This volume is the Proceedings of the First Conference on Finite Difference Methods which was held at the University of Rousse, Bulgaria, 10--13 August 1997. The conference attracted more than 50 participants from 16 countries. 10 invited talks and 26 contributed talks were delivered. The volume contains 28 papers presented at the Conference. The most important and widely used methods for solution of differential equations are the finite difference methods. The purpose of the conference was to bring together scientists working in the area of the finite difference methods, and also people from the applications in physics, chemistry and other natural and engineering sciences.