[159], 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. [122][123][124] Ninety-three of the 233 mammal species of Europe are found in Bulgaria, along with 49% of butterfly and 30% of vascular plant species. A series of crises in the 1990s left much of Bulgaria's industry and agriculture in shambles, although a period of relative stabilization began with the election of Simeon Saxe-Coburg-Gotha as prime minister in 2001. Meat consumption is lower than the European average, given a cultural preference for a large variety of salads. They are usually harmful and devastating, but can also help the people. When two rusalii groups met there was a fight to the death in which the dead were buried in special "rusaliyski cemetery." Trending north-south at the eastern fringe of three principal regions is the narrow Black Sea coastal region. Map of A. Scobel, Andrees Allgemeiner Handatlas, 1908, Distribution of the Balkan peoples in 1911, Encyclopdia Britannica, Ethnic groups in the Balkans and Asia Minor by William R. Shepherd, 1911, Distribution of European peoples in 1914 according to L. Ravenstein, Swiss ethnographic map of Europe published in 1918 by Juozas Gabrys, Percentage of Pomaks by first language according to the 1965 Census excluding Bulgarian, Distribution of Bulgarians in Odessa Oblast, Ukraine according to the 2001 census, Distribution of Bulgarians by first language in Zaporizhzhia Oblast, Ukraine according to the 2001 census, Distribution of predominant ethnic groups in Bulgaria according to the 2011 census, Distribution of Bulgarians in Romania according to the 2002 census, Distribution of Bulgarians in Moldova according to the 2004 census, South Slavic ethnic group living in the Balkans, This article is about the ethnic group. This result represents the earliest arrival of modern humans in Europe. In February 1990 the Communist Party voluntarily gave up its monopoly on power and in June 1990 the first free elections since 1931 were held. The initial Treaty of San Stefano was rejected by the Great Powers, and the following Treaty of Berlin limited Bulgaria's territories to Moesia and the region of Sofia. [7] By the end of the neolithic, the Hamangia and Vina culture developed on what is today Bulgaria, southern Romania and eastern Serbia. As a consequence, many Bulgarian refugees settled there, and later they formed two military regiments, as part of the Russian military colonization of the area in 17591763.[131]. Bulgaria covers a . [116] Most rivers are short and with low water levels. The Bulgarians also fought alongside the advancing Russians. [61], The Asen dynasty became extinct in 1257. The Miladinov brothers and foreign authors noticed that even pagan prayers are preserved quoting plenty of Slavic pagan rite songs and tales remained in Bulgarians, including Macedonians and Pomaks, mainly dedicated to the divine nymphs samovili and peperuna for the feasts surva, Saint George's Day, Koleda, etc. [209] It includes the capital city and the surrounding Sofia Province, which alone generate 42% of national gross domestic product despite hosting only 22% of the population. Most Bulgarians living in Canada can be found in Toronto, Ontario, and the provinces with the most Bulgarians in Canada are Ontario and Quebec. [132] The rise of nationalism under the Ottoman Empire led to a struggle for cultural and religious autonomy of the Bulgarian people. [92][93][94] But it was not until 1946 that a one-party people's republic was instituted following a referendum. The struggle between the Bulgarians and the Greek Phanariotes intensified throughout the 1860s. [72], The Western European Enlightenment in the 18th century influenced the initiation of a national awakening of Bulgaria. Widespread corruption is a major socioeconomic issue; Bulgaria ranked as the most corrupt country in the European Union in 2018. Russia established a provisional government in Bulgaria. Bulgaria's economic advancement during the era came to an end in the 1980s, and the collapse of the Communist system in Eastern Europe marked a turning point for the country's development. Kuma Lisa and Hitar Petar are the tricky fox and villager from the fairy tales, the tricked antagonist is often Nasreddin Hoca, whereas Bay Ganyo is a ridiculed Bulgarian villager. [109] The political system has three brancheslegislative, executive and judicial, with universal suffrage for citizens at least 18 years old. [344] After the Liberation, Ivan Mrkvika, Anton Mitov, Vladimir Dimitrov, Tsanko Lavrenov and Zlatyu Boyadzhiev introduced newer styles and substance, depicting scenery from Bulgarian villages, old towns and historical subjects. Since names in Bulgarian are gender-based, Bulgarian women have the -ova surname suffix (Cyrillic: -a), for example, Maria Ivanova. Seeing this as a violation of the pre-war agreements, and privately encouraged by Germany and Austria-Hungary, Tsar Ferdinand declared war on Serbia and Greece on June 29. [24][250][251][252] Within the services sector, tourism is a significant contributor to economic growth. Tarnovo became a major economic and religious centrea "Third Rome", unlike the already declining Constantinople. [265], Despite the lack of funding, research in chemistry, materials science and physics remains strong. [208], The Yugozapaden planning area is the most developed region with a per capita gross domestic product (PPP) of $29,816 in 2018. One such tribe were the serdi, from which Serdica - the ancient name of Sofia - originates. [37] 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. Dimitrov was arrested in Berlin and showed great courage during the Reichstag fire trial of 1933. Knowing their names, he slaughters every agent in the capital. After reaching its apogee in the 1230s, Bulgaria started to decline due to a number of factors, most notably its geographic position which rendered it vulnerable to simultaneous attacks and invasions from many sides. [344], The Bulgarian National Radio, bTV and daily newspapers Trud, Dnevnik and 24 Chasa are some of the largest national media outlets. . [114], The Balkan mountains run laterally through the middle of the country from west to east. [158] The bread and salt tradition, which is widespread amongBalto-Slavs, is the usual welcome given tostrangers and politicians. Bulgarian citizens are full citizens of the European Union ('EU'), and are entitled to 'freedom of movement' (including visa-free travel to the