Misplaced Pages

Bulgaria: Difference between revisions

Article snapshot taken from Wikipedia with creative commons attribution-sharealike license. Give it a read and then ask your questions in the chat. We can research this topic together.
Browse history interactively← Previous editNext edit →Content deleted Content addedVisualWikitext
Revision as of 15:46, 26 November 2008 view sourceLilHelpa (talk | contribs)Extended confirmed users, Pending changes reviewers413,676 editsm →Climate: spelling: occured -> occurred← Previous edit Revision as of 19:26, 26 November 2008 view source 89.242.16.74 (talk) ←Replaced content with 'wat the f**** is the highest mountain in bulgaria metres'Next edit →
Line 1: Line 1:
wat the f**** is the highest mountain in bulgaria metres
{{pp-move-vandalism|small=yes}}
{{otheruses}}
{{Infobox Country
|native_name = {{lang|bg|Република България}}<br>{{lang|bg-Latn|''Republika Balgaria''}}&nbsp;<small><ref name="translit">This article uses the official Bulgarian transliteration system when romanizing Bulgarian ]. For details, see ].</ref></small>
|local_name = {{lang|bg-Latn|Balgaria}}
|conventional_long_name = Republic of Bulgaria
|common_name = Bulgaria
|image_flag = Flag_of_Bulgaria.svg
|image_coat = Coat of arms of Bulgaria.svg
|image_map = EU_location_BUL.png
|map_caption = {{map caption |region=Europe |subregion=EU |legend=European location legend en.png}}
|national_motto = {{lang|bg|Съединението прави силата}}{{spaces|2}}<small>(])</small><br/>"{{transl|bg|''Saedinenieto pravi silata''}}"{{spaces|2}}<small>(])<br/>"Strength through unity."{{smallsup|1}}</small>
|national_anthem = {{lang|bg|]}}{{spaces|2}}<small>(Bulgarian)</small><br/>{{lang|bg-Latn|''Mila Rodino''}}{{spaces|2}}<small>(transliteration)<br/>''Dear Motherland''</small>
|official_languages = ]
|capital = ]
|latd=42 |latm=41 |latNS=N |longd=23 |longm=19 |longEW=E
|largest_city = capital
|government_type = ]
|leader_title1 = ]
|leader_name1 = ]
|leader_title2 = ]
|leader_name2 = ]
|leader_title3 = ]
|leader_name3 = ]
|sovereignty_type = ]
|sovereignty_note
|established_event1 = Founded
|established_date1 = 681<ref>http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/3236.htm</ref>
|established_event2 = Last previously independent state<sup>2</sup>
|established_date2 = <br/>1422
|established_event3 = Autonomy within the ]
|established_date3 = <br/>1878
|established_event4 = Unification with Eastern Rumelia
|established_date4 = 1885
|established_event5 = Officially recognized independence
|established_date5 = 1908
|accessionEUdate = 1 January 2007
|area_rank = 104th
|area_magnitude = 1 E11
|area_km2 = 110910
|area_sq_mi = 42823 <!--Do not remove per ]-->
|percent_water = 0.3
|population_estimate = {{decrease}}7,640,238
|population_estimate_year = 2008
|population_estimate_rank = 94th
|population_census = {{increase}}7,932,984
|population_census_year = 1998
|population_density_km2 = 68.9
|population_density_sq_mi = 185 <!--Do not remove per ]-->
|population_density_rank = 124th
|GDP_PPP_year = 2007
|GDP_PPP = $86.381 billion<ref name=imf2>{{cite web|url=http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/weo/2008/02/weodata/weorept.aspx?sy=2006&ey=2008&scsm=1&ssd=1&sort=country&ds=.&br=1&c=918&s=NGDPD%2CNGDPDPC%2CPPPGDP%2CPPPPC%2CLP&grp=0&a=&pr.x=69&pr.y=10 |title=Bulgaria|publisher=International Monetary Fund|accessdate=2008-10-09}}</ref>
|GDP_PPP_rank = 63rd
|GDP_PPP_per_capita = $11,310<ref name=imf2/>
|GDP_PPP_per_capita_rank = 65th
|GDP_nominal = $39.609 billion<ref name=imf2/>
|GDP_nominal_rank = 75th
|GDP_nominal_year = 2007
|GDP_nominal_per_capita = $5,186<ref name=imf2/>
|GDP_nominal_per_capita_rank = 88th
|Gini = 29.2
|Gini_year = 2003
|Gini_category = <font color="#009900">low</font>
|HDI_year = 2007
|HDI = {{increase}} 0.824
|HDI_rank = 53rd
|HDI_category = <font color="#009900">high</font>
|currency = ]<sup>3</sup>
|currency_code = BGN
|country_code = bg
|time_zone = ]
|utc_offset = +2
|time_zone_DST = ]
|utc_offset_DST = +3
|demonym = ]
|ethnic_groups = 84% ], 9% ], 5% ], 2% other groups
|drives_on = right
|cctld = ]<sup>4</sup>
|calling_code = 359
|footnote1 = {{cite web |title=Bulgaria’s National Flag |publisher=] |date=3 October 2005 |url=http://www.government.bg/cgi-bin/e-cms/vis/vis.pl?s=001&p=0159&n=000006&g= |accessdate=2007-01-01}}
|footnote2 = ].
|footnote3 = plural '']''.
|footnote4 = Bulgarians, in common with citizens of other ] member-states, also use the ] domain.
|footnote5 = Cell phone system GSM and NMT 450i
|footnote6 = Domestic power supply {{nowrap|220 V}}/{{nowrap|50 Hz}}, ]
}}

The state of '''Bulgaria''' {{Audio-IPA|en-us-Bulgaria.ogg|}} ({{lang-bg|България}}, transliterated: {{lang|bg-Latn|''Balgaria''}},<ref name="translit"/> pronounced {{IPA2|bəlˈgarija}}), ] ''Bălgarija'', officially the '''Republic of Bulgaria''' ({{lang|bg|Република България}}, {{lang|bg-Latn|''Republika Balgaria''}}, pronounced {{IPA2|rɛˈpubliˌka bəlˈgarija}}) forms part of the ] in south-eastern ]. It borders five other countries: ] to the north (mostly along the ]), ] and the ] to the west, and ] and ] to the south. The ] defines the extent of the country to the east.

Bulgaria includes parts of the Roman provinces of ], ] and ]. ] within the territory of {{As of|2008|alt= present-day}} Bulgaria started to produce ] by the fifth millennium BC.<ref>
</ref>

The first Bulgarian kingdoms on European soil date back to the early Middle Ages (VIIth century). All Bulgarian political entities that subsequently emerged preserved the traditions (in ethnic name, language and alphabet) of the ] (632/681{{ndash}} 1018), which at times covered most of the ] and spread its alphabet, literature and culture among the ] and other peoples of ]. Centuries later, with the decline of the ] (1185{{ndash}} 1396/1422), Bulgarian kingdoms came under ] rule for nearly five centuries. The ] of 1877-1878 led to the re-establishment of a Bulgarian state as a ] in 1878, with the ] marking the birth of the ]. Following the ] Bulgaria declared its independence from the Ottoman Empire in 1908.<ref>Crampton, R.J., ''Bulgaria'', 2007, pp.174, Oxford University Press</ref> After ], in 1945 Bulgaria became a ] and part of the ]. ] dominated Bulgaria politically for 33 years (from 1956 to 1989). In 1990, after the ], the ] gave up its monopoly on power and Bulgaria transitioned to ] and ].

{{As of|2008|alt= Currently}} Bulgaria functions as a ]ary ] under a ] ]. A member of the ] since 2007 and of ] since 2004, it has a population of approximately 7.6 million.

==Geography ==
{{main|Geography of Bulgaria}}

Geographically and in terms of climate, Bulgaria features notable diversity with the landscape ranging from the ] snow-capped peaks in ], ] and the ] to the mild and sunny Black Sea coast; from the typically ] ] (ancient ]) in the north to the strong ] in the valleys of ] and in the lowlands in the southernmost parts of ].

], Bulgaria straddles the ]n and ]n provinces of the ] within the ]. According to the ] and to the ]'s Digital Map of European Ecological Regions, the territory of Bulgaria subdivides into two main ]s: the ] and Rhodope montane mixed forests. Small parts of four other ecoregions also occur on Bulgarian territory.

=== Relief===
The ] derives its name from the ''Balkan'' or '']'' mountain-range, which runs through the centre of Bulgaria and extends into eastern ].

] in Bulgaria]]

Bulgaria comprises portions of the regions known in ] as ], ], and ]. The mountainous southwest of the country has two alpine ranges&nbsp;— ] and ]&nbsp;— and further east stand the lower but more extensive ]. The ] range includes the highest peak of the Balkan Peninsula, ], at 2,925&nbsp;meters (9,596&nbsp;ft); the long range of the ] runs west-east through the middle of the country, north of the famous ]. Hilly country and plains lie to the southeast, along the ] coast in the east, and along Bulgaria's main river, the ] in the north.

