Bulgaria - Sofia

BULGARIA
Sofia

Sent by Valia from Sofia, Bulgaria.

Sofia (Bulgarian: София, pronounced [ˈsɔfijɐ] is the capital and largest city of Bulgaria. Sofia is located at the foot of Mount Vitosha in the western part of the country. It occupies a strategic position at the centre of the Balkan Peninsula. Sofia's history spans 2,400 years. Its ancient name Serdica derives from the local Celtic tribe of the Serdi who established the town in the 5th century BC. It remained a relatively small settlement until 1879, when it was declared the capital of Bulgaria.

Sofia is the 15th largest city in the European Union with a population of around 1.3 million people, or 1,241,396 in the city proper. According to some unoffical sources there are 2 million living and working in Sofia. 

Sofia has been ranked by the Globalization and World Cities Research Network as a Beta− city. Many of the major universities, cultural institutions, and businesses of Bulgaria are concentrated in Sofia. (read further)