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This article is about the country. For other uses, see Bulgaria (disambiguation).
Republic of Bulgaria
Република България
Motto: Съединението прави силата  (Bulgarian)
"Saedinenieto pravi silata"  (transliteration)
"Unity makes strength"1
Anthem: Мила Родино  (Bulgarian)
[Mila Rodino] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help)  (transliteration)
Dear Homeland
Location of Bulgaria (green) – in Europe (light green & grey) – in the European Union (light green)  –  [Legend]
Location of Bulgaria (green)

– in Europe (light green & grey)
– in the European Union (light green)  –  [Legend]

Capital
and largest city
Sofia
Official languagesBulgarian
Ethnic groups
85% Bulgarians, 9.4% Turkish, 4.7% Roma, 0.9% other groups[1]
Demonym(s)Bulgarian
GovernmentParliamentary democracy
• President
Georgi Parvanov
Boyko Borisov
Formation
681[2]
681–1018
1185–1396
1396
3 March 1878
6 September 1885
22 September 1908 from Ottoman Empire
• Recognized
06 April 1909
Area
• Total
110,993.6 km2 (42,854.9 sq mi) (104th)
• Water (%)
0.3
Population
• 2009 estimate
7,563,710[3] (95th)
• 2001 census
7,932,984
• Density
68.5/km2 (177.4/sq mi) (124th)
GDP (PPP)2009 estimate
• Total
$90.068 billion[4] (63rd)
• Per capita
$11,900[4] (65th)
GDP (nominal)2009 estimate
• Total
$47.102 billion[4] (75th)
• Per capita
$6,223[4] (69th)
Gini (2003)29.2
low inequality
HDI (2009)Increase 0.840
Error: Invalid HDI value (61st)
CurrencyLev2 (BGN)
Time zoneUTC+2 (EET)
• Summer (DST)
UTC+3 (EEST)
Drives onright
Calling code359
ISO 3166 codeBG
Internet TLD.bg3
  1. "Bulgaria's National Flag". Bulgarian Government. 3 October 2005. Retrieved 2007-01-01.
  2. plural Leva.
  3. In common with other European Union member-states, the .eu domain is also in use.
  4. Cell phone system GSM and NMT 450i
  5. Domestic power supply 220 V/50 Hz, Schuko (CEE 7/4) sockets

Bulgaria (Template:Pron-en bul-GAIR-ee-ə; Bulgarian: България, transliterated: Bălgaria, pronounced [bɤ̞lˈɡarijɐ]), officially the Republic of Bulgaria (Република България, transliterated: Republika Bălgarija, [rɛˈpublikɐ bɤ̞lˈɡarijɐ]), is a country in the Balkans in south-eastern Europe. Bulgaria borders five other countries: Romania to the north (mostly along the River Danube), Serbia and the Republic of Macedonia to the west, and Greece and Turkey to the south. The Black Sea defines the extent of the country to the east.

With a territory of 110,994 square kilometers, Bulgaria ranks as the 16th-largest country in Europe. Several mountainous areas define the landscape, most notably the Stara Planina (Balkan) and Rodopi mountain ranges, as well as the Rila range, which includes the highest peak in the Balkan region, Musala. In contrast, the Danubian plain in the north and the Upper Thracian Plain in the south represent Bulgaria's lowest and most fertile regions. The 378-kilometer Black Sea coastline covers the entire eastern bound of the country. Bulgaria's capital city and largest settlement is Sofia, with a permanent population of 1,405,000 people.[5]

The emergence of a unified Bulgarian national identity and state dates back to the 7th century AD. All Bulgarian political entities that subsequently emerged preserved the traditions (in ethnic name, language and alphabet) of the First Bulgarian Empire (681–1018), which at times covered most of the Balkans and eventually became a cultural hub for the Slavs in the Middle Ages.[6] With the decline of the Second Bulgarian Empire (1185–1396/1422), Bulgarian territories came under Ottoman rule for nearly five centuries. The Russo-Turkish War of 1877–1878 led to the establishment of a Third Bulgarian state as a principality in 1878, which gained its full sovereignty in 1908.[7] In 1945, after World War II, it became a communist state and was a part of the Eastern Bloc until the political changes in Eastern Europe in 1989/1990, when the Communist Party allowed multi-party elections and Bulgaria undertook a transition to parliamentary democracy and free-market capitalism.

Bulgaria functions as a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic. A member of the European Union, NATO, the United Nations and the World Trade Organization, it has a high Human Development Index of 0.840, ranking 61st in the world in 2009.[8] Freedom House in 2008 listed Bulgaria as "free", giving it scores of 1 (highest) for political rights and 2 for civil liberties.[9]

History

Main article: History of Bulgaria

Prehistory and antiquity

Further information: Neolithic Europe, Bronze Age Europe, Thrace, Odrysian kingdom, and Slavs

Prehistoric cultures in the Bulgarian lands include the Neolithic Hamangia culture and Vinča culture (6th to 3rd millennia BC), the eneolithic Varna culture (5th millennium BC; see also Varna Necropolis), and the Bronze Age Ezero culture. The Karanovo chronology serves as a gauge for the prehistory of the wider Balkans region.

A golden rhyton, one of the items in the Thracian Panagyurishte treasure, dating from the 4th to 3rd centuries BC

The Thracians, one of the three primary ancestral groups of modern Bulgarians, lived separated in various tribes until King Teres united most of them around 500 BC in the Odrysian kingdom. They were eventually subjugated by Alexander the Great and consecutively by the Roman Empire. After the Slavs migrated from their original homeland, the easternmost South Slavs settled on the territory of modern Bulgaria during the 6th century and assimilated the Hellenised or Romanised Thracians. Eventually the Bulgar élite incorporated all of them into the First Bulgarian Empire.[10] By the 9th century, Bulgars and Slavs were mutually assimilated.[11]

The First Bulgarian Empire (681 - 1018)

Main article: First Bulgarian Empire

Asparukh, heir of Old Great Bulgaria's leader Kubrat, migrated with several Bulgar tribes to the lower courses of the rivers Danube, Dniester and Dniepr (known as Ongal) after his father's state was subjugated by the Khazars. He conquered Moesia and Scythia Minor (Dobrudzha) from the Byzantine Empire, expanding his new kingdom further into the Balkan Peninsula.[12] A peace treaty with Byzantium in 681 and the establishment of the Bulgarian capital of Pliska south of the Danube mark the beginning of the First Bulgarian Empire. (At the same time one of Asparuh's brothers, Kuber, settled with another Bulgar group in present-day Macedonia.[13])

Succeeding rulers strengthened the Bulgarian state - Tervel (700/701-718/721), stabilized the borders and established Bulgaria as a major military power by defeating a 22,000-strong Arab army in 717, thereby eliminating the threat of a full-scale Arab invasion into Eastern and Central Europe.[14] Krum (802-814),[15] doubled the country's territory and significantly reduced the Byzantine threat by killing emperor Nicephorus I in the Battle of Pliska.[16] By introducing the first written code of law, valid for both Slavs and Bulgars, Krum managed to further centralize and stabilize the country. Boris I The Baptist (852–889), accepted Eastern Orthodox Christianity in 864,[17] and introduced the Cyrillic alphabet, which the Bulgarian literary schools of Preslav and Ohrid developed.[18] The Cyrillic alphabet, along with Old Bulgarian language, fostered the intellectual written language (lingua franca) for Eastern Europe, known as Church Slavonic.

The Bulgarian Empire ca. 893 in dark green, with wartime borders up to 927 in light green

Emperor Simeon I the Great's rule (893 - 927) saw Bulgaria's largest territorial expansion in its history.[19] He managed to gain a military supremacy over the Byzantine Empire, demonstrated by the Battle of Anchialos (917), one of the bloodiest battles in the Middle ages[20] as well as one of his most decisive victories. However, Simeon's reign also saw Bulgaria develop a rich, unique Christian Slavonic culture, which became an example for other Slavonic peoples in Eastern Europe and also fostered the continued existence of the Bulgarian nation despite forces that threatened to tear it apart.

