Bulgaria By Serkan Iliaz

“Съединението прави силата.” “Unity makes the strength.” Anthem: Motto: “Съединението прави силата.” “Unity makes the strength.” Anthem: “Мила Родино” “Dear Motherland” Coat of arms:

Location Bulgaria is a country in southeastern Europe.  It is bordered by Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedon ia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, and the Black Sea to the east. With a territory of 110,994 km2. Bulgaria is Europe's 16th- largest country.

Prehistory and antiquity In 680 Bulgar tribes under the leadership of Asparukh moved south across the Danube and settled in the area between the lower Danube and the Balkan, establishing their capital at Pliska. A peace treaty with Byzantium in 681 marked the beginning of the First Bulgarian kingdom. In 1185 the brothers Asen and Peter organised a major uprising in Tarnovo and founded the Second Bulgarian kingdom.

Prehistory and antiquity The Second Bulgarian kingdom lasted only two centuries. In 1396 the Vidin kingdom, the last Bulgarian land, was captured by the Ottomans and that was the end of the Bulgarian state for five centuries until the April uprising in 1876 and the Russo-Turkish War in 1787 after which Bulgaria gains independence.

Hristo Botev, a prominent revolutionary in the April Uprising The Russian and Bulgarian defense of Shipka Pass was crucial for the independence of Bulgaria

Tourist sites Veliko Tarnovo, capital of Second Bulgarian Empire Pliska, the first Bulgarian capital Veliko Tarnovo, capital of Second Bulgarian Empire

Roman theatre in Plovdiv Alexander Nevski Cathedral in Sofia

Belogradchik Rocks Seven Rila Lakes in the Rila mountain

Famous Bulgarians John Vincent Atanasov- The inventor of the Digital Electronic Computer Stefka Kostadinova- World Record holder and 2 World Titles High Jump Yordanka Donkova- World Record holder and 1 World Title Hurdling Georgi Kostadinov- boxer, won the Olympic Flyweight gold medal at the 1972 Munich Olympic Games for Bulgaria Ivailo Marinov- boxer, won the Olympic Flyweight gold medal at the 1988 Seoul Olympic Games Veselin Topalov- FIDE World Chess Champion (2005) Antoaneta Stefanova- Women's World Chess Champion (2004) Hristo Stoichkov- World Cup 1994 top scorer, European Footballer of the Year (1994)

The pride of Bulgaria-Bulgarian rose oil In order for us to gain 1 kilogram of rose oil, there should be distillated between 2 and 3 tones of roses.