=== Mineral resources===
The country possesses relatively rich mineral-resources, including vast reserves of ] and ] ]; non-ferrous ores such as ], ], ] and ]. It has large deposits of ] ore in the north-east. Smaller deposits exist of ], ], ], ] and others. Bulgaria has abundant non-metalliferous minerals such as ], ], ] and ].

===Hydrography ===

] in the ]]]

Bulgaria has a dense network of about 540 rivers,<ref>
{{cite book |last=Donchev |first=D. |title=Geography of Bulgaria |publisher=ciela |location=Sofia |pages=p. 68 |language=Bulgarian |isbn=954-649-717-7 |year=2004}}
</ref>
but with the notable exception of the Danube, most have short lengths and low water-levels.

Most rivers flow through mountainous areas; fewer in the Danubian Plain, ] and especially ]. Two catchment basins exist: the ] (57% of the territory and 42% of the rivers) and the ] (43% of the territory and 58% of the rivers) basins. The longest river located solely in Bulgarian territory, the ], has a length of 368 km. Other major rivers include the ] and the ] in the south.

Rila and Pirin feature around 260 glacial lakes; the country also has several large lakes on the Black Sea coast and more than 2,200 dam lakes. Many mineral springs exist, located mainly in the south-western and central parts of the country along the faults between the mountains.

The Bulgarian word for ], ''баня'', transliterated as ''banya'', appears in some of the names of more than 50 ]s and resorts including ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ] and many others.

=== Climate===
Bulgaria has a ], with cold winters (with considerable snowfall) and hot summers (rainy at first and dry during the second half). The Black Sea coast has a milder climate than rest of the country, but strong winds and violent local storms occur frequently during the winter. The barrier effect of the Balkan Mountains has some influence on climate throughout the country: northern Bulgaria gets colder and receives more rain than the southern regions. The Northern Thracian Plain (middle-south Bulgaria) has a climate resembling that of the ] in the United States. ] in Bulgaria averages about 630 millimetres per year. Drier areas include ] and the northern coastal strip, while the higher parts of the Rila, Pirin and Stara Planina (Balkan) Mountains receive the highest levels of precipitation. In summer, temperatures in the southest Bulgaria often exceed 40 degrees Celsius, but remain cooler by the coast. The town of ], near ], has recorded the highest known temperature: 45.2 degrees Celsius. The recorded absolute minimum temperature -39,3 degrees Celsius occurred, west of Sofiya, near Trøn or Trun town.

The highest Bulgarian mountains (over 900 or 1000 meters above sea-level) have an alpine climate . The lowest parts of the Struma and Maritza valleys have a subtropical (Mediterranean) influences, as do the Eastern Rhodope or Low Rhodope mountains.

=== Urban geography ===

]; ]; Lake Shabla on the Black Sea coast.]]

Bulgaria's larger cities include<ref>Head Direction of Residential Registration and Administrative Service. .</ref>:

{| class="wikitable sortable"
! Place
! align="left" | City
! Population
! Place
! align="left" | City
! Population
|-
| align="right" | 1. ]
| ]
| align="right" | {{nts|1393565}}
| align="right" | 6. ]
| ]
| align="right" | {{nts|152619}}
|-
| align="right" | 2. ]
| ]
| align="right" | {{nts|378688}}
| align="right" | 7. ]
| ]
| align="right" | {{nts|122989}}
|-
| align="right" | 3. ]
| ]
| align="right" | {{nts|351151}}
| align="right" | 8. ]
| ]
| align="right" | {{nts|104304}}
|-
| align="right" | 4. ]
| ]
| align="right" | {{nts|203797}}
| align="right" | 9. ]
| ]
| align="right" | {{nts|103309}}
|-
| align="right" | 5. ]
| ]
| align="right" | {{nts|167715}}
| align="right" | 10. ]
| ]
| align="right" | {{nts|103016}}
|}

Bulgaria operates a scientific station, the ], on ] in the ] off the coast of ].
{{seealso|List of cities in Bulgaria|Rivers of Bulgaria|Reservoirs and dams in Bulgaria}}

==History ==
{{main|History of Bulgaria}}

=== Prehistory and Antiquity===
{{see|Neolithic Europe|Bronze Age Europe|Thrace}}

], a 3rd century BC ] listed as one of ]'s ]s]]

Prehistoric cultures in the Bulgarian lands include the ] ] and ] (6th to 3rd millennia BC), the ] ] (5th millennium BC; see also ]), and the ] ]. The ] serves as a gauge for the prehistory of the wider Balkans region.

The ]s, the earliest known identifiable people to inhabit the present-day territory of Bulgaria, have left traceable marks among all the Balkan region despite its tumultuous history of many conquests.<ref>
http://www.links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0009-840X(193102)1%3A45%3A1%3C41%3ADADBUD%3E2.0.CO%3B2-H
</ref><ref>http://www.legmed.ro/files/revista/2004-4/02-Cardos-%20MtDNA.pdf</ref>
The ] ranks as one of the most splendid achievements of the Thracian culture.

The Thracians lived divided into numerous separate tribes until King ] united most of them around 500 BC in the ], which peaked under the kings ] and ] (383-359 BC). In 188 BC the ] invaded ], and warfare continued until 45 AD when Rome finally conquered the region. The conquerors quickly ] the population. By the time the ] arrived, the ] had already lost their indigenous identity and had dwindled in number following frequent invasions.

===The Slavs and Old Great Bulgaria ===
{{main|Old Great Bulgaria}}

The ] emerged from their original homeland (location not definitively established: see ]) in the early 6th century and spread to most of the eastern Central Europe, Eastern Europe and the Balkans, forming in the process three main branches&nbsp; the West Slavs, the East Slavs and the South Slavs. The eastern South Slavs became part of the ancestors of the modern Bulgarians. They assimilated what remained of the Thracians.<ref name=EB1911>]</ref> Modern ] derive much of their culture, language and self-determination from these early immigrants.

In 632, the ], an ancient nation that formed numerous kingdoms<ref name="Bakalov">Bakalov, Georgi. . ''Science Magazine''. Union of Scientists in Bulgaria. Vol. 15 (2005) Issue 1. (in Bulgarian). This lengthy paper reaches two main conclusions: 1. The native land of ancient Bulgars lies in the region of the rivers Amu Darya and Sar Darya, Pamir, and Bactria, known also as Balhara. 2. The Bulgar language, relatively self-contained, features Iranian roots and Pamir-Fergana lexemes. <!-- The other two sources, Dimitrov and Dobrev, are on paper and cost $$ to see. In case someone again accuses me of POV pushing, I would like to point out that I don't subscribe to either side of this bitter dispute about the Bulgar origin.-->
</ref><ref name="Dimitrov">Dimitrov, Bozhidar. ''Bulgarians and Alexander of Macedon''. Sofia: Tangra Publishers, 2001. 138 pp. (in Bulgarian) ISBN 9549942295
</ref><ref name="Dobrev">Dobrev, Petar. ''Unknown Ancient Bulgaria''. Sofia: Ivan Vazov Publishers, 2001. 158 pp. (in Bulgarian) ISBN 9546041211
</ref>
throughout ] and stemmed from a largely enigmatic socio-cultural lineage (theorised as of either ]<ref name="Bakalov" /><ref name="Dimitrov" /><ref name="Dobrev" /> {{Verify source|date=October 2008}} or ] descent), originally from ]<ref name="Bakalov" /><ref name="Dimitrov" /><ref name="Dobrev" />, formed under the leadership of Khan ] an independent state called ], situated between the lower course of the ] to the west, the ] and the ] to the south, the ] to the east, and the ] to the north.<ref>Zlatarski, pp. 146-153</ref>

Pressure from the ] led to the subjugation of Great Bulgaria in the second half of the 7th century. Some of the Bulgars from that territory later migrated to the northeast to form a new state called ] (around the confluence of the ] and ]s), which lasted until the 13th century.

===First Bulgarian Empire ===
{{main|First Bulgarian Empire}}

], in which the Bulgarians defeated the Byzantines: one of the bloodiest battles of the ].<ref name=Dimitrov1>
Bojidar Dimitrov: ''Bulgaria Illustrated History''. BORIANA Publishing House 2002, ISBN 9545000449
</ref>]]

]]]
]

]’s successor, Khan ], migrated with some of the Bulgar tribes to the lower courses of the rivers ], ] and ] (known as ''Ongal''), and conquered ] and ] (]) from the ], expanding his new khanate further into the ].<ref>Runciman, p. 26</ref> A peace treaty with Byzantium in 681 and the establishment of the Bulgar capital of ] south of the Danube mark the beginning of the ]. At the same time one of Asparuh's brothers, ], settled with another ] group in {{As of|2007|alt= present-day}} ].

