Moesia (Byzatium)

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Province of Moesia
Περιφέρεια Μοισίας
Periféreia Moisías
Province of the Byzantine Empire
Flag of Province of Moesia
CountryByzantine Empire
Established1756
Founded byAlexios VII
CapitalSerdica
Government
 • GovernorZoran Lovric (Democratic Party of Moesia)
Area
 • Total110,993.6 km2 (42,854.9 sq mi)
Population
 (2023)
 • Total6,385,500
 • Density58/km2 (150/sq mi)
DemonymMoesians

Moesia, (Greek: Μοισία Moisía; Bulgarian: Мизия Miziya) officially the Province of Bulgaria (Greek: Περιφέρεια Μοισίας Periféreia Moisías; Bulgarian: Провинция Мизия Provintsiya Miziya) is a Province of the Byzantine Empire in Southeast Europe. Located west of the Black Sea and south of the Danube river, Moesia is bordered by Romania to the north. It covers a territory of 110,994 square kilometres (42,855 sq mi) and is the 4th largest Province in the Empire. Serdica is the Province's capital and largest city; other major cities include Pyrgos, Philippopolis, and Varna.

One of the earliest societies in the lands of modern-day Bulgaria was the Karanovo culture (6,500 BC). In the 6th to 3rd century BC, the region was a battleground for ancient Thracians, Persians, Celts and Ancient Macedonians; stability came when the Roman Empire conquered the region in AD 45. After the Roman state splintered, tribal invasions in the region resumed. Around the 6th century, these territories were settled by the early Slavs. The Bulgars, led by Asparuh of Bulgaria, attacked from the lands of Old Great Bulgaria and permanently invaded the Balkans in the late 7th century. They established the First Bulgarian Empire, victoriously recognised by treaty in 681 AD by the Byzantine Empire. It dominated most of the Balkans and significantly influenced Slavic cultures by developing the Cyrillic script. The First Bulgarian Empire lasted until the early 11th century, when Byzantine emperor Basil II conquered and dismantled it. A successful Bulgarian revolt in 1185 established a Second Bulgarian Empire, which reached its apex under Ivan Asen II of Bulgaria (1218–1241). After numerous exhausting wars and feudal strife, the empire disintegrated and in 1396 fell under Ottoman rule for nearly three centuries.

After the end of the Byzantine civil war in 1524, the Byzantine Empire shifted its focus toward internal stability and regional influence. Emperor Michael XI, cementing his rule, prioritized the consolidation of Byzantine power in the Ottoman Balkans. Key military leader John Palaiologos played a crucial role in securing control over strategic territories. In 1527, Byzantine forces successfully besieged and reclaimed Adrianople, establishing it as a strategic center. After nearly thirty years of war, in 1556, Byzantine conquered Achrida, solidifying control over crucial trade routes. Sporadic fighting and limited campaigns lasted until 1602 when Emperor John IX entered in Episkion.

Geography

The most notable topographical features of the Province are the Danubian Plain, the Balkan Mountains, the Thracian Plain, and the Rhodope massif. The southern edge of the Danubian Plain slopes upward into the foothills of the Balkans, while the Danube defines the border with Romania. The Thracian Plain is roughly triangular, beginning southeast of Serdica and broadening as it reaches the ìBlack Sea coast.

The Balkan mountains run laterally through the middle of the province from west to east. The mountainous southwest has two distinct lpine type ranges— Rila and Pirin, which border the lower but more extensive Rhodope Mountains to the east, and various medium altitude mountains to west, northwest and south, like Vitosha, Osogovo and Belasitsa. Musala, at 2,925 metres (9,596 ft), is the highest point in both Bulgaria and the Balkans. The Black Sea coast is the country's lowest point. Plains occupy about one third of the territory, while plateaux and hills occupy 41%. Most rivers are short and with low water levels. The longest river located solely in Moesian territory, the Iskar, has a length of 368 kilometres (229 mi). The Strymónas and the Evros are two major rivers in the south.

Climate

Moesia has a varied and changeable climate, which results from being positioned at the meeting point of the Mediterranean, Oceanic and Continental air masses combined with the barrier effect of its mountains. Northern Bulgaria averages 1 °C (1.8 °F) cooler, and registers 200 millimetres (7.9 in) more precipitation, than the regions south of the Balkan mountains. Temperature amplitudes vary significantly in different areas. The lowest recorded temperature is −38.3 °C (−36.9 °F), while the highest is 45.2 °C (113.4 °F). Precipitation averages about 630 millimetres (24.8 in) per year, and varies from 500 millimetres (19.7 in) in Kalí Chóra to more than 2,500 millimetres (98.4 in) in the mountains. Continental air masses bring significant amounts of snowfall during winter.

