Rose country and the Stara Planina.

The terrain of Bulgaria is mostly hilly, with flatlands in the north and central regions. Forests cover approximately a third of the land. The Balkan Mountains cross the country from west to east. Bulgarians call them Stara Planima or "Old Mountains". The Rhodope and Rila Mountains are in the southwest, along the border with Greece.

Between Sofia and the Black Sea is a low-lying area called the Valley of Roses, because it is an important rose-growing area. The northern part of the Black Sea coast is rocky with high cliffs, but the southern part is a resort area lined with beaches.

Tourist resort Nessebur on the Black Sea

Sofia, which is located in the western part of the country, is the largest city in Bulgaria, with a population of about 1.1 million, or about an eighth of Bulgaria's population. Plovdiv, the second largest city, has a population of 360,000.

In general, Bulgarians will not find Canadian weather very different from the four seasons in their home country. Although the Black Sea coast has mild winters, there is snow for winter sports in the mountains. The interior of the country can be bitterly cold and temperatures may fall below -30degrees celcius. Summers are long, hot and dry in the interior and cooler on the coast.