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The Bulgaria Portal

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Bulgaria (Bulgarian: България, IPA: [bɤlgˈariɤ]), officially the Republic of Bulgaria (Bulgarian: Република България, IPA: [rɛpˈubliˌkɤ bɤlgˈariɤ]), is a country in Southeastern Europe. It borders the Black Sea to the east, Greece and Turkey to the south, Serbia and the Republic of Macedonia to the west, and Romania to the north, mostly along the Danube.

Bulgaria's civilized history dates back more than six millennia to a prehistoric time and place within the heart of its territory that marks the birth of Europe's and possibly the world's first literary culture. Though relatively small in terms of territory and population, Bulgaria's continuous historical wealth throughout prominent cyclical eras of growth, decline and medieval renaissance rivals that of the much larger and more populous countries of China, India and Egypt.

Part of the Eastern Bloc after World War II, today Bulgaria is a democratic, unitary, constitutional republic, a member of the European Union and NATO. The capital is Sofia, one of the oldest capital cities in Europe.

  

Selected Article

Sofia listen (help·info) (Bulgarian: София), is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Bulgaria, with a population of 1,270,450 (making it the 14th largest city in the European Union), and some 1,380,406 in the metropolitan area, the Capital Municipality. It is located in western Bulgaria, at the foot of the mountain massif Vitosha, and is the administrative, cultural, economic, and educational centre of the country.

One of the oldest capital cities in Europe, the history of Sofia dates back to the 8th century BC, when Thracians established a settlement there. Sofia has had several names in the different periods of its existence, and remnants of the city's millenary history can still be seen today alongside modern landmarks. Sofia's development as a significant settlement owes much to its central position in the Balkans. It has been a centre of Christianity since the times of the Roman Empire.

  

Selected Picture

Credit: Gérard Janot

The Church of Christ Pantocrator is located on the peninsula of Nesebar, Bulgaria. The church, along with the entire island and all of the historical structures are protected by UNESCO.

  

News

• July 12: Six die as bus carrying Polish tourists crashes in Serbia
• July 6: Military storehouse explodes near Sofia
• May 29: Sarkozy ends French job ban for Eastern Europeans
• March 20: Three of Serbia's neighbours recognize Kosovo
• November 14: Far-right faction in European Parliament dissolved
• July 24: Libya frees foreign HIV medics
• July 23: Libya lifts death sentences for nurses but makes demands
• July 11: Libyan court upholds death sentence for foreign medics in HIV case

  

Did You Know?

• ...that the currently abandoned Old High School of Music (pictured) in Rousse, Bulgaria has previously housed a primary school, a junior high school, a university, and a trade school?
• ...that the Samara flag, presented as a gift from Russia to the Bulgarian volunteers in the Russo-Turkish War of 1877-78, is the only flag awarded a Bulgarian Medal for Bravery?
• ...that the bulk of Bulgarians in Hungary descend from gardeners and other professionals who settled in the country prior to World War I?
• ...that although it was not particularly well-known in Bulgaria until the late 19th century, today Bulgarian beer is one of the country's most popular alcoholic beverages?

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Categories

Bulgaria • Education • Religion • Sport • Healthcare

Society • Provinces • Municipalities • Cities

Geography • Subdivisions • Environment • Buildings and structures • Visitor attractions • Rivers • Extreme points

Economy • Companies • Communication • Science and technology • Tourism • Transport

Culture • Arts • Cuisine • Languages • Literature • Media • Music

  

Topics

History • Thracians • Slavs • Bulgars • Old Great Bulgaria • First Bulgarian Empire • Second Bulgarian Empire • History of Ottoman Bulgaria • National awakening • History of Independent Bulgaria • Balkan Wars • During World War I • During World War II • History of the People's Republic of Bulgaria • History since 1989

Geography • Provinces • Municipalities • Cities • Rivers • Extreme points

Politics • Government • Presidents • Prime Ministers • National Assembly • Elections • Parties • Foreign relations

Culture • Music • Language • Literature • Religion • Education

Economy • Communications • Tourism

  

Things You Can Do

Requested articles • Bulgarian architecture • Martin Karbovski • Nina Nikolina • Bulgarian gardeners • Ilarion Dragostinov • Nikolay Liliev • Teodor Trayanov • Nikola Furnadzhiev • Zift (film) • Albanians in Bulgaria • Presbyter Cosmas • Immigration to Bulgaria • Bulgarian dress • Bulgarian art • Pliska–Preslav culture • Great Basilica of Pliska

Expand • Dulo clan • Yantra River • Nestinarstvo • Vrana Palace • Pliska • Gate of Trajan • Georgi Ivanov • Georgi Benkovski • Ekaterina Dafovska • Name days in Bulgaria • Evlogi Georgiev • Turks in Bulgaria • Sliven • Shumen • Shishman dynasty

Cleanup • Baba Vanga • PFC Levski Sofia

Requested images • Klokotnitsa • Naftex Stadium • Palitsi • Vrana Palace • Dimitar Petkov

Further information • WikiProject Bulgaria • Bulgarian Collaboration Project • Translation into English/Bulgarian

  

Related Portals

Bulgarian Empire	European Union	Romania	Turkey	Greece	Serbia	Rep. Macedonia

  

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