Baba Vida fortress in Vidin, built in the 10th century

After Simeon's death, Bulgaria declined in the mid-tenth century, worn out by wars with Croatia, frequent Serbian rebellions sponsored by Byzantine gold, disastrous Magyar and Pecheneg invasions, and the spread of the Bogomil heresy.[21] Because of this, Bulgaria collapsed in the face of an assault of the Rus' in 969–971.[22]

The Byzantines then began campaigns to reconquer Bulgaria. In 971, they seized the capital Preslav and captured Emperor Boris II.[23] Resistance continued under Tsar Samuil in the western Bulgarian lands for nearly half a century. The country managed to recover and defeated the Byzantines in several major battles, taking the control of most of the Balkan peninsula and in 991 invaded the Serbian state.[24]

Bulgaria's rise ended in 1014, when Byzantine Emperor Basil II ("the Bulgar-Slayer") defeated its armies at Klyuch.[25] The Byzantines took as many as 15,000 Bulgarian prisoners and had them blinded before releasing them.[11] Samuil reportedly had a heart attack on seeing the returning blinded soldiers, and died two days later, on 15 October 1014.[25] Four years later, in 1018, the Byzantine Empire conquered and eliminated the First Bulgarian Empire.

Byzantine rule and rise of the Second Empire (1185 - 1396)

Main articles: Uprising of Asen and Peter and Second Bulgarian Empire

Basil II did not officially abolish the local rule of the Bulgarian nobility and incorporated them into Byzantine aristocracy as archons or strategoi.[26] He also guaranteed the indivisibility of Bulgaria in its former geographic borders and recognised the autocephaly of the Bulgarian Archbishopric of Ohrid and set up its boundaries, securing the continuation of the dioceses already existing under Samuil, their property and other privileges.[27] These actions initially prevented major uprisings.

The Bulgarian Empire under Tsar Ivan Asen II

After Basil II's death, the people of Bulgaria challenged Byzantine rule several times in the 11th century and again in the early 12th century. The largest uprising occurred under the leadership of Peter II Delyan (proclaimed Emperor of Bulgaria in Belgrade in 1040), but it did not succeed. Bulgarian nobles ruled the province in the name of the Byzantine Empire until Ivan Asen I and Peter IV started a rebellion in 1185 that led to the founding of a second empire, which re-established Bulgaria as an important power in the Balkans for two more centuries.

Ivan Shishman, the last ruler of the Tarnovo Tsardom (1371–1395)

The Asen dynasty set up its capital in Veliko Tarnovo. Kaloyan, the third of the Asen monarchs, extended his dominions to Belgrade, Nish and Skopie; he acknowledged the spiritual supremacy of the Pope, and received a royal crown from a papal legate.[10] Cultural and economic growth persisted under Ivan Asen II (1218–1241), who extended Bulgaria's control over Albania, Epirus, Macedonia and Thrace.[28] The achievements of the Tarnovo artistic school as well as the first coins to be minted by a Bulgarian ruler were only a few signs of the empire's welfare at that time.[10] The Asen dynasty ended in 1257, and due to Tatar invasions (beginning in the later 13th century), internal conflicts, and constant attacks from the Byzantines and the Hungarians, the country's military and economic might declined.

By the end of the 14th century, factional divisions between Bulgarian feudal landlords (boyars) and the spread of Bogomilism had gravely weakened the cohesion of the Second Bulgarian Empire. It split into three small Tsardoms and several semi-independent principalities that fought among themselves, and also with Byzantines, Hungarians, Serbs, Venetians, and Genoese. In these battles, Bulgarians often allied themselves with Ottoman Turks. Similar situations of internecine quarrel and infighting existed also in Byzantium and Serbia. In the period 1365–1370, the Ottomans conquered most Bulgarian towns and fortresses south of the Balkan Mountains and began their northwards conquest.[29]

Fall of the Second Empire and Ottoman rule (1396 - 1878)

Main articles: History of early Ottoman Bulgaria and National awakening of Bulgaria
The Battle of Nicopolis, 1396.

In 1393, the Ottomans captured Tarnovo, the capital of the Second Bulgarian Empire, after a three-month siege. In 1396, the Vidin Tsardom fell after the defeat of a Christian crusade at the Battle of Nicopolis. With this, the Ottomans finally subjugated and occupied Bulgaria.[30][31][32] During their rule, the Bulgarian population suffered greatly from oppression, intolerance and misgovernment.[33] The nobility was eliminated and the peasantry enserfed to Ottoman masters,[34] while Bulgarians lacked judicial equality with the Ottoman Muslims and had to pay much higher taxes than them.[35] Bulgarian culture became isolated from Europe, its achievements - destroyed, and the educated clergy fled to other countries.[36]

Throughout the nearly five centuries of Ottoman rule, the Bulgarian people organized several attempts to re-establish their own state, most notably the First and Second Tarnovo Uprisings (1598 / 1686) and Karposh's Rebellion (1689). Another response to the oppression was a strengthening of the haydut ("outlaw") tradition.[11] The National awakening of Bulgaria became one of the key factors in the struggle for liberation, resulting in the 1876 April uprising - the largest and best-organized Bulgarian rebellion against the Ottoman Empire. Though crushed by the Ottoman authorities — in reprisal, the Turks massacred some 15,000 Bulgarians[11] — the uprising prompted the Great Powers to convene the 1876 Constantinople Conference, which delimited the ethnic Bulgarian territories as of the late 19th century, and elaborated the legal and political arrangements for establishing two autonomous Bulgarian provinces. The Ottoman Government declined to comply with the Great Powers’ decisions, which allowed Russia to seek a solution by force without risking military confrontation with other Great Powers (as had happened in the Crimean War of 1854 to 1856).

Third Bulgarian State (1878 - present)

Main articles: Serbo-Bulgarian War, First Balkan War, Second Balkan War, Bulgaria during World War I, Bulgaria during World War II, People's Republic of Bulgaria, and History of Bulgaria since 1989

The Russo-Turkish War of 1877-78, resulted in the defeat of Ottoman forces by the Russian army (supported by Bulgarian and Romanian volunteer forces) and the Treaty of San Stefano (3 March 1878), which set up an autonomous Bulgarian principality. The Western Great Powers immediately rejected the treaty, fearing that a large Slavic country in the Balkans might serve Russian interests. The subsequent Treaty of Berlin (1878) provided for a much smaller autonomous state comprising Moesia and the region of Sofia. The Bulgarian principality proclaimed itself a fully independent state on 5 October (22 September O.S.), 1908, after it won a war against Serbia and incorporated the semi-autonomous Ottoman territory of Eastern Rumelia.

Bulgarians overrun a Turkish position at bayonet-point during the First Balkan War of 1912–1913, Painting by Jaroslav Věšín.

