History | Etnography Some facts about Bulgaria   Full country name: Republic of Bulgaria Area: 110,910 sq km Population: 7.35 million Capital City: Sofia People: 88% Bulgarian, 8%Turkish, 3% Roma, 1% Armenians and Russians Language: Bulgarian (alphabet – Cyrilic) Religion: 85% Bulgarian Orthodox, 13% Muslim Government: parliamentary democracy National celebration day:  3rd of March   Historical sightseeing  ·         Pliska, Preslav and Veliko Tarnovo – the seats of first Bulgarian khans, czars and kings; The stone carving of the Madara Horseman; The breathtaking murals of the Kazanlak Tomb and the church in Boyana; The quiet wisdom of the Rila Monastery; The towns of Koprivshtitsa, Melnick and Zheravna – Renaissance legends of wood, stone and color;     Traditions: You will hear them in the unique rhythm of the Bulgarian folk songs and chants. Your heart will sense them in the merry and healthy joye-de-vivre atmosphere of the rites and celebrations. You will discern them in the everlasting beauty of the handicrafts, finely woven in the ceramic vignettes and woodcarvings, colorful rugs and the hammered copper-ware. You will find them in the exquisite taste of Bulgarian cuisine and in the fine aroma of Bulgarian wines.     Culture: ·         Unique finds in the museums, including the world’s oldest gold; Beautiful collections of works from self-taught old masters to modern painters in the art galleries; Classical concerts and folklore song-and-dance festivals.     Nature: It will fascinate you with its fantastic creativity, squeezing so much beauty onto such a tiny land: ·         curious rock formations and mysterious caves; ·         sunny seashores with golden sands, quiet coves and romantic capes; ·         majestic mountains with fiery peaks, mirror lakes and shady woods full of scent.