Sofia is thecapitalandlargest cityofBulgaria. Sofia is located at the foot of MountVitoshain the western part of the country. It occupies a strategic position at the centre of theBalkan Peninsula.Sofia's history spans 2,400 years. Its ancient nameSerdicaderives from the localCeltictribe of theSerdiwho established the town in the 5th century BC. It remained a relatively small settlement until 1879, when it was declared the capital of Bulgaria.The city’s churches and monuments reflect more than 2,000 years of history, including Greek, Roman, Ottoman and Soviet occupation.
Sofia is the15th largest cityin theEuropean Unionwith a population of around 1.3 million people, or 1,241,396 in the city proper. Ithas been ranked by theGlobalization and World Cities Research Networkas aBeta− city.Many of the major universities, culturalinstitutions, andbusinessesof Bulgaria are concentrated in Sofia.