Some Quick Facts:

Area:	110.993 sq.km.
Population:	8.4 Mio
Time zone:	GMT +2 hours
Electricity:	220 Volt
Prefix:	00 359
Currency:	LEVA (BGN)
1 Leva approx.	0.5 Euro
1 Leva approx.	0.75 US Dollar
1 Leva approx.	0.37 Pounds

Main Cities:
Sofia - Capital (1,2 Mio.)
Varna (450.000)
Plovdiv (350.000)
Burgas (250.000)

Travel:
Highways 37.000km; Railways 4.300km; Airports in Sofia, Burgas, Varna and Plovdiv Harbours in Burgas and Varna

History:

Bulgaria has its name since 681 and is therefore the oldest surviving state in Europe to have kept the original name. The Ottoman Empire ruled the country for almost half a millennium and then it was a satellite state of the USSR and member of the eastern block.

Bulgaria was always and still is situated on the crossroads between East and West. Here the paths of world-civilizations have crossed. And they all left a rich and colourful cultural heritage.

Today Bulgaria shares borders with the countries of Romania, Serbia and Montenegro, Macedonia, Greece and Turkey and within Bulgaria we find traces and influences of such ancient cultures, such as Thracians, Hellenes, Romans, Slavs, Proto-Bulgarians, Byzantines and Ottomans.

Economical Facts:

Since the downfall of communism, Bulgaria is a democratic republic, with a stable government. The country is a member of NATO since March 2004 and Bulgaria became a full member of the EU on the First of January 2007.



The GDP shows an annual growth between 4,5 % and 5,5 % each year, the unemployment is dropping constantly. Therefore Bulgaria presents itself nowadays as a secure and predictable business and political environment.

The Bulgarian government introduced a very competitive tax-regime, with a corporate profit-tax of 15 %, which is dropping to 0 % in areas with higher unemployment. Because the Bulgarian Leva is, under a stable currency board, tied to the Euro, there is an extremely low currency risk.

Duty free trade of industrial goods between Bulgaria, the countries of the EU, the EFTA, the CEFTA and Turkey, combined with the achieved macroeconomic stability and the lowest operating costs of all European market communities, results in a steady rise of foreign direct investments. About 70 % of these investments are generated by EU countries.

Real-Estate Facts:

Bulgaria is a multi-faceted, absolutely fascinating country, with a rich history and a very bright future. Ideally located on the Balkan-peninsula, Bulgaria enjoys a mild continental climate, with warm summers and cold winters, perfect for the tourism on the Black-Sea in summer and in the wide mountain ranges in winter.

Bulgaria is one of the fastest growing economies in Eastern Europe, thriving on the tourism-sector and therefore Bulgaria is an excellent opportunity for potential purchasers and investors. Additionally, the political and economical situation has increased dramatically since the end of communism and the Bulgarian government is trying to attract investors to the area. One of the first steps was, to ease the laws of owning property. Nowadays, these laws are amongst the most liberal in Europe.

A strong increase in the demand for land and properties in the holiday destinations and the big cities has put Bulgaria on the agenda of the top European real-estate investment funds. The ROI (Return on Investment) in the real-estate sector is on average a staggering 15 to 18 percent.

But still, the prices for property in Bulgaria are still amongst the lowest in Europe. Therefore, it is now the time - and Bulgaria is the place, to find unique business opportunities. The forecast for the real-estate market is "Rising Prices", at least until 2014, when the association to the EU is finalized.

Global international companies are more than eager to open a branch in Bulgarian cities and major holiday destinations. The property market in Bulgaria is definitely looking northwards. The time to invest in the country is now - unless you want to risk paying multiple prices for property in Bulgaria in the future.