Republic of Bulgaria

Република

България  (Bulgarian)

Republika Bǎlgariya

Flag Coat of arms

Motto: 

Съединението прави силата (Bulgarian)

"Sǎedinenieto pravisilata"  (transliteration)

"Unity makes strength"

Anthem: Мила Родино  (Bulgarian)

Mila Rodino  (transliteration)

Dear Motherland

Capitaland largest city

Sofia42°41′N23°19′E

Official languages Bulgarian

Official script Cyrillic

Ethnic groups(2011)

84.8% Bulgarians,8.8% Turks, 4.9%Romani, 0.7%others[note 1]

Demonym Bulgarian

Government Unitaryparliamentaryconstitutionalrepublic

Bulgaria

Bulgaria (/bʌlˈɡɛəriə, bʊl-/ ( listen); Bulgarian: България, tr .

Bǎlgariya), officially the Republic of Bulgaria (Bulgarian:

Република България, tr . Republika Bǎlgariya, IPA : [rɛˈpublikɐ bɐɫ

ˈɡarijɐ]), is a country in southeastern Europe. It is bordered by

Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and

Turkey to the south, and the Black Sea to the east. The capital and

largest city is Sofia; other major cities are Plovdiv, Varna and Burgas.

With a territory of 110,994 square kilometres (42,855 sq mi), Bulgaria

is Europe's 16th-largest country.

During the Neolithic period, organized prehistoric cultures appeared

in the lands that would one day become Bulgaria. In Antiquity (6th–

3rd century BC), the region became a battleground for Thracians,

Persians, Celts and Macedonian Greeks until it was conquered by the

Roman Empire in 45 AD. The Eastern Roman, or Byzantine, Empire

lost some of these territories to an invading Bulgar horde in the late

7 th century. The Bulgars then founded the first unified Bulgarian state

in 681 AD which dominated most of the Balkans and functioned as a

cultural hub for Slavs during the Middle Ages. The First Bulgarian

Empire lasted until the early 11th century, when Byzantine emperor

Basil II conquered and dismantled it. A successful Bulgarian revolt in

1185 established a Second Bulgarian Empire which reached its apex

under Ivan Asen II (1218–1241). After numerous exhausting wars and

feudal strife, the Second Bulgarian Empire disintegrated in 1396 and its

territories fell under Ottoman rule for nearly five centuries. The Russo-

Turkish War of 187 7 –7 8 resulted in the formation of the current Third

Bulgarian State. Many ethnic Bulgarian populations were left outside

its borders, which led to several conflicts with its neighbours and an

alliance with Germany in both world wars. In 1946 Bulgaria became a

one-party socialist state and part of the Soviet-led Eastern Bloc. The

ruling Communist Party gave up its monopoly on power after the

Revolutions of 1989 and allowed multi-party elections. Bulgaria then

transitioned into a democracy and a market-based economy.

Since the adoption of a democratic constitution in 1991, Bulgaria has

functioned as a unitary parliamentary republic with a high degree of

political, administrative, and economic centralisation. Most

commercial and administrative activities are concentrated in its

capital and largest city of Sofia. The predominantly urbanized

population of seven million people mainly inhabits the primary cities

of the 28 provinces. Bulgaria's market economy is part of the European

Single Market and is largely based on services, agriculture, and a

sizeable industrial sector focused on mining and machine building.

Bulgaria is a member of the European Union, NATO, and the Council of

Europe; it is a founding state of the Organization for Security and Co-

operation in Europe (OSCE) and has taken a seat at the UN Security

Coor din a tes: 4 2 °4 5 ′N 2 5 °3 0′E

Location of  Bulgaria  (dark green)– in Europe  (green & dark grey)– in the European Union  (green)  –  [Legend]

• President Rumen Radev

• Prime Minister Boyko Borisov

Legislature National Assembly

Formation

• First BulgarianEmpire

681–1018

• Second BulgarianEmpire

1185–1396

• Principality ofBulgaria

3 March1878[note 2]

• Declaration ofIndependencefrom theOttoman Empire

5 October1908[note 3]

Area

• Total 110,993.6[1] km2

(42,854.9 sq mi)(103rd)

• Water (%) 0.3

Population

• 31 December2017 estimate

7,050,034[2]

(103rd)

• Density 64/km2

(165.8/sq mi)(155th)

GDP (PPP) 2017 estimate

• Total $152.374 billion[3]

(76th)

• Per capita $21,578 (62nd)

GDP (nominal) 2017 estimate

• Total $55.954 billion[3]

(81st)

• Per capita $7,924 (75th)

Gini (2017)  40.2[4]

medium

HDI (2016)  0.794[5]

high · 56th

Currency Lev (BGN)

Time zone EET (UTC+2)

• Summer (DST) EEST (UTC+3)

Drives on the right

Calling code +359

ISO 3166 code BG

Internet TLD .bg

Council three times. It is also notable for its biodiversity , its

achievements in sports and science, and its historical influence on

Slavic cultures through its Medieval literary schools and the Cyrillic

script. However, it continues to struggle with crippling corruption and

severe demographic decline.

Etymology

HistoryPrehistory and antiquity

First Bulgarian Empire

Second Bulgarian Empire

Ottoman rule

Third Bulgarian state

GeographyBiodiversity and environment

Polit icsLegal system

Administrative divisions

Foreign relations and security

EconomySectors

Science and technology

Infrastructure

Demographics

CultureSports

See also

Footnotes

References

Bibl iography

External l inks

The name Bulgaria is derived from the Bulgars, a tribe of Turkic origin

that established the country. Their name is not completely understood

and difficult to trace back earlier than the 4th century AD,[6] but it is

possibly derived from the Proto-Turkic word bulģha ("to mix", "shake",

"stir") and its derivative bulgak ("revolt", "disorder").[7] The meaning

may be further extended to "rebel", "incite" or "produce a state of

disorder", i.e. the "disturbers".[8][9][10] "To mix" or "of mixed stock" is a

disputed interpretation of the word referring to the supposed mixing

of the Oghurs and the Huns that initiated the Bulgars' ethnogenesis.[11]

Such mixing, however, may have occurred earlier. Scholar Sanping Chen has noted analogous groups in Inner Asia,

with phonologically similar names, who were frequently described in similar terms: during the 4th century, the

Buluoji, a component of the "Five Barbarian" groups in Ancient China, were portrayed as both a "mixed race" and

"troublemakers".[12] Another suggested etymology of Bulgar is a derivation from a compound of the Proto-Turkic bel

("five") and gur ("arrow" in the sense of "tribe"), a proposed division within the Utigurs or Onogurs ("ten tribes").[13]

Contents

Etymology

Human activity in the lands of modern Bulgaria can be traced back to the Paleolithic.

