Bulgaria has a well-developed system of higher education, with state universities, technical colleges and teacher’s schools in many cities. Despite depressed economic conditions, competition for places in universities remains intense. University fees are subsidized for citizens and students receive scholarships to offset the cost of living.

Bulgaria’s constitution and laws guarantee the freedom of the individual, respect for private property and the right to religious practice. The Constitution declares that Eastern Orthodox Christianity is the traditional religion of the country. Religious institutions and communities are separate from the State, but the State guarantees the protection of faith and belief and prevents religion from being used for political ends.

A country in southeast Europe, Bulgaria is bounded by Romania to the north, the Black Sea to the east, Turkey and Greece to the south, and North Macedonia to the southwest. The capital city, Sofia, lies in a mountainous basin. Bulgaria’s landscape is diverse and the climate is continental with hot summers and cold winters. The population is approximately seven million.

Bulgarians are proud of their unique alphabet, which was created in the ninth century AD, and they celebrate its creation on a national holiday each year on May 24. They also are proud of their rich and colorful folklore. Popular tales often feature images of the peasant, the merchant and craftsman, the entrepreneur, the teacher, the nationalist revolutionary, and others.

In literature and song, Bulgarians also eulogize the qualities of the true Bulgarian spirit, which include honesty and industry, resourcefulness and cunning, and devotion to family and community. The nation is symbolized by the coat of arms, which contains a crowned lion at its center.

The Bulgarian language is similar to Russian in some ways, but it has a number of distinctive features. For example, it has a special grammatical category of definiteness, and in the plural form a suffix is added to mark whether a noun refers to a person or an inanimate object. In addition, the definite article is dropped in the case of nouns that end in -ma (masculine nouns that have a gender and inanimate objects) and in the case of numerals ending in -ma, -sma and -zma (plural masculine nouns).

In many cultures, physical space when communicating with someone is important. For example, in the United States it is customary to avoid touching someone while speaking, but this is not the case in Bulgaria, where kissing or hugging is a common way of greeting. Likewise, it is not uncommon for teenagers to be told by their parents or teachers to look them in the eye when they are being reprimanded. Eye contact is also an indication of trust and respect. In addition, a teenager might be asked to repeat what another has said, in order to be sure that they have heard it correctly. This is done in part to avoid misunderstandings, but also as a sign of sincerity and honesty. In fact, it is generally considered difficult to tell a lie when looking someone in the eyes.