remaining 27 member states of the EU and a large number of other countries to which the EU applies a common visa policy); The large scale population transfers and territorial expansions during the 8th and 9th century, additionally increased the number of the Slavs and Byzantine Christians within the state, making the Bulgars quite obviously a minority. The provinces are subdivided into 265 municipalities. [164] Walnut remained in Christianity to be used in prayers to "see" the dead in Spirits Day. The Volga Bulgars were the first to ever defeat the Mongolic horde and protected Europe for decades, but after countless Mongol invasions the Kingdom of the Volga Bulgars was destroyed and most of its citizens slaughtered or sold as slaves in Asia. The lowest recorded temperature is 38.3C (36.9F), while the highest is 45.2C (113.4F). The minority Bulgars formed a close-knit ruling caste. Cornell University Press. Oriental dishes do exist in Bulgarian cuisine with most common being moussaka, gyuvetch, and baklava. "Fighters, infantry fighting vehicles", "SS-21 Scarab: Russia's Forgotten (But Deadly) Ballistic Missile", "One out of six employees in the EU27 was a low-wage earner in 2010", "These are the 29 countries with the world's lowest levels of tax", "General government gross debt annual data", "Regional gross domestic product (PPS per inhabitant), by NUTS 2 regions", "EU: Countries to Begin Counting Drugs, Prostitution in Economic Growth", "Bulgaria: Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) (modeled ILO estimate)", "Inter-company debt one of Bulgarian economy's serious problems", "ITUC Frontlines Report 2012: Section on Bulgaria", "Bulgaria, Romania Rapped for Public Procurement Fraud", "Corruption Perceptions Index: Transparency International", "Cloud of corruption hangs over Bulgaria as it takes up EU presidency", "Bulgarian border officers suspended over airport security lapse", "Bulgaria savors EU embrace despite critics", "Bulgaria's government faces no-confidence vote over corruption", "The Bulgarian Public Procurement Market: Corruption Risks and Dynamics in the Construction Sector", "Field listing: Labor force by occupation", "Mining Industry Accounts for 5% of Bulgaria's GDP Energy Minister", "Bulgaria's ore exports rise 10% in H1 2011 industry group", "Total Primary Coal Production (Thousand Short Tons)", "Trade In Goods of Bulgaria With Third Countries In the Period January October 2019 (Preliminary Data)", "Agricultural Policies in non-OECD countries: Monitoring and Evaluation", "Bulgaria Natural conditions, farming traditions and agricultural structures", "Bulgaria Economic Summary, UNData, United Nations", "Experts: Bumper Year for Wheat Producers in Dobrich Region", "Bulgarian rose oil keeps its top place on world market", "Bulgaria is Again the World's First Producer of Lavender Oil", "Bulgaria tops lavender oil production, outpacing France", "EU Presidency Puts Lagging Bulgarian Science in the Spotlight", "R&D Spending in Bulgaria Up in 2015, Mostly Driven by Businesses". In the first half of the 10th century, the Cyrillic script was devised in the Preslav Literary School, Bulgaria, based on the Glagolitic, the Greek and Latin alphabets. Bulgaria's biodiversity, one of the richest in Europe,[121] is conserved in three national parks, 11 nature parks, 10 biosphere reserves and 565 protected areas. Bulgarians have made valuable contributions to world culture in modern times as well. tradesman and office seekers. This might have facilitated their eventual Slavonization,[97] although the majority of the population appears to have been withdrawn to the hinterland of Constantinople or Asia Minor prior to any permanent Slavic and Bulgar settlement south of the Danube. After several years of reforms, it joined the European Union and the single market in 2007, despite EU concerns over government corruption. Naturalised citizens who do not belong to at least one of the aforementioned groups, are required to give up all other nationalities. It preserves an ancient pagan tradition, possibly celebrating the old Roman new Year, beginning on 1 March, identical with Romanian Mrior. Boyko Borisov). Another mountain mass covers southern Bulgaria. The adornments on the costumes vary from one region to another. [4] When in a non-EU country where there is no Bulgarian embassy or representation, Bulgarian citizens have the right to receive consular protection from the embassy of any other EU country present in that third country. [73][74] Scythia Minor and Moesia Inferior appear to have been Romanized,[75] although the region became a focus of barbarian re-settlements (various Goths and Huns) during the 4th and early 5th centuries AD,[76] before a further "Romanization" episode during the early 6th century. Britain, France and Italy responded by declaring war on Bulgaria. [171] The bulk of criminal cases are transport-related, followed by theft and drug-related crime; homicide rates are low. The centrepiece of this culture is the Varna Necropolis, discovered in the early 1970s. This alliance had profound effects on the Bulgarian state and psyche, altering everything from land use and labour practices to religion and the arts. Alongside the Iranian or Aryan theory, there appeared arguments favoring an autochthonous origin.[93]. This kingdom later became the trade and cultural centre of the north, because it stood on a very strategic position creating a monopoly over the trade among the Arabs, the Norse and the Avars. [211] Bulgarians are the main ethnic group and constitute 84.8% of the population. Stalin died in March 1953 and in March 1954 Chervenkov was deposed as Party Secretary with the approval of the new leadership in Moscow and replaced by Todor Zhivkov. In the Battle of Adrianople in 1205, Kaloyan defeated the forces of the Latin Empire and thus limited its power from the very first year of its establishment. [184], Bulgaria deployed significant numbers of both civilian and military advisors in Soviet-allied countries like Nicaragua[185] and Libya during the Cold War. [29] The modern-day village of Tulovo bears the name of this relatively short-lived kingdom. Cultural interactions between Thracians and Celts are evidenced by several items containing elements of both cultures, such as the chariot of Mezek and almost certainly the Gundestrup cauldron.