Bulgaria is located in Southern Europe, situated on the eastern Balkan Peninsula. It is a mostly mountainous country surrounded by Greece, Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, and the Black Sea. Bulgaria has strategic access to the Turkish Straits and controls key land routes to Europe and to the Middle East.Sofia is the nation’s capital and largest City other major cities are Plovdiv,Varna and Burgas.Bulgaria is a developing country , with an upper –middle-income economy.Bulgaria is a member of the European Union,Nato,and the Council of Europe;It is also a founding member of the OSCE,and has taken seat on the United Nations Security Council three times.Most of Bulgaria has a moderate continental climate ,which is tempered by Mediterranean influences in the south .The average annual temperature is 51 F(10.5 C),but this conceals a wide variation;temperatures as -37 F(-38 C) and as high as 113 F(45 C) have been recorded.