According to petwithsupplies, Bulgaria is a small country in the Balkans region of Southeast Europe, located along the coast of the Black Sea. It has a population of around 7 million people and its capital city is Sofia. Bulgaria is a relatively small country with an area of about 110,000 square kilometers (42,000 sq mi). The largest city in Bulgaria is the capital city of Sofia, with a population of 1.3 million people. The city lies in the western part of Bulgaria and is home to some iconic landmarks such as Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, National Palace of Culture and Ivan Vazov National Theater. As well as being home to many cultural attractions, Sofia also offers its visitors great shopping opportunities at its many malls and markets. The city has an efficient public transportation system which makes it easy to explore all that Sofia has to offer. The second largest city in Bulgaria is Plovdiv, with a population of around 350 thousand people. Plovdiv lies in central Bulgaria and dates back almost 8000 years ago to Thracian times when it was called Philippopolis. The old town features some beautiful architecture from different periods such as Roman ruins and Ottoman mosques. There are also many museums in Plovdiv such as Archaeological Museum or Ethnographic Museum where visitors can learn about the history of this ancient city. Varna is the third largest city in Bulgaria with a population of around 330 thousand people. Varna lies on the Black Sea coast and it’s known for its long beachfront promenade that stretches nearly 5 km (3 mi) along the coast. It’s also home to some impressive architectural structures such as Euxinograd Palace or Aladzha Monastery which are popular tourist attractions for visitors coming to Varna. The city also has great nightlife options with numerous bars, clubs and restaurants offering both local cuisine specialties as well as international dishes for visitors to enjoy while they’re here. Overall, then, Bulgaria has three major cities: Sofia (the capital), Plovdiv and Varna; each offering something different for visitors who come here looking for culture, history or entertainment options during their stay here. In 2008, Bulgaria was a member of the European Union (EU) and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). The country had a population of 7.6 million and a GDP of $49.2 billion. Bulgaria’s economy was heavily reliant on exports to the EU, particularly to Germany and Italy. As such, it was highly vulnerable to the economic downturn that began in 2008 following the collapse of Lehman Brothers in September of that year. Bulgaria’s foreign policy at this time was largely focused on securing its place within the EU, with an emphasis on strengthening ties with its neighbours in the Balkans. In particular, Bulgaria sought to increase cooperation with Serbia and Macedonia in order to improve regional security and stability. Bulgaria also sought closer ties with Russia, hoping to benefit from increased trade and investment opportunities between the two countries. At this time, Bulgaria was actively engaged in international peacekeeping operations through NATO’s Partnership for Peace program as well as through United Nations missions in Africa and elsewhere. In 2008, Bulgarian troops were deployed to Iraq as part of NATO’s International Security Assistance Force (ISAF). Additionally, Bulgarian forces participated in several other UN missions including those in Sudan and Lebanon. The election of Boyko Borisov as Prime Minister in 2009 marked a shift towards more conservative policies both domestically and internationally. Borisov sought closer relations with Russia while also attempting to strengthen ties with other NATO members such as Turkey. The government also sought greater integration into European institutions such as the Schengen Area which would allow for visa-free travel between members states for Bulgarian citizens. Ultimately however these efforts were unsuccessful due to opposition from other EU member states who did not want to grant visa-free travel rights without sufficient guarantees regarding border security. Check neovideogames for Bulgaria in 2000.