Bulgaria is a European country with a long history of agricultural and industrial development. Its economy today is primarily based on services and tourism. Agriculture remains a major industry, along with the manufacture of food, beverages, and tobacco products. Heavy industries, such as machinery production and mining and metallurgy, also are important. Bulgaria has substantial natural resources, including large reserves of lignite and anthracite coal; nonmetalliferous minerals such as rock salt, gypsum, and kaolin; and a number of strategic metals, such as gold and copper.

A variety of ethnic groups live in Bulgaria, including Bulgarians of European descent; Turks (Pomaks); Orthodox Christians; and other Christian denominations; Muslims; and a small number of Jews and Roman Catholics. Bulgarians generally respect and honor traditions and kinship networks. Women have substantial authority in household budgeting and agricultural decision making, but lag behind men in educational achievement. Although Bulgarian law promotes gender equality, patriarchy remains strong in rural areas.

Despite being a relatively poor country, the Bulgarians have high living standards and a very strong sense of family loyalty. The country has a well-developed welfare system and a free public health care system. The unemployment rate is low, and education has been a priority for the government. Nonetheless, the country has suffered from inadequate funding and low teacher morale since the collapse of communism.

The Bulgarian people are warm and welcoming, and they love to share their culture with visitors. In fact, it is not uncommon for a stranger to invite you to their home and serve you a shot of rakia, the local fruit alcohol. Rakia is distilled from grapes, plums, apples, and sometimes pears. It can be enjoyed cold or mulled with honey and spices.

Bulgarians love to eat. In addition to traditional dishes, Bulgarian restaurants offer many foreign foods. The country has a wide selection of wines and beers. One of the most popular beers is Obolo, a wheat beer that has been around for centuries. Bulgarians also love a fruity, alcoholic drink called ovladi, which is made from apple and pear juice.

A rich assortment of vegetables and fruits are served in bulgarian cuisine, including tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, and a variety of herbs. Bulgarians also enjoy a dish called lutenitsa, which is a chutney made of roasted vegetables, seasoned with spices.

In the winter, bulgarians love to eat tikvenik, which is a cousin of banitsa. It is made of pumpkin, sugar, nuts and phyllo dough. The food is slow cooked for 4 to 6 hours.

The language spoken in Bulgaria is a member of the Eastern Slavic branch of the Slavic languages. The alphabet is based on the Cyrillic script. The Bulgarian judicial system includes regional, district and appeal courts. There is a Supreme Court of Cassation and a Supreme Administrative Court. The word order in Bulgarian is subject-verb-object, with a focus on the verb phrase. Bulgarian grammar also contains a number of abstract particles, such as kazhi mi, be – tell me; taka li, be? – is that so?; and vyarno li, be? – you don’t say!