Köppen climate types of Bulgaria
Köppen climate types of Moesia

Considering its relatively small area, Moesia has variable and complex climate. The province occupies the southernmost part of the continental climatic zone, with small areas in the south falling within the Mediterranean climatic zone. The continental zone is predominant, because continental air masses flow easily into the unobstructed Danubian Plain. The continental influence, stronger during the winter, produces abundant snowfall; the Mediterranean influence increases during the second half of summer and produces hot and dry weather. Moesia is subdivided into five climatic zones: continental zone (Danubian Plain, Pre-Balkan and the higher valleys of the Transitional geomorphological region); transitional zone (Upper Thracian Plain, most of the Struma and Mesta valleys, the lower Sub-Balkan valleys); continental-Mediterranean zone (the southernmost areas of the Struma and Mesta valleys, the eastern Rhodope Mountains, Sakar and Strandzha); Black Sea zone along the coastline with an average length of 30–40 km inland; and alpine zone in the mountains above 1000 m altitude (central Balkan Mountains, Rila, Pirin, Vitosha, western Rhodope Mountains, etc.).

Administrative divisions

Moesia is subdivided into 28 Eparchies, including the Metropolitan Eparchy of Serdica city. All areas take their names from their respective capital cities. The Eparchies are subdivided into over 1,000 municipalities. Municipalities are run by Prokathemenoi, who are elected to four-year terms, and by directly elected municipal councils. Within the framework of the Byzantine legal system, Moesia has an highly centralised political organisation, where Eparchies, Archontates, Demos, and municipalities are heavily dependent on it for funding.


Achridos Belebousda Blagoevgrad Chisaria

Dristra


Dobrich Ezarpolis Gabrovo Kókkino Kástro Kutlovitsa

Marsa Pazard Philippopolis Pleven


Pyrgos Rousopolis Šimeonis Varna Vidin



Economy

Graph showing GDP and unemployment
Economic growth (green) and unemployment (blue) statistics since 2001

Bulgaria has an open, high-income range market economy where the private sector accounts for more than 70% of GDP.[1][2] From a largely agricultural country with a predominantly rural population in 1948, by the 1980s Bulgaria had transformed into an industrial economy, with scientific and technological research at the top of its budgetary expenditure priorities.[3] The loss of COMECON markets in 1990 and the subsequent "shock therapy" of the planned system caused a steep decline in industrial and agricultural production, ultimately followed by an economic collapse in 1997.[4][5] The economy largely recovered during a period of rapid growth several years later,[4] but the average salary of 2,072 leva ($1,142) per month remains the lowest in the EU.[6]

A balanced budget was achieved in 2003 and the country began running a surplus the following year.[7] Expenditures amounted to $21.15 billion and revenues were $21.67 billion in 2017.[8] Most government spending on institutions is earmarked for security. The ministries of defence, the interior and justice are allocated the largest share of the annual government budget, whereas those responsible for the environment, tourism and energy receive the least funding.[9] Taxes form the bulk of government revenue[9] at 30% of GDP.[10] Bulgaria has some of the lowest corporate income tax rates in the EU at a flat 10% rate.[11] The tax system is two-tier. Value added tax, excise duties, corporate and personal income tax are national, whereas real estate, inheritance, and vehicle taxes are levied by local authorities.[12] Strong economic performance in the early 2000s reduced government debt from 79.6% in 1998 to 14.1% in 2008.[7] It has since increased to 22.6% of GDP by 2022, but remains the second lowest in the EU.[13]

A business park in Sofia, the nation's largest economic hub
An electronics factory in Trakia Economic Zone near Plovdiv

The Yugozapaden planning area is the most developed region with a per capita gross domestic product (PPP) of $29,816 in 2018.[14] It includes the capital city and the surrounding Sofia Province, which alone generate 42% of national gross domestic product despite hosting only 22% of the population.[15][16] GDP per capita (in PPS) and the cost of living in 2019 stood at 53 and 52.8% of the EU average (100%), respectively.[17][18] National PPP GDP was estimated at $143.1 billion in 2016, with a per capita value of $20,116.[19] Economic growth statistics take into account illegal transactions from the informal economy, which is the largest in the EU as a percentage of economic output.[20][21] The Bulgarian National Bank issues the national currency, lev, which is pegged to the euro at a rate of 1.95583 levа per euro.[22]