Organized agricultural societies, like the Vinča culture, arose in the Neolithic.[14][15] The

eneolithic Varna culture (fifth millennium BC) is credited with inventing gold

metallurgy.[16][17] The associated Varna Necropolis treasure contains the oldest golden

jewellery in the world with an approximate age of over 6,000 years.[18][19] The treasure

has been valuable for understanding social hierarchy and stratification in the earliest

European societies.[20][21][22]

The Thracians, one of the three primary ancestral groups of modern Bulgarians, appeared

on the peninsula some time before the 12th century BC.[23][24][25] Even though they

excelled in metallurgy and gave the Greeks the Orphean and Dionysian cults, Thracians

remained tribal and stateless.[26] The Achaemenid Empire conquered most of present-day

Bulgaria in the 6th century BC and retained control over the region until 47 9 BC.[27][28]

The invasion became a catalyst for Thracian unity , and the bulk of their tribes united

under king Teres to form the Odrysian kingdom in the 47 0s BC.[26][29][30] It was weakened

and vassalized by Philip II of Macedon in 341 BC,[31] attacked by Celts in the 3rd century,[32] and finally became a

province of the Roman Empire in 45 AD.[33]

By the end of the 1st century AD, Roman governance was established over the entire Balkan Peninsula and

Christianity began spreading in the region around the 4th century.[26] The first Christian monastery in Europe was

founded in 344 by Saint Athanasius near modern-day Chirpan,[34] and the Gothic Bible—the first Germanic-language

book—was created by Gothic bishop Ulfilas in what is today northern Bulgaria around 381.[35] The region came

under Byzantine control after the fall of Rome in 47 6. However, the Byzantines were engaged in prolonged warfare

against Persia and could not defend their Balkan territories from barbarian incursions.[14] This enabled the Slavs to

enter the Balkan Peninsula as marauders, primarily through an area between the Danube River and the Balkan

Mountains known as Moesia.[36] Gradually , the interior of the peninsula became a country of the South Slavs, who

lived under a democracy.[37][38][39] The Slavs then assimilated the partially Gothicized, Hellenized and Romanized

Thracians.[40][23][41][42][43]

Not long after the Slavic incursion, Moesia was once again invaded by the

Bulgar horde of Khan Asparukh.[44] The horde was a remnant of Old Great

Bulgaria, an extinct tribal confederacy situated north of the Black Sea in

what is now Ukraine. Asparukh attacked Byzantine territories in Moesia

and conquered the Slavic tribes there in 680.[24] A peace treaty with the

Byzantine Empire was signed in 681, marking the foundation of the First

Bulgarian Empire. The Bulgars gradually mixed with the local population

and forged a common language based on Slavic dialects.[24]

Succeeding rulers strengthened the Bulgarian state throughout the 8th and

9th centuries. Krum introduced a written code of law[45] and checked a

major Byzantine incursion at the Battle of Pliska where Byzantine emperor

Nicephorus I was killed.[46] Boris I abolished paganism in favour of Eastern

Orthodox Christianity in 864. The conversion was followed by a Byzantine

recognition of the Bulgarian church[47] and the adoption of the Cyrillic alphabet developed at the capital of

History

Prehistory and antiquity

Odrysian golden

wreath in the National

History Museum

First Bulgarian Empire

Khan Krum feasts with his nobles

after the battle of Pliska. His servant

(far right) brings the wine-filled skull

cup of Nicephorus I.

Preslav.[48] The new religion and script strengthened central authority and helped the Slavs and Bulgars fuse into a

unified people.[49][50] A cultural golden age began during the 34-year rule of Simeon the Great, who also oversaw the

largest territorial expansion of the state.[51]

After Simeon's death, wars with Magyars and Pechenegs and the spread of the Bogomil heresy weakened

Bulgaria.[49][52] Preslav was seized by the Byzantine army in 97 1 after consecutive Rus' and Byzantine invasions.[49]

Under Samuil, the empire briefly recovered from the attacks,[53] but this recovery ended when Byzantine emperor

Basil II defeated the Bulgarian army at Klyuch in 1014. Samuil died shortly after the battle,[54] and by 1018 the

Byzantines had ended the First Bulgarian Empire.[55]

After the conquest of Bulgaria, Basil II prevented revolts by retaining the rule of local nobility and relieving their

lands of the obligation to pay taxes in gold, allowing tax in kind instead.[56] The Bulgarian Patriarchate was reduced

to an archbishopric, but retained its autocephalous status and its dioceses.[56][57] Byzantine domestic policies

changed after Basil's death and a series of unsuccessful rebellions broke out, the largest being led by Peter Delyan. In

1185 Asen dynasty nobles Ivan Asen I and Peter IV organized a major uprising which resulted in the re-

establishment of the Bulgarian state. Ivan Asen and Peter laid the foundations of the Second Bulgarian Empire with

Tarnovo as the capital.[58]

Kaloyan, the third of the Asen monarchs, extended his dominion to

Belgrade and Ohrid. He acknowledged the spiritual supremacy of the pope

and received a royal crown from a papal legate.[59] The empire reached its

zenith under Ivan Asen II (1218–1241), when its borders expanded as far

as the coast of Albania, Serbia and Epirus, while commerce and culture

flourished.[59][58] Ivan Asen's rule was also marked by a shift away from

Rome in religious matters.[60]

The Asen dynasty 's downfall in 1257 was followed by internal conflicts,

incessant Byzantine and Hungarian attacks and Mongol suzerainty.[59][61]

In 127 7 , swineherd Ivaylo led a great peasant revolt that chased the

Mongols out of Bulgaria and briefly made him emperor.[62][58] Ivaylo was overthrown in 1280 by the feudal

landlords,[62] whose factional conflicts caused the Second Bulgarian Empire to disintegrate into small feudal

dominions by the 14th century.[58] These fragmented rump states—two tsardoms at Vidin and Tarnovo and the

Despotate of Dobrudzha—became easy prey for a new threat arriving from the Southeast: the Ottoman Turks.[59]

The Ottomans were employed as mercenaries by the Byzantines in the

1340s but later became invaders in their own right.[63] Sultan Murad I took

Adrianople from the Byzantines in 1362; Sofia fell in 1382, followed by

Shumen in 1388.[63] The Ottomans completed their conquest of Bulgarian

lands in 1393 when Tarnovo was sacked after a three-month siege, and then

the Battle of Nicopolis which brought about the fall of the Vidin Tsardom in

1396. The Bulgarian nobility was subsequently eliminated and the

peasantry was enserfed to Ottoman masters,[63] while much of the educated

clergy fled to other countries.[64]

Christians were considered an inferior class of people under the Ottoman

system. Bulgarians were subjected to heavy taxes (including devshirme, or

blood tax) and their culture was suppressed,[64] and they experienced

partial Islamisation.[65] Ottoman authorities established a religious administrative community called the Rum Millet,

Second Bulgarian Empire

The walls of Tsarevets fortress in

Veliko Tarnovo, the capital of the

second empire

Ottoman rule

Fragmentation of the Second

Bulgarian Empire in the 14th century

which governed all Orthodox Christians regardless of their ethnicity .[66] Most of the local population then gradually

lost its distinct national consciousness, identify ing only by its faith.[67][68] However, the clergy remaining in some

isolated monasteries kept their ethnic identity alive, enabling its survival in remote rural areas,[23] and in the

militant Catholic community in the northwest of the country.[69]

As Ottoman power began to wane, Habsburg Austria and Russia saw Bulgarian Christians as potential allies. The

Austrians first backed an uprising in Tarnovo in 1598, then a second one in 1686, the Chiprovtsi Uprising in 1688 and

finally Karposh's Rebellion in 1689.[70] The Russian Empire also asserted itself as a protector of Christians in Ottoman

lands with the Treaty of Küçük Kaynarca in 17 7 4.[70]

The Western European Enlightenment in the 18th century influenced the

initiation of a national awakening of Bulgaria.[63] It restored national

consciousness and provided an ideological basis for the liberation struggle,

resulting in the 187 6 April Uprising. Up to 30,000 Bulgarians were killed as

Ottoman authorities put down the rebellion. The massacres prompted the

Great Powers to take action.[71] They convened the Constantinople

Conference in 187 6, but their decisions were rejected by the Ottomans.