During the siege of Constantinople in 717-718 the ] honoured their treaty with the Byzantines by sending troops to help the populace of the imperial city. According to the Byzantine chronicler Theophanes, in the decisive battle the Bulgarians killed 22,000 ]<ref>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, '''κβ''' χιλάδας Αράβων κατέσφαξαν."''</ref>. Contemporaries across the continent<!-- Eurasia? --> called the Bulgarian Emperor Tervel the "Saviour of Europe".{{Fact|date=November 2008}}

The influence and territorial expansion of Bulgaria increased further during the rule of ],<ref>Runciman, p. 52</ref> who in 811 won a decisive victory against the Byzantine army led by ] in the ].<ref name = Theophanes>]</ref>

In 864, Bulgaria accepted ].<ref>
Georgius Monachus Continuatus, loc. cit. , Logomete
</ref>

Bulgaria became a major European power in the ninth and the tenth centuries, while fighting with the Byzantine Empire for the control of the Balkans. This happened under the rule (852–889) of ]. During his reign, the ] originated in ] and ],<ref>
Vita S. démentis
</ref>
adapted from the ] invented by the monks ].<ref>
Barford, P. M. (2001). ''The Early Slavs''. Ithaca, New York: Cornell University Press
</ref>

The Cyrillic alphabet became the basis for further cultural development. Centuries later, this alphabet, along with the ] language, fostered the intellectual written language (''lingua franca'') for Eastern Europe, known as ]. The greatest territorial extension of the Bulgarian Empire — covering most of the Balkans — occurred under ], the first Bulgarian ] (]), son of Boris I.<ref>Fine, ''The Early Medieval Balkans'', pp. 144-148.</ref>

However, Simeon's greatest achievement consisted of Bulgaria developing a rich, unique Christian Slavonic culture, which became an example for the other Slavonic peoples in Eastern Europe and ensured the continued existence of the Bulgarian nation regardless of the centrifugal forces that threatened to tear it into pieces throughout its long and war-ridden history.

Following a decline in the mid-tenth century (worn out by wars with ], by frequent Serbian rebellions sponsored by Byzantine gold, and by disastrous Magyar and ] invasions),<ref>Theophanes Continuatus, pp. 462—3, 480</ref> Bulgaria collapsed in the face of an assault of the '']'' in 969-971.<ref>Cedrenus: II, p. 383 </ref>

The Byzantines then began campaigns to conquer Bulgaria. In 971, they seized the capital ] and captured Emperor ].<ref>
Leo Diaconus, pp. 158-9 </ref>
Resistance continued under ] 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 the most of the Balkans and in 991 invaded the Serbian state.<ref>
Шишић , p. 331 </ref>
However, the ] led by ] (Basil the Bulgar-Slayer) destroyed the Bulgarian state in 1018 after their victory at ].<ref>
Skylitzes, p. 457
</ref>

===Byzantine Bulgaria ===
] as Emperor of Bulgaria. ], Chronicle]]

In the first decade after the establishment of Byzantine rule, no evidence remains of any major attempt at resistance or any uprising of the Bulgarian population or nobility. Given the existence of such irreconcilable opponents to Byzantium as ], ], Dragash and others, such apparent passivity seems difficult to explain. Some historians<ref name="Zlatarski">Zlatarski, vol. II, pp. 1-41</ref> explain this fact by concessions that ] granted the Bulgarian nobility in order to gain their obedience. In the first place, ] guaranteed the indivisibility of Bulgaria in its former geographic borders and did not abolish officially the local rule of the Bulgarian nobility that now became part of ] as ]s or ]. Second, special charters (royal decrees) of ] recognised the ] of the ] and set up its boundaries, securing the continuation of the ]s already existing under Samuel, their property and other privileges.<ref>Averil Cameron, ''The Byzantines'', Blackwell Publishing (2006), p. 170</ref>

The people of Bulgaria challenged Byzantine rule several times in the 11th and then again later in the early 12th century. The biggest ] occurred under the leadership of ], (proclaimed Emperor of Bulgaria in ] in 1040). In the mid to late 11th century, the Normans, fresh from their recent conquests in southern Italy and Sicily, landed in the Balkans and began advancing against the Byzantine Empire. It took the Byzantines until 1185 before the Normans were driven out but until then they posed a constant threat to Byzantine Bulgaria. In 1091 another invasion came in the form of the ]s. However, these too were crushed at ] and again in '''c'''. 1120 by the Byzantine Empire. After that, the Hungarians made an attempt to increase their influence beyond the Danube river; John Comnenus' campaigns along the Danube eventually drove back the Hungarians as well by c.1140. It would be another 45 years before Bulgaria would attain independence. Until that time, Bulgarian nobles ruled the province in the name of the Byzantine Empire until a rebellion by ] and ] led to the establishment of the ].

===Second Bulgarian Empire ===
{{main|Second Bulgarian Empire}}
] ''sevastokrator'' Kaloyan and his wife Desislava.]]
From 1185, the ] once again established Bulgaria as an important ] in ] for two more centuries with its capital based in ] and under the ]. ], the third of the Asen monarchs, extended his dominions to Belgrade, Nish and Skopie (Uskub); he acknowledged the spiritual supremacy of the pope, and received the royal crown from a papal legate.<ref name=EB1911 /> The Bulgarian ruler from 1218 to 1241, ] demonstrated a humane and enlightened character.<ref>Jiriček, p. 294</ref> After a series of victorious campaigns he established his sway over Albania, Epirus, Macedonia and Thrace, and governed his wide dominions with justice, wisdom and moderation.<ref>Jiriček, p.295</ref> In his time the nation attained a prosperity hitherto unknown: commerce, the arts and literature flourished; Veliko Turnovo, the capital, was enlarged and embellished; and great numbers of churches and monasteries were founded or endowed.<ref name=EB1911 /> The ] and the ] produced some splendid achievements. Emperor ] won a reputation as a great ] and patron of the arts. The dynasty of the Asens became extinct in 1257, and as a result of the ] (beginning in the later 13th century), of internal conflicts and of the constant attacks from the Byzantines and the Hungarians, the power of the country declined until the end of the 13th century. From 1300, under Emperor ] Bulgaria regained its strength, but by the end of the fourteenth century the country had disintegrated into several feudal principalities, which the ] eventually conquered.

===Ottoman rule===
{{POV-section|date=October 2008}}
{{main|History of early Ottoman Bulgaria|National awakening of Bulgaria}}
By the end of the 14th century factional divisions between Bulgarian feudal landlords ('']'') had gravely weakened the cohesion of the Second Bulgarian Empire. It split into three small Tsardoms and several semi-independent principalities which fought among themselves, and also with Byzantines, Hungarians, Serbs, Venetians, and Genoese. In these battles they often allied with the Ottoman Turks. Similar situations of internecine quarrel and infighting existed also in Byzantium and Serbia. In the period 1365-1370 the Ottomans conquered most of the Bulgarian towns and fortresses south of the Balkan Mountains.<ref>Jiriček, p. 382</ref>

], 1396]]

In 1393 the Ottoman Turks captured Tarnovo, the capital of the Second Bulgarian Empire, after a three-month siege. With the fall of the Vidin Tsardom following the defeat of a Christian ] at the ] in 1396, the Ottomans finally subjugated and occupied Bulgaria.<ref>
], ''The Ottoman Centuries'', Morrow QuillPaperback Edition, 1979
</ref><ref name = "xixcnf">
R.J. Crampton, A Concise History of Bulgaria, 1997, Cambridge University Press, ISBN 0-521-567-19-X
</ref><ref name = "xouksi">
D. Hupchick, The Balkans, 2002
</ref>
When a ]-] crusade under the command of ] set out to free the Balkans in 1444, the Turks defeated it in the ].

Some accounts of the five centuries of Ottoman rule highlight its violence and oppression. The Ottomans decimated the Bulgarian population, which lost most of its cultural relics. Turkish authorities destroyed most of the medieval Bulgarian fortresses in order to prevent rebellions. Large towns and the areas where Ottoman power predominated remained severely depopulated until the nineteenth century.<ref name = Dimitrov1 />

The new authorities dismantled Bulgarian institutions at anything above the village or communal level, and merged the separate ] into the ] (]) (although a small, semi-independent Bulgarian Church did survive until 1767).

