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Bulgaria

1. IntroductionThe Bulgars, a Central Asian Turkic tribe, merged with the local Slavic inhabitants in the late 7th century to form the first Bulgarian state. In succeeding centuries, Bulgaria struggled with the Byzantine Empire to assert its place in the Balkans, but by the end of the 14th century the country was overrun by the Ottoman Turks. Northern Bulgaria attained autonomy in 1878 and all of Bulgaria became independent from the Ottoman Empire in 1908. Having fought on the losing side in both World Wars, Bulgaria fell within the Soviet sphere of influence and became a People's Republic in 1946. Communist domination ended in 1990, when Bulgaria held its first multiparty election since World War II and began the contentious process of moving toward political democracy and a market economy while combating inflation, unemployment, corruption, and crime. The country joined NATO in 2004 and the EU in 2007. [1]

2. Basic information

2.1 General [2] [3]

Original name: Republika Balgariya Name: BulgariaArea: 110 910 sq km Capital: SofiaPopulation: 7 364 570 (2011) Location: 220 – 280 w.l. , 210 s. – 240 s. l.Relief: Musala (2 925 m) – Black sea (0 m) Landuse: 29.94% arable land, 1.9% permanent

crops, 68.16% otherGeobioms: subtropical biota Climate: temperate; cold, damp winters; hot, dry

summers

2.2 Political status [2] [3]

Established: 1878 (1908) Government type: republicRegions: 28 provinces Time: GMT +1Integration: NATO, UN, OBSE, CE, CEFTA HDI: 0,771 (2011) GDP: 13,500 ($)

3. Map skillsSofia, Plovdiv, Pleven, Stara Zagora, Ruse, Varna, Burgas – cities

Dunav, Iskar, Marica, Tundza, Jantra, Kamcia – rivers

Rila (Musala), Pirin (Vichren), Rodopi, Stara Planina (Botev) – mountain ranges, highest peaks

Black sea, neighboring countries of Bulgaria

Kaliakra cape, Emine cape

Image 1: Flag of Bulgaria [8]

Image 2: Map of Bulgaria [14]

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4. Population and Settlement

4.1 Demographics [3]

According to the 2011 census, the population of Bulgaria is 7,364,570 people, down from a peak of nine million inhabitants in 1989. Bulgaria has had negative population growth since the early 1990s, when the collapse of the economy caused some 800,000 people—mostly young adults—to emigrate by 2004.The population continues to decrease and the growth rate is the lowest of any sovereign country in the world.

Government estimates from 2003 put the literacy rate at 98.6 per cent; approximately the same for both sexes. Bulgaria has traditionally had high educational standards. The Ministry of Education, Youth and Science funds all public educational establishments, sets criteria for textbooks and oversees the publishing process. The State provides education in its schools free of charge, except for higher education establishments. The educational process spans through 12 grades, where grades one to eight are the primary and nine to twelve are the secondary level. High schools can be technical, vocational, general or specialized in a certain discipline, while higher education consists of a 4-year bachelor degree and a 1-year Master's degree.

Life expectancy is 73.6 years, below the European Union average. The primary causes of death are similar to those in other industrialized countries, mainly cardiovascular diseases, neoplasm and respiratory diseases. Bulgaria has a universal healthcare system financed by taxes and health insurance contributions. The National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) pays a gradually increasing portion of the costs of primary healthcare.

Most Bulgarians (72.5 per cent) reside in urban areas. Bulgaria has the highest home ownership rate in the world; about 97 per cent of the population owns a private home. There is also a very high rate of household appliances ownership, such as television sets (97.9 per cent of all households), refrigerators (93.3) and telephones (90.6), and relatively high rates for computers (42.9) and automobiles (41.9 per cent). The average rates in all categories are substantially higher in Sofia, by far the largest settlement in the country and the 12th-largest city in the European Union with a population of more than 1,200,000 people. [3]

Ethnic groups PercentageBulgarian 83.9%Turk 9.4%Roma 4.7%Other 2%Tab.: Ethnic Groups in Bulgaria [1]

4.2 Religion [5]

Bulgaria has been traditionally a Christian state since the adoption of Constantinople Christianity in 865, and therefore the dominant confession is Eastern Orthodoxy of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church.

Image 3: Bulgarians [13]

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During the Ottoman rule of the Balkans Islam established itself in Bulgaria, Roman Catholicism has roots in the country since the Middle Ages, and Protestantism arrived in the 19th century.

The Constitution of Bulgaria designates Orthodoxy as the "traditional" religion of the country, but guarantees the free exercise of religion. Bulgaria has not experienced any significant-scale ethnic-religious confrontation as was the case in the former Yugoslavia in the 1990s and 2000s. The religious communities in the country coexist peacefully.

