Burgas is the second largest city and seaside resort on the Bulgarian Black sea coast.It is situated by the Burgas bay, on a flat plate and lies at an avarage elevation of 17 m above the sea level. The favourable living conditions on this fertile plain, close to the sea, have brought people to this region from early antiquity.The earliest signs of life date back to the Bronze Age and the early Iron Age. The region of Burgas is rich in archaeological finds, relating to the thracian period (4th c B.C.)The name of Burgas derives from the latin word "burgos", meaning a tower . local legends speak of a roman travel post which used to lie in the area of today's Burgas Port. 15 centuries later, then under the name of Pirgos, the settlement was mentioned in the works of the Byzantine poet, Manuel Phil. In 18th c. burgas was the largest port, south of the Balkan range.
Municipality of Burgas is bounded by the Black Sea surrounding the large Burgas Bay. Close to the seaside are located the Atanasovsko lake, Pomoriisko lake, Mandrensko and Burgas (Vaia) lake which form the biggest complex of maritime lakes in Bulgaria - unique itself with its extremely rich biodiversity. From here passes "Via Pontica" - one of the main fly ways of the European migratory birds.
One of the biggest airports and the biggest cargo harbor in the country are located in Burgas. Our town is an important centre for the sea tourism with plenty of facilities and transport connections to the resorts on the South Black Sea coast. The resort complex is enriched by the presence of the Burgas Mineral water baths /around 15 km from the town/ which is one of the most ancient Bulgarian balneology centers.
The climate is moderately continental with a clearly expessed sea influence. Summer is ussualy pleasant and fresh due to the permanent breezes. During the summer air temperatures in the daytime average 26,40C, and that of the seawater is 24,70C. The number of sunny days in summer varies between 24 and 27 per month, with an average of the 10-11 hours of sunshine per day. Winter is mild, mostly without any snow. During the winter season the average air temperatures is 4,60C. Due to the sea influence, autumns here are long and significantly warmer than in inland regions, while springs tend to be cold and arriving a month later.


Contemporary Burgas
At the turn of 21st c. Burgas is a regional and municipal center, as well as the fourth largest town in Bulgaria, with a population of 229 740 inhabitants. Burgas is rated second among Bulgarian administrative districts in its industrial potential. Over 20,000 companies have been registered here, while unemployment is the lowest in the country - 4,3%.
Burgas is in important industrial, commercial, transport and tourist center . The largest oil refinery on the Balkans - Lukoil Neftochim EAD - operates from here. The Burgas production palette is richly diverse in colour - fuels and synthetic fibres, ships cables and conductors, railway carriages, fans, construction materials, fish tins, vegetable oils, confectionary, biscuits, knitwear and clothing.
Burgas has the largest port in the country with the only oil terminal south of the Balkan range, with a well-developed railway and road network. The airport boasts the best atmospheric conditions on the Balkan Peninsula and is the only one adapted for receiving supersonic planes. Since 1989 the Duty Free Zone of Burgas has been in operation.
Burgas in itself is a tourist center, but also a starting point for visiting the Black Sea resort of Sunny Beach, the holiday villages of Elenite and Duni, the museum-towns of Nesebar and Sozopol, the Ropotamo Reserve and the Strandja Nature Park.

Factors and predictors for economic development

The Areas' strong aspects in relations with the economic development are defined by the following factors and predictors; good transport connections , geographical situation ,sea route, well developed transportation system, availability of harbor complex with the biggest freight turnover in the country and airport complex with the best technical opportunities in the country.The Mediterranean climate, supporting the development of vineyard industry, fruit industry, vegetable industry and tourism is a potential for the development of food and tobacco industries, including fishing industry and also for the development of balneotherapy and tourism.Investment attractions for the development of projects in the area are of harbor activities, air transport, industry, trade, tourism and property sales and investment.