Everything in About Bulgaria

The essentials, traditions and holidays, Bulgarian food and famous Bulgarians: every page in this section.

About Bulgaria

Traditions

Food

Famous Bulgarians

All 62

8 guides

The Essentials

Facts and symbols, history, climate, language, religion, holidays, the media and the practical things to know before you arrive.

  • Key facts

    Capital, population, currency and time zone, plus the flag, coat of arms and anthem.

    6.42 m Population on 31 December 2025

    Read more

  • History

    From the Thracians and the medieval empires to the Liberation, communism and the EU.

    681 Byzantium recognises the Bulgarian state

    Read more

  • Climate

    Four seasons, snowy mountains, hot southern summers and the Black Sea coast.

    10.6 °C Mean annual temperature

    Read more

  • Language

    A South Slavic language written in Cyrillic, the alphabet that began in medieval Bulgaria.

    6.8 m First-language speakers

    Read more

  • Religion

    The Orthodox Church, Islam and smaller faiths, with 2021 census figures.

    62.7% Bulgarian Orthodox, 2021 census

    Read more

  • Public holidays

    Official holidays with the 2026 and 2027 dates, Orthodox Easter and the extra days off.

    3 March Liberation Day, the national holiday

    Read more

  • Media

    Public and private TV, newspapers, the news agency BTA, trust in news and press freedom.

    71 / 180 RSF World Press Freedom Index, 2026

    Read more

  • Practical tips

    Money, emergency numbers, plugs, driving rules, tipping and the head nod.

    112 Emergency number, free from any phone

    Read more

Culture and people

Traditions, Food and Famous Bulgarians

Each page was checked in October 2026, with every fact linked to its source. The figures above come from:

Sources

  1. Wikipedia: Bulgaria
  2. BTA: Bulgaria’s population at 6,423,207 as of 31 December 2025, NSI final data
  3. European Central Bank: Bulgaria joins the euro area
  4. timeanddate.com: Time zone in Sofia, Bulgaria

Business directory

Travel and Everyday Services

Companies listed in the InvestBulgaria directory, featured members first. Choose a type of company, or search by city and keyword.

Odysseia-In

Tour Operators

Sofia

Odysseia-In is a Sofia tour operator founded in 1990 by a group of climbers and mountaineers from the Edelweiss Alpine Club. It runs adventure and culture tours...

AvatarTour

Tour Operators

Sofia

AvatarTour presents itself as a leading destination management company in Bulgaria. With more than 80,000 satisfied clients each year, the company keeps growing...

Balkanity Travel

Tour Operators

Sofia

Balkanity Travel runs private and small group tours and holidays in Bulgaria and the Balkans, along with day trips from Sofia. Its most popular one-day tours ru...

Basecamp Tours

Tour Operators

Sofia

Basecamp Tours offers ski touring, heli skiing and mountain adventures without compromise, taking clients to some of the most beautiful places in the world. Its...

CED Adventures

Tour Operators

Sofia

CED Adventures designs creative adventure journeys with stories. It grew out of a love of travel and became an official company in 2014, and ten years later a t...

Excedo Travel

Tour Operators

Sofia

Excedo Travel Ltd offers Bulgaria tours and trips focused on culture and outdoor adventure, with the aim of going beyond the ordinary. It was born from its foun...

NVision Travel

Tour Operators

Sofia

NVision Travel offers bespoke private tours in Bulgaria and the Balkans. With 21 years in incoming cultural tourism, it has hosted guests of more than 23 nation...

Solvex

Tour Operators

Sofia

Solvex is a Sofia tour operator and travel agency offering holidays and tours by air, by coach and by own transport. Its offers cover Greece, Spain, Cyprus, Fra...

All 131 Tour Operators Add Your Company

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Bulgaria’s population?

Bulgaria’s population was 6.42 million on 31 December 2025, based on the National Statistical Institute’s final data reported by BTA.

What currency does Bulgaria use?

Bulgaria has used the euro as its currency since 1 January 2026, when it joined the euro area, as announced by the European Central Bank.

What time zone is Bulgaria in?

Bulgaria uses Eastern European Time, at UTC+2, and changes to UTC+3 in summer; these are the country’s standard-time and summer-time offsets.

What is the emergency number in Bulgaria?

Bulgaria’s emergency number is 112, and calls are free from any phone for anyone needing emergency help in the country.

How many people speak Bulgarian as their first language?

Bulgarian is a South Slavic language written in Cyrillic, with 6.8 million first-language speakers; the alphabet began in medieval Bulgaria.

What is the main religion in Bulgaria?

Bulgarian Orthodox Christianity is the main religion in Bulgaria: 62.7% identified as Bulgarian Orthodox in the 2021 census. Islam and smaller faiths are also part of the country’s religious picture.

Next step

Plan Your Time in Bulgaria

The regions, towns and resorts, and the companies that can help you settle in, in the InvestBulgaria directory.

Explore the Regions Browse the Directory