In the years following the achievement of complete independence Bulgaria became increasingly militarised, and was referred to as "the Prussia of the Balkans"[37][38] In 1912 and 1913, Bulgaria became involved in the Balkan Wars, first entering into conflict alongside Greece, Serbia and Montenegro against the Ottoman Empire. The First Balkan War (1912–1913) proved a success for the Bulgarian army, but a conflict over the division of Macedonia arose between the victorious allies. The Second Balkan War (1913) was a disastrous defeat for Bulgaria, which was attacked almost simultaneously by its neighbours. In World War I, Bulgaria again found itself fighting on the losing side as a result of its alliance with the Central Powers. Despite achieving several decisive victories (at Doiran, Monastir and again at Doiran in 1918), Bulgaria lost the war, sustained some 300,000 military casualties (including 100,000 killed), and suffered significant territorial losses.[11]

Following these wars, in the 1920s and 1930s the country suffered political unrest, which led to the establishment of a royal authoritarian dictatorship by Tsar Boris III (reigned 1918–1943). After regaining control of Southern Dobrudzha in 1940, Bulgaria entered World War II in 1941 on the side of the Axis Powers. However, it declined to participate in Operation Barbarossa and never declared war on the USSR, and saved its Jewish population from deportation to concentration camps by repeatedly postponing compliance with German demands, offering various rationales.[39] In the summer of 1943, Boris III died suddenly, and the country fell into political turmoil as the war turned against Nazi Germany and the Communist guerilla movement gained more power.[40]

In September 1944 the Communist-dominated Fatherland Front seized power with the help of the invading Red Army, ending the alliance with Nazi Germany and joining the Allied side until the end of the war in 1945. The Communist uprising of 9 September 1944 led to the abolishment of monarchic rule, but it was not until 1946 that a people's republic was established. It came under the Soviet sphere of influence, with Georgi Dimitrov (Prime Minister 1946 to 1949) as the foremost Bulgarian political leader. The country installed a Soviet-type planned economy, although some market-oriented policies emerged on an experimental level[41] under Todor Zhivkov (First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Bulgarian Communist Party, 1954 to 1989). By the mid 1950s standards of living rose significantly, and in 1957 collective farm workers benefited from the first agricultural pension and welfare system in Eastern Europe.[42] Lyudmila Zhivkova, daughter of Todor Zhivkov, promoted Bulgaria's national heritage, culture and arts on a global scale.[43] On the other hand, an assimilation campaign of the late 1980s directed against ethnic Turks resulted in the emigration of some 300,000 Bulgarian Turks to Turkey,[44][45] which caused a significant drop in agricultural production due to the loss of labor force.[46] On 10 November 1989, the Bulgarian Communist Party gave up its political monopoly, Zhivkov was removed from power, and Bulgaria embarked on a transition from a single-party republic to a parliamentary democracy.

In June 1990 the first free elections took place, won by the moderate wing of the Communist Party (renamed the Bulgarian Socialist Party — BSP). In July 1991, the country adopted a new constitution that provided for a relatively weak elected President and for a Prime Minister accountable to the legislature, while economic planning was scrapped and private initiative was legalized. The new system eventually failed to improve both the living standards and create economic growth - the average quality of life and economic performance actually remained lower than in the times of communism well into the early 2000s.[47] A reform package introduced in 1997 restored positive economic growth, but led to rising social inequality. Bulgaria became a member of NATO in 2004 and of the European Union in 2007, and the US Library of Congress Federal Research Division reported it in 2006 as having generally good freedom of speech and human rights records.[48]

Geography

Main article: Geography of Bulgaria
A view of central Stara Planina
Kamchia river running through alluvial forests in the biosphere reserve of the same name
Plains in the northwest
The Black Sea, as seen from cape Kolokita near Sozopol

Geographically and in terms of climate, Bulgaria features notable diversity, with the landscape ranging from the Alpine snow-capped peaks in Rila, Pirin and the Balkan Mountains to the mild and sunny Black Sea coast; from the typically continental Danubian Plain (ancient Moesia) in the north to the strong Mediterranean climatic influence in the valleys of Macedonia and in the lowlands in the southernmost parts of Thrace.

Relief and natural resources

Bulgaria comprises portions of the separate regions known in classical times as Moesia, Thrace, and Macedonia. About 30% of the land are made up by plains, while plateaus and hills account for 41%.[49] The mountainous southwest of the country has two alpine ranges — Rila and Pirin — and further east stand the lower but more extensive Rhodope Mountains. The Rila range includes the highest peak of the Balkan Peninsula, Musala, at 2,925 metres (9,596 ft);[50] the Balkan mountain chain runs west-east through the middle of the country, north of the Rose Valley. Hilly country and plains lie to the southeast, along the Black Sea coast, and along Bulgaria's main river, the Danube, to the north. Strandzha forms the tallest mountain in the southeast. Few mountains and hills exist in the northeast region of Dobrudzha.

Bulgaria has large deposits of bauxite, copper, lead, zinc, bismuth and manganese. Smaller deposits exist of iron, gold, silver, uranium, chromite, nickel, and others. Bulgaria has abundant non-metalliferous minerals such as rock-salt, gypsum, kaolin and marble.

Hydrography

The country has a dense network of about 540 rivers, most of them — with the notable exception of the Danube — short and with low water-levels.[51] Most rivers flow through mountainous areas. The longest river located solely in Bulgarian territory, the Iskar, has a length of 368 km (229 mi). Other major rivers include the Struma and the Maritsa River in the south.

The Rila and Pirin mountain ranges feature around 260 glacial lakes; the country also has several large lakes on the Black Sea coast and more than 2,200 dam lakes. Of the many mineral springs, most rise in the south-western and central parts of the country along the faults between the mountains.

Climate and rainfall

Bulgaria overall has a temperate climate, with cold winters and hot summers. The barrier effect of the Balkan Mountains has some influence on climate throughout the country: northern Bulgaria experiences lower temperatures and receives more rain than the southern lowlands.

Precipitation in Bulgaria averages about 630 millimetres (24.8 in) per year.[52] In the lowlands rainfall varies between 500 and 800 mm (19.7 and 31.5 in), and in the mountain areas between 1,000 and 2,500 mm (39.4 and 98.4 in) of rain falls per year. Drier areas include Dobrudja and the northern coastal strip, while the higher parts of the Rila, Pirin, Rhodope Mountains, Stara Planina, Osogovska Mountain and Vitosha receive the highest levels of precipitation.

Government and military

Main articles: Politics of Bulgaria and Foreign relations of Bulgaria
Georgi Parvanov, current president and head of state of Bulgaria

Since 1991 Bulgaria has a democratic, unitary parliamentary republican constitution.

The National Assembly or Narodno Sabranie (Народно събрание) consists of 240 deputies, each elected for four-year terms by popular vote. The National Assembly has the power to enact laws, approve the budget, schedule presidential elections, select and dismiss the Prime Minister and other ministers, declare war, deploy troops abroad, and ratify international treaties and agreements. Boyko Borisov, leader of the centre-right party Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria, became prime minister on 27 July 2009.

The president serves as the head of state and commander-in-chief of the armed forces. While unable to initiate legislation other than constitutional amendments, the President can return a bill for further debate, although the parliament can override the President's veto by vote of a majority of all MPs.

Bulgaria became a member of the United Nations in 1955, and a founding member of OSCE in 1995. As a Consultative Party to the Antarctic Treaty, the country takes part in the administration of the territories situated south of 60° south latitude.[53][54] It joined NATO on 29 March 2004, signed the European Union Treaty of Accession on 25 April 2005,[55][56] and became a full member of the European Union on 1 January 2007.[57] Bulgaria elects 17 members to the European Parliament.[58]

Bulgaria has embassies in all European countries except Latvia and Iceland, as well as in 40 other countries, and hosts the embassies of 68 nations in its capital (see List of diplomatic missions of Bulgaria and List of diplomatic missions in Bulgaria).

A BAF MiG-29 at Graf Ignatievo Air Base

Military

Main article: Military of Bulgaria

The military of Bulgaria, an all-volunteer body, consists of three services – land forces, navy and air force. The country is a member of NATO and maintains a total of 645 troops deployed abroad.[59]

Following a series of reductions beginning in 1990, the active troops today number about 32,000,[60] down from 152,000 in 1988,[61] and are supplemented by a reserve force of 303,000 soldiers and officers and paramilitary forces, numbering 34,000.[62] The armed forces have an inventory including highly capable Soviet equipment, such as MiG-29 fighters, SA-6 Gainful and SA-10 Grumble SAMs and SS-21 Scarab short-range ballistic missiles. Military spending in 2009 cost $1.19 billion.[63]

In April 2006 Bulgaria and the United States of America signed a defence cooperation agreement providing for the usage of the air bases at Bezmer (near Yambol) and Graf Ignatievo (near Plovdiv), the Novo Selo training range (near Sliven), and a logistics centre in Aytos as joint military facilities. Foreign Policy magazine lists Bezmer Air Base as one of the six most important overseas facilities used by the USAF.[64]

Provinces and municipalities

Main articles: Provinces of Bulgaria and Municipalities of Bulgaria

Between 1987 and 1999 Bulgaria consisted of nine provinces (oblasti, singular oblast); since 1999, it has consisted of twenty-eight. All take their names from their respective capital cities:

The provinces subdivide into 264 municipalities.