This allowed the Russian Empire to seek a military solution without risking

confrontation with other Great Powers, as had happened in the Crimean

War.[71] In 187 7 Russia declared war on the Ottomans and defeated them

with the help of Bulgarian rebels, particularly during the crucial Battle of

Shipka Pass which secured Russian control over the main road to

Constantinople.[72][73]

The Treaty of San Stefano was signed on 3 March 187 8 by Russia and the Ottoman Empire. It was to set up an

autonomous Bulgarian principality spanning Moesia, Macedonia and Thrace, roughly on the territories of the Second

Bulgarian Empire.[74][75] The other Great Powers immediately rejected the treaty out of fear that such a large

country in the Balkans might threaten their interests. It was superseded by the Treaty of Berlin, signed on 13 July ,

which provided for a much smaller state only comprising Moesia and the region of Sofia, leaving large populations of

ethnic Bulgarians outside the new country.[74][76] This significantly contributed to Bulgaria's militaristic foreign

affairs approach during the first half of the 20th century.[77]

The Bulgarian principality won a war against Serbia and incorporated the semi-autonomous Ottoman territory of

Eastern Rumelia in 1885, proclaiming itself an independent state on 5 October 1908.[78] In the years following

independence, Bulgaria increasingly militarized and was often referred to as "the Balkan Prussia".[79][80] It became

involved in three consecutive conflicts between 1912 and 1918—two Balkan Wars and World War I. After a disastrous

defeat in the Second Balkan War, Bulgaria again found itself fighting on the losing side as a result of its alliance with

the Central Powers in World War I. Despite fielding more than a quarter of its population in a 1,200,000-strong

army [81][82] and achieving several decisive victories at Doiran and Monastir, the country capitulated in 1918. The

war resulted in significant territorial losses and a total of 87 ,500 soldiers killed.[83] More than 253,000 refugees

from the lost territories immigrated to Bulgaria from 1912 to 1929,[84] placing additional strain on the already ruined

national economy.[85]

The resulting political unrest led to the establishment of a royal authoritarian dictatorship by Tsar Boris III (1918–

1943). Bulgaria entered World War II in 1941 as a member of the Axis but declined to participate in Operation

Barbarossa and saved its Jewish population from deportation to concentration camps.[86] The sudden death of Boris

III in the summer of 1943 pushed the country into political turmoil as the war turned against Germany and the

communist guerrilla movement gained momentum. The government of Bogdan Filov subsequently failed to achieve

peace with the Allies. Bulgaria did not comply with Soviet demands to expel German forces from its territory,

resulting in a declaration of war and an invasion by the USSR in September 1944.[87] The communist-dominated

The Russo-Bulgarian defence of

Shipka Pass

Third Bulgarian state

Fatherland Front took power, ended participation in the Axis and joined the Allied

side until the war ended.[88] Bulgaria suffered little war damage and the Soviet Union

demanded no reparations; however, all wartime gains, with the notable exception of

Southern Dobrudzha, were lost.[89]

The left-wing uprising of 9 September 1944 led to the abolition of monarchic rule and

the executions of some 1,000—3,000 dissidents, war criminals and members of the

former royal elite.[90][91][92] However, it was not until 1946 that a one-party people's

republic was instituted following a referendum.[93] It fell into the Soviet sphere of

influence under the leadership of Georgi Dimitrov (1946–1949), who established a

repressive, rapidly industrializing Stalinist state.[89] By the mid-1950s standards of

living rose significantly and political repressions were lessened.[94][95] The Soviet-style

planned economy saw some market-oriented policies emerging on an experimental

level under Todor Zhivkov (1954–1989).[96] Both national and per capita GDPs quadrupled by the 1980s,[97]

although severe debt spikes took place in 1960, 197 7 and 1980.[98] Zhivkov's daughter Lyudmila bolstered national

pride by promoting Bulgarian heritage, culture and arts worldwide.[99] Facing declining birth rates among the ethnic

Bulgarian majority , in 1984 Zhivkov's government forced the minority ethnic Turks to adopt Slavic names in an

attempt to erase their identity and assimilate them.[100] These policies resulted in the emigration of some 300,000

ethnic Turks to Turkey.[101][102]

The Communist Party gave up its political monopoly on 10 November 1989 under the influence of the Revolutions of

1989. Zhivkov resigned and Bulgaria embarked on a transition to a parliamentary democracy.[103] The first free

elections in June 1990 were won by the Communist Party , now rebranded as the Bulgarian Socialist Party .[104] A new

constitution that provided for a relatively weak elected president and for a prime minister accountable to the

legislature was adopted in July 1991. The new system initially failed to improve living standards or create economic

growth—the average quality of life and economic performance remained lower than under communism well into the

early 2000s.[105] A 1997 reform package restored economic growth, but living standards continued to suffer.[106]

After 2001 economic, political and geopolitical conditions improved greatly ,[107] and Bulgaria achieved high Human

Development status in 2003.[108] It became a member of NATO in 2004[109] and participated in the War in

Afghanistan. After several years of reforms it joined the European Union and single market in 2007 despite concerns

about government corruption.[110] Bulgaria hosted the 2018 Presidency of the Council of the European Union at the

National Palace of Culture in Sofia.[111]

Bulgaria occupies a portion of the eastern Balkan peninsula, bordering five countries—Greece and Turkey to the

south, Macedonia and Serbia to the west, and Romania to the north. The land borders have a total length of 1,808

kilometres (1,123 mi), and the coastline has a length of 354 kilometres (220 mi).[112] Its total area of 110,994 square

kilometres (42,855 sq mi) ranks it as the world's 105th-largest country.[1][113] Bulgaria's geographic coordinates are

43° N 25° E.[114] The most notable topographical features are the Danubian Plain, the Balkan Mountains, the Thracian

Plain, and the Rhodope Mountains.[112] The southern edge of the Danubian Plain slopes upward into the foothills of

the Balkans, while the Danube defines the border with Romania. The Thracian Plain is roughly triangular, beginning

southeast of Sofia and broadening as it reaches the Black Sea coast.[112]

The Balkan mountains run laterally through the middle of the country. The mountainous southwest has two distinct

alpine ranges—Rila and Pirin, which border the lower but more extensive Rhodope Mountains to the east.[112]

Musala peak, at 2,925 metres (9,596 ft), is the highest point in both Bulgaria and the Balkan peninsula, and the Black

Sea coast is the country 's lowest point.[114] Plains occupy about one-third of the territory, while plateaus and hills

occupy 41 per cent.[115] Most of the rivers are short and with low water levels. The longest river located solely in

Bulgarian territory, the Iskar, has a length of 368 kilometres (229 mi). Other major rivers include the Struma and the

Maritsa in the south.[116][112]

Tsar Boris III

Geography

Bulgaria has a dynamic climate, which

results from being positioned at the meeting

point of the Mediterranean and continental

air masses combined with the barrier effect

of its mountains.[112] Northern Bulgaria

averages 1 °C (1.8 °F) cooler, and registers

200 millimetres (7 .9 in) more precipitation,

than the regions south of the Balkan

mountains. Temperature amplitudes vary

significantly in different areas. The lowest

recorded temperature is −38.3 °C (−36.9 °F),

while the highest is 45.2 °C (113.4 °F).[117] Precipitation averages about 630 millimetres (24.8 in) per year, and

varies from 500 millimetres (19.7 in) in Dobrudja to more than 2,500 millimetres (98.4 in) in the mountains.