[30]. The 7th Ancient Civilizations in Bulgaria (The Golden Prehistoric Civilization, Civilization of Thracians and Macedonians, Hellenistic Civilization, Roman [Empire] Civilization, Byzantine [Empire] Civilization, Bulgarian Civilization, Islamic Civilization), by Bozhidar Dimitrov; Published by "KOM Foundation," Sofia, 2005 (108 p.), This page was last edited on 4 December 2022, at 03:08. Nowadays there are some 40,000 Roman Catholic Bulgarians in Bulgaria, additional 10,000 in the Banat in Romania and up to 100,000 people of Bulgarian ancestry in South America. [164], Bulgarian mythology and fairy tales are mainly about forest figures, such as the dragon zmey, the nymphs samovili (samodivi), the witch veshtitsa. Their armed struggle reached its peak with the April Uprising which broke out in 1876. Most of Bulgarian land lack any pagan archeology left from the Bulgars, despite early Christianization and that during most of the pagan period medieval Bulgarian borders spread significantly only in today's northern Bulgaria. 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. [303], In 2018, the average total fertility rate (TFR) in Bulgaria was 1.56 children per woman,[304] below the replacement rate of 2.1 and considerably below the historical high of 5.83 children per woman in 1905. The greater part of these people were also considered Bulgarians by most ethnographers until the early 20th century and beyond. In the early 9th century, a new alphabet Cyrillic was developed at the Preslav Literary School, adapted from the Glagolitic alphabet invented by Saints Cyril and Methodius. In the beginning of 8th century Byzantine emperor Justinian II asked Khan Tervel for assistance in recovering his throne, for which Tervel received the region Zagore from the Empire and was paid large quantities of gold. [169] The General Directorate of National Police (GDNP) combats general crime and maintains public order. Although legacy indicating ancient Bulgar culture is at most virtually absent in modern Bulgarian culture, some authors claim there is a similarity between the dress and customs of the Chuvashes, who descend from the Volga Bulgars, and the Bulgarian ethnographic group Kapantsi from Targovishte Province and Razgrad Province, among whom the claim that they are direct descendants of Asparuh's Bulgars is popular,[166][167][168] but Slavic elements are found among them. The Bulgarian Orthodox Church is the independent national church of Bulgaria like the other national branches of the Eastern Orthodox communion and is considered a dominating element of Bulgarian national consciousness. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). There are several different layers of Bulgarian names. It is situated on the eastern flank of the Balkans, and is bordered by Romania to the north, Serbia and North Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, and the Black Sea to the east. By the middle of the 20th. [50] The common language, religion and script strengthened central authority and gradually fused the Slavs and Bulgars into a unified people speaking a single Slavic language. On 17 June 2001, Simeon II, the son of Tsar Boris III and himself the former Head of state (as Tsar of Bulgaria from 1943 to 1946), won a narrow victory in elections. The issue of Bulgarian nationalism gained greater significance, following the Congress of Berlin which took back the Macedonia and Adrianople regions, returning them under the control of the Ottoman Empire. In: Lozny L. (eds) Archaeology of the Communist Era. Many ethnic Bulgarians were left outside the new nation's borders, which stoked irredentist sentiments that led to several conflicts with its neighbours and alliances with Germany in both world wars. century, however Macedonian patriots began to see Macedonian and Bulgarian loyalties as mutually exclusive. Questions & Answers. [120] A checklist of larger fungi in Bulgaria by the Institute of Botany identifies more than 1,500 species. [285], The population of Bulgaria is 6,519,789 people according to the 2021 national census. [198][199] The economy largely recovered during a period of rapid growth several years later,[198] but the average salary of 1,036 leva ($615) per month remains the lowest in the EU. Like the other post-Communist regimes in Eastern Europe, Bulgaria found the transition to capitalism more painful than expected. As the Greek clerics were ousted from most Bulgarian bishoprics at the end of the decade, significant areas had been seceded from the Patriarchate's control. [2] Following the Ionian Revolt, the Persian hold over the Balkans loosened, but was firmly restored in 492 BC through the campaigns of Mardonius. Over 75% of surface rivers meet European standards for good quality. D. ., 1975. Yet, in general, despite Greek colonization in such areas as Byzantium, Apollonia and other cities, the Thracians avoided urban life. You may also like: All You Need To Know About Medical Insurance for Foreigners in Bulgaria Under Tsar Simeon I of Bulgaria (Simeon the Great), who was educated in Constantinople, Bulgaria became again a serious threat to the Byzantine Empire. [120] A Serbian state came into existence as a dependency of the Bulgarian Empire. So the Second Arab Siege of Constantinople ended. [114] Northern Bulgaria averages 1C (1.8F) cooler, and registers 200 millimetres (7.9in) more precipitation, than the regions south of the Balkan mountains. Their origin remains obscure. [137] Pesticide use in agriculture and antiquated industrial sewage systems produce extensive soil and water pollution. Discontent with the supremacy of the Greek Orthodox clergy, the struggle started to flare up in several Bulgarian dioceses in the 1820s. [162], Domestic defence is the responsibility of the all-volunteer Bulgarian armed forces, composed of land forces, navy and an air force. [247][248] Maize, barley, oats and rice are also grown. The 19th century also brought improved communications, transportation and trade. Deep-frying is not very typical, but grillingespecially different kinds of meatsis very common. The Socialists portrayed themselves as the defender of the poor against the excesses of the free market. )", "Reflections on the History and Historiography of the Nomad Empires of Central Eurasia", "The Formation of the Bulgarian Nation, Academician Dimitr Simeonov Angelov, Summary, Sofia-Press, 1978", " (1759-1762/63 . [78], The early Slavs emerged from their original homeland in the early 6th century, and spread to most of the eastern Central Europe, Eastern