Bulgaria is one of the oldest European States with 20-century-old history and traditions. Modern Bulgaria is situated in Southeastern Europe, in the Balkan Peninsula – a busy crossroad of ancient cultures.
For centuries, the roads passing through the territory of the country have been connecting Europe with Asia and Africa. Four common European transport corridors, connecting West and North Europe with the eastern and southern part of the continent, cross their roads here.

Bulgaria is also known for its picturesque nature and rich cultural heritage. According to the statistics, the country ranks third in Europe only after Greece and Italy for the number of its valuable archeological monuments.

On this page, you will find general information about the country: history, state structure, economy and the national symbols.

General Information

Territory: 110 993,6 km²
Population: 7 973 671
Capital: Sofia (1 173 811 inhabitants)
Official language: Bulgarian
Political system: parliamentary Republic
Head of State: Georgi Parvanov
Prime Minister: Sergey Stanishev
Administrative regions: Sofia – city, Sofia district, Burgas, Varna, Plovdiv, Ruse, Haskovo, Lovech, Montana, Sliven, Yambol, Dobrich, Silistra, Shumen, Gabrovo, Pleven, Vidin, Vratsa, Veliko Tarnovo, Pazardzhik, Smolyan, Razgrad, Targovishte, Blagoevgrad, Pernik, Kardzali, Stara Zagora

Official holidays

January 1st – New Years’s Holiday
March 3d – National Holiday (National Liberation from the Ottoman domination)
Easter, and the first Monday after Easter
May 1st – Labour Day
May 6th – Gergyovden, and the Bulgarian Military Army’s Day
May 24th – Cyril and Methodius Day
September 6th – Unification Day
September 22d – Independence Day
November 1st  - National Day of the Bulgarian Revival Leaders
December 24,25,26 – Christmas Days

National currency: Lev

Measures and scales: Metric system

Time zone: GMT +2

Demographic data (01.03.2001)

Population: 7 973 671
Women: 4 085 231
Population in towns: 5 500 695
Population growth: (%)  –5,1
Employed: 3 272 200

Bulgarian History

The territory of the present-day Bulgaria has been inhabited since the New Stone Age and the New Copper Age and continues to reveal exceptional archeological findings.

Bulgaria is one of the oldest European States with 20-century-old history and traditions. Modern Bulgaria is situated in Southeastern Europe, in the Balkan Peninsula – a busy crossroad of ancient cultures.
For centuries, the roads passing through the territory of the country have been connecting Europe with Asia and Africa . Four common European transport corridors, connecting West and North Europe with the eastern and southern part of the continent, cross their roads here.

Most archaeological discoveries have been made near Kazanluk, Karlovo, Nova Zagora, Veliko Turnovo, Vidin, Sofia, Teteven, Troyan, Kurdjali and in the Rhodope Mountains.

The world-famous culture of the Tracians developed on the territory of today’s Bulgaria during pre-historic and ancient times. The oldest gold treasure in the world - the Vulchitrun gold treasure (13-12 century BC), is of Thracian origin.The Thracian heritage influenced significantly the Bulgarian culture and is part of the foundations of the European civilization.

The first Thracian state unions emerged in the 11th century BC and flourished in the 7th-6th centuries BC. In the 1st century BC their lands were conquered by Rome, and after the 5-th century AD they were incorporated in the Byzantine Empire. The Thracians were later assimilated by the Slavs who settled in the Balkan Peninsula in the 6-th century AD. The most famous people born in ancient Trhace were Orpheus – the greatest singer of all time - and Spartacus – a gladiator and leader of the biggest slave uprising in Antiquity. According to the archeological and historical data, on the territory of the present-day Bulgaria the Thracians planted their vines and produced the honey-sweet black wine, described in Homer’s Illiad.

In the 8th - 6th century B.C. the seafaring Greecs settled on the present day Bulgarian Black Sea cost and built fortified port cities such as Odessos (Varna), Mesambria (Nessebur), Apolonia (Sozopol).

Bulgaria is also known for its picturesque nature and rich cultural heritage. According to the statistics, the country ranks third in Europe only after Greece and Italy for the number of its valuable archeological monuments.

Bulgarian Traditions

As early as 7000 years B.C., 3000 years before the Egyptians, traders from the land, now known as Bulgaria, had crossed up and down the Mediterranean. This long and winding history gave a source of not only great national pride but also an inspiration for a new national spirit. Much has perished through all these millennia, but even more has remained - a rich spiritual world which will shower you with the colours, rhythms and melodious songs of living Bulgarian folklore, the unfading beauty of Bulgarian arts and crafts, the gaiety and vivacity of Bulgarian festivals and customs, the piquant taste of Bulgarian cuisine and the delicate fragrance of Bulgarian wines.