Continental air masses bring significant amounts of snowfall during winter.[118]

The interaction of climatic, hydrological, geological and topographical

conditions have produced a relatively wide variety of plant and animal

species.[119] Bulgaria's biodiversity , one of the richest in Europe,[120] is

conserved in three national parks, 11 nature parks, 16 biosphere reserves

and 565 protected areas.[121][122][123] More than 35 per cent of its land area

is covered by forests,[124] where some of the oldest trees in the world, such

as Baikushev's pine and the Granit oak,[125] grow. Most of the plant and

animal life is central European, although representatives of Arctic and

alpine species are present at high altitudes.[126] Flora includes more than

3,800 vascular plant species of which 17 0 are endemic and 150 are

considered endangered.[127] A checklist of larger fungi of Bulgaria reported

that more than 1,500 species occur in the country.[128] Fauna is primarily represented by owls, rock partridges,

wallcreepers,[126] red deer, pheasants and jackals.[129]

In 1998, the Bulgarian government approved the National Biological Diversity Conservation Strategy, a

comprehensive programme seeking the preservation of local ecosystems, protection of endangered species and

conservation of genetic resources.[130] Bulgaria has some of the largest Natura 2000 areas in Europe covering 33.8

per cent of its territory.[131] It also adopted the Kyoto Protocol and achieved its objective of reducing carbon

dioxide emissions by 30 per cent from 1990 to 2009.[132][133]

However, pollution from factories and metallurgy works, and severe deforestation, continue to cause major

problems for the health and welfare of the population.[134] Particulate matter levels are the highest in Europe,[135]

especially in urban areas affected by automobile traffic and coal-based power stations.[136][137] One of these, the

lignite-fired Maritsa Iztok-2 station, is causing the highest damage to health and the environment in the entire

European Union.[138] Pesticide usage in agriculture, and antiquated industrial sewage systems, produce extensive

soil and water pollution from chemicals and detergents.[139] An improvement of water quality began in 1998 and has

maintained a sustainable trend of moderate improvement. Over 7 5 per cent of surface rivers meet the standards for

good quality .[140] According to Y ale University 's 2012 Environmental Performance Index, Bulgaria is a "modest

performer" in protecting the environment.[141]

Bulgaria is a parliamentary democracy where the prime minister is the head of government and the most powerful

executive position.[107] The political system has three branches—legislative, executive and judicial, with universal

suffrage for citizens at least 18 years old. The Constitution of Bulgaria also provides possibilities of direct democracy,

Left: Pirin Mountain in western Bulgaria

Right: Maslen nos on the Black Sea coast

Biodiversity and environment

Lacerta viridis in Ropotamo, one of

Bulgaria's 16 biosphere reserves

Politics

namely petitions and national referenda.[142] Elections are supervized by

an independent Central Election Commission that includes members from

all major political parties. Parties must register with the commission prior

to participating in a national election.[143] Normally , the prime minister–

elect is the leader of the party receiving the most votes in parliamentary

elections, although this is not always the case.[107]

Unlike the prime minister, presidential domestic power is more limited.

The President of Bulgaria serves as the head of state and commander-in-

chief of the armed forces, and has the authority to return a bill for further debate, although the parliament can

override the presidential veto by a simple majority vote of all members of parliament.[107] Political parties gather in

the National Assembly, a body of 240 deputies elected to four-year terms by direct 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.[144]

Overall, Bulgaria displays a pattern of unstable governments.[145] Boyko Borisov is

serving his third term as prime minister since 2009,[146] when his centre-right, pro-EU

party GERB won the general election and ruled as a minority government with 117

seats in the National Assembly.[147] However, his first government resigned on 20

February 2013 after nationwide protests caused by high costs of utilities, low living

standards, corruption[148] and the failure of the democratic system.[149] The protest

wave was notable for self-immolations, spontaneous demonstrations and a strong

sentiment against political parties.[150]

The subsequent snap elections in May resulted in a narrow win for GERB,[151] but the

Bulgarian Socialist Party eventually formed a government led by Plamen Oresharski

after Borisov failed to secure parliamentary support.[152][153] The Oresharski

government resigned in July 2014 amid continuing large-scale protests.[154][155][156] A

caretaker government took over[157] and called the October 2014 elections[158] which

resulted in a third GERB victory, but a total of eight parties entered parliament.[159]

Borisov's party formed a coalition[160] with several right-wing parties. Borisov

resigned again after the candidate backed by his party failed to win the 2016

Presidential election. The March 2017 snap election was again won by GERB, but with

95 seats in Parliament. They formed a coalition with the far-right United Patriots, who

hold 27 seats.[146]

Freedom House has reported a continuing deterioration of democratic governance

after 2009, citing reduced media independence, stalled reforms, abuse of authority at

the highest level and increased dependence of local administrations on the central government.[161] Bulgaria is still

listed as "Free", with a political system designated as a semi-consolidated democracy, albeit with deteriorating

scores.[161] The Democracy Index defines it as a "Flawed democracy".[162]

Bulgaria has a civil law legal system.[163] The judiciary is overseen by the Ministry of Justice. The Supreme

Administrative Court and the Supreme Court of Cassation are the highest courts of appeal and oversee the

application of laws in subordinate courts.[143] The Supreme Judicial Council manages the system and appoints

judges. The legal system is one of Europe's most inefficient, and the lack of transparency and corruption are

pervasive.[164][165][166][167][168] Law enforcement is carried out by organisations mainly subordinate to the Ministry

of the Interior.[169] The General Directorate of National Police (GDNP) combats general crime and maintains public

order.[170] GDNP fields 26,57 8 police officers in its local and national sections.[171] The bulk of criminal cases are

The National Assembly in Sofia

Rumen Radev

President of Bulgaria

Boyko Borisov

Prime Minister of Bulgaria

Legal system

transport-related, followed by theft and drug-related crime; homicide rates are low.[172] The Ministry of the Interior

also heads the Border Police Service and the National Gendarmerie—a specialized branch for anti-terrorist activity ,

crisis management and riot control. Counterintelligence and national security are the responsibility of the State

Agency for National Security , established in 2008.[173]

Bulgaria is a unitary state.[174] Since the 1880s, the number of territorial management units has varied from seven to

26.[175] Between 1987 and 1999 the administrative structure consisted of nine provinces (oblasti, singular oblast). A

new administrative structure was adopted in parallel with the decentralisation of the economic system.[176] It

includes 27 provinces and a metropolitan capital province (Sofia-Grad). All areas take their names from their

respective capital cities. The provinces subdivide into 264 municipalities. Municipalities are run by mayors, who are

elected to four-year terms, and by directly elected municipal councils. Bulgaria is a highly centralized state where

the Council of Ministers directly appoints regional governors and all provinces and municipalities are heavily

dependent on it for funding.[143]

1. Blagoevgrad

2. Burgas

3. Dobrich

4. Gabrovo

5. Haskovo

6. Kardzha li

7. Kyustendil

8. Lovech

9. Montana

10. Pazardzhik

11. Pernik

12. P leven

13. P lovdiv

14. Razgrad

15. Ruse

16. Shumen

17. Sil istra

18. Sliven

19. Smolyan

20. Sofia Prov ince

21. Stara Zagora

22. Targov ishte

23. Varna

24. Veliko Tarnovo

25. Vidin

26. Vratsa

27. Yambol

Bulgaria became a member of the United Nations in 1955 and since 1966 has been a non-permanent member of the

Security Council three times, most recently from 2002 to 2003.[177] It was also among the founding nations of the

Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) in 197 5. Euro-Atlantic integration has been a priority

since the fall of Communism, although the Communist leadership also had aspirations of leaving the Warsaw Pact and

joining the European Communities by 1987 .[178][179][180] Bulgaria signed the European Union Treaty of Accession on

25 April 2005,[181] and became a full member of the European Union on 1 January 2007 .[110] In addition, it has a

tripartite economic and diplomatic collaboration with Romania and Greece,[182] good ties with China[183] and

Vietnam[184] and a historical relationship with Russia.[185][186][187][188]

Bulgaria deployed significant numbers of both civilian and military advisors in Soviet-allied countries like

Nicaragua[189] and Libya during the Cold War.[190] The first deployment of foreign troops on Bulgarian soil since

World War II occurred in 2001, when the country hosted six KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft and 200 support

personnel for the war effort in Afghanistan.[21] International military relations were further expanded with accession

to NATO in March 2004[109] and the US-Bulgarian Defence Cooperation Agreement signed in April 2006. Bezmer and

Graf Ignatievo air bases, the Novo Selo training range, and a logistics centre in Aytos subsequently became joint

military training facilities cooperatively used by the United States and Bulgarian militaries.[191][192]

Administrative divisions

Foreign relations and security

Domestic defence is the responsibility of the all-volunteer Bulgarian army,

branched into land forces, navy and an air force. The land forces consist of

two mechanized brigades and eight independent regiments and battalions;

the air force operates 106 aircraft and air defence systems in six air bases,

and the navy operates various ships, helicopters and coastal defence

weapons.[193] Active troops dwindled from 152,000 in 1988[194] to 31,300

in 2017 , supplemented by 3,000 reservists and 16,000 paramilitary.[195]