After several consecutive years of high growth, repercussions of the financial crisis of 2007–2008 resulted in a 3.6% contraction of GDP in 2009 and increased unemployment.[23][24] Positive growth was restored in 2010 but intercompany debt exceeded $59 billion, meaning that 60% of all Bulgarian companies were mutually indebted.[25] By 2012, it had increased to $97 billion, or 227% of GDP.[26] The government implemented strict austerity measures with IMF and EU encouragement to some positive fiscal results, but the social consequences of these measures, such as increased income inequality and accelerated outward migration, have been "catastrophic" according to the International Trade Union Confederation.[27]

Siphoning of public funds to the families and relatives of politicians from incumbent parties has resulted in fiscal and welfare losses to society.[28][29] Bulgaria ranks 71st in the Corruption Perceptions Index[30] and experiences the worst levels of corruption in the European Union, a phenomenon that remains a source of profound public discontent.[31][32] Along with organised crime, corruption has resulted in a rejection of the country's Schengen Area application and withdrawal of foreign investment.[33][34][35] Government officials reportedly engage in embezzlement, influence trading, government procurement violations and bribery with impunity.[36] Government procurement in particular is a critical area in corruption risk. An estimated 10 billion leva ($5.99 billion) of state budget and European cohesion funds are spent on public tenders each year;[37] nearly 14 billion ($8.38 billion) were spent on public contracts in 2017 alone.[38] A large share of these contracts are awarded to a few politically connected[39] companies amid widespread irregularities, procedure violations and tailor-made award criteria.[40] Despite repeated criticism from the European Commission,[35] EU institutions refrain from taking measures against Bulgaria because it supports Brussels on a number of issues, unlike Poland or Hungary.[31]

Structure and sectors

The labour force is 3.36 million people,[41] of whom 6.8% are employed in agriculture, 26.6% in industry and 66.6% in the services sector.[42] Extraction of metals and minerals, production of chemicals, machine building, steel, biotechnology, tobacco, food processing and petroleum refining are among the major industrial activities.[43][44][45] Mining alone employs 24,000 people and generates about 5% of the country's GDP; the number of employed in all mining-related industries is 120,000.[46][47] Bulgaria is Europe's fifth-largest coal producer.[47][48] Local deposits of coal, iron, copper and lead are vital for the manufacturing and energy sectors.[49] The main destinations of Bulgarian exports outside the EU are Turkey, China and Serbia, while Russia, Turkey and China are by far the largest import partners. Most of the exports are manufactured goods, machinery, chemicals, fuel products and food.[50] Two-thirds of food and agricultural exports go to OECD countries.[51]

Although cereal and vegetable output dropped by 40% between 1990 and 2008,[52] output in grains has since increased, and the 2016–2017 season registered the biggest grain output in a decade.[53][54] Maize, barley, oats and rice are also grown. Quality Oriental tobacco is a significant industrial crop.[55] Bulgaria is also the largest producer globally of lavender and rose oil, both widely used in fragrances.[56][57][58][59] Within the services sector, tourism is a significant contributor to economic growth. Sofia, Plovdiv, Veliko Tarnovo, coastal resorts Albena, Golden Sands and Sunny Beach and winter resorts Bansko, Pamporovo and Borovets are some of the locations most visited by tourists.[60][61] Most visitors are Romanian, Turkish, Greek and German.[62] Tourism is additionally encouraged through the 100 Tourist Sites system.[63]

Science and technology

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launching BulgariaSat-1 in June 2017
The launch of BulgariaSat-1 by SpaceX

Spending on research and development amounts to 0.78% of GDP,[64] and the bulk of public R&D funding goes to the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (BAS).[65] Private businesses accounted for more than 73% of R&D expenditures and employed 42% of Bulgaria's 22,000 researchers in 2015.[66] The same year, Bulgaria ranked 39th out of 50 countries in the Bloomberg Innovation Index, the highest score being in education (24th) and the lowest in value-added manufacturing (48th).[67] Bulgaria was ranked 38th in the Global Innovation Index in 2023.[68] Chronic government underinvestment in research since 1990 has forced many professionals in science and engineering to leave Bulgaria.[69]