Bulgarians in the Ottoman empire had to endure a number of disabilities; they paid more taxes than ], they lacked legal equality with Moslems, they could not carry arms, their clothes could not rival those of Moslems in color, nor could their churches tower as high as ]s<ref>Crampton, R.J. ''Bulgaria 1878-1918'', p.2. East European Monographs, 1983. ISBN 0880330295.</ref>. Those who did convert, the ], retained Bulgarian language, dress and some customs compatible with Islam.<ref name = "xixcnf"/><ref name = "xouksi"/>

The ] started to decline by the 17th century, and at the end of the 18th had all but collapsed. Central government weakened over the decades, and this had allowed a number of local Ottoman holders of large estates to establish personal ascendancy over separate regions.<ref>
Kemal H. Karpat, ''Social Change and Politics in Turkey: A Structural-Historical Analysis'', BRILL, 1973, ISBN 9004038175, pp. 36-39
</ref>
During the last two decades of the 18th and first decades of the 19th centuries the Balkan Peninsula dissolved into virtual anarchy, a period known in Bulgarian as the ''kurdjaliistvo'' after the armed bands of Turks or ''kurdjalii'' who plagued the area at this time. In many regions thousands of peasants fled from the countryside either to local towns or (more probably) to the hills or forests; some even fled beyond the ] to ], ] or southern ].<ref name = "xixcnf"/><ref>
Dennis P. Hupchick: ''The Balkans: from Constantinople to Communism'', 2002
</ref>

])&nbsp;— built in honor of the ]; one of the important symbols of Bulgarian liberation.]]

In the 18th and especially during the 19th century, conditions improved in certain areas. Some towns&nbsp;— such as ], ], ], ], ], ]&nbsp;— prospered. The Bulgarian peasants actually possessed their land, although it officially belonged to the ]. The 19th century also brought improved communications, transportation and trade. The first factory in the Bulgarian lands opened in ] in 1834, and the first railway system started running (between ] and ]) in 1865.

Throughout the five Ottoman centuries Bulgarian people organized many attempts to re-establish their own state. The ] became one of the key factors in the struggle for ]. In the 19th century there came into existence the ] and the ] led by liberal revolutionaries such as ], ], ] and many others.

In 1876, the ] broke out: the largest and best-organized Bulgarian rebellion against the Ottoman Empire. Though crushed by the Ottoman authorities, the uprising (together with the 1875 ]) prompted the Great Powers to convene the 1876 ], which delimited the ] 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, making it possible for ] to seek a solution by force without risking military confrontation with other Great Powers as in the ] of 1854 to 1856..

=== The Kingdom of Bulgaria ===
].]]

Following the ] (when Russian soldiers together with a ]n expeditionary force and volunteer Bulgarian troops defeated the Ottoman armies), the ] (3 March 1878), set up an autonomous Bulgarian principality. The Western ] immediately rejected the treaty: they became aware that a large Slavic country in the ] might serve Russian interests. This led to the ] which provided for an autonomous Bulgarian principality comprising ] and the region of ]. ], took up the position of Bulgaria's first ]. Most of ] became part of the autonomous region of ], whereas the rest of Thrace and all of ] returned to the sovereignty of the ]. After the ] and ] with ] in 1885, the Bulgarian principality proclaimed itself a fully independent kingdom on 5 October (22 September ]), 1908, during the reign of ].

Ferdinand, a prince from the ducal family of ], became the Bulgarian Prince after ] abdicated in 1886 following a ''coup d'état'' staged by pro-Russian army-officers. (Although the counter-''coup'' coordinated by ] succeeded, Prince Alexander decided not to remain the Bulgarian ruler without the approval of ].) The struggle for liberation of the Bulgarians in the ] ] and in Macedonia continued throughout the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, culminating with the ] organised by the ] in 1903.

==== The Balkan Wars and World War I====

]

In 1912 and 1913, Bulgaria became involved in the ], first entering into conflict alongside Greece, Serbia and Montenegro against the Ottoman Empire. The ] (1912-1913) proved a success for the Bulgarian army, but a conflict over the division of Macedonia arose amongst the victorious allies. The ] (1913) pitted Bulgaria against Greece and Serbia, joined by Romania and Turkey. After its defeat in the Second Balkan War, Bulgaria lost considerable territory conquered in the first war, as well as ] and parts of the ].

During ], Bulgaria found itself fighting on the losing side as a result of its alliance with the ]. Defeat in 1918 led to new territorial losses (the ] to ], ] to ] and the re-conquered ] to ]). The Balkan Wars and World War I led to the influx of over 250,000 Bulgarian refugees from ], ] and ] and ].

====The interwar years====

] proclaimed himself ] of Bulgaria in 1908. However, internationally his title equated to "King", not to "Emperor" (as the title ''Tsar'' might suggest).]]

In September 1918, Tsar Ferdinand abdicated in favour of his son ] in order to head off revolutionary tendencies. Under the ] (November 1919), Bulgaria ceded its Aegean coastline to Greece, recognized the existence of ], ceded nearly all of its Macedonian territory to that new state, and had to give Dobrudzha back to the Romanians. The country had to reduce its army to 20,000 men, and to pay reparations exceeding $400 million. Bulgarians generally refer to the results of the treaty as the "Second National Catastrophe".

Elections in March 1920 gave the ] a large majority, and ] formed Bulgaria's first peasant government. He faced huge social problems, but succeeded in carrying out many reforms, although opposition from the middle and upper classes, the landlords and the officers of the army remained powerful. In March 1923 Stamboliyski signed an agreement with the ] recognising the new border and agreeing to suppress ] (VMRO), which favoured a war to regain Macedonia from Bulgaria. This triggered a nationalist reaction, and the ] of 9 June 1923 eventually resulted in Stamboliykski's assassination. A right-wing government under ] took power, backed by the army and the VMRO, which waged a ] against the Agrarians and the Communists. In 1926 the Tsar persuaded Tsankov to resign, a more moderate government under ] took office and an amnesty was proclaimed<!--by whom?-->, although the Communists remained banned. A popular alliance including the re-organised Agrarians won elections in 1931 under the name Popular Bloc.

In May 1934 ] took place, removing the Popular Bloc from power and establishing an authoritarian military régime headed by ]. A year later Tsar ] managed to remove the military régime from power, restoring a form of parliamentary rule (without the re-establishment of the political parties) and under his own strict control. The Tsar's regime proclaimed neutrality, but gradually Bulgaria gravitated into alliance with ] and ].

====World War II ====
After regaining control over ] in 1940, Bulgaria became allied with the ], although it never declared war on the ] and refused to participate in its ]. During World War II ] allowed Bulgaria to occupy parts of ] and of ]. Bulgaria became one of only three countries (along with Finland and Denmark) that saved its entire Jewish population (around 50,000 people) from the ] camps by refusing to comply with a 31 August 1943 resolution.

In early September 1944, the Soviet Union declared war on Bulgaria and invaded the country, meeting no resistance. This enabled the Bulgarian Communists (the ]) to seize power and establish a communist state. The new régime turned Bulgaria's forces against Germany. The 450,000-man army of 1944 dwindled to 130,000 by 1945.

=== The People's Republic of Bulgaria ===
{{main|History of Communist Bulgaria}}

After World War II, Bulgaria fell within the Soviet ]. It became a ] in 1946 and one of the ]'s staunchest allies. In the late 1970s, it began normalizing relations with Greece. The People's Republic ended in 1989 as many ]s in ], as well as the Soviet Union itself, began to collapse. Opposition forces removed the Bulgarian Communist leader ] and his right-hand man ] from power on 10 November 1989.

=== The Republic of Bulgaria ===
In February 1990, the Communist Party voluntarily gave up its monopoly on power, and in June 1990 free elections took place, won by the moderate wing of the Communist Party (renamed the ]&nbsp;— BSP). In July 1991, the country adopted a ] which provided for a relatively weak elected President and for a Prime Minister accountable to the legislature.

] and part of its ] ]]

The anti-Communist ] took office, and between 1992 and 1994 carried through the ] of land and industry, but faced massive unemployment and economic difficulties. The reaction against economic reform allowed BSP to take office again in 1995, but by 1996 the BSP government had also encountered difficulties, and in the presidential elections of that year the UDF's ] was elected. In 1997, the BSP government collapsed and the UDF came to power. Unemployment, however, remained high and the electorate became increasingly dissatisfied with both parties.

Relations with Turkey began to normalise in the 1990s{{Fact|date=April 2008}}.

On 17 June 2001, ], the son of Tsar Boris III and the former Head of state (as Tsar of Bulgaria from 1943 to 1946), won a narrow victory in democratic elections. The king's party&nbsp;— ] ("NMSII")&nbsp;— won 120 out of 240 seats in Parliament and overturned the two pre-existing political parties. Simeon's popularity declined during his four-year rule as Prime Minister, and the BSP won the elections in 2005, but could not form a single-party government and had to seek a coalition.

Since 1989, Bulgaria has held multi-party ] and privatized its ], but economic difficulties and a tide of corruption have led over 800,000 Bulgarians, including many qualified ]als, to emigrate in a "]". Since a reform package introduced in 1997{{Fact|date=February 2008}}, the economy has returned to growth. Bulgaria became a member of ] in 2004 and of the ] in 2007.

