01/06/2026
20 Facts About Bulgaria That Impress Foreigners
Bulgaria has the oldest country name in Europe. The name “Bulgaria” has been used continuously since 679 AD — something no other country on the continent can claim.
Sofia is older than Rome. Bulgaria’s capital, with around 1.2 million residents, has more than 7,000 years of history, while Rome is around 2,750 years old.
The world’s oldest gold treasure was discovered in Varna, on Bulgaria’s Black Sea coast.
The Cyrillic alphabet comes from Bulgaria. When Bulgaria joined the European Union on 1 January 2007, Cyrillic became the EU’s third official alphabet, after Latin and Greek.
Bulgaria has around 6.5 million people and is often described as the poorest country in the EU, with economic output at around 60% of the EU average.
Despite this, Bulgaria is now part of the Eurozone, having adopted the common European currency at the beginning of the year.
Bulgaria lies on the Danube, just like Vienna and Budapest. The river forms around 450 km of Bulgaria’s border with Romania.
Yes or no? It can be confusing! In Bulgaria, shaking your head can mean “yes”, while nodding can mean “no” — something that often surprises visitors.
Yogurt may have originated in Bulgaria. Its key bacterium, Lactobacillus bulgaricus, is strongly associated with the Bulgarian climate and traditional yogurt production.
Bulgaria has been producing wine for around 3,000 years, making it one of the countries with the oldest wine traditions in the world.
The secret to longevity may be different here. In some Bulgarian villages, people live beyond 100 — and many of them drink rakia every day.
One of the most iconic Bulgarian kitchen appliances is the “chushkopek” — a special device used for roasting peppers and aubergines.
Bulgaria has made a remarkable contribution to music. The Bulgarian State Television Female Vocal Choir won a Grammy Award in 1989.
Even aliens might hear Bulgarian music. In 1977, Bulgarian folk music was sent into space on the Voyager Golden Record, alongside works by Bach and Mozart.
The artist who wrapped the Reichstag in 1995 was Bulgarian-born. Christo’s full name was Hristo Vladimirov Yavashev.
In Bulgarian mythology, dragons are not just fire-breathing monsters. Some are good dragons who can take human form, fall in love with people, and even control the weather.
During World War II, Bulgaria saved most of its 50,000 Jews from deportation, despite officially being an ally of N**i Germany. This happened through public resistance, protests, and civil pressure. However, around 12,000 Jews from the occupied territories of Thrace and Macedonia were deported.
One of the pioneers of the first digital electronic computer was of Bulgarian origin. John Atanasoff, together with Clifford Berry, developed the Atanasoff–Berry Computer between 1937 and 1942.
One of Bulgaria’s greatest sporting moments came at the 1994 FIFA World Cup, when Bulgaria defeated reigning world champion Germany 2–1 in the quarter-final. Hristo Stoichkov and Yordan Letchkov scored for Bulgaria, while Lothar Matthäus scored Germany’s goal from a penalty.
Around half a million Bulgarians live in Germany, while several thousand Germans live in Bulgaria.