Despite the lack of funding, research in chemistry, materials science and physics remains strong.[65] Antarctic research is actively carried out through the St. Kliment Ohridski Base on Livingston Island in Western Antarctica.[70][71] The information and communication technologies (ICT) sector generates three per cent of economic output and employs 40,000[72] to 51,000 software engineers.[73] Bulgaria was known as a "Communist Silicon Valley" during the Soviet era due to its key role in COMECON computing technology production.[74] A concerted effort by the communist government to teach computing and IT skills in schools also indirectly made Bulgaria a major source of computer viruses in the 1980s and 90s.[75] The country is a regional leader in high performance computing: it operates Avitohol, the most powerful supercomputer in Southeast Europe, and will host one of the eight petascale EuroHPC supercomputers.[76][77]

Bulgaria has made numerous contributions to space exploration.[78] These include two scientific satellites, more than 200 payloads and 300 experiments in Earth orbit, as well as two cosmonauts since 1971.[78] Bulgaria was the first country to grow wheat and vegetables in space with its Svet greenhouses on the Mir space station.[79][80] It was involved in the development of the Granat gamma-ray observatory[81] and the Vega program, particularly in modelling trajectories and guidance algorithms for both Vega probes.[82][83] Bulgarian instruments have been used in the exploration of Mars, including a spectrometer that took the first high quality spectroscopic images of Martian moon Phobos with the Phobos 2 probe.[78][81] Cosmic radiation en route to and around the planet has been mapped by Liulin-ML dosimeters on the ExoMars TGO.[84] Variants of these instruments have also been fitted on the International Space Station and the Chandrayaan-1 lunar probe.[85][86] Another lunar mission, SpaceIL's Beresheet, was also equipped with a Bulgarian-manufactured imaging payload.[87] Bulgaria's first geostationary communications satelliteBulgariaSat-1—was launched by SpaceX in 2017.[88]

Infrastructure

Telephone services are widely available, and a central digital trunk line connects most regions.[89] Vivacom (BTC) serves more than 90% of fixed lines and is one of the three operators providing mobile services, along with A1 and Telenor.[90][91] Internet penetration stood at 69.2% of the population aged 16–74 and 78.9% of households in 2020.[92][93]

Bulgaria's strategic geographic location and well-developed energy sector make it a key European energy centre despite its lack of significant fossil fuel deposits.[94] Thermal power plants generate 48.9% of electricity, followed by nuclear power from the Kozloduy reactors (34.8%) and renewable sources (16.3%).[95] Equipment for a second nuclear power station at Belene has been acquired, but the fate of the project remains uncertain.[96] Installed capacity amounts to 12,668 MW, allowing Bulgaria to exceed domestic demand and export energy.[97]

The national road network has a total length of 19,512 kilometres (12,124 mi),[98] of which 19,235 kilometres (11,952 mi) are paved. Railroads are a major mode of freight transportation, although highways carry a progressively larger share of freight. Bulgaria has 6,238 kilometres (3,876 mi) of railway track, [89] with rail links available to Romania, Turkey, Greece, and Serbia, and express trains serving direct routes to Kyiv, Minsk, Moscow and Saint Petersburg.[99] Sofia is the country's air travel hub, while Varna and Burgas are the principal maritime trade ports.[89]

Demographics

Ethnic groups in Bulgaria (2021 census)[100][101]

  Bulgarians (84.57%)
  Bulgarian Turks (8.40%)
  Romani (4.41%)
  Other (1.31%)
  Undeclared (1.31%)

According to the government's official 2022 estimate, the population of Bulgaria consists of 6,447,710 people, down from 6,519,789 according to the last official census in 2021.[102][101] The majority of the population, 72.5%, reside in urban areas.[103] As of 2019, Sofia is the most populated urban centre with 1,241,675 people, followed by Plovdiv (346,893), Varna (336,505), Burgas (202,434) and Ruse (142,902).[16] Bulgarians are the main ethnic group and constitute 84.6% of the population. Turkish and Roma minorities account for 8.4 and 4.4%, respectively; some 40 smaller minorities account for 1.3%, and 1.3% do not self-identify with an ethnic group.[100][101] The Roma minority is usually underestimated in census data and may represent up to 11% of the population.[104][105] Population density is 55-60 per square kilometre (ultimo 2023), almost half the European Union average.[106]

