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Bulgaria

✨ The land of roses and yogurt

Bulgaria is a country in southeastern Europe, located on the Balkan Peninsula. It borders Romania to the north, Serbia and North Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, and the Black Sea to the east. Covering about 111,000 square kilometres, Bulgaria has a varied landscape that includes the Danube Plain, the Balkan Mountains and fertile lowlands in the south.

The highest point is Musala, in the Rila Mountains, reaching 2,925 metres. The capital and largest city is Sofia, situated in a broad valley near the Vitosha mountain. Bulgarian is the official language and is written using the Cyrillic alphabet. Bulgaria has a parliamentary republic and became a member of the European Union in 2007.

Its history includes the First and Second Bulgarian Empires, as well as centuries under Ottoman rule before the establishment of an autonomous Bulgarian principality in 1878 and full independence in 1908. The country has a mixed economy based on services, industry, agriculture and tourism. Its Black Sea coast attracts visitors, while the mountains are popular for hiking and winter sports.

Bulgaria is also known for its Orthodox Christian heritage, medieval monasteries and archaeological sites. The country uses the Bulgarian lev as its currency. Bulgaria occupies an important geographical position between Central Europe, the Balkans and the Black Sea region, which has influenced its history, culture and economic connections.

💡 Did you know?

Did you know that Bulgaria is the world's rose garden? In the 'Valley of Roses', a special flower called the Damask rose is cultivated. To make just one kilo of rose essence (a very precious oil used by top perfumers), over 3,000 kilos of petals must be hand-picked very early in the morning before the sun gets too high! This is what's called Bulgaria's liquid gold.

The alphabet you often see in Russia or Ukraine, Cyrillic, was actually invented in Bulgaria! In the 9th century, two scholar brothers, Cyril and Methodius, created this alphabet to translate books. Today, over 250 millions people use this alphabet to write. Bulgarians are very proud of this intellectual gift they gave to a large part of the Slavic world.

Be careful when asking a question in Bulgaria! If your Bulgarian friend shakes their head from left to right, it means 'yes'. And if they nod up and down, it means 'no'. It's exactly the opposite of almost every other country! At first, it can be very confusing, but it's a tradition that goes back a long time. Plus, they also have a festival where they exchange 'Martenitsa', small red and white threads, to celebrate the arrival of spring.