Sofia

Sofia is one of the oldest cities in Europe and its history can be traced back some 7000 years.  Declared a capital in 1879, Sofia is the largest city of the Republic of Bulgaria (BG), with 1.6 million permanent citizens and residents of about 2 million. The territory is 134,185 ha of which the residential areas are 38.1%, the territories for public servicing are 7.8%, and those for business purposes are 13.5%. Sofia produces 33% of the national GDP which is 69% of the EU average (expected to become 80% by 2015). The unemployment is among the lowest in Europe - 1.3%, and due to the 20 universities based in Sofia, almost half of all employees have been through higher education. The population has been increasing in recent years, as is life expectancy.  The commuters and internal migration has also increased.