Economy

Main article: Economy of Bulgaria
A view of Business Park Sofia, one of the new financial districts of the capital.
A sunflower field in Dobrudzha, one of the most fertile regions in Bulgaria

Bulgaria has an industrialised, open free-market economy, with a large, moderately advanced private sector and a number of strategic state-owned enterprises. The World Bank classifies it as an "upper-middle-income economy".[65] Bulgaria has experienced rapid economic growth in recent years, even though it continues to rank as the lowest-income member state of the EU. According to Eurostat data, Bulgarian PPS GDP per capita stood at 40 per cent of the EU average in 2008.[66]

In 2008, GDP (PPP) was estimated at $ 95,2 billion, with a per capita value of $13,100.[67] The economy relies primarily on industry, although the services sector increasingly contributes to GDP growth. Bulgaria produces a significant amount of manufactures and raw materials such as iron, copper, gold, bismuth, coal, electronics, refined petroleum fuels, vehicle components, weapons and construction materials. The total labor force amounts to 3.2 million people.[68]

Since a hyperinflation crisis in 1996/1997, inflation rates have fallen to 1.6% in 2009. The unemployment rate declined from more than 17% in the mid 1990s to nearly 7% in 2007, although in some rural areas it still continues in high double digits. Corruption in the public administration and a weak judiciary have also hampered Bulgaria's economic development.[69]

Amidst the Financial crisis of 2007–2010, unemployment rates remained relatively low at 6.3% for 2008, but increased to 9.1% in 2009. GDP growth in 2008 remained high (6.1%), but turned largely negative in 2009. The crisis had a negative impact mostly on industry, with a 10% decline in the national industrial production index, a 31% drop in mining, and a 60% drop in "ferrous and metal production".[70] The International Monetary Fund predicts a 0.2% overall growth for the Bulgarian economy in 2010, and 2% in 2011.[71]

Wind turbines near cape Kaliakra

Agriculture

Main article: Agriculture in Bulgaria

In contrast with the industrial sector, agriculture in Bulgaria has marked a decline since the beggining of the 2000s, with agricultural production in 2008 amounting to only 66% of that between 1999 and 2001.[72] Overall, Bulgaria's agricultural sector has dwindled since 1990, with cereal and vegetable yields dropping with nearly 40% by 1999.[73] A five-year modernization and development program was launched in 2007, which aims to strengthen the sector by investing a total of 3.2 billion euro.[74] Specialized equipment amounts to some 25,000 tractors and 5,500 combine harvesters, with a fleet of light aircraft.[75]

Bulgaria is a major producer of agricultural commodities such as anise (6th in the world), raspberries (13th) and tobacco (15th).[76]

Energy, industry and mining

Main articles: Energy in Bulgaria, List of power stations in Bulgaria, and Industry of Bulgaria

Although Bulgaria has relatively few reserves of natural fuels such as petroleum and natural gas, it produces significant amounts of metals and minerals, and its well-developed energy sector plays a crucial role throughout the Balkans. The country's strategic geographical location makes it a major hub for transit and distribution of oil and natural gas from Russia to Western Europe and to other Balkan states.

A copper mine near Panagyurishte. Bulgaria is one of the primary producers of industrial metals and minerals in Europe.

In addition, Bulgaria has an active nuclear industry for peaceful purposes. The only Bulgarian nuclear power plant operates in the vicinity of Kozloduy with two active 1,000 MW reactors, satisfying 34% of the country's energy needs.[77] Construction of a second nuclear power plant has started near Belene with a projected capacity of 2,000 MW. Thermal power plants (TPPs) provide a significant amount of energy, with most of the capacity concentrated in the Maritsa Iztok Complex.

Recent years have seen a steady increase in electricity production from renewable energy sources such as wind and solar power, although it still relies mostly on coal and nuclear powerplants.[78] Wind energy has large-scale prospects, with up to 3,400 MW of installed capacity potential.[79] As of 2009 Bulgaria operates more than 70 wind turbines with a total capacity of 112.6 MW, and plans to increase their number nearly threefold to reach a total capacity of 300 MW in 2010.[80]

Mining produces important exports and has become pivotal to the economy. In Europe, the country ranks as the 3rd-largest copper producer,[81] 6th-largest zinc producer,[82] and 9th-largest coal producer,[83] and is the 9th-largest bismuth producer in the world.[84] Ferrous metallurgy also has major importance. Much of the production of steel and pig iron takes place in Kremikovtsi, Pernik and Debelt. Large refineries for lead and zinc operate in Plovdiv, Kardzhali and Novi Iskar; for copper in Pirdop and for aluminium in Shumen. Bulgaria's largest mine, "Elatsite", extracts 13 million tonnes of ore annually, producing about 42,000 tonnes of copper, 1.6 tonnes of gold and 5.5 tonnes of silver.[85]

About 14% of the total industrial production relates to machine building, and 20% of the workforce is employed in this field.[86]

Tourism

Main article: Tourism in Bulgaria
A view of Rila mountain

In 2007 a total of 5,200,000 tourists visited Bulgaria.[87] Tourists from Greece, Romania and Germany account for 40% of visitors.[88] Significant numbers of British, Russian, Serbian, Polish and Danish tourists also visit Bulgaria.

Main destinations include the capital Sofia, coastal resorts like Albena, Sozopol, Nesebar, Golden Sands and Sunny Beach; and winter resorts such as Pamporovo, Chepelare, Borovetz and Bansko. The rural tourist destinations of Arbanasi and Bozhentsi offer well-preserved ethnographic traditions. Other popular attractions include the 10th century Rila Monastery and the 19th century Euxinograd château.

Science and technology

Main article: Science and technology in Bulgaria
Tower of the 200 cm (79 in) telescope at the Rozhen Observatory.

In 2008 Bulgaria spent 0.4% of its GDP on scientific research,[89] which represents one of the lowest scientific budgets in Europe.[90] Chronic underinvestment in the scientific sector since 1990 forced many scientific professionals to leave the country.[91] Despite its scientific decline, Bulgaria maintains its traditions in mathematics, astronomy, physics, nuclear technology and sciences-oriented education, has significant experience in medical and pharmaceutical research, and maintains a polar exploration program by means of an artificial satellite and a permanent research base. The Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (BAS) is the leading scientific institution in the country and employs most of Bulgaria's researchers in its numerous branches.

Bulgarian scientists have made several notable discoveries and inventions, such as the prototype of the digital watch (Peter Petroff), the first purpose-built aircraft bombs (Simeon Petrov); nivalin (Dimitar Paskov);[92][93] and the molecular-kinetic theory of crystal formation and growth (formulated by Ivan Stranski). With major-general Georgi Ivanov flying on Soyuz 33 in 1979, Bulgaria became the 6th country in the world to have an astronaut in space.[94]

Due to its large-scale computing technology exports to COMECON states, in the 1980s Bulgaria became known as the Silicon Valley of the Eastern Bloc.[95] The country ranked 8th in the world in 2002 by total number of ICT specialists, outperforming countries with far larger populations,[96] and it operates the only supercomputer in the Balkan region,[97] an IBM Blue Gene/P, which entered service in September 2008.[98]

Education and healthcare

Education

Main article: Education in Bulgaria

The Ministry of Education, Youth and Science oversees education in Bulgaria. All children aged between 7 and 16 must attend full-time education. Six-year olds can enroll at school at their parents' discretion. The State provides education in its schools free of charge, except for higher education establishments, colleges and universities. The curriculum focuses on eight main subject-areas[99] - Bulgarian language and literature, foreign languages, mathematics, information technologies, social sciences and civics, natural sciences and ecology, music and art, physical education and sports.