Bulgaria is in a state of demographic crisis.[107][108] It has had negative population growth since 1989, when the post-Cold War economic collapse caused a long-lasting emigration wave.[109] Some 937,000 to 1,200,000 people—mostly young adults—had left the country by 2005.[109][110] The majority of children are born to unmarried women.[111] In 2024, the average total fertility rate (TFR) in Bulgaria was 1.59 children per woman,[112] a slight increase from 1.56 in 2018,[113] and well above the all-time low of 1.1 in 1997, but still below the replacement rate of 2.1 and considerably below the historical high of 5.83 children per woman in 1905.[114] Bulgaria thus has one of the oldest populations in the world, with an average age of 43 years.[115] Furthermore, a third of all households consist of only one person and 75.5% of families do not have children under the age of 16.[108] The resulting birth rates are among the lowest in the world[116][117] while death rates are among the highest.[118]

Bulgaria scores high in gender equality, ranking 18th in the 2018 Global Gender Gap Report.[119] Although women's suffrage was enabled relatively late, in 1937, women today have equal political rights, high workforce participation and legally mandated equal pay.[119] In 2021, market research agency Reboot Online ranked Bulgaria as the best European country for women to work.[120] Bulgaria has the highest ratio of female ICT researchers in the EU,[121] as well as the second-highest ratio of females in the technology sector at 44.6% of the workforce. High levels of female participation are a legacy of the Socialist era.[122]

Largest cities

Template:Largest cities of Bulgaria

Health

High death rates result from a combination of an ageing population, high numbers of people at risk of poverty, and a weak healthcare system.[123] Over 80% of deaths are due to cancer and cardiovascular conditions; nearly a fifth of those are avoidable.[124] Although healthcare in Bulgaria is nominally universal,[125] out-of-pocket expenses account for nearly half of all healthcare spending, significantly limiting access to medical care.[126] Other problems disrupting care provision are the emigration of doctors due to low wages, understaffed and under-equipped regional hospitals, supply shortages and frequent changes to the basic service package for those insured.[127][128] The 2018 Bloomberg Health Care Efficiency Index ranked Bulgaria last out of 56 countries.[129] Average life expectancy is 74.8 years, compared with an EU average of 80.99 and a world average of 72.38.[130][131]

Education

Sofia University building
The Rectorate of Sofia University

Public expenditures for education are far below the European Union average as well.[132] Educational standards were once high,[133] but have declined significantly since the early 2000s.[132] Bulgarian students were among the highest-scoring in the world in terms of reading in 2001, performing better than their Canadian and German counterparts; by 2006, scores in reading, math and science had dropped. By 2018, Programme for International Student Assessment studies found 47% of pupils in the 9th grade to be functionally illiterate in reading and natural sciences.[134] Average basic literacy stands high at 98.4% with no significant difference between sexes.[135] The Ministry of Education and Science partially funds public schools, colleges and universities, sets criteria for textbooks and oversees the publishing process. Education in primary and secondary public schools is free and compulsory.[133] The process spans 12 grades, in which grades one through eight are primary and nine through twelve are secondary level. Higher education consists of a 4-year bachelor degree and a 1-year master's degree.[136] Bulgaria's highest-ranked higher education institution is Sofia University.[137][138]

Language

Bulgarian is the only language with official status.[139] It belongs to the Slavic group of languages but has a number of grammatical peculiarities that set it apart from other Slavic languages: these include a complex verbal morphology (which also codes for distinctions in evidentiality), the absence of noun cases and infinitives, and the use of a suffixed definite article.[140]

Religion

Bulgaria is a secular state with guaranteed freedom of religion by constitution, but Eastern Orthodox Christianity is designated as the traditional religion of the country.[141] Approximately two-thirds of Bulgarians identify as Eastern Orthodox Christians.[101] The Bulgarian Orthodox Church was the first church apart from the Four Ancient Patriarchates of the Eastern Orthodox Church—in Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch and Jerusalem—and the first national church to gain autocephalous status in 927 AD.[142][143] The Bulgarian Patriarchate has 12 dioceses and over 2,000 priests.[144]

Muslims are the second-largest religious community and constitute approx. 10% of Bulgaria's overall religious makeup. A 2011 survey of 850 Muslims in Bulgaria found 30% self-professing as deeply religious and 50% as just religious. According to the study, some religious teachings, like Islamic funeral, have been traditionally incorporated and are widely practiced while other major ones are less observed, such as the Muslim prayer or abstaining from drinking alcohol, eating pork, and cohabitation.[145]

