THE Bulgariais a country located in the east of the European continent, in the Balkan region. Its capital is the city of Sofia, located within its territory. The country is bathed, to the east, by the Black Sea and has a mountainous relief characteristic of the area in which it is located.
Its current population is 6.9 million inhabitants, which are well distributed over its more than 111,000 km². Bulgaria's economy is led by tertiary sector activities, with recent strong growth in tourism.
Read too: What are the countries in Europe?
Bulgaria general data
Official name: Republic of Bulgaria
Gentile: Bulgarian
Territorial extension: 111,002 km² (UN, 2020)
Location: Eastern Europe
Capital: Sofia
Climate: seasoned
Government: parliamentary republic
Administrative division: 28 provinces
Language: Bulgarian (official)
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Religions:
orthodox: 59.4%
Islam: 7.8%
others: 1.7%
no religion: 3.7%
no information: 27.4%
Population: 6,948,000 inhabitants (UN, 2020)
Demographic density: 64 inhab./km² (UN, 2020)
Human Development Index (HDI): 0,816
Coin: Bulgarian Lev (BGN)
Gross Domestic Product (GDP): US$ 77.78 billion (IMF, 2021)
GDP per capita: US$ 11,320 (IMF, 2021)
Gini: 0,413
Timezone: GMT +3 hours
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External relations:
UN
world Bank
IMF
European Union
nato
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history of bulgaria
Records of occupation of Bulgarian territory date back to more than 40,000 years a. Ç., with signs of agricultural communities that settled there in later periods. Bulgaria as we know it today has its origins, however, only in the seventh century of the current era, when it was structured.or as a state. In this period of time, the country was under the rule of empires Roman and Byzantine, this after the establishment of the Bulgarian state. This period marked the installation of First Bulgarian Empire, whichu its end in the tenth century.
The Second Bulgarian Empire began about a hundred years later, and lasted until approximately the end of the 14th century. A little earlier, around 1340, the Ottomans invaded that region and began their rule over Bulgaria. sI weakening took place from the 16th century onwards, with the help of other territories, such as that which today corresponds to Russia.
Bulgaria's independence marked the downfall of ottoman empire in that region, what happened in 1878. The years that followed were marked by the Balkan Wars and the two World Wars, which lasted until the middle of the 20th century.
In the year 1946, Bulgaria became a socialist republic.. This system was maintained until the year 1990, when structural reforms of a political and economic nature reoriented the country towards greater openness to the international scenario and the implementation of a market economy.
See too: Soviet Union - Nation that emerged from the implantation of socialism in Russia
Bulgaria Map
Bulgarian geography
Bulgaria is a country of LThis one ANDeuropean located in Peninsula of the Balkans. With 111,000 km² of territorial extension, the country is bathed in the east by the mblack air across its coastline of approximately 350 km. Its capital is the city of Sofia, which is in its western portion, and establishes borders with five other nations:
Romania, to the north
Serbia and Macedonia, to the west
Greece, South
Turkey, southeast
Let's see below the main physical aspects of Bulgaria.
Bulgaria climate
The predominant climatic type in Bulgarian territory is Temperado, under great influence of the altitude and the presence of the Black and Mediterranean, this located to the south. It is characterized by summers hot and dry and winters rigorous and with higher precipitation indices, with records of snow in different parts of the country.
The average annual temperature is 10.5 °C, while the highs can exceed 40 °C and the lows fall below zero. The north is drier than the south, and rainfall accumulates between 450 mm and 1190 mm in these regions respectively.
Bulgaria relief
Bulgaria has an outstanding quite heterogeneous composed of mountain ranges, plains and depressions.
The north of the country is characterized by the Danube river plain and also by çBalkan mountain range, which runs equally through the lands to the west and southwest. The central portion is formed by plains, which start near the capital, and depressions, giving way again to a mountainous relief that predominates in the southern lands, formed by the peaks of Pirin and Rila, to the southwest, and by the Ródope mountain range.
The average elevation is 472 meters, while its highest point is situated at 2925 meters above sea level. This is Mount Musala, located in the southwest of the country.
Bulgarian vegetation
Under the influence of the temperate climate and the mountainous relief, the vegetation cover of Bulgaria is formed by the Tundra alpine in the highest areas, skewers and Mediterranean forest South.
Bulgarian Hydrography
O Danube, although it does not cover the interior of the Bulgarian territory, it is one of the main rivers in the region and in the entire European continent. It doubles as the natural border between Bulgaria and Romania.
The longest river in Bulgaria is the Maritsa, with 480 km of extension, crossing the country from west to east to its mouth in the Black Sea. Also noteworthy are the Iskŭr, Tundzha, Struma, Arda and Yantra rivers. The country's hydrographic network is made up of a large number of lakes. The biggest one is Lake Burgas, which is 27 km² in length and is located near the Black Sea.