Sofia University's rectorate

Government estimates from 2003 put the literacy rate at 98.6 percent, approximately the same for both sexes. Traditionally, Bulgaria has had high educational standards,[99] and its students rate second in the world in terms of average SAT Reasoning Test scores and I.Q test scores according to MENSA International.[100]

Healthcare

Main article: Health in Bulgaria

Bulgaria has a universal, mostly state-funded healthcare system. An overall reform in the sector began in 1999: this has introduced mandatory health-insurance for employees through the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF), which since 2000 has paid a gradually increasing portion of the costs of primary health-care. Employees and employers pay an increasing, mandatory percentage of salaries, with the goal of gradually reducing state support of health care. Between 2002 and 2003, the number of hospital beds decreased by 56 percent, to 24,300. However, the pace of reduction slowed in the early 2000s; in 2004 some 258 hospitals remained in operation, compared with the government-estimated optimal number of 140. Between 2002 and 2004, health-care expenditures in the national budget increased from 3.8 percent to 4.3 percent, with the NHIF accounting for more than 60 percent of annual expenditures.[101] Bulgaria has several major hospitals and medical complexes, such as Pirogov Hospital and the Military Medical Academy of Sofia.

Infrastructure

Main articles: Transport in Bulgaria and Communications in Bulgaria
Trakiya motorway

Bulgaria occupies a unique and strategically important geographic location. Since ancient times, the country has served as a major crossroads between Europe, Asia and Africa. Five of the ten Trans-European corridors run through its territory.

An air traffic control radar on Golyam Rezen Peak, Vitosha

The national road network has a total length of 102,016 km (63,390 mi), 93,855 km (58,319 mi) of them paved and 441 km (274 mi) of them motorways. Planning or construction has started for several motorways: Trakiya, Hemus, Cherno more, Struma, Maritza and Lyulin. Bulgaria also has 6,500 km (4,000 mi) of railway track, more than 60% electrified, and plans to construct a high-speed railway by 2017, at a cost of €3 bln.[102][103]

Air travel has developed relatively comprehensively. Bulgaria has six official international airports  — at Sofia, Burgas, Varna, Plovdiv, Rousse and Gorna Oryahovitsa, as well as many other military and agricultural airfields. Bulgaria has 213 airports, 128 of them paved.

The most important shipping ports by far, Varna and Burgas, have the largest turnover. Burgas, Sozopol, Nesebar and Pomorie support large fishing fleets. Large ports on the Danube River include Rousse and Lom (which serves the capital).

Bulgaria has a well-developed communications network (despite a somewhat antiquated fixed-line telephone system), with extensive Internet and cellular communications. The years after 2000 saw a rapid increase in the number of Internet users: in 2000, they numbered 430,000, in 2004 – 1,545,100, in 2006 – 2.2 million, and in 2008 - 2.7 million.[104] The population of 7.6 million people uses some 11 million mobile phones.[105]

Demographics

Main articles: Demographics of Bulgaria and Demographic history of Bulgaria

The National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria estimates the country's population for 2009 at 7,606,000 people. According to the 2001 census,[106] it consists mainly of ethnic Bulgarians (83.9%), with two sizable minorities, Turks (9.4%) and Roma (4.7%).[107] Of the remaining 2.0%, 0.9% comprises some 40 smaller minorities, while 1.1% of the population have not declared their ethnicity. Most of the population (71%) resides in urban areas.[108]

A small church in Senokos

Bulgaria has one of the lowest population growth rates in the world.[109] Negative population growth has occurred since the early 1990s,[110] due to economic collapse, a low birth rate, and high emigration. In 1989 the population comprised 9,009,018 people, gradually falling to 7,950,000 in 2001 and 7,606,000 in 2009.[3]

Languages

Bulgarian is the only official language; it belongs to the group of South Slavic languages. According to the 2001 census, Bulgarian is spoken by 84.46% of the population - some 6,700,000 people.[111] The remaining 15.54% consist of minority languages such as Turkish, Roma, Russian and Armenian.

Religion

Main article: Religion in Bulgaria

Most Bulgarians (82.6%) belong, at least nominally, to the Bulgarian Orthodox Church. Founded in 870 AD under the Patriarchate of Constantinople, it had autocephalous status since 927 AD,[112][113] making it the earliest Slavic Orthodox Church.[114][115] Other religious denominations include Islam (12.2%), various Protestant denominations (0.8%) and Roman Catholicism (0.5%); with other Christian denominations (0.2%), and "other" totalling approximately 4%, according to the 2001 census.[116] Bulgaria regards itself officially as a secular state. The Constitution guarantees the free exercise of religion, but appoints Orthodoxy as "a traditional" religion.[117]

Largest cities

Main article: List of cities and towns in Bulgaria

Bulgaria's 20 largest cities have populations as follows:[118]

 
Largest cities or towns in Bulgaria
2021 Census[119]
Rank Name Province Pop. Rank Name Province Pop.
1 Sofia Sofia-Capital 1,190,256 11 Pernik Pernik 66,991
2 Plovdiv Plovdiv 321,824 12 Haskovo Haskovo 64,564
3 Varna Varna 311,093 13 Blagoevgrad Blagoevgrad 62,810
4 Burgas Burgas 188,242 14 Yambol Yambol 60,641
5 Ruse Ruse 123,134 15 Veliko Tarnovo Veliko Tarnovo 59,166
6 Stara Zagora Stara Zagora 121,582 16 Pazardzhik Pazardzhik 55,220
7 Pleven Pleven 90,209 17 Vratsa Vratsa 49,569
8 Sliven Sliven 79,362 18 Asenovgrad Plovdiv 45,474
9 Dobrich Dobrich 71,947 19 Gabrovo Gabrovo 44,786
10 Shumen Shumen 67,300 20 Kazanlak Kazanlak 41,768

Culture

Main article: Culture of Bulgaria
See also: List of famous Bulgarians and Bulgarian customs
The National Gallery of Foreign Art, housing numerous examples of European, Asian and African art

A number of ancient civilizations, most notably the Thracians, Greeks, Romans, Slavs, and Bulgars, have left their mark on the culture, history and heritage of Bulgaria.[120] Thracian artifacts include numerous tombs and golden treasures. The country's territory includes parts of the Roman provinces of Moesia, Thrace and Macedonia, and many of the archaeological discoveries date back to Roman times, while ancient Bulgars have also left traces of their heritage in music and in early architecture. Both the First and the Second Bulgarian empires functioned as the hub of Slavic culture during much of the Middle Ages, exerting considerable literary and cultural influence over the Eastern Orthodox Slavic world by means of the Preslav and Ohrid Literary Schools. The Cyrillic alphabet, used as a writing system to many languages in Eastern Europe and Asia, originated in the former around the 9th century AD.[121]

An ancient theater in Plovdiv. Plovdiv is the 6th oldest settlement in the world, continuously inhabited since at least 3,000 BC.[122]

A historical artifact of major importance is the oldest treasure of worked gold in the world, dating back to the 5th millennium BC, coming from the site of the Varna Necropolis.[123][124]

World Heritage Sites

Main article: UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Bulgaria

Bulgaria has nine UNESCO World Heritage Sites: the Madara Rider, the Thracian tombs in Sveshtari and Kazanlak, the Boyana Church, the Rila Monastery, the Rock-hewn Churches of Ivanovo, Pirin National Park, Sreburna Nature Reserve and the ancient city of Nesebar.

Art, music and literature

Main articles: Bulgarian artists, Music of Bulgaria, and Bulgarian literature
Bulgarian Symbolist poet Peyo Yavorov

The country has a long-standing musical tradition, traceable back to the early Middle Ages. Yoan Kukuzel (ca. 1280–1360) became one of the earliest known composers of Medieval Europe. National folk music has a distinctive sound and uses a wide range of traditional instruments, such as gudulka (гъдулка), gaida (гайда) – bagpipe, kaval (кавал) and tupan (тъпан). Bulgarian classical music is represented by composers such as Emanuil Manolov, Pancho Vladigerov, Marin Goleminov and Georgi Atanasov, opera singers Boris Hristov and Raina Kabaivanska, and pianists Alexis Weissenberg and Vesselin Stanev.

