30 May /16

10 things that make Bulgaria unique

Did You Know That …

1. … Mark Zuckerberg has Bulgarian roots? He was named after his grandfather Marko, who emigrated from Bulgaria in 1940.

2. … Bulgaria was the first country to fire a politician because he was playing Farmville during working hours? Counselor Dimitar Kerin from Plovdiv was even tending to his virtual farm during official meetings using the work computer.

3. … Pod Igoto, in English: Under the Yoke, is the most famous piece of Bulgarian literature? Author Ivan Vazov wrote it during his time in exile in Russia. It is about love and war, and mirrors the Russo-Turkish War between 1877 and 1878. In December 1893, the novel was published in English for the first time by Heinemann’s International Library.

4. … the world’s oldest hoard of gold was found in Bulgaria at the Varna Necropolis? It is over 7,000 years old.

5. … Bulgaria is famous for its rose oil? The history of the Bulgarian Oil Rose, a Damask rose, dates back to the 17th century – it is grown in an area called the “Valley of Roses,” where the flowers are protected from the wind while they blossom. 1,000 rose petals are needed to produce one gram of rose oil!

6. … one of the best yogurts originates from Bulgaria? This is due to a particular lactic acid bacterium called lactobacillus bulgaricus, which is only found in Bulgarian air. This bacterium transforms lactose into lactic acid, giving the yogurt both its characteristic consistency and its tart taste.

7. … that Bulgaria has the third-highest number of IT specialists per capita? The software industry is growing at a rate of 30% per year.

8. … Bulgaria is the oldest country in Europe to not have changed its name since it was founded in the seventh century AD?

9. … when Bulgaria joined the European Union, the number of official alphabets in the EU went up from two to three? – In addition to the Latin and Greek alphabets, there is now also the Cyrillic alphabet since 2007.

10. … Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria, is the only major European city that is located only 15 minutes away from a mountain? This mountain is called Vitosha.

EVS Translations office in Sofia
Idyllic view from the EVS Translations office in Sofia

This view is also enjoyed by the translators at the Bulgarian branch of EVS Translations in Sofia.

If you are looking for a Bulgarian translation partner that values quality and customer service, then contact EVS Translations.