Every national calendar is a peculiar and rigidly created system for organizing and defining the time of a year. Usually, it is divided into phases depending on the natural and agricultural cycles. The traditional Bulgarian culture shares a similar partition. The dual seasonal division of the year, which has become a commonplace after the official adoption of the Christianity and the Christian calendar, is regulated by St. George’s and The Dimitar’s days. A traditional Bulgarian saying states that Saint Dimitar brings along the winter season, and Saint George - the summer. Thus, according to those two holidays the year is divided into two comparatively closed seasonal and agricultural cycles. This traditional concept of the calendar year was used until the middle of the 20th century and was of a significant importance for the agricultural activity of the Bulgarians.

Acquiring knowledge about the traditions of celebrating some past Bulgarian customs and rites will not only give you information but also will help you get a deeper perspective on Bulgarian life and people, it will let you submerge into Bulgarian spiritual mood.

Bulgarian Cuisine - GOURMET PARADISE

Gourmets all over the world have been attracted for ages by the temptations of Bulgarian cuisine. There are plenty of countries in the world boasting a varied and delicious cuisine, along with long-standing culinary traditions. The methods used in Bulgarian cooking are not quite different from those used worldwide.You should try Bulgarian cuisine, for there are characteristic features which lend a specific taste and flavour to the dishes - namely those which have helped to make it popular far beyond the country's borders.

Bulgarian cuisine skillfully combines and uses the "fruits of the earth" which have captured the Bulgarian sun. The thermal processing of products simmered slowly on low heat enables their nutritive qualities to be retained and makes the food taste much better. The result is - mouthwatering dishes with SUPERB FLAVOUR AND TASTE. The methods of preparation are different - for ages the Bulgarians have favoured stewing, roasting, boiling and... the earthenware dish. The roasting of food on charcoal embers is also widespread, leaving the meat deliciously, tender and succulent. Bulgarian culinary is influenced both by the divercity of the nature and the clearly distinguished FOUR SEASONS.

The vegetables, fruits and spices are spread around the different seasons and are to be consumed fresh. In a similar manner, the use of meat also depends upon the season - lamb is more common in spring, light meat like chicken, veal and vegetarian meals are prevalent in summer. Pork meat prevales in winter. Fresh fish is consumed during the entire year. Bulgarian culinary differs in geographical regions and abounds in delicious specialties and exotic dishes: Bansko-style kapama (meat and vegetables stewed in an earthenware dish),Rhodope cheverme (lamb roasted on a spit over an open fire), Thracian katmi (special type of pancake) and Dobroudjanska banitsa (cheese pie), Danube fish soup and Sozopol-style mussels

The cosy, typically Bulgarian folk-style restaurants will tempt you with Shopska salad and chilled grape brandy, stuffed vine leaves or peppers, kavarma the miller's way, monastery-style hotchpotch, moussaka and kebab.

You can't say "no" to the juicy-grilled kebabcheta, piquant kavarma baked in an earthenware dish, delicious vegetarian dishes, the banitsa which simply melts in your mouth and the famous bulgarian kiselo mlyako (yoghurt). The smell of oven-fresh bread rolls is mixed with the fragrance of savoury. Thinly sliced loukanka (flat dry sausage) from Smyadovo, pastarma, white and yellow cheese are temptingly arranged on ceramic plates.

A part of the identity of Bulgarian cuisine is the art of wine-making because GOOD FOOD GOES DOWN WELL WITH CHOICE BEVERAGES. he white wines - dry and sweet - are characterised by a tingling taste and a delicate aroma. Well-known labels include Misket, Traminer, Dimyat and Riesling. The red wines - from pink to dark red are full-bodied with a bouquet acquired in the process of maturing. The most popular red wines include Mavrud, Gamza, Merlot and Cabernet. Aperitifs occupy a special place among Bulgarian drinks. The typical national drink (rakia) is a fiery brandy ritually consumed with a variety of appetizers (meze). It's worth to try the "hot" plumb brandy from Troyan and the mellow aged grape brandy from Songurlare.

And finally, a cup of steaming coffee served with sweet jam, pancakes with honey and walnuts or baklava. Desserts tend to be overly sweet pastries and cream-filled cakes, but crepe-like pancakes (palachinki) filled with figs (smokini) are a good alternative.

The temptations are many - the choice is yours! GOOD APPETITE!

OTHER COOKERY TERMS AND DEFINITIONS
SHOPSKA SALAD - a tasty mix of tomatoes, cucumbers, onions (and occasionally roasted peppers) topped by sirene (white brined sheep cheese).
BANITSA - thin sheets of dough spread alternately with mixture of eggs and white brined cheese (sometimes leeks or spinach), and butter.
KAPAMA - stew prepared in earthenware dish, containing meat, game, chicken and pickled cabbage.
KEBAB - stew made of meat cut into small pieces.
KEBABCHE - minced meat with seasonings, formed into rolls and grilled.
MOUSSAKA - dish made of minced meat and vegetables.
SURMI - mixture of rice and seasoning, or minced meat and seasonings, rolled in cabbage leaves or in vine leaves.

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