Bulgaria has a rich religious visual arts heritage, especially in frescoes, murals and icons, many of them produced by the medieval Tarnovo Artistic School.[125]

One of the earliest pieces of Slavic literature were created in Medieval Bulgaria, such as The Didactic Gospel by Constantine of Preslav and An Account of Letters by Chernorizets Hrabar, both written circa 893. Notable modern Bulgarian authors include late Romantic Ivan Vazov, Symbolists Pencho Slaveykov and Peyo Yavorov, Expressionist Geo Milev, science fiction writer Pavel Vezhinov, among others.

Cuisine

Main article: Bulgarian cuisine

Yogurt (кисело мляко kiselo mlyako), lukanka (луканка), banitsa (баница), shopska salad (шопска салата), lyutenitsa (лютеница), sirene (сирене) and kozunak (козунак) give Bulgaria a distinctive cuisine. Exports of Bulgarian wine go worldwide, and until 1990 the country exported the world's second-largest total of bottled wine. As of 2007, 200,000 tonnes of wine were produced annually,[126] the 20th largest total in the world.[127] Bulgaria also produces large amounts of beer and rakia.

Sports

Main articles: Sport in Bulgaria, Football in Bulgaria, Bulgaria at the Olympics, and Bulgaria men's national volleyball team
Sumo wrestler Kotoōshū (Kaloyan Mahlyanov), the first European to receive the Emperor's Cup (May 2008).

Bulgaria performs well in sports such as volleyball, wrestling, weight-lifting, shooting sports, gymnastics, chess, and recently, sumo wrestling and tennis. The country fields one of the leading men's volleyball teams in Europe and in the world, ranked 6th in the world according to the 2010 FIVB rankings.[128]

Football has become by far the most popular sport in the country. Dimitar Berbatov (Димитър Бербатов) is one of the most famous Bulgarian football players of the 21st century, while Hristo Stoichkov, twice winner of the European Golden Shoe, is the most successful Bulgarian player of all time.[129][130] Prominent domestic football clubs include PFC CSKA Sofia[131][132] and PFC Levski Sofia. Bulgaria's best performance at World Cup finals came in 1994, with a 4th place.

Bulgaria participates both in the Summer and Winter Olympics, and its first Olympic appearance dates back to the first modern Olympic games in 1896, represented by Swiss gymnast Charles Champaud. Since then the country has appeared in most Summer Olympiads, and by 2010 had won a total of 218 medals: 52 gold, 86 silver, and 80 bronze, which puts it at 24th place in the all-time ranking.

International rankings

Organization Survey Ranking
Institute for Economics and Peace Global Peace Index[133] 56 out of 144
United Nations Development Programme Human Development Index 61 out of 182
Transparency International Corruption Perceptions Index 71 out of 180
World Economic Forum Global Competitiveness Report 76 out of 133
Foreign Policy Globalization Index 36 out of 122

