Bulgaria is situated in Southeastern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula with total area about 111 000 sq km lands. Geographic coordinates are between 41o14’05’’ and 44 o12’45’’N and between 22o21’40’’ and 28o36’35’’ E. To the North bordering Romania, to the South bordering Greece and Turkey, to the West bordering Serbia and Macedonia and to the East bordering Black SeaThe coastline is about 354 km. the distance between the most northern and the most southern points is about 330 km lands and between the most western and the most eastern points is about 520 km lands.
The boundary between Bulgaria and Romania follows the axis of Danube River stream from outfall of the Timok River to the east part of Silistra, with length of 470 km.
Bulgaria is a small country but with fascinating nature and huge variety of flora and fauna. There are registered more than 3000 species from vegetable kingdom and about 13000 species from the animal kingdom. This immense diversity is due to favorable geographic location and different climate conditions because of the presence of Black Sea, mountain massifs, wide valleys, high plateaus.
Bulgaria is characterized with different topographic features. It is altitude range between 0 (Black Sea coast) and 2925 m (Mussala peak).
The half of territory of Bulgaria (51%) belongs to the Alpen-and-Himalayan mountain chain which is consisting of mountain chains (23%), valley (28%) and old median massifs (21%) with pronounced mountain relief. The Bulgarian mountains are easily accessible and the presence of towns and villages in them that have preserved the authentic Bulgarian spirit and hospitality, gives a chance for receiving and accommodating tourists at village houses.
The vicinity of Mediterranean and Black sea basin to the south and inland area of Euro-Asian continent to the south and southwest determine a huge variety of climate conditions in the country.There are several well differentiated areas in country which are situated from north to the south as follow: Danube Plain, The Balkan Range, part of the Thracian lowland and to the south the mountain structures of the Macedonian-Thracian massif.
The average altitude of the Danube Plain is 178 m (from 0 to 200 m – about 60 % from the area). The west part and the central part of the Danube Plain are characterized in altitude between 130 m and 138 m respectively.
The total area of The Balkan chain is about 25 986 sq km lands where the Botev peak is the highest point of the mountain raises to about 2,925 m. Through most of Bulgaria, the Balkans form the watershed from which rivers drain north to the Danube River or south to the Aegean Sea. Some smaller rivers in the east drain directly to the Black Sea. The Sredna Gora is a narrow ridge about 160 km long and 1,600 m high, running east to west parallel to the Balkans. Nested between both ranges is the Rose Valley, famous for rose oil used in perfume and liqueurs.
The southern slopes of the Balkan Mountains and the Sredna Gora give way to the Thracian Plain and the Sofia Basin. Roughly triangular in shape, the Thracian Plain originates at a point east of the mountains near Sofia and broadens eastward to the Black Sea. It includes the Maritsa valley and the lowlands that extend from the river to the Black Sea. Like the Danubian Plateau, much of the Thracian Plain is somewhat hilly and not a true plain. Most of its terrain is moderate enough to cultivate.
The best-known mountain ranges are Rila (highest peak Mussala 2,925 m.), Pirin (Vihren 2,914 m.) and the Rhodopes (Golyam Perelik- 2,191 m.) as well as Mount Vitosha (Cherni Vrah 2,291 m.). Bulgaria possess 526 rivers longer than 2.3 km. The only navigable river is the Danube, which lies along the North Bulgarian border. There are good prerequisites for the development of adventure tourism: are good prerequisites for the development of adventure tourism: wild waters- rafting and canoe, diving, hanggliding and paragliding in the river valleys of Vatcha, Iskar, Chepelarska, Struma, and Mesta rivers.
The longest rivers on the territory of Bulgaria (in km): Iskar (368.0 km), Toundga (349.5 km), Maritsa (321.6 km), Osum (341.0 km), Struma (290.0 km), Yantra (285.5 km), Kamchiya (244.5 km), Arda (241.3 km), Louda Kamchiya (200.9 km) and Roussenski Lom (196.9 km). There are about 330 natural lakes; the largest are the Black Sea lakes (Alepou, Arkoutino, Pomorie, Beloslav, Bourgas, Varna and the Shabla lakes), the most numerous (over 260) are the high-mountain glacial lakes in the Rila and Pirin mountain ranges. Dams have been built as a part of waterpower systems - Iskar, Arda, Batak Water Power System, Belmeken-Sestrimo, Dospat-Vucha, and a great number of smaller dams.