See too: Ganges River – extremely important Asian river for the region's inhabitants
Bulgarian Demographics
United Nations data for 2020 indicate that Bulgaria has population of 6,948,000 inhabitants. Its distribution is homogeneous over the territory, which is reflected in the demographic density of 64 inhab./km².
The Bulgarian population is concentrated in urban areas. rate of urbanization 76%. The capital, Sofia, is the most populous city in the country, with 1,276,900 inhabitants. Other important urban centers in the country are the city of Plovdiv, which is 133 km from the capital, and Varna, located on the country's coast, 377 km from Sofia.
In addition to those born in the country, the Bulgarian population consists of Turks, Romanians, Russians, Armenians and wallachians. The languages spoken in the country are predominantly Bulgarian, its official language, as well as the mother tongues of each of the groups mentioned.
The median age of the Bulgarian population is 43.7 years, quite high compared to other countries. In recent years, the population growth rate has gone down, which was due both to the lower rate of migration and to the reduction of births against the third highest mortality rate in the world, which is 14.52 per thousand population. Life expectancy at birth in Bulgaria is currently 75.3 years.
Bulgaria's economy
The Bulgarian Economy went through a restructuring process from the 1990s onwards., gaining a more liberal and marketable character. Previously, as well as in several countries of the region, Bulgaria had a planned economic system. With the reforms, there was a period of great instability and adaptation, which was reflected in an increase in inflation and in the social reaction to the crisis scenario. Subsequently, the Bulgarian economy underwent a growth phase that began in 1997 and lasted until the 2008/2009 crisis.
According to IMF data, the country has a Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of US$77.78 billion. The service sector accounts for a share of 67.4% of this amount, while industry represents 28%, and agriculture only 4.3%. The country's economy is highly dependent on the foreign market and mainly on exports, in addition to importing energy from the Russia.
The extractive industry is represented by the copper, bauxite and zinc. Thus, the metallurgical, automotive parts, machinery and equipment branches, and also the food, tobacco and oil extraction industries and the production of fuels and derivatives of Petroleum. With approximately 43% of arable land, the country is a major producer of potatoes, corn, wheat, barley, fruits such as watermelon and grapes, and also flowers, such as sunflowers.
Bulgarian Culture
THE culture Bulgaria is derived from the influence of different peoples who settled in that region over time. At the moment, It has correlation with Russian traditions and customs, although it is a culture with a strong national identity and great homogeneity, with some regional variations.
Much of that country's history can be seen materialized in its historic buildings, which end up becoming tourist attractions, an activity that has been gaining strength in recent years. Among these buildings are the Rila Monastery, dating from the 10th century, Tsarevets Fortress, Alexander Nevsky's Orthodox Cathedral and many other monuments. The National History Museum is located in the capital and represents an important cultural center in the country.
Several festivals take place annually in Bulgaria, with highlights to the International Folklore Festival, the Sofia Music Festival and the Varna International Summer Festival. The plastic arts, music and theater are some of the traditional forms of cultural expression in the country, which also stands out in the audiovisual production of films and cartoons.
One of the country's typical dishes is the Banitsa —a preparation made with puff pastry and a filling that can be sweet or savory, and usually includes cheese and yogurt. At the New Year, place an amulet in the center of the mass and give it the name Banitsa da Sorte.
Bulgaria's Infrastructure
Bulgaria is a urbanized country and high HDI. The urban infrastructure that serves the population that lives in these areas is considerably extensive. About 73% of Bulgarians ownin access to safe sanitation networks, while drinking water reaches almost all the inhabitants of that country. The same is true of the electricity grid, which serves all Bulgarians equally. However, much of the electricity consumed in the country is derived from imports. Own generation, the largest portion comes from fossil fuels and nuclear.
Transports are carried out mainly through the highways, but Bulgaria has a dense rail network of just over five thousand km of tracks. Of the nearly 70 airports that the country has, the S international airportsófia and from Burgas, on the coast. In addition, waterways and sea are used for displacements. Transport by sea is carried out through the ports of Burgas and Varna, respectively on the central and northern coast of Bulgaria.
See too: What are alternative energy sources and how do they work?
Bulgarian government
Since the approval of a new constitution in 1991, the government of Bulgaria has been a parliamentary republic. Thus, the president plays the role of head of state, and is elected through popular elections held every five years. The role of head of government is exercised by the figure of the prime minister, whose selection is made by Parliament. The seat of government in Bulgaria is in the city of Sofia.
Curiosities about Bulgaria
A treasure composed mainly of gold was discovered in the necropolis of Varna, Bulgaria, which is five thousand years old a. Ç. and it is one of the oldest in the world.
The oldest city in all of Europe, Plovdiv, is located in Bulgaria.
The country's name refers to the Bulgarian people who settled in the Balkan region in the 17th century. Its name, in turn, refers to fortresses (or castles).
By Paloma Guitarrara
Geography teacher