See also

Main article: Outline of Bulgaria

Notes

  1. ^ Census 2001, Population by Districts and Ethnic Groups as of 01.03.2001
  2. ^ "Bulgaria (07/08)". State.gov. Retrieved 2009-01-02.
  3. ^ a b information source – NSI population table as of 31.12.2008
  4. ^ a b c d "Bulgaria". International Monetary Fund. Retrieved 2010-04-21.
  5. ^ "Population table by permanent and present address" (in Bulgarian). Head Direction of Residential Registration and Administrative Service. Retrieved 2010-01-15.
  6. ^ Human Resource Development Centre. "Bulgaria in the European Union" (PDF). Sofia: EuroGuidance. p. 6. Retrieved 2010-04-26. [..] Bulgaria, the cultural center of the medieval Slavs[...] {{cite web}}: More than one of |pages= and |page= specified (help)
  7. ^ Crampton, R.J., Bulgaria, 2007, pp.174, Oxford University Press
  8. ^ Human development index trends, Human development indices by the United Nations. Retrieved on October 5, 2009
  9. ^ Bulgaria country report for 2008, freedomhouse.org
  10. ^ a b c s:1911 Encyclopædia Britannica/Bulgaria/History
  11. ^ a b c d e "Bulgaria". Encyclopædia Britannica.
  12. ^ Runciman, p. 26
  13. ^ Mikulčik, Ivan (1996). Srednovekovni gradovi i tvrdini vo Makedonija. Македонска цивилизациjа [Macedonian civilization] (in Macedonian). Skopje: Makedonska akademija na naukite i umetnostite. p. 391. ISBN 9989649081. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)
  14. ^ C. de Boor (ed), Theophanis chronographia, vol. 1. Leipzig: Teubner, 1883 (repr. Hildesheim: Olms, 1963), 397, 25–30 (AM 6209)"φασί δε τινές ότι και ανθρώπους τεθνεώτας και την εαυτών κόπρον εις τα κλίβανα βάλλοντες και ζυμούντες ήσθιον. ενέσκηψε δε εις αυτούς και λοιμική νόσος και αναρίθμητα πλήθη εξ αυτών ώλεσεν. συνήψε δε προς αυτούς πόλεμον και τον των Βουλγάρων έθνος, και, ως φασίν οι ακριβώς επιστάμενοι, [ότι] κβ χιλάδας Αράβων κατέσφαξαν."
  15. ^ Runciman, p. 52
  16. ^ s:Chronographia/Chapter 61
  17. ^ Georgius Monachus Continuatus, loc. cit. [work not previously referenced], Logomete
  18. ^ Vita S. démentis
  19. ^ Fine, The Early Medieval Balkans, pp. 144–148.
  20. ^ Bojidar Dimitrov: Bulgaria Illustrated History. BORIANA Publishing House 2002, ISBN 9545000449
  21. ^ Theophanes Continuatus, pp. 462—3, 480
  22. ^ Cedrenus: II, p. 383
  23. ^ Leo Diaconus, pp. 158–9
  24. ^ Шишић [Šišić], p. 331
  25. ^ a b Skylitzes, p. 457
  26. ^ Zlatarski, vol. II, pp. 1–41
  27. ^ Averil Cameron, The Byzantines, Blackwell Publishing (2006), p. 170
  28. ^ Jiriček, p.295
  29. ^ Jiriček, p. 382
  30. ^ Lord Kinross, The Ottoman Centuries, Morrow QuillPaperback Edition, 1979
  31. ^ R.J. Crampton, A Concise History of Bulgaria, 1997, Cambridge University Press, ISBN 0-521-567-19-X
  32. ^ D. Hupchick, The Balkans, 2002
  33. ^ Schurman, Jacob Gould (2005) [1916]. The Balkan Wars: 1912-1913 (2 ed.). Cosimo. p. 140. ISBN 9781596051768. Retrieved 20`0-03-17. There is historic justice in the circumstance that the Turkish Empire in Europe met its doom at the hands of the Balkan nations themselves. For these nationalities had been completely submerged and even their national consciousness annihilated under centuries of Moslem intolerance, misgovernment, oppression, and cruelty. [...] none suffered worse than Bulgaria, which lay nearest to the capital of the Mohammedan conqueror. {{cite book}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |month= (help)
  34. ^ "Bulgaria". Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica Online. 2010. Retrieved 2010-03-17. The Bulgarian nobility was destroyed - its members either perished, fled, or accepted Islam and Turkicization - and the peasantry was enserfed to Turkish masters.
  35. ^ Crampton, R.J. Bulgaria 1878–1918, p.2. East European Monographs, 1983. ISBN 0880330295.[need quotation to verify]
  36. ^ Jireček, K. J. (1876). Geschichte der Bulgaren (in German). Nachdr. d. Ausg. Prag 1876, Hildesheim, New York : Olms 1977. ISBN 3-487-06408-1.
  37. ^ Dillon, Emile Joseph (1920) [1920]. "XV". The Inside Story of the Peace Conference. New York: Harper. Retrieved 2009-06-15. The territorial changes which the Prussia of the Balkans was condemned to undergo are neither very considerable nor unjust. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |trans_title= (help); Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
  38. ^ Балабанов, А. И аз на тоя свят. Спомени от разни времена. С., 1983, с. 72, 361
  39. ^ Bulgaria in World War II : The Passive Alliance, Library of Congress
  40. ^ Bulgaria: Wartime Crisis, Library of Congress
  41. ^ William Marsteller. "The Economy". Bulgaria country study (Glenn E. Curtis, editor). Library of Congress Federal Research Division (June 1992)
  42. ^ Domestic policy and its results, Library of Congress
  43. ^ The Political Atmosphere in the 1970s, Library of Congress
  44. ^ Bohlen, Celestine (1991-10-17). Bulgaria "Vote Gives Key Role to Ethnic Turks". The New York Times. Retrieved 2009-07-15. ... in the 1980's [...] the Communist leader, Todor Zhivkov, began a campaign of cultural assimilation that forced ethnic Turks to adopt Slavic names, closed their mosques and prayer houses and suppressed any attempts at protest. One result was the mass exodus of more than 300,000 ethnic Turks to neighboring Turkey in 1989 ... {{cite news}}: Check |url= value (help); Cite has empty unknown parameters: |trans_title=, |month=, and |coauthors= (help)
  45. ^ Cracks show in Bulgaria's Muslim ethnic model. Reuters. May 31, 2009.
  46. ^ "1990 CIA World Factbook". Central Intelligence Agency. Retrieved 2010-02-07.
  47. ^ Разрушителният български преход, October 1, 2007, Le Monde Diplomatique (Bulgarian edition)
  48. ^ Library of Congress – Federal Research Division (2006). "Country Profile: Bulgaria" (PDF). Library of Congress. p. 18, 23. Retrieved 2009-09-04. Mass Media: In 2006 Bulgaria's print and broadcast media generally were considered unbiased, although the government dominated broadcasting through the state-owned Bulgarian National Television (BNT) and Bulgarian National Radio (BNR) and print news dissemination through the largest press agency, the Bulgarian Telegraph Agency. [...]Human Rights: In the early 2000s, Bulgaria generally has been rated highly on the issue of human rights. However, some exceptions exist. Although the media have a record of unbiased reporting, Bulgaria's lack of specific legislation protecting the media from state interference is a theoretical weakness. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
  49. ^ Topography, Library of Congress.
  50. ^ "Мусала". Българска енциклопедия А-Я (in Bulgarian). БАН, Труд, Сирма. 2002. ISBN 9548104083. OCLC 163361648.
  51. ^ Donchev, D. (2004). Geography of Bulgaria (in Bulgarian). Sofia: ciela. p. 68. ISBN 954–649–717–7. {{cite book}}: Check |isbn= value: invalid character (help)
  52. ^ Climate, Library of Congress.
  53. ^ The Antarctic Treaty system: An introduction. Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR).
  54. ^ Signatories to the Antarctic Treaty. Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR).
  55. ^ "NATO Update: Seven new members join NATO". 2004-03-29. Retrieved 2008-11-02.
  56. ^ "European Commission Enlargement Archives: Treaty of Accession of Bulgaria and Romania". 2005-04-25. Retrieved 2008-11-02.
  57. ^ Bos, Stefan (1 January 2007). "Bulgaria, Romania Join European Union". VOA News. Voice of America. Retrieved 2 January 2009. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  58. ^ "Results of the 2009 European elections > Bulgaria". Retrieved 2009-06-21.]
  59. ^ See Military of Bulgaria#Deployments
  60. ^ Армията все по-уверено се движи към численост 24 000, mediapool.bg, 26 May 2010
  61. ^ Bulgaria - Military Personnel
  62. ^ Bulgarian Armed Forces
  63. ^ Official Military Expenditures List
  64. ^ The List: The Six Most Important U.S. Military Bases, FP, May 2006
  65. ^ "World Bank: Data and Statistics: Country Groups". The World Bank Group. 2008. Retrieved 2008-07-27. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  66. ^ "GDP per capita in PPS" (PDF). Eurostat. Retrieved 2009-06-25.
  67. ^ CIA, Bulgaria entry
  68. ^ Labor force rank list, CIA The World Factbook.
  69. ^ AFP News Briefs (2008-03-28). "Barroso slams Bulgaria's rampant corruption". France 24. AFP. Retrieved 2008-10-15. "High-level corruption and organised crime have no place in the European Union and cannot be tolerated," Barroso said after talks with Prime Minister Sergey Stanishev... Barroso arrived on a one-day visit to Sofia on Friday amid a high-level corruption scandal that has shaken Stanishev's centre-left government... Bulgaria joined the European Union in 2007 but continues to face strong criticism from Brussels for failing to root out high-level corruption and put well-known criminal bosses behind bars. Corruption concerns also prompted Brussels recently to partly freeze pre-accession subsidy payments of at least 450 million euros still due to the EU newcomer. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help); line feed character in |quote= at position 505 (help)
  70. ^ Economist: financial crisis brewed by U.S. market fundamentalism , Xinhua, March 12, 2009
  71. ^ Bulgaria and the IMF, Index
  72. ^ [http://data.un.org/CountryProfile.aspx?crName=Bulgaria#Economic Bulgaria - Economic Summary, UNData, United Nations.
  73. ^ Bulgaria - Natural conditions, farming traditions and agricultural structures, Food and Agriculture Organization.
  74. ^ Еврокомисията наля 388 млн. лв. по сметките на фонд "Земеделие", dnes.bg, 05.02.2010
  75. ^ Bulgaria - Agriculture, nationsencyclopedia.com
  76. ^ FAO – Bulgaria country rank
  77. ^ За централата. "АЕЦ Козлодуй" ЕАД.
  78. ^ EU Energy factsheet about Bulgaria
  79. ^ Bulgaria Renewable Energy Fact Sheet (EU)
  80. ^ 2010 г.: 300 мегавата мощности от вятърни централи, profit.bg, June 28, 2009
  81. ^ See List of countries by copper mine production
  82. ^ See List of countries by zinc production
  83. ^ See List of countries by coal production.
  84. ^ See List of countries by bismuth production
  85. ^ Елаците-Мед АД, Geotechmin group
  86. ^ Geography of machine building in Bulgaria Factsheet
  87. ^ See World Tourism rankings
  88. ^ Statistics from the Bulgarian Tourism Agency
  89. ^ Кабинетът одобри бюджета за 2008 г., Вести.бг
  90. ^ "Research and development expenditure". Eurostat.
  91. ^ Шопов, В. Влиянието на Европейското научно пространство върху проблема “Изтичане на мозъци” в балканските страни, сп. Наука, бр.1, 2007
  92. ^ Heinrich, M. and H.L. Teoh (2004) Galanthamine from snowdrop – the development of a modern drug against Alzheimer's disease from local Caucasian knowledge. Journal of Ethnopharmacology 92: 147 – 162. (doi:10.1016/j.jep.2004.02.012)
  93. ^ Scott LJ, Goa KL. Adis Review: Galantamine: a review of its use in Alzheimer's disease. Drugs 2000;60(5):1095-122 PMID 11129124
  94. ^ See Timeline of space travel by nationality
  95. ^ IT Services: Rila Establishes Bulgarian Beachhead in UK, findarticles.com, June 24, 1999
  96. ^ www.OutourcingMonitor.EU (2006-08-06). "Bulgaria- Eastern Europe's Newest Hot Spot | Offshoring Business Intelligence & Tools | EU Out-Sourcing Specialists Platform | German Market-Entry offshoring Vendor Services". Outsourcingmonitor.eu. Retrieved 2010-04-15.
  97. ^ БАН вече разполага със суперкомпютър без аналог на Балканите
  98. ^ Вече си имаме и суперкомпютър, Dir.bg, 9 September 2008
  99. ^ a b "Country Profile: Bulgaria." Library of Congress Country Studies Program. October 2006. p6. http://lcweb2.loc.gov/frd/cs/profiles/Bulgaria.pdf
  100. ^ [1]
  101. ^ Bulgaria country profile. Library of Congress Federal Research Division (October 2006). This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  102. ^ Влак-стрела ще минава през Ботевград до 2017 г.
  103. ^ Железопътната линия Видин-София ще бъде модернизирана до 2017 г., investor.bg, 13.11.2008
  104. ^ Bulgaria Internet Usage Stats and Market Report
  105. ^ Cellphone number ranks
  106. ^ National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria. Retrieved 31 July 2006.
  107. ^ The Ministry of Interior estimates various numbers (between 600,000 and 750,000) of Roma in Bulgaria; nearly half of Roma traditionally self-identify ethnically as Turkish or Bulgarian.
  108. ^ "CIA - The World Factbook - Bulgaria". CIA. 2010-05-07.
  109. ^ "CIA - The World Factbook = Population Growth Rate Rankings". CIA. 2010-05-07.
  110. ^ "Will EU Entry Shrink Bulgaria's Population Even More? | Europe | Deutsche Welle | 26.12.2006". Dw-world.de. Retrieved 2009-01-02.
  111. ^ Cultrual Policies and Trends in Europe. "Population by ethnic group and mother tongue, 2001". Retrieved 2008-12-02.
  112. ^ [2] Kiminas, D. (2009). The Ecumenical Patriarchate. Wildside Press LLC. p. 15
  113. ^ [3] GENOV, R., & KALKANDJIEVA, D. (2007). Religion and Irreligion in Bulgaria: How Religious Are the Bulgarians? Religion and power in Europe: conflict and convergence, 257.
  114. ^ Bulgarian Orthodox Church
  115. ^ Religious beliefs in Bulgaria
  116. ^ Compare CIA. "[[CIA World Factbook|The world factbook]]: Field listing: Religions". CIA World Factbook. Retrieved 2010-01-31. Bulgarian Orthodox 82.6%, Muslim 12.2%, other Christian 1.2%, other 4% (2001 census) {{cite web}}: URL–wikilink conflict (help)
  117. ^ The Bulgarian Constitution
  118. ^ Head Direction of Residential Registration and Administrative Service. Population table by permanent and present address as of 15 March 2008.
  119. ^ https://nsi.bg/bg/content/2981/%D0%BD%D0%B0%D1%81%D0%B5%D0%BB%D0%B5%D0%BD%D0%B8%D0%B5-%D0%BF%D0%BE-%D0%B3%D1%80%D0%B0%D0%B4%D0%BE%D0%B2%D0%B5-%D0%B8-%D0%BF%D0%BE%D0%BB
  120. ^ Bulgaria's Gold Rush, National Geographic Magazine, December 2006.
  121. ^ Paul Cubberley (1996) "The Slavic Alphabets". In Daniels and Bright, eds. The World's Writing Systems. Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-507993-0.
  122. ^ The World's Oldest Cities, The Telegraph
  123. ^ New perspectives on the Varna cemetery (Bulgaria), By: Higham, Tom; Chapman, John; Slavchev, Vladimir; Gaydarska, Bisserka; Honch, Noah; Yordanov, Yordan; Dimitrova, Branimira; September 1, 2007
  124. ^ "The Thracian tomb in Kazanluk". Digsys.bg. Retrieved 2009-01-02.
  125. ^ Graba, A. La peinture religiouse en Bulgarie, Paris, 1928, p. 95
  126. ^ "Руснаците купиха 81 милиона литра българско вино". Investor.bg. Retrieved 2010-04-15.
  127. ^ See List of wine-producing countries
  128. ^ FIVB official rankings as per January 15, 2009
  129. ^ Hristo Stoichkov – Bulgarian League Ambassador, Professional Football Against Hunger
  130. ^ Hristo Stoichkov: For sure Barcelona will win tonight, news.bg, 27.05.2009
  131. ^ Rankings of A Group
  132. ^ Best club of 20th century ranking at the official site of the International Federation of Football History and Statistics
  133. ^ "Vision of Humanity". Vision of Humanity. Retrieved 2010-02-04.