In fact, the capital Sofia is known for its so-called Triangle of Religious Tolerance: the St Nedelya Church, Banya Bashi Mosque and Sofia Synagogue are located within meters of each other in the very centre of the city. [5]

Tab. : Religion of Bulgaria (2001) [5]

4.3 Language [6] [7]

The official language of Bulgaria is Bulgarian. Bulgarian is a native language for about 5,659,000 people (85 per cent) and is the only one with official status. It is the most ancient Slavic language, although distinguished from the other languages in this group due to certain grammatical peculiarities. Bulgarian is the most widely spoken language in Bulgaria. It is also spoken in Canada, Greece, Hungary, Israel, Macedonia, Moldova, Romania, Serbia, Turkey, Ukraine and the United States, with an estimated total of 9 million native speakers. With the accession of Bulgaria to the European Union on January 1, 2007, Cyrillic became the third official alphabet of the EU.

Bulgarian is the oldest written Slavic language. Historically it is divided into Old Bulgarian (9th to 11th century), Middle Bulgarian (12th to 15th century) and Modern Bulgarian (16th century onwards); the present-day written language was standardized in the 19th century. Some words and structures remain from the language of the Bulgars, the Central Asian people who moved into present-day Bulgaria and eventually adopted the local Slavic language. The Bulgar was otherwise unrelated to Bulgarian. [6] [7]

Language PercentageBulgarian (official) 84.5%Turkish 9.6%Roma 4.1%Other and unspecified 1.8% Tab. : Languages in Bulgaria [6]

Image 5: The Bulgarian alphabet [7]

Image 4: The Alexander Nevsky cathedral in Sofia, one of the largest Eastern Orthodox churches [9]

Religious group PercentageOrthodox Christians 82.64%Muslims 12.20%No religion 3.57%Roman Catholic Christians 0.55%Protestant Christians 0.53%Other 0.19%Not stated 0.31%

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4.4 Settlement

Rank City Pop/thousand Rank City Pop/thousand1. Sofia 1 204 6. Stara Zagora 1382. Plovdiv 338 7. Pleven 1063. Varna 334 8. Sliven 914. Burgas 200 9. Dobrich 915. Rousse 149 10. Shumen 80Tab. : Largest cities of Bulgaria [4]

5. Economy [2] [3] [19] [20]

Bulgaria has an industrialized free-market economy in the upper middle income range, with a large private sector accounting for more than 80 per cent of GDP. From a largely agricultural country with a predominantly rural population in 1948, by the 1980s Bulgaria transformed into an industrial economy with scientific and technological research as its top priorities. The loss of COMECON markets in 1990 and the subsequent "shock therapy" of the planned system caused a sharp drop in industrial and agricultural production, and ultimately an economic collapse in 1997. After 2001, Bulgaria experienced rapid economic growth, even though its income level remains one of the lowest within the EU with an average monthly wage of 689 leva (354 euro). Bulgarian PPS GDP per capita stood at 44 per cent of the EU average in 2010 according to Eurostat data, while the cost of living was 51 per cent of the EU average. The currency is the lev, which is pegged to the euro at a rate of 1.95583 levа for one euro.

Amidst the late-2000s financial crisis, unemployment rates increased to 10.1 per cent in 2010 and GDP growth contracted from 6.2 (2008) to −5.5 per cent (2009). The crisis had a negative impact mostly on industry, causing a 10 per cent decline in the national industrial production index, a 31 per cent drop in mining, and a 60 per cent drop in "ferrous and metal production". Positive growth was restored to 0.2 per cent in 2010.

Corruption in the public administration and a weak judiciary have hampered Bulgaria's economic development. However, it ranks 28th in the Economic Freedom of the World index, has the lowest personal and corporate income tax rates in the European Union, and the second-lowest public debt of all member states at 16.2 per cent of GDP in 2010. In 2010, GDP (PPP) was estimated at $97.1 billion, with a per capita value of $12,934. [3]

In contrast with the industrial sector, agriculture has marked a decline since the beginning of the 2000s (decade). Production in 2008 amounted to only 66 per cent of that between 1999 and 2001,

Image 6: The Bulgarian dialects [6]

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while cereal and vegetable yields have dropped by nearly 40 per cent since 1990. Bulgaria nevertheless remains a net agricultural and food exporter and two-thirds of its exports are to OECD countries. The country is the largest global producer of perfumery essential oils such as lavender and rose oil.

Agricultural products

Wheat, barley, corn, rice, potatoes, sugar beet, pulses, soy, tomatoes, cotton, tobacco, groundnut, sunflower, hemp, grapevine, vegetable, fruit, walnuts

Industries

Metallurgical industry, electricity, electronics, machinery and equipment, shipbuilding, petrochemicals, cement and construction, textiles, food and beverages, mining

Natural resources

Bauxite, copper, lead, zinc, coal, timber, iron,

6. Tourism [3] [10] [11] [24]

In recent years Bulgaria has emerged as an attractive tourist destination with some of the least expensive resorts in Europe and the last deserted beaches on the continent. Lonely Planet ranked Bulgaria among its top 10 travel destinations for 2011. More than 40 per cent of all 9,000,000 annual visitors are Greeks, Romanians and Germans.

