Four medals for Bulgaria at the 21st International Geography Olympiad (iGeo) in Bangkok, Thailand

The Bulgarian Geography Olympiad team achieved outstanding success at the 21st International Geography Olympiad (iGeo), which took place from July 26 to August 1, 2025, in Thailand. The Bulgarian national team won three silver and one bronze medal, ranking among the best-performing countries in the world and first among all Balkan countries. The competition brought together students from all continents, with tasks requiring in-depth knowledge, understanding of unfamiliar environments, geospatial thinking, and the application of geographical skills in a real-world context.

Silver medalists for Bulgaria are:

• Zvezdemir Penev (11th grade, High School of Mathematics, Varna)
• Boris Donkov (11th grade, National High School of Mathematics and Natural Sciences "Acad. Lyubomir Chakalov", Sofia)
• Nikolay Kostadinov (12th grade, High School of Mathematics, Varna)

Bronze medal winner: 

• Kristian Petrov (12th grade, High School of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, Kazanlak)

The national team was led by Asst. Prof. Kaloyan Tsvetkov and Assoc. Prof. Dimitar Zhelev from the Faculty of Geology and Geography at Sofia University "St. Kliment Ohridski." By winning four medals, Bulgaria achieved one of its best performances at the International Geography Olympiad, with this success being the result of the joint efforts of students, teachers, university lecturers, sponsors, and several institutions.

Besides the Ministry of Education and Science, the Natural Sciences Olympic Teams Association also made a significant contribution to the success. In 2025, it welcomed Geography as a full-fledged discipline among the natural sciences and provided valuable organisational and financial support.

The Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Bulgaria congratulates the young geographers, their teachers, and leaders for their excellent performance, which not only brings honour to Bulgaria on the international level, but also inspires future generations to pursue science and dream boldly of further achievements in the future.

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Original source in Bulgarian: National Olympiad in Geography and Economics website