Further reading

  • Jiriček, Constantin Josef (2008). History of the Bulgarians (Geschichte der Bulgaren) (in German). Frankfurt: Textor Verlag GmbH, digital facsimile of the book published in Prague, 1878. pp. 587 pages. ISBN 3-938402-11-3.
  • Miller-Yianni, M. P. Simple Treasures in Bulgaria (2008) UK; Lulu Inc. ISBN 9780955984907
  • Crampton, R. J. A Concise History of Bulgaria (2005) Cambridge, UK; New York: Cambridge University Press ISBN 9780521616379
  • Detrez, Raymond Historical Dictionary of Bulgaria (2006) Second Edition lxiv + 638 pp. Maps, bibliography, appendix, chronology ISBN 978-0-8108-4901-3
  • Lampe, John R., and Marvin R. Jackson Balkan Economic History, 1550–1950: From Imperial Borderlands to Developing Nations (1982)
  • Lampe, John R. The Bulgarian Economy in the Twentieth Century (1986) London: Croom Helm ISBN 0709916442
  • Monroe, W. S. "Bulgaria and her people, with an account of the Balkan wars, Macedonia, and the Macedonian Bulgars (1914)"
  • Fox, Frank, Sir Bulgaria (1915) London: A. and C. Black, Ltd., book scanned by Project Gutenberg
  • Hall, Richard C. Bulgaria's Road to the First World War (1996) New York: Columbia University Press ISBN 088033357X
  • MacDermott, Mercia (1962). A History of Bulgaria, 1393–1885. London: Allen & Unwin.
  • Perry, Duncan M. Stefan Stambolov and the Emergence of Modern Bulgaria, 1870–1895 (1993) Durham: Duke University Press ISBN 0822313138
  • Runciman, Steven (1930). A History of the First Bulgarian Empire. G. Bell & Sons, London.
  • Zlatarski, Vasil N. (1934). "Prof. Dr". Medieval History of the Bulgarian State (in Bulgarian). Royal Printing House, Sofia. Retrieved 2007-08-05. (Васил Н. Златарски, История на българската държава през средните векове, Част II, II изд., Наука и изкуство, София 1970)
  • Bar-Zohar, Michael Beyond Hitler's Grasp: The Heroic Rescue of Bulgaria's Jews
  • Groueff, Stephane Crown of Thorns: The Reign of King Boris III of Bulgaria, 1918–1943
  • Todorov, Tzvetan The fragility of goodness: why Bulgaria’s Jews survived the Holocaust: a collection of texts with commentary (2001) Princeton: Princeton University Press ISBN 0691088322
  • Todorov, Tzvetan Voices from the Gulag: Life and Death in Communist Bulgaria
  • Dimitrova, Alexenia The Iron Fist — Inside the Bulgarian secret archives
  • Bell, John D., ed. (1998). Bulgaria in Transition: Politics, Economics, Society, and Culture after Communism. Westview. ISBN 978-0813390109
  • Ghodsee, Kristen (2005). The Red Riviera: Gender, Tourism and Postsocialism on the Black Sea. Durham: Duke University Press. ISBN 978-0-8223-3662-4.
  • Ghodsee, Kristen (2009). Muslim Lives in Eastern Europe: Gender, Ethnicity and the Transformation of Islam in Postsocialist Bulgaria. Princeton: Princeton University Press. ISBN 978-0-691-13955-5.
  • Stepanov, Tsvetelin (2010). The Bulgars and the steppe empire in the early Middle Ages : the problem of the others. East Central and Eastern Europe in the Middle Ages, 450-1450. Vol. 8. Leiden: Brill. ISBN 9789004180017.

Guide-books

  • Annie Kay Bradt Guide: Bulgaria
  • Paul Greenway Lonely Planet World Guide: Bulgaria
  • Pettifer, James Blue Guide: Bulgaria
  • Timothy Rice Music of Bulgaria
  • Jonathan Bousfield The Rough Guide To Bulgaria
Government
General information

Wikimedia Atlas of Bulgaria

Travel
Art

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