Main destinations:

Coastal resorts (Black sea) – Sunny Beach, Golden Sands, Nesebar, Albena, Carevo, Balchik, Varna, Burgas

Winter resorts – Borovets, Pamporovo, Bansko, Vitosha, Chepelare

Vitosha – 1800 m above sea level, Vitosha is only 10 km far from Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria. This is the highest ski resort of Bulgaria. The mountain is good for skiing in the winter and trekking in the summer. It is easily accessible both in the winter and in the summer but its weather is very changeable. In Vitosha there are two biosphere preserves - Bistrishko Branishte and Torfeno Branishte.

Baba Marta day – With the arrival March, the Bulgarians symbolically ring in the arrival of the spring season with the uniquely Bulgarian holiday called Baba Marta. Baba Marta, literally "grandmother March," is the personification of the first month of spring. She is an old lady, who brings flowers and sunshine when she is happy, or rain and cold wind when cranky. The first day of March also brings with it the exchange of martenitsi - red and white bracelets given to represent the new life and purity that spring will carry with it. Tradition holds that you have to wear these bracelets until you see a flowering tree. At that time you take off the martenitsi and tie them to the tree. This is one of the only things I can think of that only exists in Bulgaria.

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Ropotamo – a relatively short river in southeastern Bulgaria. It takes its source from the Strandzha Mountains, running for 48.5 kilometers (30.1 mi) to empty into the Black Sea between Dyuni and Primorsko. The river is most often noted for its 30 m-wide mouth that is home to an abundance of flora species, over 100 of which endangered in the country. The lower section of the Ropotamo is a nature reserve since 1940 and a protected area. The lower Ropotamo is a popular tourist attraction because of the water lilies and the rock formations above the river, on some of which white-tailed eagles nest

7. Key studies corruption

Image 7: Balchik [21] Image 8: Sofia and Vitosha [23]

Image 9: Baba Marta, Martenitsa [24]Image 10: Ropotamo river [22]

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8. Pictures

Image 15: Pirin mountains [18]Image 14: Black sea [17]

Image 13: Sofia [16]

Image 11: Map of Bulgaria (cities) [12]

Image 12: Map of Bulgaria [15]

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9. Videos

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CcyWiNAnNiI – "This is Bulgaria", official trailer (English)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7xE1mmLp_Wo&feature=related – Bulgaria – everyday life, traditions (English)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZpuaM5KzBv8&feature=related – Pictures and videos – Bulgaria

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xml-s0X_EwQ&feature=related –Bulgarian nature (German)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a-ky9A-Td8w&feature=related – Promotional video about Bulgaria - Bulgarian Yoghurt, Moments In Paradise - The Black Sea Coast …(4 parts)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XWyGPzJtGvE&feature=related – Welcome to Bulgaria

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SqCl49ij-ak – Bulgarian national children’s choir

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9JdzslgrT2s&feature=related – Ropotamo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=50p3FuemUgU&feature=related – National park Ropotamo (Bulgarian)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HhxOdHar5YE – Christmas Eve Bulgarian tradition (Bulgarian with English subs)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qaQ3IhMfwXw&feature=related – Legend of the Martenitsa in Bulgaria

10. TasksSince when is the Bulgarian nation independent?

Which curiosity you can notice when you are talking with a Bulgarian?

What has the Bulgarian with Russian in common?

Where are the famous (well known) ski resorts?

Which food do you imagine with the word kashkaval?

Did you know that the Shopska salad is a traditional Bulgarian salad? Do you know how to prepare the salad?

11. Dictionary Kashkaval, Kozloduy, Moussaka

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References:

[1] https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/bu.html#top

[2] http://www.zemepis.com/Bulharsko.php

[3] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bulgaria

[4] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_cities_and_towns_in_Bulgaria

[5] http://cs.wikipedia.org/wiki/Klamova_huť http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religion_in_Bulgaria

[6] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bulgarian_language http://www.ubytovani-jedovnice.eu/blansko.html

[7] http://alltranslations.ru.gg/THE-BULGARIAN-LANGUAGE.htm

[8] http://www.iconspedia.com/icon/bulgaria-flag-45-7.html

[9] http://www.europe.org.uk/europlus/bulgaria.html

[10] http://www.bulgariaski.com/ski-resorts-in-bulgaria.shtml

[11] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ropotamo

[12] http://sianie.net/?p=5264

[13] http://samoistina.com/2/similarities.htm

[14] http://www.worldatlas.com/webimage/countrys/europe/lgcolor/bgcolor.htm

[15] http://bulgaria-map.info/

[16] http://www.superbrasilia.com/aerialviews/sofia4.htm

[17] http://www.ukraine-travel-advisor.com/black-sea.html

[18] http://en.vvtours.com/bulgaria_world_heritage_unesco_en.html

[19] http://www.businessinfo.cz/cz/rubrika/bulharsko/1000688/

[20] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Industry_of_Bulgaria

[21] http://www.routard.com/photos/bulgarie/106951- baltchik_bord_de_mer_et_arriere_plan.htm

[22] http://www.last-minute-bulharsko.sk/rieka-ropotamo/107.html

[23] http://blog.bestbgproperties.com/bulgaria_news/61

[24] http://greginbulgaria.blogspot.com/2010/03/chestita-baba-marta.html