Bulgaria, in southeastern Europe, is dominated by rugged mountains, except for the Danube lowland in the north that it shares with Romania. Rich farmland in the Danube Valley, 130 kilometers (80 miles) of sandy beaches on the Black Sea, and mountainous terrain characterize one of Eastern Europe's least densely populated nations. Most of the population is urban; about 83 percent are Orthodox Christians, and some 12 percent are Muslim—the Rhodope Mountains, along the border with Greece, are home to many Muslims, including an ethnic Turkish minority.

Bulgarians have a tradition of gratitude towards Russians, who in 1878 helped end 500 years of Ottoman Empire rule. After World War II, communists gained control, and agriculture led the economy until the 1950s, when Russians from the Soviet Union helped finance steel mills, chemical plants, and machine shops. In 1989 communist rule ended and democratic change began. Tourists flock to Black Sea resorts and to Rila National Park, Bulgaria's largest. Kazanluk, a town in central Bulgaria and heart of the famous Valley of the Roses, exports rose oil—a precious ingredient in world perfume production. As economic conditions improve, Bulgaria joined NATO in 2004 and plans to become a member of the European Union by 2007.