Europe and the Balkans, thus forming three main branches: the West Slavs in eastern Central Europe, the East Slavs in Eastern Europe, and the South Slavs in Southeastern Europe (Balkans). The campaign was supported by many European intellectuals and public figures. The enormous public outcry which the April Uprising had caused in Europe led to the Constantinople Conference of the Great Powers in 187677. XIX XX . . There are many different Bulgarian pastries as well such as banitsa. Founded in the 7th century, Bulgaria is one of the oldest states on the European continent. Krum implemented law reform intending to reduce poverty and strengthen social ties in his vastly enlarged state. After 3000BC, the Thracians appeared on the Balkan Peninsula. [114] Musala, at 2,925 metres (9,596ft), is the highest point in both Bulgaria and the Balkans. [382], Football is the most popular sport in the country by a substantial margin. ", "Eurostat Tables, Graphs and Maps Interface (TGM) table", "Country Comparison: Population growth rate", "The best countries in Europe for women to work", "Girls and women under-represented in ICT", "Bulgaria builds on legacy of female engineering elite", "Bulgaria battles to stop its brain drain", "The Bulgaria 2012 Review: Health and Healthcare", "These Are the Economies With the Most (and Least) Efficient Health Care", "Life expectancy at birth, total (years)", "PISA 2018: ", "Structure of the Education System in Bulgaria", "Bulgaria's Muslims not deeply religious: study", "Nestinarstvo, messages from the past: the Panagyr of Saints Constantine and Helena in the village of Bulgari", "French-Bulgarian Theorist Tzvetan Todorov Wins Top Spanish Award", "The 2011/2012 season of the National Opera and Ballet House", "Boris Christoff, Bass, Dies at 79; Esteemed for His Boris Godunov", "Nicolai Ghiaurov, Operatic Bass, Dies at 74", "Why Bulgaria is the EU's lowest ranked country on press freedom index", "Bulgaria Ranks 22nd in World Wine Production", "Archeological Find Proves Rakia Is Bulgarian Invention", "Dimitrov Breaks Into Top 10 of Emirates ATP Rankings", "Hristo Stoichkov Bulgarian League Ambassador", "Eternal+Derby" "Levski, CSKA Score Emphatic Wins Before "Eternal Derby", "Plucky Ludogorets' rise to the Champions League group stage", "State of Health in the EU. Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. [278][279] 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. [65], Bulgarians were subjected to heavy taxes (including Devshirme, or blood tax), their culture was suppressed,[65] and they experienced partial Islamisation. [177] It was also among the founding nations of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) in 1975. Asparukh attacked Byzantine territories in Moesia and conquered the Slavic tribes there in 680. [52], After Simeon's death, Bulgaria was weakened by wars with Magyars and Pechenegs and the spread of the Bogomil heresy. By the 4th century the major city of Serdica had predominantly Thracian populace based on epigraphic evidence, which shows prevailing Latino-Thracian given names, but thereafter the names were completely replaced by Christian ones. Thousands of dissidents were executed under communist rule and many died in labor camps. The QNI considers, in addition to travel freedom, on internal factors such as peace & stability, economic strength, and human development as well. 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. This culminated in the show trial and execution of Deputy Prime Minister Traicho Kostov (died 16 December 1949). Due to the rural nature of the local population, Roman control of the region remained weak. In the aftermath of the Balkan Wars Bulgarian opinion turned against Russia and the Western powers, by whom the Bulgarians felt betrayed. Zahari Zograf was a pioneer of the visual arts in the pre-Liberation era. [59], Kaloyan, the third of the Asen monarchs, extended his dominion to Belgrade and Ohrid. Some circles in Bulgaria inclined toward going to war with Serbia and Greece on this issue. During the Pleistocene Epoch (i.e., about 2,600,000 to 11,700 years ago), life in the region was not destroyed by advancing glaciers as occurred in much of Europe but was actually enriched by the immigration of species from the north, some of which still survive. It used to be given to the child of an unmarried woman (for example the son of Kuna will get the surname Kunin and the son of Gana Ganin). The Ottomans then turned their attentions to the Serbs, whom they routed at Kosovo Polje in 1389. Saint Tryphon's fertility and wine is attributed a Thracian origin, considered to preserve the cult to Sabazius as the Kukeri. [258] Private businesses accounted for more than 73% of R&D expenditures and employed 42% of Bulgaria's 22,000 researchers in 2015. [38][39] A portion of the eastern South Slavs assimilated most of them, before the Bulgar lite incorporated these peoples into the First Bulgarian Empire.[40]. The Bulgarian government was forced by Germany to declare a token war on the United Kingdom and the United States on 13 December 1941, an act which resulted in the bombing of Sofia and other Bulgarian cities by Allied aircraft. Shop for Bulgarian Nationality bedding like duvet covers, comforters, throw blankets and pillows. [8], History and regulations of Bulgarian citizenship, Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, Rights abroad: Right to consular protection, "Treaty on the Function of the European Union (consolidated version)", "The 41 nationalities with the best quality of life", Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bulgarian_nationality_law&oldid=1110048069, Short description is different from Wikidata, Pages using collapsible list with both background and text-align in titlestyle, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0. has been a holder of a long-term or permanent residence permit for at least 5 years, or 3 years if the applicant is married to a Bulgarian national, was born in Bulgaria, or settled in the country before the age of 18; has not been convicted of a premeditated crime; has a source of income or a trade and can financially support themselves; This page was last edited on 13 September 2022, at 08:18. After a successful war with Byzantium in 680, Asparuh's khanate conquered initially Scythia Minor and was recognised as an independent state under the subsequent treaty signed with the Byzantine Empire in 681. ", Daskalov, Roumen. [315] Although women's suffrage was enabled relatively late, in 1937, women today have equal political rights, high workforce participation and legally mandated equal pay. [33], Sometime before 300 AD, Diocletian further divided Thracia into four smaller provinces. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information. (, "The so-called Bulgar inscriptions are, with few exceptions, written in Greek rather than in Turkic runes; they mention officials with late antique titles, and use late Antique terminology and indictional dating. [67], As a result, the Treaty of Berlin (1878), under the supervision of Otto von Bismarck of Germany and Benjamin Disraeli of Britain, revised the earlier treaty, and scaled back the proposed Bulgarian state. [30][31] 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 470s BC. Pagan customs found their way to the Christian holidays. [376] Rakia is a traditional fruit brandy that was consumed in Bulgaria as early as the 14th century. Bulgarian is a bizarre oddity in the Slavic language family as it has a complicated system of verb tenses (as opposed to the normal Slavic two-aspect present/future and past model), definite articles (added to the ends of nouns, and sometimes adjectives, like in Romanian) and no noun declension at all. At the Rusalska Week the girls don't go outside to prevent themselves from diseases and harm that the dead forces Rusalii can cause. The question as of whether a Macedonian nation actually existed in the 1940s when a Communist Yugoslavia decided to recognize one is difficult to answer. Thraco-Romans became a dominant group in the region, and eventually yielded several military commanders and emperors such as Galerius and Constantine I the Great. Bulgarians derive their ethnonym from the Bulgars. However, the spouse of a Bulgarian citizen can only obtain Bulgarian citizenship by residing, or by investing, in Bulgaria. , 2005 . Steven Runciman, A history of the First Bulgarian Empire, page 28. Given the existence of such irreconcilable opponents to the Byzantines as Krakra, Nikulitsa, Dragash and others, such apparent passivity seems difficult to explain. Bulgaria is a net exporter of lamb and its own consumption of the meat is prevalent during its production time in spring. Learn first the names of the countries you would like to visit. Slavic pagan customs are preserved in Bulgarian Christian holidays. [164] Torbalan is the Sack Man used to scare children, along with Baba Yaga, who is a witch in her Bulgarian version.[164]. ", " ", "The Slavs of the mid-Danube basin and the Bulgarian expansion in the first half of the 9th century", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bulgarians&oldid=1126917859, CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown, Articles with dead external links from August 2018, Articles with permanently dead external links, Articles with Bulgarian-language sources (bg), Articles with dead external links from November 2016, Short description is different from Wikidata, "Related ethnic groups" needing confirmation, Articles using infobox ethnic group with image parameters, Articles containing Bulgarian-language text, Articles with unsourced statements from August 2009, Commons category link is defined as the pagename, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 11 December 2022, at 23:10. Bulgaria, which had the land force in the Balkans, declared war on Serbia in October 1915. Numerous dams have been constructed in the mountains. The two Balkan wars greatly destabilized Bulgaria, stopping its hitherto steady economic growth, and leaving 58,000 dead and over 100,000 wounded. [73], Bulgaria emerged from Turkish rule as a poor, underdeveloped agricultural country, with little industry or tapped natural resources. At the commencement of the Peloponnesian war Sitalces entered into alliance with the Athenians, and in 429 BC he invaded Macedon (then ruled by Perdiccas II) with a vast army that included 150,000 warriors from independent Thracian tribes. A relief for the scared believers is celebrated at the Beheading of St. John the Baptist, when according to Bulgarian belief all the mythical figures go back to their caves in a mythical village in the middle of nowhere Zmeykovo of the zmey king, along with the rusalki, samodivi, and return at Annunciation. In 2017, the Bulgarian nationality is ranked twenty-sixth in the Nationality Index (QNI). In 1185, Asen dynasty nobles Ivan Asen I and Peter IV organised a major uprising and succeeded in re-establishing the Bulgarian state. The Srebarna Nature Reserve, a freshwater lake and bird sanctuary adjoining the Danube River, was named a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1983 and then placed on UNESCOs endangered list in 1992 after environmental decline; improvements were seen in the early 21st century. Since adopting a democratic constitution in 1991, Bulgaria has been a unitary parliamentary republic composed of 28 provinces, with a high degree of political, administrative, and economic centralisation. Nationality Ancient Greek Pottery. [284], Telephone services are widely available, and a central digital trunk line connects most regions. Ancient Histories in Nineteenth Century European Cultures. The rugged high mountain regions have brown forest, dark mountain forest, and mountain meadow soils. In the 670s, some Bulgar tribes, the Danube Bulgars led by Asparukh and the Bulgars, led by Kouber, crossed the Danube river and settled in the Balkans with a single migration wave, the former of which Michael the Syrian described as numbering 10,000. The negative reaction against economic reform allowed Zhan Videnov of the BSP to take office in 1995. [36] From the 7th century, Greek became the predominant language in the Eastern Roman Empire's administration, Church and society, replacing Latin.