== Politics==
{{main|Politics of Bulgaria}}<!--Please add new information to relevant articles of the series-->

], the home of the Presidency and of the Council of Ministers]]

]

<!--Unsourced image removed: ]-->

Bulgaria joined ] on 29 March 2004 and signed the ] ] on 25 April 2005.<ref name="nato">{{cite web|url=http://www.nato.int/docu/update/2004/03-march/e0329a.htm|title=NATO Update: Seven new members join NATO|date=2004-03-29|accessdate=2008-11-02}}</ref><ref name="ec">{{cite web|url=http://ec.europa.eu/enlargement/archives/enlargement_process/future_prospects/negotiations/eu10_bulgaria_romania/treaty_2005_en.htm|title=European Commission Enlargement Archives: Treaty of Accession of Bulgaria and Romania|date=2005-04-25|accessdate=2008-11-02}}</ref> It became a full member of the European Union on 1 January 2007. The country had joined the ] in 1955, and became a founding member of ] in 1995. As a Consultative Party to the ], Bulgaria takes part in the administration of the territories situated south of 60° south latitude.<ref>
. Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR).
</ref><ref>
. Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR).
</ref>

], the ] since 22 January 2002, won re-election on 29 October 2006 and began his second term in office in January 2007. (Bulgarian voters directly elect their presidents for a five-year term with the right to one re-election.) The president serves as the ] and commander-in-chief of the armed forces. He also chairs the Consultative Council for National Security. While unable to initiate ] 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.

Since 17 August 2005 ] as Prime Minister has chaired the ], the principal body of the executive branch, which {{As of|2007|alt= presently}} consists of 20 ministers. The Prime Minister&nbsp;— usually nominated by the largest parliamentary group&nbsp;— receives the mandate of the President to form a cabinet.

The {{As of|2007|alt= current}} governmental coalition comprises the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP), ] (NMSII) and the ] (representing mainly the ] minority).

The Bulgarian ] ], the National Assembly or '']'' (Народно събрание), consists of 240 deputies, each elected for four-year terms by popular vote. The votes go to parties or to coalition-lists of candidates for each of the 28 administrative divisions. A party or ] must win a minimum of 4% of the vote in order to enter parliament. Parliament has the responsibility for enactment of laws, approval of the budget, scheduling of presidential elections, selection and dismissal of the ] and other ministers, declaration of war, deployment of troops outside of Bulgaria, and ratification of international treaties and agreements.

The {{As of|2007|alt= most recent}} elections took place in June 2005. The {{As of|2007|alt= next}} scheduled elections should take place in summer 2009.

The Bulgarian judicial system consists of regional, district and appeal courts, as well as a Supreme Court of Cassation. In addition, Bulgaria has a Supreme Administrative Court and a system of military courts. A qualified majority of two-thirds of the membership of the Supreme Judicial Council elects the Presidents of the Supreme Court of Cassation and of the Supreme Administrative Court, as well as the Prosecutor General, from among its members; the President of the Republic then appoints those elected. The Supreme Judicial Council has charge of the self-administration and organization of the Judiciary.

The Constitutional Court supervises the review of the constitutionality of laws and statutes brought before it, as well as the compliance of these laws with international treaties that the Government has signed. Parliament elects the twelve members of the Constitutional Court by a two-thirds majority: the members serve for a nine-year term.

The territory of the Republic of Bulgaria subdivides into provinces and municipalities. In all, Bulgaria has 28 provinces, each headed by a provincial governor appointed by the government. In addition, the country includes 263 municipalities.

==Military==
{{main|Military of Bulgaria|Medieval Bulgarian Army}}

] ]]]

The ] consists of three services: the ], the ] and the ]. The armed forces have as their patron saint ''Sveti Georgi'' (]), and Bulgarians celebrate his feast day, 6 May nationally as Valour and Army Day. Despite active participation in all major ]an wars since the end of the nineteenth century, Bulgarian forces have never lost a flag.<ref></ref>

Bulgaria first became a major military power in Europe under ] and ], in a series of wars with the ] for control of the ], in the late ninth century. By the use of approximately 12,000 heavy ] in tactics resembling those of feudal ]s, Simeon I's forces reached as far as the Byzantine capital, ], in AD 896&nbsp;. A formal peace treaty lasted until 912, when both sides became engaged in a war which ended with several major defeats of the Byzantines, including one of the bloodiest battles in the ] at ] in AD 917. Bulgaria again became a significant military power under the rule of the ] in the ] and ]. During the rule of Tsar ] (1197-1207) Bulgaria became the first European country to defeat the ]r knights.
] ] ]]]

After declaring total independence from the ] in 1908, Bulgaria has functioned as a minor European power, frequently included in plans and wars of the ]. In 1912, the Bulgarian forces invented the world's first aircraft-dropped bombs and soon after became the first military in the world to utilize ], in the siege of ]. Thus the Bulgarian Air Force, inheritor of one of the oldest traditions of powered aircraft combat in the world, became an early innovator in aviation military technology and in air-to-surface attack strategies/tactics.

Following a series of reductions beginning in 1989, the active troops of Bulgaria's army number just 68,450 {{As of|2008|alt= today}}. Reserve forces include 303,000 soldiers and officers. "PLAN 2004", an effort to modernize Bulgaria's armed forces, aims to better meet the perceived military needs of ] and the ].
] ] in ]]]

Bulgarian military personnel have participated in international missions in ], ], ], ] and ]. In 2008 Bulgaria completely abolished compulsory military service. Bulgaria's naval and air forces became fully ] in 2006, with the land-forces scheduled to follow suit in 2008. Bulgaria's Special Forces have conducted missions with the ], ], ], and the ] of Russia.

In April 2006 Bulgaria and the ] signed a defence-cooperation agreement providing for the development of the Bulgarian air bases at ] (near ]) and ] (near ]), the ] training-range (near ]), and a logistics centre in ] as ]. Bulgaria's navy comprises mainly Soviet-era ships, and three submarines. With {{convert|354|km}} of coastline, Bulgaria does not regard assault by sea as a major risk. In the course of recent modernization efforts, Bulgaria purchased a new frigate from ], and the navy seems likely to acquire four Gowind corvettes from the French company ]. Bulgaria's air forces also use a large amount of Soviet equipment. Plans to acquire transport and ]s are underway, in addition to a major overhaul on old Soviet weapon systems. Military spending accounts for nearly 2.6% of Bulgaria's ].<ref></ref>

==Provinces and municipalities==

{{main|Provinces of Bulgaria|Municipalities of Bulgaria}}
{{Bulgaria Provinces|float=right}}

Between 1987 and 1999 Bulgaria consisted of nine provinces (''oblasti'', singular '']''); since 1999, it has consisted of twenty-eight. All take their names from their respective capital cities:
{| style="background:transparent;"
|
*]
*]
*]
*]
*]
*]
*]
*]
*]
*]
*]
*]
*]
*]
|
*]
*]
*]
*]
*]
*]
*]
*]
*]
*]
*]
*]
*]
*]
|}

The provinces subdivide into 264 ].<!--As of when? Compare the 263 municipalities mentioned above in the "Politics" section-->

==Economy==
{{main|Economy of Bulgaria}}

Bulgaria became a member of the ] in 2007; the ] classifies it as an "upper-middle-income economy".<ref>
{{cite web
|url= http://go.worldbank.org/D7SN0B8YU0
|title= World Bank: Data and Statistics: Country Groups
|accessdate= 2008-07-27
|author=
|coauthors=
|date=
|year= 2008
|work=
|publisher= The World Bank Group
|pages=
|quote=
}}
</ref>
Bulgaria has experienced rapid economic growth {{As of|2008|alt= in recent years}}. The country continues to rank as the second-poorest member state of the EU,<ref>
</ref>
but standards of living have {{As of|2008|alt= start}}ed to rise.

