Sofia City Region

Population: 1.173.813
Area: 1.349 sq.km. (1.2% of the national territory)
Main city: Sofia (capital)
Sofia population: 1.096.389 (14% of the country)

Sofia city region includes 24 administrative districts. Situated in Southwest Bulgaria, it is the geographical center of the Balkan Peninsula. It is also a significant transport junction on the Balkans, with several important international traffic routes crossing its territory from West and Central Europe to Istanbul and the Middle East; from North Europe via Vidin to Thessaloniki, Athens and the Mediterranean; from South Europe and the Adriatic via Skopje to the Black Sea.

Land
The region occupies the central part of the Sofia Plain (with average altitude of 550 m.) encircled by the Balkan Mountains (in the north) and the Vitosha Mountain and the Lyulin Mountain (in the south). The climate is moderate continental. The area abounds in curative mineral springs (Gorna Banya, Ovcha Kupel, Bankya). The Vitosha Mountain is an international winter sports center.

People, Town and Culture
Over the last several years the population of the region has marked a steady growth. Sofia (Pop. 1 096 389) has been the capital of the Republic of Bulgaria since April 3, 1879. It is the permanent seat of the National Assembly (the Parliament), the President, the Council of the Ministers, the central governing bodies of various agencies, political parties and public organizations. Sofia accommodates the largest scientific and cultural institutions – the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, St. Kliment Ohridski University of Sofia and 17 other higher educational institutions and colleges; The National Palace of Culture, the National Art Gallery, the St. St. Cyril and Methodius Library, the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, many museums, ect. Visitors are offered high–quality services at the many city hotels. Sofia is surrounded by satellite towns such as Bankya (with exellent opportunities for spa treatment), Novi Iskar and Bukhovo (industrial centers).

Economy
The well – developed social and economic infrastructure of the capital city means that the tertiary sector plays a leading role in the economy of the region, bringing in about 81.5 percent of all revenue. Industry plays a secondary role and the most developed sectors are machine tool engineering and metal processing, metallurgy, food and beverage productions, paper and textile industries. The tourist industry is well served in terms of accommodation, numerous touris agencies and the many historic, architectural and cultural sites for which the capital is famous.