Tea For Two

Flýtilyklar

Valmynd
Meginmál
Deildarval

Bulgaria at a glance

Bulgaria, officially the Republic of Bulgaria, is a country in Southeastern Europe, and a member state of the European Union. Bulgaria joined NATO on March 29, 2004 and the European Union on January 1, 2007. The country has been a member of the United Nations since 1955, and is a founding member of OSCE. As a Consultative Party to the Antarctic Treaty, Bulgaria takes part in the governing of the territories situated south of 60° south latitude.

Location

Bulgaria 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 also shares a maritime border with Turkey, Romania, Ukraine, Russia, and Georgia. The territory of Bulgaria is 111 000 sq. km. and its capital is Sofia. Other major cities are Plovdiv - site of a major annual international trade fair, the Black Sea cities of Varna and Burgas, and Ruse on the Danube River. Rich farmland in the Danube Valley, 130 kilometers (80 miles) of sandy beaches on the Black Sea, and mountainous terrain characterize one of Eastern Europe's least densely populated nations.

History

Bulgaria is a country with an ancient history dating back to prehistoric times, the Thracian, Greek and Roman worlds of antiquity and the powerful Bulgarian Empire of the Middle Ages founded in 681. The Bulgarian people is one of the most ancient. The Bulgarian state was founded on the present-day territory of Europe in 681 and ever since that time the name of the country has always been the same. What follows are some of the most significant dates and events in the history of Bulgaria:

885 - Cyril and Methodius created the Slavonic script
864 - 866 - Bulgaria adopted Christianity
1018- 1185 - Bulgaria fell within the limits of the Byzantine Empire and Rule
1185 - Restoration of the Bulgarian state
1396 - 1878 - Bulgaria was under the Turkish Yoke
1878 - 1944 - Bulgaria was a constitutional monarchy
1944 - 1989 - Bulgaria was a people's republic, governed by the communist party
Since 10 November, 1989 - Bulgaria has been a parliamentary republic.

Relief

Geographically and climatically, Bulgaria is noted for its diversity, with the landscape ranging from the Alpin snow-capped peaks in Rila, Pirin and the Balkan Mountains to the mild and sunny weather of the Black Sea coast, from the typically continental Danubian Plain (ancient Moesia) in the north to the strong Mediterranean influence in the valleys of Macedonia and the lowlands in the southernmost parts of Thrace. The relief of the country is diverse, including vast lowlands, planes, low hills, high and low mountains, valleys, river basins and deep gorges. The surface structures were formed during different geological eras. The average altitude of Bulgaria is 470 m. In the northernmost part of Bulgaria, to the south of the Danube River, lies the Danubian Hilly Plane, the largest plane in the country. In the eastern part of Bulgaria, by the Black Sea Coast, there are well outlined wide beaches. These occupy approximately 130 km of the Bulgarian Black Sea coast (378 km). The Kamchiya-Shkorpilovtsi Beach Line is the longest (12 km). These beaches are wide and strewn with fine sand.

Population - 8,228,006 / according to the census taken in 2000/. The population consists chiefly of Bulgarians. There is a substantial minority of Turks, and smaller groups of Gypsies. Partly due to its mountainous terrain, Bulgaria's population density is one of the lowest in Eastern Europe, about 81 persons per square kilometer. About two-thirds of the people live in urban areas, compared to one-third in 1956.

The official language is Bulgarian. The alphabet is Cyrillic. Education is free and compulsory to age 15. Scientific, technical, and vocational training is stressed.

Religion - 86.6% of the population is Eastern Orthodox, 13% are Muslims. The principal religious organization is the Bulgarian Orthodox Church, to which most Bulgarians belong. Other religions include Islam, Roman Catholicism, Protestantism, and Judaism.

State government - Bulgaria is an independent state and the form of government is of people's democracy. All citizens have equal rights as the law is concerned disregarding sex, nationality, race, religion, education and occupation, social and material status.

Political System - The present Constitution provides for a multi-party parliamentary system and free elections and separates the legislative, the executive and the judicial power.
The 240-seat National Assembly, or Parliament, is vested with the legislative power. The Members of Parliament are directly elected for a 4-year term on the basis of proportional representation. Parties and political coalitions need 4% of the popular vote to qualify. The President serves as Head of State, and is directly elected every 5 years for a maximum of two-terms. President Georgi Parvanov was elected in January 2002 and was re-elected in October 2006.
The Council of Ministers (the Government), chaired by the Prime Minister, currently consists of 18 ministers. The Prime Minister is primarily nominated by the largest parliamentary group and is given a mandate by the President to form a cabinet.

The Bulgarian judicial system has a four-level court structure containing three separate instances: regional courts, district courts, appeal courts and a Supreme Court of Cassation. A Supreme Judicial Council is in charge of the self-administration and organization of the judiciary. The Constitutional Court reviews the constitutionality of laws and statutes brought before it. Bulgaria is divided in 28 regions, each headed by a regional governor, who is appointed by the Government. The 264 municipalities form the basis for administrative and territorial self-government.