Bulgaria

Awesome Facts about Bulgaria

The land that forms the part of the present-day Bulgaria has a lot of historical and cultural significance. The number of burial mounds, monuments and architectures found in the country points to the fact that long ago it was the place of origin for a number of civilizations. The nation is the 16th largest country among the European nations.

From the numerous finds, it has been clear that the country had prehistoric cultures that lived there during the Neolithic period. The land was founded in 680 by the Bulgar tribes and the country derived its name from them. In later times, the Thracians, Persians, Greeks and Romans inhabited the land. It was part of the Ottoman Empire for about five centuries.

The country took part in the two World Wars but the nation had to suffer because of its participation in both the wars with the losing side. The nation became a republic in 1946 and joined the European Union in 2007. Today, the type of government that runs the country is the parliamentary democracy. The languages chiefly spoken in Bulgaria are Bulgarian and Turkish while the religions followed are mostly Eastern Orthodox and Muslims. The Bulgarian Constitution defines the nation as a secular state with freedom of religion for its citizens.

The Republic of Bulgaria is situated in southeastern Europe. It is surrounded by the countries of Romania, Serbia, Macedonia, Greece and Turkey while on the eastern side; the Black Sea surrounds the land. The country holds an important position among the European countries as it controls the access to the Middle East and Asia from Europe through land routes. The land of Bulgaria is situated closer to the equator and farther away from the poles, which makes the country relatively warmer than other European countries. The Danube River flowing through the country is important for the country because it is an important water resource and is responsible for the diversity of species within the country.

Sofia is the capital of the country with a high population density. The country has a high literacy rate and it is equal between both the sexes. The lacks of fossil fuel deposits for energy needs are met by alternative sources such as nuclear energy, solar energy and wind energy. In fact, Bulgaria is one of the few countries in the world that produces a significant amount of wind energy in the world.

The population of Bulgaria was estimated to be 7.1 Million people, with a population density of 64 people per square kilometre as of January 2016. The total area of the land mass is 110 994 square kilometres, as per the United Nations Statistics Division.

The Bulgarian culture is inseparable from other cultures and in the present times, the main cultures identified are of Thracian, Slavic and Bulgar along with Greek, Roman, Persian and Ottoman cultures. The UNESCO has included nine historical and natural objects in the UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The place gets a number of visitors each year due to the presence of a number of churches, monasteries, murals and frescos, which dates back to centuries before.

The religious art of Bulgaria called the icons may be found in museums all over the country, which shows the depth of influences of other cultures. The ancient ruins found in the country depict the Roman and Greek rules with clear evidences of forts, theatres and bathhouses.

The rose flower has an important place in Bulgarian culture and picking of roses has an important cultural significance. Nowadays the traditional custom of picking roses has become a favourite among the tourists visiting the nation. In addition, another favourite item among the tourists visiting the country is carpets. The carpets woven during the time of Bulgarian Revival has become favourite with the art lovers from around the world.

Drinks are an important part of Bulgarian way of life as they accompany the typical Bulgarian meals. A fruit brandy that has been part of the Bulgarian palate since 14th century is the Rakia. The Rakia is the Bulgarian national alcoholic drink, which may be made from grapes, figs, pears, plum or apricot fruits. A Rakia distilled from rose in the Rose Valley of Bulgaria is very famous throughout the world. The famous Bulgarian red wine is the Mavrud that forms a major part of the export product of Bulgaria.

In Bulgaria, there are two varieties of native cheese products, the Kashkaval that is slight yellow coloured and the other is the Sirene, which is white in colour. A drink very popular in Bulgaria is the Ayran which is made with yogurt and water. Yogurt, lukanka, banitsa, kozunak, shopska salad etc. are the most common local foods while the Oriental dishes include moussaka, gyuvech and baklava. The Bulgarian cuisine shows a strong influence of Turkish and Greek cultures. Different varieties of salad are consumed and while the consumption of meat is low compared to other European nations.

The natural beauty of the place and the favourable climate has helped to attract a number of tourists in Bulgaria. A number of resorts are present in the country, which are well-maintained for the travellers. The soil quality is good which helps the country to produce different types of agricultural products. Different fruits and vegetables are grown in the lands.

The land is one of the most biologically diverse among the European countries. Different species of plants and forest trees are found in the lands of Bulgaria along with animal species. Bulgaria has three national parks, eleven nature parks and seventeen biosphere reserves that are conserving the country’s diverse flora and fauna. Oaks, spruce, white fir, black fir, white pine etc. are the most common trees in the forests of Bulgaria. The Bulgarian forests have some of the oldest trees in the world named the Baikushev’s pine and the Granit oak.

The Rose Festival is one of the most unique and beautiful festival of Bulgaria that is worth visiting. A visit to Bulgaria is not complete if the Rose Valley of the country is not visited which has the main rose oil industries of the world.

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