Countries

Bulgaria

Bulgaria has kept its name since 681, making it one of Europe's oldest states. The Cyrillic alphabet took shape here in the 9th and 10th centuries, and the Rose Valley still distills much of the world's rose oil. It joined the EU in 2007 and the euro in 2026.

The striped arcades and domes of Rila Monastery under mist, with dark pines rising above the courtyard

Rila Monastery, Rila Mountains

Photo: Daniel Vodenitcharov, CC BY-SA 4.0

White stands for peace and freedom, green for the fertile land and its farming, and red for the courage of those who fought for independence. The tricolor dates from 1879, just after liberation.

How it has changed

Lens