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Bulgaria
Country Facts
Population: 7,204,687 (2009)
Median Age: 41.4 years
GDP per capita: $12,600 (2009 est.)
Major Religions: Bulgarian Orthodox (83%), Muslim (12%)
People Groups: 34 Unreached: 8
Largest Unreached People Group: Turk, Pomak
Government Type: Parliamentary Democracy
Official Languages: Bulgarian
Geography
Located in Southeastern Europe, Bulgaria is located on the Balkan Peninsula, bordered on the east by the Black Sea, on the north by Romania and the Danube River, on the south by Greece and Turkey, and on the west by Macedonia and Serbia.
People
The names "Bulgar", and "Bulgarian" most likely derive from a Turkic verb meaning "to mix." Ethnic Bulgarians trace their ancestry to the merging of Bulgars (or Proto-Bulgarians), a central Asian Turkic people, and Slavs, a central European people, beginning in the seventh century C.E. in what is now northeastern Bulgaria. Besides ethnic Bulgarians, there are several ethnic minorities, the most numerous being Turks and Gypsies, with smaller numbers of Armenians, Jews, and others.
History
The emergence of a unified Bulgarian national identity and state dates back to the 7th century AD. All Bulgarian political entities that subsequently emerged preserved the traditions (in ethnic name, language and alphabet) of the First Bulgarian Empire (632/681-1018), which at times covered most of the Balkans and spread its alphabet, literature and culture among the Slavic and other peoples of Eastern Europe, eventually becoming the cultural center of the medieval Slavs. Centuries later, with the decline of the Second Bulgarian Empire (1185-1396/1422), Bulgarian territories came under Ottoman rule for nearly five centuries.
 The Russo-Turkish War of 1877–1878 led to the re-establishment of a Bulgarian state as a constitutional monarchy in 1878, with the Treaty of San Stefano marking the birth of the Third Bulgarian State. In 1908, with social strife brewing at the core of the Ottoman Empire, the Alexander Malinov government and Prince Ferdinand of Bulgaria formally proclaimed the full sovereignty of the Bulgarian state at the ancient capital of Veliko Tarnovo.
In 1945, after World War II, Bulgaria became a communist state and part of the Eastern Bloc. Todor Zhivkov dominated Bulgarian politics for 35 years, from 1954 to 1989. In 1990, after the Revolutions of 1989, the Communist Party allowed multi-party elections and Bulgaria undertook a transition to parliamentary democracy and free-market capitalism.
Culture
A number of ancient civilizations, most notably the Thracians, Greeks, Romans, Slavs, and Bulgars, have left their mark on the culture, history and heritage of Bulgaria. Thracian artifacts include numerous tombs and golden treasures, while ancient Bulgars have left traces of their heritage in music and early architecture. Bulgaria has a rich heritage in the visual arts, especially in frescoes, murals and icons.
Owing to the relatively warm climate and diverse geography affording excellent growth-conditions for a variety of vegetables, herbs and fruits, Bulgarian cuisine offers great diversity. The everyday diet is based largely on local, in-season products. Bread, an important staple, is often purchased rather than home baked. Dairy products are widely consumed, particularly yogurt and white-brined cheese. Home-cooked lunches and dinners often include soups, salads, stews, grilled meats, or stuffed vegetables, while meals away from home may consist of foods such as bread, cheese, sausage, and vegetables.
Bulgaria performs well in sports such as volleyball, wrestling, weight-lifting, shooting sports, gymnastics, chess, and recently, sumo wrestling and tennis. Football has become by far the most popular sport in the country. Bulgaria participates both in the Summer and Winter Olympics, and its first Olympic appearance dates back to the first modern Olympics games in 1896.
Spiritual Climate
Bulgaira is officially a secular nation and the Constitution guarantees the free exercise of religion but appoints Orthodoxy as an official religion. In the 2001 census, 82.6% Bulgarians declared themselves Orthodox Christians, 12,2% Muslim, 1.2% other Christian denominations, 4% other religions (Buddhism, Taoism, Hinduism, Judaism) and zero percent atheists. Most citizens of Bulgaria have associations—at least nominally—with the Bulgarian Orthodox Church.
According to the most recent Eurostat "Eurobarometer" poll, in 2005, 40% of Bulgarian citizens responded that "they believe there is a God", whereas 40% answered that "they believe there is some sort of spirit or life force", 13% that "they do not believe there is a God, spirit, nor life force", and 6% did not answer.
NMSI Involvement
NMSI first began work in Bulgaria in 2000. NMSI frequently has short-term teams going to Bulgaria to assist the long-term missionary work. Current ministries in Bulgaria include:
• Outreach and discipleship among Bulgarian youth
• Encouragement and discipleship to young mothers
• Encouraging local leaders and developing long-term strategies in youth ministries.
Prayer Points
• For today's youth in Bulgaria to know Christ and be a generation impacting the whole nation for God's glory
• For the church to grow and be influential in Bulgaria
• For more youth leaders to reach teens
• For the Holy Spirit to strengthen and multiply the believers in Bulgaria
Ministry Opportunities
Short-term: Create your own short-term project.
Long-term: If you feel called to work or are currently working in a country in this region, please contact our People and Organizational Development Team (POS) to explore how NMSI might partner with you.
Bulgaria Photo Gallery
Sources: Joshua Project, Every Culture—Bulgaria, Campus Crusade for Christ—Bulgaria, CIA World Factbook, US Department of State, Wikipedia
NMSI missionaries serving in Bulgaria:
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