Bulgaria is home to the oldest known writing system, engraved on the Gradeshnitsa Tablets, Thought to have been created by the Thracians and dated to over 6000 years old.

The Thracians are the oldest known people to inhabit the area now known as Bulgaria and are the ancestors of the modern Bulgarian nation.

It is thought that the oldest fabricated gold treasure in the world, the 6,500-year old Varna treasure of Eastern Bulgaria, is also Thracian-made.

The Thracian tribes united in around 500 BC and in 188 BC the Romans invaded and it was not until 632 that the independent state of Great Bulgaria was created.

In relatively recent times the country was ruled by the Ottoman Empire for five hundred years until 1878 when it became a monarchy then after World War II it became part of the eastern block and a People’s Republic.

With the collapse of the Soviet Union elections were held in 1989. In January 2007 the country joined the European Union.

Bulgaria is becoming an attractive destination because of the quality of the resorts and low prices. The Black Sea resorts are especially popular and the country is enjoying a substantial growth in tourism.