The inventory consists mostly of Soviet equipment like Mikoyan MiG-29

and Sukhoi Su-25 jets,[196] S-300PT air defence systems[197] and SS-21

Scarab short-range ballistic missiles.[198]

Bulgaria has an open, upper middle income range market

economy where the private sector accounts for more than

7 0% of GDP.[199][200] From a largely agricultural country

with a predominantly rural population in 1948, by the

1980s Bulgaria had transformed into an industrial

economy with scientific and technological research at the

top of its budgetary expenditure priorities.[201] The loss of

COMECON markets in 1990 and the subsequent "shock

therapy" of the planned system caused a steep decline in

industrial and agricultural production, ultimately

followed by an economic collapse in 1997 .[202][203] The

economy largely recovered during a period of rapid growth several years later,[202] but the average salary of 1,036

leva ($615) per month remains the lowest in the EU.[204] More than a fifth of the labour force are employed on a

minimum wage of $1.16 per hour.[205]

A balanced budget was achieved in 2003 and the country began running a surplus the following year.[206]

Expenditures amounted to $21.15 billion and revenues were $21.67 billion in 2017 .[207] Most government spending

on institutions is earmarked for security . The ministries of defence, the interior and justice are allocated the largest

share of the annual government budget, whereas those responsible for the environment, tourism and energy receive

the least amount of funding.[208] Taxes form the bulk of government revenue[208] at 30 per cent of GDP.[209] Bulgaria

has some of the lowest corporate income tax rates in the EU at a flat 10 per cent rate.[210] The tax system is two-tier.

Value added tax, excise duties, corporate and personal income tax are national, whereas real estate, inheritance,

and vehicle taxes are defined by local authorities.[211] Bulgaria also has the third-lowest public debt in the Union at

28.7 per cent of GDP in 2016.[212] Strong economic performance in the early 2000s reduced government debt from

7 9.6 per cent in 1998 to 14.1 per cent in 2008.[206]

The Y ugozapaden planning area is the most developed region with a per capita gross domestic product (PPP) of

$26,580 in 2016.[213] It includes the capital city and the surrounding Sofia Province, which alone generate 42 per

cent of national gross domestic product.[214] PPP GDP per capita and the cost of liv ing in 2017 stood at 49 and 48.4

per cent of the EU average, respectively .[215][216] National PPP GDP was estimated at $143.1 billion in 2016, with a

per capita value of $20,116.[217] Economic growth statistics take into account illegal transactions from the informal

economy, which is the largest in the EU as a percentage of economic output.[218][219] The Bulgarian National Bank

issues the national currency, lev, which is pegged to the euro at a rate of 1.95583 levа per euro.[220]

After several consecutive years of high growth, repercussions of the financial crisis of 2007 –2008 resulted in a 3.6

per cent contraction of GDP in 2009 and increased unemployment.[221][222] Industrial output declined 10 per cent,

mining by 31 per cent, and ferrous and metal production marked a 60 per cent drop.[223] Positive growth was

restored in 2010 but intercompany debt exceeded $59 billion, meaning that 60 per cent of all Bulgarian companies

were mutually indebted.[224] By 2012, it had increased to $97 billion, or 227 per cent of GDP.[225] The government

Mikoyan MiG-29 jet fighters of the

Bulgarian Air Force

Economy

Economic growth (green) and unemployment (blue)

statistics since 2001

implemented strict austerity measures with IMF and EU encouragement to some positive fiscal results, but the social

consequences of these measures, such as increased income inequality and accelerated outward migration, have been

"catastrophic" according to the International Trade Union Confederation.[226]

Siphoning of public funds to the families and relatives of politicians from incumbent parties has also resulted in fiscal

and welfare losses to society .[227][228] Bulgaria ranks 7 1st in the Corruption Perceptions Index [229] and experiences

the worst levels of corruption in the European Union, a phenomenon that remains a source of profound public

discontent.[230][231] Along with organized crime, corruption has led to a rejection of the country 's Schengen Area

application and withdrawal of foreign investment.[232][233][234] Government officials reportedly engage in

embezzlement, influence trading, government procurement violations and bribery with impunity .[164] Government

procurement in particular is a critical area in corruption risk. An estimated 10 billion leva ($5.99 billion) of state

budget and European cohesion funds are spent on public tenders each year;[235] nearly 14 billion ($8.38 billion)

were spent on public contracts in 2017 alone.[236] A large share of these contracts are awarded to a few politically

connected[237] companies amid widespread irregularities, procedure violations and tailor-made selection or award

criteria.[238] Despite repeated criticism from the European Commission,[234] EU institutions abstain from taking

measures against Bulgaria because it is not seen by Brussels as a "problem country" like Poland or Hungary.[230]

The labour force is 3.36 million people,[239] of whom 6.8 per cent are employed in agriculture, 26.6 per cent are

employed in industry and 66.6 per cent are employed in the services sector.[240] Extraction of metals and minerals,

production of chemicals, machine building, steel, biotechnology, tobacco and food processing and petroleum

refining are among the major industrial activities.[241][242][243] Mining alone employs 24,000 people and generates

about five per cent of the country 's GDP; the number of employed in all mining-related industries is

120,000.[244][245] Bulgaria is Europe's fifth-largest coal producer.[245][246] Local deposits of coal, iron, copper and

lead are vital for the manufacturing and energy sectors.[247]

Two-thirds of food and agricultural exports go to OECD countries.[248] Although cereal and vegetable y ields dropped

by 40 per cent between 1990 and 2008,[249] output has since increased, and the 2016-2017 season registered the

biggest grain yields in a decade.[250][251] Maize, barley, oats and rice are also grown. Quality Oriental tobacco is a

significant industrial crop.[252] Bulgaria is also the largest producer globally of lavender and rose oil, both widely

used in fragrances.[21][253][254][255] Of the services sector, tourism is a significant contributor to economic growth.

Bulgaria has emerged as a travelling destination with its inexpensive resorts and beaches outside the reach of the

tourist industry.[256] Most of the visitors are Romanian, German, Turkish, British and Russian.[257] Sofia, Plovdiv,

Veliko Tarnovo, coastal resorts Golden Sands and Sunny Beach and winter resorts Bansko, Pamporovo and Borovets

are some of the locations most visited by tourists.[258]

Spending on research and development amounts to 0.7 8 per cent of GDP,[259] and the bulk of public R&D funding

goes to the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (BAS).[260] Private businesses accounted for more than 7 3 per cent of

R&D expenditures and employed 42 per cent of Bulgaria's 22,000 researchers in 2015.[261] The same year, Bulgaria

ranked 39th out of 50 countries in the Bloomberg Innovation Index, the highest score being in education (24th) and

the lowest in value-added manufacturing (48th).[262] Chronic government underinvestment in research since 1990

has forced many professionals in science and engineering to leave Bulgaria.[263]

Despite the lack of funding, research in chemistry , materials science and physics remains strong.[260] Three per cent

of economic output is generated by the information and communication technologies sector where 40,000[264] to

51,000 software engineers are employed.[265] More than a quarter of them are women, the highest percentage of

females in ICT in any EU country.[266] High levels of female participation are a legacy of the Soviet era,[267] when the

Sectors

Science and technology

country was known as a "Communist Silicon Valley" due to its key role in COMECON

computing technology production.[268] Bulgaria is also a regional leader in high

performance computing and operates Avitohol, the most powerful supercomputer

in Southeast Europe.[269]