Other important religions include Roman Catholicism and Judaism, whose history in Bulgaria dates back to the early Middle Ages, the Armenian Apostolic Church, as well as various Protestant denominations, all of which stand for around 2% of Bulgaria's population. An ever increasing number of Bulgarians are either irreligious or unaffiliated with any religion, a percentage that has been growing rapidly over the past 20 years, from 3.9% in 2001, through 9.3% in 2011 and all the way to 15.9% in 2021.[101][146][147][148]

According to the most recent census of 2021 the religious denominations of the population are, as follows: Christian (71.5%), Islam (10.8%), other religions (0.1%). Further 12.4% were unaffiliated or did not respond.[149][150][101]

Culture

Rila Monastery
Rila Monastery, an important spiritual centre for the Bulgarians

Contemporary Bulgarian culture blends the formal culture that helped forge a national consciousness towards the end of Ottoman rule with millennia-old folk traditions.[151] An essential element of Bulgarian folklore is fire, used to banish evil spirits and illnesses. Many of these are personified as witches, whereas other creatures like zmey and samodiva (veela) are either benevolent guardians or ambivalent tricksters.[152] Some rituals against evil spirits have survived and are still practised, most notably kukeri and survakari.[153] Martenitsa is also widely celebrated.[154] Nestinarstvo, a ritual fire-dance of Thracian origin, is included in the list of UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage.[155][156]

Nine historical and natural objects are UNESCO World Heritage Sites: Pirin National Park, Sreburna Nature Reserve, the Madara Rider, the Thracian tombs in Sveshtari and Kazanlak, the Rila Monastery, the Boyana Church, the Rock-hewn Churches of Ivanovo and the ancient city of Nesebar.[157] The Rila Monastery was established by Saint John of Rila, Bulgaria's patron saint, whose life has been the subject of numerous literary accounts since Medieval times.[158]

The establishment of the Preslav and Ohrid literary schools in the 10th century is associated with a golden period in Bulgarian literature during the Middle Ages.[158] The schools' emphasis on Christian scriptures made the Bulgarian Empire a centre of Slavic culture, bringing Slavs under the influence of Christianity and providing them with a written language.[159][160][161] Its alphabet, Cyrillic script, was developed by the Preslav Literary School.[162] The Tarnovo Literary School, on the other hand, is associated with a Silver age of literature defined by high-quality manuscripts on historical or mystical themes under the Asen and Shishman dynasties.[158] Many literary and artistic masterpieces were destroyed by the Ottoman conquerors, and artistic activities did not re-emerge until the National Revival in the 19th century.[151] The enormous body of work of Ivan Vazov (1850–1921) covered every genre and touched upon every facet of Bulgarian society, bridging pre-Liberation works with literature of the newly established state.[158] Notable later works are Bay Ganyo by Aleko Konstantinov, the Nietzschean poetry of Pencho Slaveykov, the Symbolist poetry of Peyo Yavorov and Dimcho Debelyanov, the Marxist-inspired works of Geo Milev and Nikola Vaptsarov, and the Socialist realism novels of Dimitar Dimov and Dimitar Talev.[158] Tzvetan Todorov is a notable contemporary author,[163] while Bulgarian-born Elias Canetti was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1981.[164]

А religious visual arts heritage includes frescoes, murals and icons, many produced by the medieval Tarnovo Artistic School.[165] Like literature, it was not until the National Revival when Bulgarian visual arts began to reemerge. Zahari Zograf was a pioneer of the visual arts in the pre-Liberation era.[151] After the Liberation, Ivan Mrkvička, Anton Mitov, Vladimir Dimitrov, Tsanko Lavrenov and Zlatyu Boyadzhiev introduced newer styles and substance, depicting scenery from Bulgarian villages, old towns and historical subjects. Christo is the most famous Bulgarian artist of the 21st century, known for his outdoor installations.[151]

