People
'The best part of Bulgaria is that as a
visitor you can feel what it is like to live there...'
To read this Personal Story, click here.
You'll rarely find a people as open to
outsiders as Bulgarians. They have an innate Eastern hospitality
and their
relative isolation in the past makes them inquisitive about
the outside world and dying to know what brings someone to
their country. They're proud to show visitors the best
of what they have.
Bulgarians are also closer to one another than people in
many Western European countries: family bonds are strong
and friends can be relied upon for almost anything. Great
emphasis is still placed on celebrations such as Name Days
(e.g. St.
Stephan's day if your name is Stephan) when friends
visit and join in the celebration of your name. This is true
even for the cities, although city life has inevitably had
a certain alienating effect.
Ethnic Bulgarians make up nearly
85% of the country's
population, Bulgarian Turks are around 10% and over 5% are
Roma. Most recognise the Bulgarian Orthodox Church. There are
also sizeable Muslim communities and numerous smaller minorities.
There is no religious tension to speak of and Bulgaria is frequently
quoted as an example of ethnic tolerance in an otherwise unstable
region.
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