Bulgaria has made numerous contributions to space exploration.[270] These include

two scientific satellites, more than 200 payloads and 300 experiments in Earth

orbit, as well as two cosmonauts since 197 1.[270] Bulgaria was the first country to

grow wheat and vegetables in space with its Svet greenhouses on the Mir space

station.[271][272] It was involved in the development of the Granat gamma-ray

observatory [273] and the Vega program, particularly in modelling trajectories and

guidance algorithms for both Vega probes.[274][275] Bulgarian instruments have

been used in the exploration of Mars, including a spectrometer that took the first

high quality spectroscopic images of Martian moon Phobos with the Phobos 2

probe.[270][273] Cosmic radiation en route to and around the planet has been

mapped by Liulin-ML dosimeters on the ExoMars TGO.[276] Variants of these

instruments have also been fitted to the Chandrayaan-1 lunar probe and the

International Space Station.[277][278] Bulgaria's first geostationary communications

satellite—BulgariaSat-1—was launched by SpaceX in June 2017 .[279]

Telephone services are widely available, and a central digital trunk line

connects most regions.[280] Vivacom (BTC) serves more than 90 per cent of

fixed lines and is one of the three operators providing mobile services,

along with A1 and Telenor.[281][282] Internet penetration stood at 66 per

cent, or 4.66 million users, in late 2017 .[283]

Bulgaria's strategic geographic location and well-developed energy sector

make it a key European energy centre despite its lack of significant fossil

fuel deposits.[284] Coal accounts for 40% of national energy production,[285]

followed by nuclear power from the Kozloduy reactors (35%)[286] and

renewable sources (20%).[287] Biofuel from solid waste has become the

primary source of renewable power after more than a decade of growth in the sector.[288]

The national road network has a total length of 19,512 kilometres (12,124 mi),[289] of which 19,235 kilometres

(11,952 mi) are paved. Railroads are a major mode of freight transportation, although highways carry a

progressively larger share of freight. Bulgaria has 6,238 kilometres (3,87 6 mi) of railway track[280] and currently a

total of 81 kilometres (50 miles) of high-speed lines are in operation.[290][291][292][293] Rail links are available with

Romania, Turkey, Greece, and Serbia, and express trains serve direct routes to Kiev, Minsk, Moscow and Saint

Petersburg.[294] Sofia and Plovdiv are the country 's air travel hubs, while Varna and Burgas are the principal

maritime trade ports.[280]

The population of Bulgaria is 7 ,364,57 0 people according to the 2011 national census. The majority of the

population, or 7 2.5 percent, reside in urban areas.[295] As of 2017 , Sofia is the most populated urban centre with

1,325,429 people, followed by Plovdiv (345,000), Varna (344,000), Burgas (209,000) and Ruse (160,000).[2]

Bulgarians are the main ethnic group and comprise 84.8 percent of the population. Turkish and Roma minorities

comprise 8.8 and 4.9 percent, respectively; some 40 smaller minorities comprise 0.7 percent, and 0.8 percent do

not self-identify with an ethnic group.[296][297] Former Statistics head Reneta Indzhova has disputed the 2011 census

figures, suggesting the actual population is smaller than reported and a higher percentage of citizens are of Romani

The launch of BulgariaSat-1

by SpaceX using a B1029

reusable booster, 2017

Infrastructure

Trakia motorway

Demographics

origin.[298][299] The Roma minority is usually underestimated in

census data and may represent up to 11 per cent of the

population.[300]

Bulgaria is in a state of demographic crisis.[301][302] It has had negative

population growth since the early 1990s, when the economic collapse

caused a long-lasting emigration wave.[303] Some 937 ,000 to

1,200,000 people—mostly young adults—left the country by

2005.[303][304] The total fertility rate (TFR) was estimated at 1.46

children born per woman in 2017 .[305] The majority of children are

born to unmarried women.[306] Furthermore, a third of all households

consist of only one person and 7 5.5 percent of families do not have children under the age of 16.[302] The resulting

birth rates are among the lowest in the world[307][308] while death rates are among the highest.[309]

More than 80% of all deaths are due to cancer and cardiovascular conditions.[310] Mortality rates may be amenable

with timely, adequate health care,[311] which the current system fails to provide fully . Although healthcare in

Bulgaria is universal,[312] out-of-pocket expenses account for nearly half of all healthcare spending, and significantly

limit access to medical care.[313] Other problems disrupting care provision are the emigration of doctors due to low

wages, understaffed and under-equipped regional hospitals, supply shortages and frequent changes to the basic

service package for those insured.[314][315]

Public expenditures for education are far below the European Union

average as well.[316] Educational standards were once high,[317] but have

deteriorated significantly over the past decade.[316] Bulgarian students

were among the highest-scoring in the world in terms of reading in 2001,

performing better than their Canadian and German counterparts; by 2006,

scores in reading, math and science had dropped. Although average

literacy stands at 98.4% with no significant difference between sexes,[318]

functional illiteracy is significant. The PISA study of 2015 found 41.5% of

pupils in the 9th grade to be functionally illiterate in reading, maths and

science.[319] The Ministry of Education and Science partially funds public

schools, colleges and universities, sets criteria for textbooks and oversees

the publishing process. Education in primary and secondary public schools

is free.[317] The process spans through 12 grades, where grades one through eight are primary and nine through

twelve are secondary level. Higher education consists of a 4-year bachelor degree and a 1-year master's degree.[320]

Bulgaria's highest-ranked higher education institution is Sofia University .[321][322]

All ethnic groups speak Bulgarian, either as a first or as a second language. Bulgarian is the only language with official

status and native for 85.2 percent of the population. The oldest written Slavic language, Bulgarian is distinguishable

from the other languages in this group through certain grammatical peculiarities such as the lack of noun cases and

infinitives, and a suffixed definite article.[323][324]

More than three-quarters of Bulgarians subscribe to Eastern Orthodoxy.[325] Sunni Muslims are the second-largest

religious community and constitute 10 percent of Bulgaria's overall religious makeup, although a majority of them

are not observant and find the use of Islamic veils in schools unacceptable.[326] Less than three percent of the

population are affiliated with other religions, 11.8 percent do not self-identify with a religion, and 21.8 percent do

not state their beliefs.[325] The Bulgarian Orthodox Church gained autocephalous status in 927 AD,[327][328] and

currently has 12 dioceses and over 2,000 priests.[329] Bulgaria is a secular state with guaranteed religious freedom

by constitution, but Orthodoxy is designated as a "traditional" religion.[330]

Population trend since 1961

The Rectorate of Sofia University

Culture

Contemporary Bulgarian culture blends the formal culture that helped

forge a national consciousness towards the end of Ottoman rule with

millennia-old folk traditions.[331] An essential element of Bulgarian folklore

is fire, used to banish evil spirits and illnesses. Many of these are

personified as witches, whereas other creatures like zmey and samodiva

(veela) are either benevolent guardians or ambivalent tricksters.[40] Some

rituals against evil spirits have survived and are still practised, most

notably kukeri and survakari.[332] Martenitsa is also widely celebrated.[333]

Nestinarstvo, a ritual fire-dance of Thracian origin, is included in the list of

UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage.[40][334]

Nine historical and natural objects have been inscribed in the list of

UNESCO World Heritage Sites: Pirin National Park, Sreburna Nature

Reserve, the Madara Rider, the Thracian tombs in Sveshtari and Kazanlak, the Rila Monastery, the Boyana Church,

the Rock-hewn Churches of Ivanovo and the ancient city of Nesebar.[335] The Rila Monastery was established by

Saint John of Rila, Bulgaria's patron saint, whose life has been the subject of numerous literary accounts since

Medieval times.[336]

During the Middle Ages, the establishment of the Preslav and Ohrid literary schools in the 10th century is associated

with a golden period in Bulgarian literature.[336] The schools' emphasis on Christian scriptures made the Bulgarian

Empire a centre of Slavic culture, bringing Slavs under the influence of Christianity and providing them with a

written language.[337][338][339] Its alphabet, Cyrillic script, was developed by the Preslav Literary School.[340] The