[37]. Western Bulgarians. With Bulgarian and Russian there was a mutual influence in both directions. In 1393 the Ottomans occupied Tarnovo after a three-month siege. The Bulgars, led by Asparuh, attacked from the lands of Old Great Bulgaria and permanently invaded the Balkans in the late 7th century. [164] The ancient Slavic custom to marry died people occurred in Bulgarian society. Don't be scared of the long table. [266][267] The information and communication technologies (ICT) sector generates three per cent of economic output and employs 40,000[268] to 51,000 software engineers. [53] Under Samuil, Bulgaria somewhat recovered from these attacks and managed to conquer Serbia and Duklja. It provided for a much smaller state, the Principality of Bulgaria, only comprising Moesia and the region of Sofia, and leaving large populations of ethnic Bulgarians outside the new country. [380] Bulgarian athletes have also excelled in wrestling, boxing, gymnastics, volleyball and tennis. [47] Simeon proclaimed himself "Tsar (Caesar) of the Bulgarians and the Romans", a title which was recognised by the Pope, but not by the Byzantine Emperor. Stalin made him head of the Comintern during the period of the Popular Front'[96]. [244] Two-thirds of food and agricultural exports go to OECD countries. G.Demeter, P. Peykovska. Within a relatively small compass, the Bulgarian landscape exhibits striking topographic variety. [121] Under the Ottoman system, Christians were considered an inferior class of people. A very popular ingredient in Bulgarian cuisine is the Bulgarian white brine cheese called "sirene" (). The successor, Leo III the Isaurian has to deal with an army of 100,000 Arabs led by Maslama ibn Abd al-Malik and a fleet of 2,500 ships that are laying siege on Constantinople in the year 717. [80], 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. Stambolov negotiated loans with western European countries to develop the economic and military strength of Bulgaria. Facing war on three different fronts, Bulgaria sued for peace. Parties must register with the commission prior to participating in a national election. [309][310] The majority of children are born to unmarried women. Block faultingthe raising or lowering of great structural segments along regular lines of crustal weaknesshas produced there the Sredna Mountains, the Vitosha Massif near Sofia, a number of sheltered structural basins, and the Upper Thracian and Tundzha lowlands. During his leadership Bulgaria was transformed from an Ottoman province into a modern European state. [129], In 1998, the Bulgarian government adopted the National Biological Diversity Conservation Strategy, a comprehensive programme seeking the preservation of local ecosystems, protection of endangered species and conservation of genetic resources. [329] 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. Its territory covers an area of 110,994 square kilometres (42,855sqmi), while land borders with its five neighbouring countries run a total length of 1,808 kilometres (1,123mi), and its coastline is 354 kilometres (220mi) long. [77][78][79] The partition of territories in the Balkans by the Great Powers without regard to ethnic composition led to a wave of discontent not only in Bulgaria, but also in its neighbouring countries. A peasant rebellion, one of the few successful such in history, established the swineherd Ivaylo as a Tsar. [60], The Ottomans were employed as mercenaries by the Byzantines in the 1340s but later became invaders in their own right. Find a list of greatest Bulgarian artists and collections at Wikiart.org - best visual art database. [164] Epic heroes as Prince Marko are believed to be descended from the samodivi. [320] Over 80% of deaths are due to cancer and cardiovascular conditions; nearly a fifth of those are avoidable. [149] The lexical similarities between Bulgarian and Macedonian are 86%, between Bulgarian and other Slavic languages between 71% and 80%, but with the Baltic languages they are 4046%, while with English are about 20%. . Bulgaria sustained the heaviest casualties of any of the allies while also making the largest territorial claims. His short reign was essential in recoveringat least partiallythe integrity of the Bulgarian state. The strongest reaction, however, came from Russia. The bitterness at the perceived betrayal of its former allies empowered political movements who demanded the restoration of Macedonia to Bulgaria.[81]. Peter styled himself "Tsar of the Bulgars, Greeks and Wallachians". Springer. [100] By the mid-1950s standards of living rose significantly, and in 1957 collective farm workers benefited from the first agricultural pension and welfare system in Eastern Europe. He received a number of awards and was the joint top scorer at the 1994 World Cup. Bulgarian linguists consider the officialized Macedonian language (since 1944) to be a local variation of Bulgarian, just as most ethnographers and linguists until the early 20th century considered the local Slavic speech in the Macedonian region. [370], Bulgarian cuisine is similar to that of other Balkan countries and demonstrates strong Turkish and Greek influences. Cotys I on the other hand, went to war with the Athenians for the possession of the Thracian Chersonese. Folk songs are most often about the nymphs from Bulgarian and West Slavic mythology (samovili) and the epic heroes (yunaks). Meanwhile, on 5 of September, Bulgaria declared war on Nazi Germany. In 1997 the BSP government collapsed and the UDF came to power. This seeks to scare away evil spirits and bring good harvest and health to the community. [381] Grigor Dimitrov is the first Bulgarian tennis player in the Top 3 ATP rankings. [150][151] [344], 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. This idea was not favoured by Stalin. The power of the Hungarians and to some extent the Serbs prevented significant expansion to the west and north-west. The earliest human remains found in Bulgaria were excavated in the Kozarnika cave, with an approximate age of 1,6 million BC. [164] This remained the holiday of the samovili. The Orthodox Bulgarian minorities in Romania, Serbia, Greece, Albania, Ukraine and Moldova nowadays hold allegiance to the respective national Orthodox churches. [39][40] The Slavs assimilated the partially Hellenised, Romanised, and Gothicised Thracians in the rural areas. It is intersected by historically important routes from northern and eastern Europe to the Mediterranean basin and from western and central Europe to the Middle East. The Bulgarian government has introduced a number of conservation measures, including steps to protect soil, water, and air from pollution and to establish protected areas of outstanding interest to naturalists. The Slavic language was officialized at the same time with Christianity, so Slavic paganism has never been a state religion of Bulgaria or more influential than Tengriism. [368] Bulgarian media were described as generally unbiased in their reporting in the early 2000s and print