Bulgaria is a country situated in Southeast Europe that occupies the eastern quarter of the Balkan peninsula, being the largest country within its geographic boundaries. It borders Romania to the north, Serbia and North Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, and the Black Sea to the east. The northern border with Romania follows the river Danube until the city of Silistra. The land area of Bulgaria is 110,994 square kilometres (42,855 sq mi), slightly larger than that of Cuba, Iceland or the U.S. state of Tennessee. Considering its relatively compact territorial size and shape, Bulgaria has a great variety of topographical features. Even within small parts of the country, the land may be divided into plains, plateaus, hills, mountains, basins, gorges, and deep river valleys. The geographic center of Bulgaria is located in Uzana.
Vitosha, the ancient Scomius or Scombrus, is a mountain massif, on the outskirts of Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria. Vitosha is one of the symbols of Sofia and the closest site for hiking, alpinism and skiing. Convenient bus lines and rope ways render the mountain easily accessible. Vitosha has the outlines of an enormous dome.
The Pirin Mountains are a mountain range in southwestern Bulgaria, with the highest peak, Vihren, at an altitude of 2,914 m (9,560 ft).
Pirin National Park, originally named Vihren National Park, encompasses the larger part of the Pirin Mountains in southwestern Bulgaria, spanning an area of 403.56 square kilometers (155.82 sq mi).
The Central Balkan National Park is a national park in the heart of Bulgaria, nestled in the central and higher portions of the Balkan Mountains. Its altitude varies from 550 metres (1,800 ft) near the town of Karlovo to 2,376 metres (7,795 ft) at Botev Peak, the highest summit in the range. It was established on 31 October 1991.
Rila National Park is the largest national park in Bulgaria spanning an area of 810.46 km2 in the Rila mountain range in the south-west of the country.
The European-Mediterranean montane mixed forests is a composite ecoregion of southern Europe and North Africa, designated by the World Wildlife Fund as one of their Global 200 ecoregions, a list of priority ecoregions for conservation.
The Balkan mixed forests are a terrestrial ecoregion of southeastern Europe according to both the WWF and Digital Map of European Ecological Regions by the European Environment Agency. It belongs in the temperate broadleaf and mixed forests biome and the Palearctic realm.
The Pindus Mountains mixed forests constitute a terrestrial ecoregion of Europe according to both the WWF and Digital Map of European Ecological Regions by the European Environment Agency. It belongs to the Mediterranean forests, woodlands, and scrub biome, and is in the Palearctic realm.
The South Apennine mixed montane forests is an ecoregion in the southern Apennine Mountains of southern Italy and Sicily. It has a Mediterranean climate, and is in the Mediterranean forests, woodlands, and scrub biome.
The Dinaric Mountains mixed forests are a terrestrial ecoregion of the temperate broadleaf and mixed forests biome in Southeastern Europe, according to both the WWF and Digital Map of European Ecological Regions by the European Environment Agency. It also is in the Palearctic realm.
Shebenik National Park is a national park in eastern Albania adjacent to the border with North Macedonia. It encompasses 34,507.9 hectares (345.079 km2) and is specifically marked by a mountainous landscape supplied with glacial lakes, valleys, dense coniferous and deciduous forests and alpine meadows and pastures. Elevations in the park vary from 300 metres to over 2,200 metres above the Adriatic at the peak of Shebenik and Jabllanica, hence the name. It dwells a number of endangered species that are fast becoming rare in Southern Europe, including the brown bear, gray wolf and balkan lynx. The abundance in wildlife can in part be explained by the variety of vegetation types and remote location.
Bjeshkët e Nemuna National Park is a national park in the districts of Gjakovë and Pejë in western Kosovo. It encompasses 63,028 hectares (630.28 km2) of mountainous terrain, with numerous lakes, dense deciduous and coniferous forests and alpine landscapes. The park was established to protect its ecosystems and biodiversity, as well as the cultural and historical heritage.
Rila Monastery Nature Park is one of the largest nature parks in Bulgaria, spanning a territory of 252.535 km2 (97.504 sq mi) in the western part of the Rila mountain range at an altitude between 750 and 2,713 metres. It is in Rila Municipality, Kyustendil Province and includes forests, mountain meadows, alpine areas, and 28 glacial lakes. With a little more than 1 million visitors, it is the second-most visited nature park in the country, after Vitosha Nature Park.
The Korab-Koritnik Nature Park is a nature park in eastern Albania and forms a section of the European Green Belt, which serves as a retreat for endangered animal and plant species. It encompasses 55,550 hectares (555.5 km2) of alpine mountainous terrain, with valleys, rivers, glacial lakes, caves, canyons and dense coniferous and deciduous forest. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has listed the park as Category IV. Koritnik and Korab have each been recognised as an Important Plant Area of international importance by Plantlife.
Ali Botush, also spelled Alibotoush, is a nature reserve in the small mountain range of Slavyanka, located on the border between Bulgaria and Greece. The reserve occupies the northern section of the mountain which lies within the territory of Bulgaria and takes its name from the old name of Slavyanka. It is situated in the municipalities of Sandanski and Hadzhidimovo, Blagoevgrad Province. It was declared in 1951 to protect the largest forests of the endemic Bosnian pine in the Balkan Peninsula. Its territory was further expanded several times and spans an area of 1638 ha or 16,38 km2. It was declared a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in 1977.
Orelyak is a nature reserve in the central section of the Pirin mountain range in south-western Bulgaria. It is situated in Gotse Delchev Municipality, Blagoevgrad Province. It was declared on 22 February 1985 to protect old growth beech forests it the vicinities of Mount Orelyak (2,099 m), the highest summit in Central Pirin. It spans a territory of 757 ha or 7.57 km2.
The Carpathian montane conifer forests, also known as Carpathian montane forests, is a temperate coniferous forests ecoregion in the Carpathian Mountains of the Czech Republic, Poland, Slovakia, Romania, and Ukraine.
The Rodopi Mountain Range National Park is a national park in Greece, situated in the central-west massif of the Greek section of the Rhodope Mountains. It covers an area of approximately 170,000 hectares and includes the largest and most productive forest ecosystems in Greece.