Due to high-profile allegations of corruption, and an apparent lack of willingness to tackle high-level corruption, the European Union has partly frozen EU funds of about €450 million and may freeze more if Bulgarian authorities do not show solid progress in fighting corruption and in speeding up reforms.<ref>
{{cite news
| first =
| last =
| authorlink =
| author = AFP News Briefs
| coauthors =
| title = Barroso slams Bulgaria's rampant corruption
| url = http://www.france24.com/en/20080328-barroso-slams-bulgarias-rampant-corruption
| agency = AFP
| work = France 24
| publisher =
| location =
| id =
| date = 2008-03-28
| accessdate = 2008-10-15
| accessdaymonth =
| accessmonthday =
| accessyear =
| language =
| quote = "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.
| archiveurl =
| archivedate =
}}
</ref>

Bulgaria has tamed its inflation since the deep economic crisis in 1996-1997, but {{As of|2008|alt= latest}} figures show an increase in the inflation-rate to 12.5% for 2007. Unemployment declined from more than 17% in the mid 1990s to nearly 7% in 2007, but the unemployment-rate in some rural areas continues in high double-digits. Bulgaria's inflation means that the country's adoption of the ] might not take place until the year 2013-2014.<ref>
{{cite news
| first = Elena
| last = Koinova
| authorlink =
| title = Bulgaria to adopt the euro in 2013-2014, UniCredit says
| url = http://www.sofiaecho.com/article/bulgaria-to-adopt-the-euro-in-2013-2014-unicredit-says/id_29264/catid_67
| work = Sofia Echo
| publisher = Sofia Echo Media Ltd
| location =
| id =
| pages =
| page =
| date = 2008-05-12
| accessdate = 2008-09-01
| quote = Bulgaria and Romania would likely join the euro zone in 2013-2014, the analytical unit of UniCredit Group said in its latest report titled The Euro goes Eastwards.
| archiveurl =
| archivedate =
}}
</ref>

]]]

]]]

Bulgaria's economy contracted dramatically after 1987 with the dissolution of the ] (COMECON), with which the Bulgarian economy had integrated closely. The standard-of-living fell by about 40%, but it regained pre-1990 levels in June 2004. ] sanctions against ] and ] took a heavy toll on the Bulgarian economy. The first signs of recovery emerged in 1994 when the ] grew and ] fell. During the government of ]'s cabinet in 1996, the economy collapsed due to lack of international economic support and an unstable banking system. Since 1997, the country has been on the path to recovery, with GDP growing at a 4%–5% rate, increasing FDI, macroeconomic stability and ] membership.

The former NMSII government elected in 2001 pledged to maintain the fundamental economic policy-objectives adopted by its predecessor in 1997, specifically: retaining the Currency Board, implementing sound financial policies, accelerating ], and pursuing structural reforms. Economic forecasts for 2005 and 2006 predicted continued growth for the economy. Economists predicted annual year-on-year GDP growth for 2005 and 2006 of 5.3% and 6.0% respectively. Forecasters expected industrial output in 2005 to rise by 11.9% from the previous year, and by 15.2% in 2006. Unemployment for 2005 was projected at 11.5%, 9% for 2006 and 7.25% for 2007.<ref></ref> As of 2006 the GDP structure is: agriculture 8.0%; industry 26.1%; services 65.9%.

===Agriculture===
Agricultural output has decreased overall since 1989, but production has grown in {{As of|2007|alt= recent years}}, and together with related industries like ] it still plays a key role in the Bulgarian economy. Arable farming predominates over stock-breeding. The country has a lack of modern equipment. Alongside ]s and other equipment, Bulgarian agriculture has over 150,000 ]s and 10,000 ]s.

Production of the most important crops (according to the ]) in 2006 (in '000 tons) amounted to: ] 3301.9; ] 1196.6; ] 1587.8; ] 266.2; ] 42.0; ]es 213.0; ] 546.3; ]es 386.1; ] 156.7; ]s 61.5; ] 18.2; ]s 136.0; ] 72.7; ] 26.1; ] 18.0; ] 8.8.

===Industry===
{{main|Industry of Bulgaria}}
]

Industry plays a key role in the Bulgarian economy. Although Bulgaria lacks large reserves of oil and gas, it produces significant quantities of electricity. Bulgaria formerly ranked as the most important exporter of electricity in the region due to the ], which has a total capacity of {{nowrap|2,000 MW}}, but after the closure of its first four blocks, exports of electricity declined and the country lost its leading position as an energy-supplier for the Balkans. However, the two most modern blocks of the power plant, blocks 5 and 6, continue to run and to provide power. Construction has {{As of|2007|alt= started}} on a second plant, the ] with a projected capacity of {{nowrap|2,000 MW}}. Plans exist for a $1.4bn project for construction of an additional {{nowrap|670 MW}} for the {{nowrap|500 MW}} ] Thermal Power Plant<ref></ref> (see ]).

Ferrous ] has major importance. Much of the production of ] and ] takes place in ] and ], with a third metallurgical base in ]. In production of steel and steel products per capita the country heads the ]. Recently the fate of Kremikovtsi steel factories has come under debate, because of serious pollution of the capital, Sofia.

The largest refineries for ] and ] operate in ] (the biggest refinery between Italy and the Ural mountains), ] and ]; for ] in ] and ]; for ] in ]. In production of many metals ''per capita'', Bulgaria ranks first in ].

About 14% of the total industrial production relates to ], and 24%{{Fact|date=May 2008}} of the people work in this field. Its importance has decreased since 1989.

] and electric equipment-production have developed to a high degree. The largest centres include ], ] and the surrounding area, ], ], ], ] and many other cities. These plants produce ]s, ]s, ]s, ]s, ] and scientific equipment.

Many factories producing ] equipment {{As of|2008|alt= currently}} do not operate at full capacity. Plants produce ]s (], ]), ]s (]), ]s (]), ]es (]), ]s (]), ]s (Plovdiv, ], Sofia, Lovech). Lovech has an automotive assembly plant. ] serves as the main centre for agricultural machinery. Most Bulgarian shipbuilding takes place in ], ] and ]. Bulgarian arms production mainly operates in central Bulgaria (], ], ]).

Foreigners seeking additional homes have {{As of|2007|alt= recently}} boosted the ] market. Buyers come from across Europe, but mostly from the ], encouraged by relatively cheap property-prices and the country's easy accessibility via air-travel.<ref>
</ref>

==Science, technology and telecommunications==
Some multinational companies have set up regional offices and headquarters in Bulgaria, most notably ], which built its Global Service Centre for ] (EMEA) in Sofia.<!-- when? -->

] has become one of the growing industries in the country. Three ] mobile-telephone operators&nbsp;— ], ] and ]&nbsp;— provide almost 100% coverage each. They have a network of service-centers throughout the country. Bulgarians made use of some 10 million ]s<ref>
</ref>
as of 2006. Mobikom provides the only ] mobile-phone service. Bulgarians in towns can access the Internet, and {{As of|2008|alt=recently}} most villages have acquired fast connectivity and ]; ] offers ] connection in larger cities. Bulgaria had about 298,781<ref>
http://www.theodora.com/wfbcurrent/bulgaria/bulgaria_communications.html Statistics of Bulgarian communications
</ref>
Internet hosts as of 2007.

Bulgaria supplied many scientific and research instruments for the ], and also sent two men into space: ] on ] (1979) and ] on ] (1988). Bulgaria became one of the first European countries to develop serial production of ]s (]) in the beginning of the 1980s, and has experience in pharmaceutical research and development.

] (1903-1995), an American physicist of Bulgarian heritage, invented the first electronic ], a special-purpose machine that became known as the ].

] (1896-1967), the founder of ] in Bulgaria, worked as an aviator, engineer and inventor; he also contributed to the development of ] in the ]. He played a significant role in U.S. aircraft development and took part in many other ]s.

The ] inventor and scientist ] became best known for his work in ]. Petroff also invented the first ] (1970).<ref>
of ] to have invented a digital watch in 1953.
</ref>

U.S. chemist ], who developed the first oral contraceptive pill (OCP), has Bulgarian ancestry.

The ], the leading scientific institution in the country, employs most of Bulgaria's researchers working in its numerous branches.

Bulgaria hosts two major ]: the ], the largest in ], and the ] with three ]s; as well as several "public astronomical observatories" with ], focused on ]nal and ] activities.

==Transport==
{{main|Transport in Bulgaria}}

] near ]]]

Bulgaria occupies a unique and strategically important geographic location. Since ancient times, the country has served as a major crossroads between ], ] and ]. Five of the ten ] run through its territory. <!-- As of when? -->Bulgaria's roads have a total length of {{convert|102016|km|abbr=on}}, {{convert|93855|km|abbr=on}} of them paved and {{convert|441|km|abbr=on}} of them motorways. Several motorways are planned, under construction or partially built: ], ], ], ], ] and ]. Other planned motorways await finalisation of their routes. They include a link between the capital ] and ], a link between the Struma and Trakiya motorways south of ], a link between ] and ], and the ]. Many roads have {{As of|2008|alt= recently}} undergone reconstruction. Bulgaria has {{convert|6500|km|abbr=on}} of railway track, more than 60% electrified. A €360,000,000 project exists for the modernisation and electrification of the ]-] railway.

Air transportation has developed relatively comprehensively. Bulgaria has five official international airports&nbsp;— at ], ], ], ] and ]. Massive investment plans exist for the first three. Important domestic airports include those of ], ], ], ], ], ], ] and ]. After the fall of communism in 1989, most of them are not used as the importance of domestic flights declined. There are many military airports and agricultural airfields. 128 of the 213 ] in Bulgaria are paved. The ports of ] and ] are by far the most important and have the largest turnover. Other than Burgas, ], ] and ] are big fishing ports. The largest ports on the Danube River are ] and ] which serves the capital. The cities and many smaller towns have well-organised public transport systems, using buses, trolleys (in about 20 cities) and trams (in Sofia). The ] in the capital has three planned lines with total length of about {{convert|48|km|abbr=on}} and 52 stations, but much {{As of|2008|alt= currently}} remains uncompleted.

