Area comparison map:

almost identical in size to Virginia; slightly larger than Tennessee

Land boundaries:
total: 1,806 km
[see also: Land boundaries - total country ranks ]
border countries (5): Greece 472 km, Macedonia 162 km, Romania 605 km, Serbia 344 km, Turkey 223 km

Coastline:
354 km
[see also: Coastline country ranks ]

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
[see also: Maritime claims - territorial sea country ranks ]
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
[see also: Maritime claims - exclusive economic zone country ranks ]
contiguous zone: 24 nm
[see also: Maritime claims - contiguous zone country ranks ]

Climate:
temperate; cold, damp winters; hot, dry summers
More Climate Details

Terrain:
mostly mountains with lowlands in north and southeast

Elevation:
mean elevation: 472 m
[see also: Elevation - mean elevation country ranks ]
lowest point: Black Sea 0 m
highest point: Musala 2,925 m

Natural resources:
bauxite, copper, lead, zinc, coal, timber, arable land

Land use:
agricultural land: 46.9% (2011 est.)
[see also: Land use - agricultural land country ranks ]
arable land: 29.9% (2011 est.)
[see also: Land use - arable land country ranks ]
permanent crops: 1.5% (2011 est.)
[see also: Land use - permanent crops country ranks ]
permanent pasture: 15.5% (2011 est.)
[see also: Land use - permanent pasture country ranks ]
forest: 36.7% (2011 est.)
[see also: Land use - forest country ranks ]
other: 16.4% (2011 est.)
[see also: Land use country ranks ]

Irrigated land:
1,020 sq km (2012)
[see also: Irrigated land country ranks ]

Population distribution:
a fairly even distribution throughout most of the country, with urban areas attracting larger populations

Natural hazards:
earthquakes; landslides

Environment - current issues:
air pollution from industrial emissions; rivers polluted from raw sewage, heavy metals, detergents; deforestation; forest damage from air pollution and resulting acid rain; soil contamination from heavy metals from metallurgical plants and industrial wastes

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
strategic location near Turkish Straits; controls key land routes from Europe to Middle East and Asia