media had no legal restrictions. Both languages were official or a lingua franca of each other during the Middle Ages and the Cold War. During this period the country was known as the "People's Republic of Bulgaria" (PRB) and was ruled by the Bulgarian Communist Party (BCP). Agrarianism was the dominant political philosophy in the countryside, as the peasantry organized a movement independent of any existing party. The Struma and the Maritsa are two major rivers in the south. Above the shield there is a crown modeled after the crowns of the emperors of the Second Bulgarian Empire, with five crosses and an additional cross on top. . . // . For other uses, see. ", Meininger, Thomas A. [115] The development of Old Church Slavonic literacy in the country had the effect of preventing the assimilation of the South Slavs into neighbouring cultures and it also stimulated the development of a distinct ethnic identity. [327][328], Public expenditures for education are far below the European Union average as well. [16] Thracian craftsmen inherited the skills of the indigenous civilisations before them, especially in gold working. [132], Bulgaria ranks 30th in the 2018 Environmental Performance Index, but scores low on air quality. The Bulgarian Army was ordered to offer no resistance. Overall, more than half of the runoff drains to the Black Sea, and the rest flows to the Aegean Sea. The alphabet and the Old Bulgarian language that evolved from Slavonic[44] gave rise to a rich literary and cultural activity centered around the Preslav and Ohrid Literary Schools, established by order of Boris I in 886. Emerging from centuries of Ottoman rule, Bulgaria gained its independence in the late 19th century, joined the losing side of several conflagrations in the first half of the 20th century, and, despite gravitating toward the Axis powers in World War II, found itself within close orbit of the Soviet Union by mid-century. [38] [372] Bulgaria was the world's second-largest wine exporter until 1989, but has since lost that position. [164] Dictamnus is believed to be their favourite herb, which is intoxicating. [citation needed] But it was clear that the central geopolitical position of Bulgaria in the Balkans would inevitably lead to strong external pressure by both sides of World War II. His military campaign against Constantine V in the year 774, proved to be unsuccessful. [77] According to archeological evidence from the late periods of Roman rule, the Romans did not decrease the number of Thracians significantly in major cities. [342], Sunni Muslims are the second-largest religious community and constitute 10% of Bulgaria's overall religious makeup. Value added tax, excise duties, corporate and personal income tax are national, whereas real estate, inheritance, and vehicle taxes are levied by local authorities. Ancient Greek Painting and Sculpture. [201], A balanced budget was achieved in 2003 and the country began running a surplus the following year. The Tsar decided to go with Germany and Austria and signed an alliance with them in September 1915, along with a special Bulgarian-Turkish arrangement. The male dress is of likewise origin, usually Riza "robe", poyas "belt", poturi "full-bottomed breeches" typical for the Slavs and often a tsarvul and kalpak for shoes and jacket. Thus, Bulgarians, like other Christians, were subjected to heavy taxes and a small portion of the Bulgarian populace experienced partial or complete Islamisation. Bulgarian citizenship can be acquired in the following ways: Bulgaria permits dual citizenship only for native-born citizens, citizens of the EU, EEA and Switzerland, as well as spouses of Bulgarian citizens. Although the concept of an urban center was not developed until the Roman period, various larger fortifications which also served as regional market centers were numerous. [296] As of 2019[update], Sofia is the most populated urban centre with 1,241,675 people, followed by Plovdiv (346,893), Varna (336,505), Burgas (202,434) and Ruse (142,902). Nikolova L., Gergova D. (2017) Contemporary Bulgarian Archaeology as a Social Practice in the Later Twentieth to Early Twenty-first Century. [41][42][43][44], Not long after the Slavic incursion, Moesia was once again invaded, this time by the Bulgars under Khan Asparukh. [249] Bulgaria is also the largest producer globally of lavender and rose oil, both widely used in fragrances. Visa requirements for Bulgarian citizens are administrative entry restrictions by the authorities of other states placed on citizens of Bulgaria. [344] Pancho Vladigerov and Petko Staynov further enriched symphony, ballet and opera, which singers Ghena Dimitrova, Boris Christoff, Ljuba Welitsch and Nicolai Ghiaurov elevated to a world-class level. [306], Bulgaria is in a state of demographic crisis. . Country Code, ISO and Nationality CSV version; Country Code, ISO and Nationality Markdown table version; Country Code, ISO and Nationality HTML table version; Country Code, ISO and Nationality LaTex table version; Country Code, ISO and Nationality create and insert sql version; Country Code, ISO and Nationality plain text table version [351] Notable later works are Bay Ganyo by Aleko Konstantinov, the Nietzschean poetry of Pencho Slaveykov, the Symbolist poetry of Peyo Yavorov and Dimcho Debelyanov, the Marxist-inspired works of Geo Milev and Nikola Vaptsarov, and the Socialist realism novels of Dimitar Dimov and Dimitar Talev. His main foreign policy objective was the unification of the Bulgarian nation into a nation-state consisting of all the territories of the Bulgarian Exarchate granted by the Sultan in 1870. [2][26] The Persian garrison at Doriscus in Thrace held out for many years even after the Persian defeat, and reportedly never surrendered. He was ranked No. The plural form of the surname suffix -ski is still -ski, e.g. The Bulgarian Ministry of Justice is in charge of processing citizenship applications. Bulgaria (/ b l r i , b l-/ (); Bulgarian: , romanized: Balgariya), officially the Republic of Bulgaria, is a country in Southeast Europe.It is situated on the eastern flank of the Balkans, and is bordered by Romania to the north, Serbia and North Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, and the Black Sea to the east. [109][110] However, during the 1970s the Thracology was especially supported by the communist authority, as an attempt to underline the indigenous influence into the Bulgarian