Tarnovo Literary School, on the other hand, is associated with a Silver age of literature defined by high-quality

manuscripts on historical or mystical themes under the Asen and Shishman dynasties.[336] Many literary and artistic

masterpieces were destroyed by the Ottoman conquerors, and artistic activities did not re-emerge until the National

Revival in the 19th century.[331] Ivan Vazov's enormous body of work covered every genre and touched upon every

facet of Bulgarian society , bridging pre-Liberation works with literature of the newly-established state.[336] Notable

later works are Bay Ganyo by Aleko Konstantinov, the Nietzschean poetry of Pencho Slaveykov, the Symbolist

poetry of Peyo Y avorov and Dimcho Debelyanov, the Marxist-inspired works of Geo Milev and Nikola Vaptsarov,

and the Socialist realism novels of Dimitar Dimov and Dimitar Talev.[336] Tzvetan Todorov is a notable

contemporary author,[341] while Bulgarian-born Elias Canetti was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1981.[342]

А religious visual arts heritage includes frescoes, murals and icons, many

produced by the medieval Tarnovo Artistic School.[343] Like literature, it

was not until the National Revival when Bulgarian visual arts began to

reemerge. Zahari Zograf was a pioneer of the visual arts in the pre-

Liberation era.[331] After the Liberation, Ivan Mrkvička, Anton Mitov,

Vladimir Dimitrov, Tsanko Lavrenov and Zlatyu Boyadzhiev introduced

newer sty les and substance, depicting scenery from Bulgarian villages, old

towns and historical subjects. Christo is the most famous Bulgarian artist of

the 21st century, known for his outdoor installations.[331]

Folk music is by far the most extensive traditional art and has slowly

developed throughout the ages as a fusion of Far Eastern, Oriental,

medieval Eastern Orthodox and standard Western European tonalities and

modes.[344] Bulgarian folk music has a distinctive sound and uses a wide range of traditional instruments, such as

gadulka, gaida, kaval and tupan. A distinguishing feature is extended rhythmical time, which has no equivalent in the

rest of European music.[21] The State Television Female Vocal Choir won a Grammy Award in 1990 for its

performances of Bulgarian folk music.[345] Written musical composition can be traced back to the works of Y oan

Kukuzel (c. 1280–1360),[346] but modern classical music began with Emanuil Manolov, who composed the first

Bulgarian opera in 1890.[331] Pancho Vladigerov and Petko Staynov further enriched symphony, ballet and opera,

Kuker in Lesichovo

Christo's Mastaba in Hyde Park,

London

which singers Ghena Dimitrova, Boris Hristov and Nikolay Gyaurov elevated to a world-class

level.[331][347][348][349][350][351] Bulgarian performers have also gained acclaim in other genres like electropop (Mira

Aroyo), jazz (Milcho Leviev) and blends of jazz and folk (Ivo Papazov).[331]

Cultural events are advertized in the largest media outlets, including the Bulgarian National Radio, and daily

newspapers Trud, Dnevnik and 24 Chasa.[352] Bulgarian media were described as generally unbiased in their

reporting in the early 2000s and print media had no legal restrictions.[353][354] Since then, freedom of the press has

deteriorated to the point where Bulgaria scores 111th globally in the World Press Freedom Index, lower than all

European Union members and membership candidate states. The government has diverted EU funds to sympathetic

media outlets and bribed others to be less critical on problematic topics, while attacks against individual journalists

have increased.[355][356] Collusion between politicians, oligarchs and the media is widespread.[355]

Bulgarian cuisine is similar to those of other Balkan countries and demonstrates a strong Turkish and Greek

influence.[357] Y ogurt, lukanka, banitsa, shopska salad, lyutenitsa and kozunak are among the best-known local

foods. Oriental dishes such as moussaka, gyuvech, and baklava are also present. Meat consumption is lower than the

European average, given a notable preference for a large variety of salads.[357] Bulgaria was the world's second-

largest wine exporter until 1989, but has since lost that position.[358][359] The 2016 harvest y ielded 128 million litres

of wine, of which 62 million was exported mainly to Romania, Poland and Russia.[360] Mavrud, Rubin, Shiroka

melnishka, Dimiat and Cherven Misket are the typical grapes used in Bulgarian wine.[361] Rakia is a traditional fruit

brandy which was consumed in Bulgaria as early as the 14th century.[362]

Bulgaria's first Olympic appearance was at the 1896 games, when it was

represented by gymnast Charles Champaud.[363] Since then, Bulgarian

athletes have won 52 gold, 89 silver, and 83 bronze models,[364] ranking

25th in the all-time medal table. Weight-lifting is a signature sport for

Bulgaria. Coach Ivan Abadzhiev was instrumental in developing innovative

training practices that have produced many Bulgarian world and Olympic

champions in the sport since the 1980s.[365] Bulgarian athletes have also

excelled in wrestling, boxing, gymnastics, volleyball and tennis.[365] Stefka

Kostadinova is the reigning world record holder in the women's high jump

at 2.09 metres (6 feet 10 inches), achieved during the 1987 World

Championships.[366] Grigor Dimitrov is the first Bulgarian in the Top 10

ATP Rankings.[367]

Football is, by far, Bulgaria's most popular sport. The national football

team's best performance was a semi-final at the 1994 FIFA World Cup,

when the squad was spearheaded by forward Hristo Stoichkov.[365] Stoichkov is the most successful Bulgarian player

of all time; he was awarded the Golden Boot and the Golden Ball and was considered one of the best in the world while

playing for FC Barcelona in the 1990s.[368][369] CSKA and Levski, both based in Sofia,[365] are the most successful

clubs domestically and long-standing rivals.[370] Ludogorets is remarkable for having advanced from the local fourth

division to the 2014–15 UEFA Champions League group stage in a mere nine years.[371] Placed 39th in 2018, it is

Bulgaria's highest-ranked club in UEFA.[372]

Outline of Bulgaria

International rankings of Bulgaria

List of twin towns and sister cities in Bulgaria

Sports

Grigor Dimitrov at the 2015 Italian

Open

See also

1. These figures have been disputed due to methodological and procedural flaws reported in the 2011 census. In particular,

the number of Romani citizens may be significantly lower than the actual number. See Demographics.

2. 19 February in the Julian calendar used at the time.

3. 22 September in the Julian calendar used at the time.

1. Penin, Rumen (2007). Природна география на България (in Bulgarian). Bulvest 2000. p. 18.

ISBN 978-954-18-0546-6.

2. NSI Census data 2017.

3. "Bulgaria" (http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/weo/2017/02/weodata/weorept.aspx?pr.x=86&pr.y=5&sy=2017&ey=2022

&scsm=1&ssd=1&sort=country&ds=.&br=1&c=918%2C968&s=NGDPD%2CPPPGDP%2CNGDPDPC%2CPPPPC&grp=0&a=).

International Monetary Fund. Retrieved 15 October 2017.

4. "Gini coefficient of equivalised disposable income (source: SILC)" (http://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/web/products-datasets/

-/tessi190). Eurostat Data Explorer. Retrieved 31 March 2016.

5. "Human Development Report 2015" (http://hdr.undp.org/sites/default/files/2016_human_development_report.pdf) (PDF).

HDRO (Human Development Report Office) United Nations Development Programme. Retrieved 14 December 2015.

6. Golden 1992, p. 103–104.

7. Bowersock, Glen W. (1999). Late Antiquity: a Guide to the Postclassical World (https://books.google.com/books?id=c788w

WR_bLwC&pg=PA354). Harvard University Press. p. 354. ISBN 978-0674511736.

8. Chen 2012, p. 97.

9. Petersen, Leif Inge Ree (2013). Siege Warfare and Military Organization in the Successor States (400-800 AD): Byzantium,

the West and Islam (https://books.google.hr/books?id=BRGaAAAAQBAJ). Brill. p. 369. ISBN 978-9004254466.

