Bulgaria is a parliamentary republic located in Southeastern Europe, with a population of 7.64 million people living within its 110,910 square kilometer area. Key facts about Bulgaria include its capital and largest city Sofia, highest mountain peaks in the Rila Mountains including Musala at 2,925 meters, over 200 lakes, and transition to a market economy in the late 1980s after being a socialist republic since 1946. Some top tourist destinations highlighted are the Rila Monastery, Madara Horseman rock relief, the Thracian tomb at Kazanlak, and historic cities like Veliki Preslav and Shipka.