ethnogenesis. His policy was characterized by the goal of preserving Bulgarian independence at all costs, working with both the Liberal majority and Conservative minority parties. . [35], 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. Extending southward from the Danube to the foothills of the Balkan Mountains is the fertile, hilly Danubian Plain. Urban centres became well-developed, especially the territories of Serdika, what is today Sofia, due to the abundance of mineral springs. Bulgaria sat out the first year of World War I recuperating from the Balkan Wars. "The politics of a discipline: women historians in twentieth century Bulgaria. The acquisition of Bulgarian citizenship is regulated by the Constitution of the Republic of Bulgaria, the Bulgarian Citizenship Act and the international conventions in force when the facts or events connected with the citizenship are present. During the second half of the 18th century, the Enlightenment in Western Europe provided influence for the initiation of the National awakening of Bulgaria in 1762. The first Greek colonies in Thrace were founded in the 8th century BC.[18]. [351], The establishment of the Preslav and Ohrid literary schools in the 10th century is associated with a golden period in Bulgarian literature during the Middle Ages. In case of continuous lack of rain, a custom of driving out the zmey from the area is performed. The QNI considers, in addition to travel freedom, on internal factors such as peace & stability, economic strength, and human development as well. Lesson outline 1. [131] It also achieved its Kyoto Protocol objective of reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 30% from 1990 to 2009. Similar to the Gauls and other Celtic tribes, most Thracians are thought to have lived simply in small fortified villages, usually on hilltops. 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. [255] Tourism is additionally encouraged through the 100 Tourist Sites system. The Coat of arms of Bulgaria is a state symbol of the sovereignty and independence of the Bulgarian people and state. Many Bulgarians also live in the diaspora, which is formed by representatives and descendants of the old (before 1989) and new (after 1989) emigration. Upon the outbreak of World War II, the government of the Kingdom of Bulgaria under Bogdan Filov declared a position of neutrality, being determined to observe it until the end of the war, but hoping for bloodless territorial gains, especially in the lands with a significant Bulgarian population occupied by neighbouring countries after the Second Balkan War and World War I. The easternmost South Slavs settled on the territory of modern Bulgaria during the 6th century. [295] Sofia and Plovdiv are the country's air travel hubs, while Varna and Burgas are the principal maritime trade ports. Bulgarians (Bulgarian: , romanized:Blgari, IPA:[bri]) are a nation and South Slavic[56][57][58] ethnic group native to Bulgaria and Southeast Europe. Some observers argue that even at this time it was doubtful whether the Slavs from Macedonia considered themselves to be a nationality separate from the Bulgarians. [164] The sun is painted one eyed as recorded by beliefs Perun stabbed one of the sun's eyes to save the world from overheating. [98] Compared to wartime levels, national GDP increased five-fold and per capita GDP quadrupled by the 1980s,[99] although severe debt spikes took place in 1960, 1977 and 1980. - ". . ". SOFIA (Reuters) - Bulgaria has detained 70 suspected illegal migrants in a bus at parking lot on a highway near the southern city of Sliven early on Sunday and rushed some of them to hospital because of exhaustion, the regional police office said. [109] Also see Human rights in Bulgaria. By January 1878 they had liberated much of the Bulgarian lands. Dimitar Berbatov, formerly in Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur, Bayer Leverkusen and others, the national team and two domestic clubs, is still the most popular Bulgarian football player of the 21st century. As a consequence, the Bulgarian national movement proclaimed as its aim the inclusion of most of Macedonia, Thrace and Moesia under Greater Bulgaria. [385] Ludogorets is remarkable for having advanced from the local fourth division to the 201415 UEFA Champions League group stage in a mere nine years. Ivaylo Lozanov, Roman Thrace, pp. Tito was determined that this should not happen. Famous for its rich salads required at every meal, Bulgarian cuisine is also noted for the diversity and quality of dairy products and the variety of local wines and alcoholic beverages such as rakia, mastika and menta. He acknowledged the spiritual supremacy of the pope and received a royal crown from a papal legate. [107][108] These supposed proportions have been changed several times during the 20th century, emphasizing usually the Slavic part of Bulgarian ancestry, related to the traditionally strong Russophilia in the country. (See Russo-Turkish War (18771878). [73] They convened the Constantinople Conference in 1876, but their decisions were rejected by the Ottomans. [241][242] Local deposits of coal, iron, copper and lead are vital for the manufacturing and energy sectors. It was forced to relinquish most of its territorial acquisitions in Macedonia to Serbia and Greece, Adrianapole to the Ottoman Empire, and the region of Southern Dobruja to Romania. ", "Bulgaria: Anti-Government Protests Continue for a Ninth Day", "Bulgaria election: PM Borissov's party wins but falls short of majority | DW | 05.04.2021", "Bulgaria faces fresh elections as Socialists refuse to form a government", "Democracy Index 2017: Free speech under attack", "The Bulgarian Legal System and Legal Research", "US State Dept criticises Bulgaria on prisons, judiciary, corruption, people-trafficking and violence against minorities", "Questions arise again about Bulgaria's legal system", "Transparency International report: Bulgaria perceived as EU's most corrupt country", "Bulgaria Sets Up Anti-Corruption Unit; Security Chief Steps Down", "State Agency for National Security Official Website", "European Commission Enlargement Archives: Treaty of Accession of Bulgaria and Romania", "Vietnam Thanks Bulgaria for University Graduates", "Russia's borders: old ties pull Bulgaria in two directions", "US, Bulgaria sign defence co-operation agreement", "Bulgaria Will Modernize Its Army. 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