Geography
The Republic of Bulgaria is in South Eastern Europe and is bordered by Turkey, Greece, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Serbia, Romania and the Black Sea.Sofia is the capital city of Bulgaria. Important cities are Plovdiv, Varna, Bourgas, Rousse, Stara Zagora, Pleven, Dobrich, Sliven and Shumen.

Bulgaria’s terrain is mountainous. The River Danube flows along Bulgaria’s border with Romania. Other rivers include the Iskur, Maritsa, Mesta and Strouma.

Bulgaria’s climate is temperate with cold snowy winters and hot summers.

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Environment
Bulgaria’s landscape is varied. Over a third of the country consists of forests and woodlands. There are many rivers and lakes and thousands of caves can be found in the mountainous areas.

A number of regions are listed by Ramsar as Wetlands of International Importance. These include Vaya Lake, the largest lake in Bulgaria, and the Srebarna Biosphere Reserve. Some regions are UNESCO MAB Biosphere Reserves.

The Srebarna Nature Reserve and Pirin National Park are World Heritage sites. Over one hundred species of birds breed in the Srebarna Nature Reserve. It is also a stopover point for migratory birds.

Architecture
Monuments in Bulgaria date back to the Thracian era: the Tomb of Sveshtari (third century BC) and the Tomb of Kazanlak (fourth century BC).

The Bulgarian town of Nessebar began as a Thracian settlement. Like the Thracian tombs, the town is on the World Heritage List. Evidence of Greek colonisation can be seen in the Acropolis and the Temple of Apollo. Other architecture of interest in Nessebar includes nineteenth century wooden houses.

Bulgarian religious buildings on the World Heritage List are Rila Monastery, Boyana Church, Sofia, and the Christian churches of Ivanovo.

There are a number of examples of Turkish architecture from the centuries of Ottoman occupation. Restoration has taken place on Ottoman architecture in Plovdiv, Stara Zagora, Shumen and Yambol.

Population
Bulgaria’s population was estimated at 7,322,858 in 2007.

Languages
Bulgarian is the official language.

Religion
The main religion in Bulgaria is Bulgarian Orthodox. Around twelve percent of the people are Muslim.

Food
Bulgaria’s cuisine is influenced by the neighbouring Balkan countries of Serbia, Macedonia, Greece and northern Turkey.

Traditional food includes bread, pickled vegetables, salads, soups, stews, casseroles, stuffed vegetables, kebabs, spicy sausages and cheese dishes. Yoghurt is very popular and eaten most days. In fact, Bulgaria is said to be the home of yoghurt and Bulgarian yoghurt is thought to have curative properties.

Pork, lamb, beef, chicken, fish and vegetarian dishes are served with staples such as rice and bulgar wheat. Vegetables include aubergines, beans, cabbage, carrots, corn, courgettes, cucumbers, lettuce, mushrooms, onions, peppers, potatoes, tomatoes and olives.

Favourite desserts are pancakes, baklava, baked apples and fresh fruit: apricots, blueberries, blackberries, cherries, grapes, melons, raspberries, strawberries, peaches, pears, plums and quinces.

Traditional alcoholic drinks are rakiya (a fruit brandy, often plum), wine and boza (a type of beer made with grain, usually millet). Non-alcoholic drinks include coffee, tea, juices, buttermilk and mineral water.
History
Bulgaria has been inhabited since the Stone Age. In the Bronze Age people known as Thracians lived in the region. The Thracian civilization eventually became part of the Roman Empire.

By the middle of the fourth century waves of barbarian tribes were moving into Europe gravely damaging the Roman Empire. People known as Bulgars eventually settled in Bulgaria.

Over the centuries the Bulgarians built up a powerful empire controlling much of the Balkans. However, from the early eleventh century, and lasting up until the latter part of the twelfth century, Bulgaria came under Byzantine rule. (The Byzantine Empire was founded when the capital of the Roman Empire was transferred to Constantinople in 324).

Towards the end of the twelfth century the Bulgarian State was restored by Ivan Asen.

As time went on discord between Bulgarian nobles led to division of the country. In its weakened state Bulgaria succumbed to an offensive by the Islamic Ottoman Empire. The Ottoman Turks ruled Bulgaria from the middle of the fourteenth century for five centuries.

In 1876 an uprising against the Turks led to the massacre of many Bulgarians. The massacre focused European attention on the Ottoman occupation of Bulgaria. Turkey was finally defeated in the Russo-Turkish War of Liberation (1877-1878). Alexander of Battenburg, a German prince, became Prince of Bulgaria and was succeeded by Prince Ferdinand of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha (1887) who was King of Bulgaria from 1908 to 1918.

The Russo-Turkish War resulted in loss of Bulgarian territory to Turkey. In 1912 Bulgaria and other Balkan states attacked Turkey winning land from the Turks. A quarrel ensued between the Balkan states over the division of land leading to the Second Balkan War in 1913.

During the First and Second World Wars, Bulgaria allied itself with Germany. After the Second World War (1939-45) Bulgaria became a People’s Republic coming under the USSR’s sphere of influence.

1985 saw Mikhail Gorbachev’s accession to power in Soviet Russia. Gorbachev introduced extensive political and economic reforms (Perestroika) and promoted greater openness (Glasnost) between nations.

The end of 1989 saw political changes in Bulgaria and the communist government came to an end in 1990.

Economy
Since the political changes at the end of the 1980s and the beginning of the 1990s, Bulgaria has implemented economic reforms. Bulgaria was not ready for the wave of EU memberships in 2004 but joined the EU in January 2006.

Bulgaria’s agricultural sector accounts for the smallest percentage of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Agricultural products include fruit, vegetables, wheat, barley, sugar beet, sunflowers and tobacco. Roses, which provide attar of roses used in perfume, are also grown. Cattle, sheep and pigs are reared.

Industry earns around thirty percent of Bulgaria’s GDP. Main industries are refined petroleum, nuclear fuel, electricity, gas, metals, machinery and equipment, chemical products, food and beverages (including red and white wine).

The service sector provides the largest percentage of the country’s GDP. Tourism is a major source of employment with millions of visitors a year. The Black Sea resorts and the mountains are both popular destinations for tourists. Spa tourism is also an important part of Bulgaria’s tourist industry. (2007)

Arts
Early examples of art are inscribed on the World Heritage List. These are the Madara Rider, a cliff carving of a knight fighting a lion, and the Thracian Tomb of Kazanlak, decorated with murals representing Thracian burial rituals and culture.

Religious art can be seen in Bulgaria’s churches, such as the frescoes and medieval paintings in Boyana Church, Sofia.

The Bulgarian artist Christo and his associate Jeanne Claude are famous for “wrapping” the German Reichstag building in 1995.

Ivan Vazov (1850-1921) is perhaps Bulgaria’s most famous writer. Vazov, a poet, novelist and playwright is most well known for his novel “Under the Yoke”, set in the 1876 Uprising against the Turks.

Sport
Popular team sports in Bulgaria are football, basketball and volleyball.

Bulgarians are well known for gymnastics, athletics, tennis and weight-lifting. Other sports include swimming, rowing and skiing.

Holidays
New Year, Christmas and Easter are holidays. Other days celebrated are National Day (3 March), International Labour Day (1 May), Day of the Slavonic Script and Bulgarian Culture (24 May), Unification Day (6 September) and Independence Day (22 September).

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