Bulgaria

Bulgaria, officially the Republic of Bulgaria, is a country in Southeast Europe. Located west of the Black Sea and south of the Danube river, Bulgaria is bordered by Greece and Turkey to the south, Serbia and North Macedonia to the west, and Romania to the north. It covers a territory of 110,994 square kilometres (42,855 sq mi) and is the 16th largest country in Europe. Sofia is the nation's capital and largest city; other major cities include Burgas, Plovdiv, and Varna.

Some of the key events about Bulgaria

681
The First Bulgarian Empire was established, marking the beginning of Bulgarian statehood
864
Bulgaria officially adopted Christianity as its state religion
1185
The Second Bulgarian Empire was founded, ushering in a period of cultural and economic prosperity
1396
The Ottoman Empire conquered Bulgaria, beginning nearly 500 years of Ottoman rule
1876
The April Uprising against Ottoman rule was brutally suppressed
1878
Bulgaria gained autonomy from the Ottoman Empire following the Russo-Turkish War
1908
Bulgaria declared full independence and became a sovereign state
1913
Bulgaria suffered a devastating defeat in the Second Balkan War
1923
A military coup overthrew the democratically elected government
1941
Bulgaria allied with Nazi Germany during World War II
1944
Bulgaria was liberated from Nazi occupation during World War II
1944
Soviet troops invaded Bulgaria, leading to Communist rule
1950s
Forced collectivization of agriculture caused economic hardship
1955
Bulgaria joined the United Nations
1984
The Communist regime launched a campaign to forcibly assimilate ethnic Turks
1989
The country peacefully transitioned from communist rule to democracy
1996
A severe economic crisis led to hyperinflation and widespread poverty
2004
Bulgaria became a member of NATO
2007
Bulgaria joined the European Union, marking a significant milestone in its integration with Western Europe
2009
The European Commission suspended EU funds to Bulgaria due to corruption concerns

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