10. Golden 1992, p. 104.

11. Karatay 2003, p. 25.

12. Chen 2012, p. 92–95, 97.

13. Karatay 2003, p. 28.

14. "History" (https://www.britannica.com/place/Bulgaria/History). Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved 28 July 2018.

15. Chapman, John (2000). Fragmentation in Archaeology: People, Places, and Broken Objects. Routledge. p. 239. ISBN 978-0-

415-15803-9.

16. Roberts, Benjamin W.; Thornton, Christopher P. (2009). "Development of metallurgy in Eurasia" (https://www.academia.ed

u/371376/Development_of_metallurgy_in_Eurasia). Department of Prehistory and Europe, British Museum. p. 1015.

Retrieved 28 July 2018. "In contrast, the earliest exploitation and working of gold occurs in the Balkans during the mid-

fifth millennium BC, several centuries after the earliest known copper smelting. This is demonstrated most spectacularly in

the various objects adorning the burials at Varna, Bulgaria (Renfrew 1986; Highamet al. 2007). In contrast, the earliest gold

objects found in Southwest Asia date only to the beginning of the fourth millennium BC as at Nahal Qanah in Israel (Golden

2009), suggesting that gold exploitation may have been a Southeast European invention, albeit a short-lived one."

17. Laet, Sigfried J. de (1996). History of Humanity: From the Third Millennium to the Seventh Century BC (https://books.goo

gle.com/?id=BnY0KYbJC6wC&pg=PA97&dq=history+of+metallurgy+bulgaria#v=onepage&q=bulgaria&f=false). UNESCO /

Routledge. p. 99. ISBN 978-92-3-102811-3. Retrieved 8 June 2012. "The first major gold-working centre was situated at

the mouth of the Danube, on the shores of the Black Sea in Bulgaria ..."

18. Grande, Lance (2009). Gems and gemstones: Timeless natural beauty of the mineral world (https://books.google.com/?id=R

nE9Fa4pbn0C&pg=PA290&dq=varna+necropolis+oldest#v=onepage&q=varna%20necropolis%20oldest&f=false). The University

of Chicago Press. p. 292. ISBN 978-0-226-30511-0. Retrieved 20 December 2011. "The oldest known gold jewelry in the

world is from an archaeological site in Varna Necropolis, Bulgaria, and is over 6,000 years old (radiocarbon dated between

4,600BC and 4,200BC)."

19. Anthony (ed), David W.; Chi (ed.), Jennifer (2010). The Lost World of Old Europe: The Danube Valley, 5000-3500 BC (http

s://books.google.bg/books?id=gFEARIQ6zYoC&pg=PA196&dq=varna+culture+gold&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwi73PLs5rncAh

WLESwKHUV4CtIQ6AEIKDAA#v=onepage&q=Grave%2043%20at%20the%20Varna%20cemetery&f=false). Institute for the

Study of the Ancient World. pp. 39, 201. ISBN 978-0-691-14388-0. Retrieved 25 July 2018. "...grave 43 at the Varna

cemetery, the richest single grave from Old Europe, dated about 4600-4500 BC."

Footnotes

References

20. "The Gumelnita Culture" (http://www.culture.gouv.fr/culture/arcnat/harsova/en/dobro3.htm). Government of France.

Retrieved 4 December 2011. "The Necropolis at Varna is an important site in understanding this culture."

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s.%20&f=false). Peter Lang Publishers. p. 36. ISBN 978-9052013749.

67. Fishman, Joshua A. (2010). Handbook of Language and Ethnic Identity: Disciplinary and Regional Perspectives (https://book

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population defined itself as Christians, according to the Ottoman system of millets, that is, communities of religious beliefs.

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68. Roudometof, Victor; Robertson, Roland (2001). Nationalism, globalization, and orthodoxy: the social origins of ethnic

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neither very considerable nor unjust."

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81. Tucker, Spencer C; Wood, Laura (1996). The European Powers in the First World War: An Encyclopedia (https://books.goog

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84. Mintchev, Veselin (October 1999). "External Migration in Bulgaria" (https://web.archive.org/web/20130117012418/htt

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Center for Science and International Affairs. p. 129. ISBN 978-0-262-01420-5. "Bulgaria, for example, had a net surplus of

refugees and was faced with the daunting task of absorbing thousands of Bulgarian refugees from Greece over a relatively

short period. While international loans from the Red Cross and other organizations helped to defray the substantial costs

of accommodating surplus populations, it placed a strenuous financial burden on states that were still recovering from the

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86. Bulgaria in World War II: The Passive Alliance.

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2409V9tEC&pg=PA239&dq=puppet++State+in+Macedonia++1944+mihailov). Columbia University Press. pp. 238–240.

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89. The Soviet Occupation.

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pp. 91–151. ISBN 978-0-8014-3965-0.

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page&q=bulgaria%20people's%20court&f=false). Anthem Press. p. 99. ISBN 978-1-78308-430-2.

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increased markedly, medical facilities and doctors became available to more of the population..."

95. After Stalin.

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eb.archive.org/web/20130530083710/http://www.cepr.org/meets/wkcn/1/1699/papers/Broadberry_Klein.pdf) (PDF).

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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"

102. "Cracks show in Bulgaria's Muslim ethnic model" (https://www.reuters.com/article/us-bulgaria-muslims/cracks-show-in-

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115. Topography.

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and many early masterpieces were destroyed. ... the foundations were laid for later artists such as Vladimir Dimitrov, an

extremely gifted painter specializing in the rural scenes of his native country ... At the beginning of the 21st century, the

best-known contemporary Bulgarian artist was Christo, an environmental sculptor known for wrapping famous structures"

332. Creed, Gerald W. (2011). Masquerade and Postsocialism: Ritual and Cultural Dispossession in Bulgaria (https://books.google.

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339. McNeill, William Hardy (1963). The Rise of the West (https://books.google.com/?id=_RsPrzrsAvoC&pg=PA449&dq=bulgaria+s

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1112695315. Retrieved 20 December 2011. "Accordingly, when Bulgaria was converted to Christianity (after 865), bringing

massive Slavic-speaking populations within the pale of Christendom, a new literary language, Old Church Slavonic, directly

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340. Ertl, Alan W (2008). Toward understanding Europe: A political précis of continental integration (https://books.google.com/?i

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Publishers, Inc. p. 436. ISBN 978-1599429830. Retrieved 20 December 2011. "At the beginning of the 10th century a new

alphabet – the Cyrillic alphabet – was developed on the basis of Greek and Glagolitic cursive at the Preslav Literary

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341. "French-Bulgarian Theorist Tzvetan Todorov Wins Top Spanish Award" (http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=9426

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344. Kremenliev, Boris A. (1952). Bulgarian-Macedonian Folk Music (https://books.google.com/?id=wOOfVFJWMLIC&pg=PA52&d

q=bulgarian+music#v=onepage&q=bulgarian%20music&f=false). University of California Press. p. 52. Retrieved 20 December

2011. "Bulgaria's scales are numerous, and it may be demonstrated that they are a fusion of Eastern and Western

influences. ... first, Oriental scales; second, church modes: the osmoglasie ... third, the conventional scales of Western

Europe. ... Among the scales which have comes to the Balkans from Asia, the pentatonic is one of the most widely used in

Bulgaria. Whether it came from China or Japan, as Dobri Hristov suggests..."

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347. "The 2011/2012 season of the National Opera and Ballet House" (https://web.archive.org/web/20120623132141/http://b

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boxing, and gymnastics, but the country's greatest repute may be in weight-lifting. ... Fans of football (soccer), the most

popular sport in Bulgaria, were buoyed by the success of the national team in the 1994 World Cup, when it advanced to the

semi-final match under the leadership of forward Hristo Stoichkov. The premier league in Bulgaria has 16 teams, of which

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Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bulgaria&oldid=857149728"

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