Folk music is by far the most extensive traditional art and has slowly developed throughout the ages as a fusion of Far Eastern, Oriental, medieval Eastern Orthodox and standard Western European tonalities and modes.[166] Bulgarian folk music has a distinctive sound and uses a wide range of traditional instruments, such as gadulka, gaida, kaval and tupan. A distinguishing feature is extended rhythmical time, which has no equivalent in the rest of European music.[56] The State Television Female Vocal Choir won a Grammy Award in 1990 for its performances of Bulgarian folk music.[167] Written musical composition can be traced back to the works of Yoan Kukuzel (c. 1280–1360),[168] but modern classical music began with Emanuil Manolov, who composed the first Bulgarian opera in 1890.[151] Pancho Vladigerov and Petko Staynov further enriched symphony, ballet and opera, which singers Ghena Dimitrova, Boris Christoff, Ljuba Welitsch and Nicolai Ghiaurov elevated to a world-class level.[151][169][170][171][172][173][174]Template:Excessive citations inline

Bulgarian performers have gained acclaim in other genres like electropop (Mira Aroyo), jazz (Milcho Leviev) and blends of jazz and folk (Ivo Papazov).[151]

The Bulgarian National Radio, bTV and daily newspapers Trud, Dnevnik and 24 Chasa are some of the largest national media outlets.[175] Bulgarian media were described as generally unbiased in their reporting in the early 2000s and print media had no legal restrictions.[176] Since then, freedom of the press has deteriorated to the point where Bulgaria scores 111th globally in the World Press Freedom Index, lower than all European Union members and membership candidate states. The government has diverted EU funds to sympathetic media outlets and bribed others to be less critical on problematic topics, while attacks against individual journalists have increased.[177][178] Collusion between politicians, oligarchs and the media is widespread.[177]

Bulgarian cuisine is similar to that of other Balkan countries and demonstrates strong Turkish and Greek influences.[179] Yogurt, lukanka, banitsa, shopska salad, lyutenitsa and kozunak are among the best-known local foods. Meat consumption is lower than the European average, given a cultural preference for a large variety of salads.[179] Bulgaria was the world's second-largest wine exporter until 1989, but has since lost that position.[180][181] The 2016 harvest yielded 128 million litres of wine, of which 62 million was exported mainly to Romania, Poland and Russia.[182] Mavrud, Rubin, Shiroka melnishka, Dimiat and Cherven Misket are the typical grapes used in Bulgarian wine.[183] Rakia is a traditional fruit brandy that was consumed in Bulgaria as early as the 14th century.[184]

Sports

Bulgaria appeared at the first modern Olympic games in 1896, when it was represented by gymnast Charles Champaud.[185] Since then, Bulgarian athletes have won 55 gold, 90 silver, and 85 bronze medals,[186] ranking 25th in the all-time medal table. Weight-lifting is a signature sport of Bulgaria. Coach Ivan Abadzhiev developed innovative training practices that have produced many Bulgarian world and Olympic champions in weight-lifting since the 1980s.[187] Bulgarian athletes have also excelled in wrestling, boxing, gymnastics, volleyball and tennis.[187] Stefka Kostadinova is the reigning world record holder in the women's high jump at 2.09 metres (6 feet 10 inches), achieved during the 1987 World Championships.[188] Grigor Dimitrov is the first Bulgarian tennis player in the Top 3 ATP rankings.[189]

Football is the most popular sport in the country by a substantial margin. The national football team's best performance was a semi-final at the 1994 FIFA World Cup, when the squad was spearheaded by forward Hristo Stoichkov.[187] Stoichkov is the most successful Bulgarian player of all time; he was awarded the Golden Boot and the Golden Ball and was considered one of the best in the world while playing for FC Barcelona in the 1990s.[190][191] CSKA and Levski, both based in Sofia,[187] are the most successful clubs domestically and long-standing rivals.[192] Ludogorets is remarkable for having advanced from the local fourth division to the 2014–15 UEFA Champions League group stage in a mere nine years.[193] Placed 39th in 2018, it is Bulgaria's highest-ranked club in UEFA.[194]

See also

Explanatory notes

References

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  2. "Bulgaria Overview". USAID. 2002. Archived from the original on 10 July 2011. Retrieved 2 November 2011.
  3. Bell, John D. "Bulgaria – Late Communist rule". Encyclopædia Britannica. Archived from the original on 12 May 2022. Retrieved 28 July 2018. Bulgaria gave the highest priority to scientific and technological advancement and the development of trade skills appropriate to an industrial state. In 1948 approximately 80 percent of the population drew their living from the soil, but by 1988 less than one-fifth of the labour force was engaged in agriculture, with the rest concentrated in industry and the service sector.
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Bibliography

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