==Demographics==
{{main|Demographics of Bulgaria}}
]]]

According to the 2001 ],<ref>
, retrieved 31 July 2006
</ref>
Bulgaria's population consists mainly of ] (83.9%), with two sizable minorities, ] (9.4%) and ] (4.7%). Of the remaining 2.0%, 0.9% comprises some 40 smaller minorities, most prominently in numbers the ], ], ], ], ] and ] (historically known also as Karakachans). 1.1% of the population did not declare their ethnicity in the latest census in 2001.

96.3% of the population speak ] as their ]{{Fact|date=October 2008}}. Bulgarian, a member of the ], remains the only official language, but numbers of speakers of other languages (such as ] and ]) correspond closely to ethnic proportions.

The country has a ] population estimated at between 200,000 and 450,000.<ref></ref>

Most Bulgarians (82.6%) belong, at least nominally, to the ], the national ]. Other religious denominations include ] (12.2%), various ] denominations (0.8%) and ] (0.5%); with other denominations, atheists and undeclared totalling approximately 4.1%.

In {{As of|2008|alt= recent}} years Bulgaria has had one of the slowest population growth-rates in the world. Negative population growth has occurred since the early 1990s,<ref></ref>
due to economic collapse and high emigration. In 1989 the population comprised 9,009,018 people, in 2001 7,950,000 and in 2008 7,640,000.<ref></ref> {{As of|2008|alt= Now}} Bulgaria faces a severe demographic crisis: the population has a fertility-rate of 1.4 children per woman as of 2007, with a predicted rate of 1.7 by the end of 2050. The fertility-rate will need to reach 2.2 to restore natural growth in population.

==Culture==
{{main|Culture of Bulgaria}}
{{seealso|List of famous Bulgarians|Bulgarian customs|Music of Bulgaria|Bulgarian artists|Bulgarian dances|Bulgarian cuisine}}
]
]

Bulgaria functioned as the hub of ] during much of the Middle Ages, exerting considerable literary and cultural influence over the Eastern Orthodox Slavic world by means of the ] and ]s. Bulgaria also gave the world the ], the second most-widely used ] in the world, which originated in these two schools in the tenth century AD.

A number of ancient civilizations, most notably the ], ], ], ], and ], have left their mark on the culture, history and heritage of Bulgaria. The country has nine ] ]s:

* The early medieval large rock relief ]
* two Thracian tombs (one in ] and one in ])
* three monuments of medieval Bulgarian culture (the ], the ] and the ])
* two examples of natural beauty: the ] and the ]
* the ancient city of ], a unique combination of European cultural interaction, as well as, historically, one of the most important centres of seaborne trade in the Black Sea

Note also the ], a 3500-3200BC burial-site, purportedly containing the oldest examples of worked gold in the world.

Bulgaria's contribution to humanity continued throughout the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, with individuals such as ]&nbsp;— a United States citizen of Bulgarian descent, regarded as the father of the ]. A number of noted opera-singers (], ], ], ]), ], harpist ] and successful artists (], ], ]) popularized the culture of Bulgaria abroad.

One of the best internationally-known artists, ] sang the song ''Izlel e Delyu Haydutin'', part of the ] selection of music included in the two Voyager spacecraft launched in 1977. The ] also known as ''Mystery of Bulgarian voices'' has also attained a considerable degree of fame.

A characteristic custom called '']'' distinguishes the ] region. The custom involves dancing into fire or over live embers.

==Tourism==
{{main|Tourism in Bulgaria}}
] at ]]]
] near ]]]
] mountains]]
In the northern-hemisphere winter, ], ], ] and ] become well-attended ski-resorts. Summer resorts exist on the Black Sea at ], ], ], ], ], ], ] and many others. ]s such as ], ], ], ], ] and many others attract visitors throughout the year. Bulgaria has started to become an attractive tourist destination because of the quality of the resorts and prices below those found in Western Europe.

Bulgaria has enjoyed a substantial growth in income from international tourism over the {{As of|2007|alt=past decade}}. Beach-resorts attract tourists from ], ], ], ], the ] and the ]. The ski-resorts have become a favourite destination for ] and ] tourists.

Bulgaria {{As of|2007|alt=now}} attracts close to 7 million visitors yearly. Tourism in Bulgaria makes a major contribution towards the country's annual economic growth of 6% to 6.5%.{{Fact|date=February 2008}}

==Sports==
{{main|Sport in Bulgaria}}
]]]

] has become by far the most popular sport in Bulgaria. Many Bulgarian fans closely follow the top Bulgarian league, the ]; as well as the leagues of other European countries. The ] achieved its greatest success with a fourth-place finish at the ] in the ].

] {{as of | 2008| alt=currently}} ranks as the most popular{{Fact|date=September 2008}} Bulgarian footballer. ] (1943-1971), also became extremely popular at home and abroad, having had offers from clubs in Italy and Portugal, and having won the Bulgarian football player №1 award for the twentieth century.<ref name="capital_bg">
(article in Bulgarian)
</ref> ] has arguably become the best-known Bulgarian footballer of all time. His career peaked between 1992 and 1995, while he played for ], winning the ] in 1994. Additionally, he featured in the ] rankings. Three Bulgarians have won the European top scorers' ] award: Stoichkov,] and ].

] (champion of Bulgaria 31 times ({{as of | 2008}}), National cup holder 13 times, European Cup semi-finalist 2 times, Cup Winners' Cup semi-finalist), ] (25 times champion of Bulgaria and 26 times National Cup holder), ] (officially the oldest football- and sports-club in Bulgaria, 2 times champion of Bulgaria and 2 times National Cup holder) ] (8 times football champion of Bulgaria and 12 times holder of the National Cup, Cup Winners' Cup semi-finalist) have become the most successful Bulgarian football-clubs. Other popular clubs include ], ], ] and ]. PFC Levski Sofia became the first Bulgarian team to participate in the modern ] group stage, having achieved this by qualifying for the ].

Apart from football, Bulgaria boasts great achievements in a great variety of other sports. ] and ] have each held a record of three world-titles in ]. Other famous gymnasts include ] and ] (a highly successful coach as well). ] ranks as the most famous Bulgarian competitor in ]. Bulgarians also dominate in ], with around 1,000 gold medals in different competitions, although cases of ] have occurred among Bulgarian weightlifters, which led to the expulsion of the entire Bulgarian team from the ], and their voluntary withdrawal from the ].<ref>
{{cite news
| first = Jere
| last = Longman
| authorlink =
| author =
| coauthors =
| title = SYDNEY 2000: WEIGHT LIFTING; Drug Scandal Goes On: Bulgarian Team Is Ousted From Games
| curly = y
| url = http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9F06E0D81E3BF930A1575AC0A9669C8B63&sec=&spon=&partner=permalink&exprod=permalink
| format =
| agency =
| work = ]
| publisher =
| location =
| id =
| pages =
| page =
| date = 2000-09-23
| accessdate = 2008-11-19
| accessdaymonth =
| accessmonthday =
| accessyear =
| quote = The entire Bulgarian weight-lifting team was expelled from the Olympics today in a drug scandal ... Two Bulgarian lifters tested positive for the diuretic furosemide, according the International Olympic Committee. It was the same diuretic that two Bulgarian gold medalists were caught using at the 1988 Summer Games in Seoul, South Korea. The entire Bulgarian weight-lifting team withdrew from those Games.
| archiveurl =
| archivedate =
}}
</ref>
], ], ] and ] figure among the most distinguished weightlifters. In ], ], ], ], ], ] and ] rank as world-class wrestlers. ] became a wrestling legend in the early 20th century after leaving for United States.

Bulgarians have made many significant achievements in athletics. ], who still holds the women's ] world record, jumped 209 centimetres at the ] in Rome to clinch the coveted title. {{As of|2008|alt= Presently}}, Bulgaria takes pride in its sprinters, especially ] and ].

] {{As of|2008|alt= recently}} experienced a big resurgence. The ], one of the strongest teams in Europe, {{As of|2008|alt= currently}} ranks fourth in the ] ranklist.{{Fact|date=April 2008}} At the ] this team won the bronze medal.

] has achieved great popularity. One of the top chess-masters and a former world champion, ], plays for Bulgaria. At the end of 2005, both men's and women's world chess-champions came from Bulgaria, as well as the junior world champion.

] and ] have won the ISU world figure skating championships twice in a row (2006 and 2007) for ice-dance.

Bulgarians have also achieved major successes in ]. The Maleeva sisters: Katerina, Manuela and Magdalena, have each reached the top ten in world rankings, and became the only set of three sisters ranked in the top ten at the same time. Bulgaria has other well-known tennis players such as ], ] and ], who in 2008 became the Wimbledon junior champion and US Open junior chamion.

