A country on the Black Sea, Bulgaria has a rich and varied cuisine that utilizes many local ingredients. One of the best dishes to try is Shopska salad, a combination of tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, peppers and parsley with white cheese drizzled in a light red wine and olive oil vinaigrette. This dish can be served chilled and is especially refreshing on hot summer days.

A popular dessert is baklava, which is traditionally made with layers of flaky pastry dough topped with a crunchy walnut filling. The dish is often served as a gift at weddings and other special occasions.

Many bulgarians are very generous with hospitality and enjoy showing visitors their country. They are also curious about other cultures and will frequently ask questions. However, it is important to remember that they might be offended if you do not answer their questions. In addition, it is common for them to make comments about their own culture and to criticize aspects of the foreign one as well.

Most Bulgarians are Orthodox Christians and the country celebrates several holidays including Christmas and Easter. These celebrations are usually family events. Other significant holidays include Liberation Day (March 3); Culture and Literacy Day; and Reunification Day.

Trade is a vital part of the economy in Bulgaria. The country has a favorable balance of trade and foreign investment, which makes it an attractive location for investors. Major exports include chemicals, machinery, electronics, and raw materials. In addition, Bulgaria is a leading producer of pharmaceuticals and tobacco.

There are many different ethnic groups in Bulgaria including Bulgarians, Turks, and Romani. The majority of the population is composed of Bulgarians, making up 76.9% of the country’s total population. The second largest group is the Turkish people, which account for 8.4% of the country’s population. The third largest group is the Romani, who make up 4.4% of the population.

The language of the nation is Bulgarian, which is a member of the Slavic language family. It is closely related to Russian and Serbian. Like other Slavic languages, it lacks a case system and instead uses prepositions to convey grammatical relations. Over the years, foreign restaurants have introduced Bulgarians to foods from a variety of other cultures. However, there are still some international dishes that are unfamiliar to Bulgarians, such as gingerbread and goulash.

In modern times, Bulgarians have contributed to world culture through their work in music, art, literature, and sports. Musicians such as Nicolai Ghiaurov and Boris Christoff have made a valuable contribution to opera singing, while artists such as Christo and Valya Balkanska have showcased their talents internationally. A number of Bulgarian philosophers, such as Julia Kristeva and Tzvetan Todorov, have made contributions to world philosophy. Finally, Bulgarian chess player Veselin Topalov was the 21st world chess champion and his music will be heard in outer space for at least 60,000 years as it was included on the Golden Record on the two Voyager spacecrafts.