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History
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| Bulgaria has a long, turbulent and fascinating history. It has been inhabited since the Stone Age and during the Bronze Age was home to Thracians. It then became part of the kingdom of Macedonia, before falling to the Romans in 46BC.
By the middle of the 4th century waves of barbarian tribes flooded into the region from the east and the Roman Empire began to collapse. In 679AD the Bulgars crossed the Danube and founded the first Bulgarian Empire – this stretched right across the Balkans. The country was converted to Orthodox Christianity and fell under Byzantine rule in 1018.
The second Bulgarian Empire was established by the overthrow of Byzantine rule in 1185. It lasted until 1396 when the expanding Ottoman Empire annexed the entire region. The Turks were relatively enlightened and tolerant rulers, making no attempt to convert the people to Islam or to interfere with their culture and customs. However, with the general rise of nationalism across Europe in the 19th century, the Bulgarians became restless for independence. The Turks, their empire now much weakened, responded harshly and a number of other European states, most notably Russia, rallied to the Bulgarian’s cause. The resultant Russo-Turkish war achieved limited independence for Bulgaria in 1878 – Turkey still controlled 40% of the country and the new state was something of a Russian satellite much distrusted by other European powers.
The first years of the 20th century were especially dramatic and traumatic ones for Bulgaria. Caught between much bigger powers during a period of horrific and sustained upheaval, the country staggered through two Balkan Wars, followed by two World Wars. In 1945, mauled and weakened, Bulgaria fell under the influence of the Soviet Union. The country thrived between 1954 and 1989 but with the collapse of communism and the break-up of the soviet block there was a brief period of social and economic instability as Bulgaria became a democracy. Progress since then has been positive and swift – the country joined NATO in 2004 and, following a rapid process of reform, is scheduled to join the EU in 2007.
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Investment Opportunity
There has never been a better time to invest in Bulgaria. The economi... more
Why Bulgaria?
Bulgaria is the fastest growing holiday and property investment destin... more
About Bulgaria
For tourists and property investors alike, Bulgaria truly has it all. ... more
General information
The Republic of Bulgaria covers 110,910sq km and has a population of 7... more
Airports
Sofia Airport
Sofia airport is just 5km east of the ... more
Climate
Bulgaria is blessed with an almost perfect climate. Summers are typica... more
Culture and Traditions
As you’d expect of a country with such a long a chequered history Bulg... more
Bulgaria’s entry into the EU
On the 25th of April 2005 Bulgaria signed the accession treaty that wi... more
Economy
How favourable is it for foreign investors?
The Bulg... more
The property market in Bulgaria
Bulgarian real estate sector is currently very buoyant – there is no s... more
Government
Bulgaria is a stable Parliamentary Republic. The constitution was rat... more
Useful Tips
Body language
It’s confusing - you need to understand that... more
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