Bulgaria also has strengths in ]. ] and ] have won Olympic gold medals, and ] won the Olympic gold in ] in the 1998 Winter Olympic Games.

] set a new swimming world record for crossing the ] in 2007.

The country has strong traditions in ] and in ] competitions. Bulgaria has achieved major success with its ] and ] teams in European and World championships. Kaloyan Stefanov Mahlyanov, best known as ], has become well-known worldwide for his ] prowess.

==Religion==
{{main|Religion in Bulgaria}}
] in Sofia, one of the largest Orthodox cathedrals in Europe]]
], ]]]
], ]]]

Most citizens of Bulgaria have associations&nbsp;— at least nominally&nbsp;— with the ]. Founded in 870&nbsp;AD under the ] (from which it obtained its first ], its clergy and theological texts), the Bulgarian Orthodox Church has had ] status since 927. The Orthodox Church re-established the ] in Sofia in the 1950s after the promulgation of the ] in 1870. The Bulgarian Orthodox Church, as the independent national church of Bulgaria (like the other national branches of ] in their respective countries) plays a role as an inseparable element of Bulgarian national consciousness. The Church became subordinate within the ], twice during the periods of Byzantine (1018&nbsp;– 1185) and Ottoman (1396&nbsp;– 1878) domination but has been revived every time as a symbol of Bulgarian statehood without breaking away from the Orthodox dogma. In 2001, the Bulgarian Orthodox Church had 6,552,000 members in Bulgaria (82.6% of the population). However, many people raised during the 45 years of ] rule are not religious, even though they may formally be members of the Church.

Despite the dominant position of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church in Bulgarian cultural life, a number of Bulgarian citizens belong to other religious denominations, most notably ], ] and ].

] came to Bulgaria at the end of the fourteenth century after the conquest of the country by the ]. It gradually gained ground throughout the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries through the introduction of ] colonists and the conversion of native Bulgarians{{Fact|date=October 2008}}. One Islamic sect, ], faces problems in Bulgaria. Some officials have moved against Ahmadis<ref name=corley>
{{cite news
| first = Felix
| last = Corley
| title = Ahmadis barred "because it is against the religions that people follow here"
| url = http://www.forum18.org/Archive.php?article_id=874&pdf=Y
| format = PDF
| work = Forum 18
| publisher = Forum 18 News Service
| location = Oslo
| id =
| pages = 1-3
| page =
| date =
| accessdate = 2008-09-01
| language =
| quote = Bulgaria's small Ahmadi Muslim community is concerned by persistent attempts by a local prosecutor and the national state Religious Affairs Directorate to strip it of its legal status
| archiveurl =
| archivedate =
}}
</ref>
on the grounds<ref name=corley /> that other countries - such as Pakistan - also attack the religious rights of Ahmadis, whom many<ref name=corley /> Muslims regard as ].

In the sixteenth and the seventeenth centuries, missionaries from Rome converted Bulgarian ] in the districts of ] and ] to ]. {{As of|2007|alt= Today}} their descendants form the bulk of Bulgarian Catholics, whose number stood at 44,000 in 2001.

Missionaries from the ] introduced ] into Bulgarian territory in 1857. Missionary work continued throughout the second half of the nineteenth and the first half of the twentieth century. In 2001 Bulgaria had some 42,000 ].

According to the most recent Eurostat "Eurobarometer" poll, in 2005,<ref>
{{cite web
|title=Social values, science and technology
|work=]
|publisher=]
|month=June | year=2005 |url=http://europa.eu.int/comm/public_opinion/archives/ebs/ebs_225_report_en.pdf
|format=pdf
|accessdate=2007-01-01}}
</ref>
40% of Bulgarian citizens responded that "they believe there is a God", while 40% answered that "they believe there is some sort of spirit or life force", 13% that "they do not believe there is a God, spirit, nor life force", and 6% did not answer.

{{seealso|Bulgarian Orthodox Church|Islam in Bulgaria|Roman Catholicism in Bulgaria|Protestantism in Bulgaria}}

==See also ==
*]
*]
*]

==Notes ==
<!-- Beware: long URLs get mangled in multi-column format -->
{{reflist}}

{{portal|Bulgaria|Flag of Bulgaria.svg}}

== Further reading==
* {{cite book
| last = Jiriček
| first = Constantin Josef
| authorlink = Konstantin Josef Jireček
| title = History of the Bulgarians (Geschichte der Bulgaren)
| publisher = Textor Verlag GmbH, digital facsimile of the book published in Prague, 1878
| year = 2008
| location = Frankfurt
| pages = 587 pages
| language = German
| isbn = 3-938402-11-3
| url = http://www.dibido.eu/bookdetails.aspx?bookID=6162dbf4-b275-4287-8c36-f6e29ce2b5cb
| }}
* 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

===Pre 1939 ===
* Fox, Frank, Sir '''' (1915) London: A. and C. Black, Ltd., book scanned by ]
* Hall, Richard C. ''Bulgaria's Road to the First World War'' (1996) New York: Columbia University Press ISBN 088033357X
* {{cite book
| last = MacDermott
| first = Mercia
| authorlink =
| title = A History of Bulgaria, 1393-1885
| publisher = Allen & Unwin
| location = London
| year = 1962
| url = http://www.questia.com/library/book/a-history-of-bulgaria-1393-1885-by-mercia-macdermott.jsp
| }}
* Perry, Duncan M. ''Stefan Stambolov and the Emergence of Modern Bulgaria, 1870-1895'' (1993) Durham: Duke University Press ISBN 0822313138
* {{cite book
| last = Runciman
| first = Steven
| authorlink = Steven Runciman
| title = A History of the First Bulgarian Empire
| publisher = G. Bell & Sons, London
| year = 1930
| url = http://www.questia.com/library/book/a-history-of-the-first-bulgarian-empire-by-steven-runciman.jsp
| }}
*{{cite web
| last = Zlatarski
| first = Vasil N.
| title = Prof. Dr.
| work = Medieval History of the Bulgarian State
| publisher = Royal Printing House, Sofia
|year=1934
| language = in Bulgarian
| url = http://www.kroraina.com/knigi/vz2/index.html
| accessdate = 2007-08-05}} (Васил Н. Златарски, История на българската държава през средните векове, Част II, II изд., Наука и изкуство, София 1970)

===World War II ===
* ] ''Beyond Hitler's Grasp: The Heroic Rescue of Bulgaria's Jews''
* ] ''Crown of Thorns: The Reign of King Boris III of Bulgaria, 1918–1943''
* ] ''The fragility of goodness: why Bulgaria’s Jews survived the Holocaust: a collection of texts with commentary'' (2001) Princeton: Princeton University Press ISBN 0691088322

=== Communist era===
* Todorov, Tzvetan ''Voices from the Gulag: Life and Death in Communist Bulgaria''
* Dimitrova, Alexenia ''The Iron Fist&nbsp;— Inside the Bulgarian secret archives''

==={{As of|2007|alt= Contemporary}} ===
* Bell, John D., ed. ''Bulgaria in Transition: Politics, Economics, Society, and Culture after Communism''. Westview. (1998) ISBN 978-0813390109

=== 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''

==External links ==
{{sisterlinks|Bulgaria}}

<!--===========================({{NoMoreLinks}})===============================
| PLEASE BE CAUTIOUS IN ADDING MORE LINKS TO THIS ARTICLE. WIKIPEDIA IS |
| ''not'' A COLLECTION OF LINKS. |
| |
| Excessive or inappropriate links WILL BE DELETED. |
| See ] and ] for details. |
| |
| If there are already plentiful links, please propose additions or |
| replacements on this article's discussion page. Or submit your link |
| to the appropriate category at the Open Directory Project (www.dmoz.org)|
| and link back to that category using the {{dmoz}} template. |
===({{NoMoreLinks}})=======-->

* {{dmoz|Regional/Europe/Bulgaria|Bulgaria}}
*
* {{CIA World Factbook link|bu|Bulgaria}}
*
*
*
*
*
*
*

{{Bulgaria topics}}
{{Template group
|title = Geographic locale
|list =
{{Provinces of Bulgaria}}
{{Countries bordering the Black Sea}}
{{Countries of Europe}}
}}
{{Template group
|title = International membership
|list =
{{Members of the European Union (EU)}}
{{Council of Europe}}
{{North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO)}}
{{Black Sea Naval Co-operation Task Group (BLACKSEAFOR)}}
{{Consultative Parties to the Antarctic Treaty}}
{{La Francophonie|state=collapsed}}
{{Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC)}}
{{Slavic-speaking nations}}
}}

<!--Categories-->
]
]
]
]

{{link FA|af}}
<!--Other languages-->
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]

Revision as of 19:26, 26 November 2008

wat the f**** is the highest mountain in bulgaria metres