Editing Rural Hospitality Bulgaria (section)

== Introduction ==

Bulgaria is bordered on the east by the Black Sea and the Danube in the north, by Macedonia and Serbia to the west and by Greece to the south. A country of 7 million people it now has more than 70% of the population living in urban areas, and many villages have become depopulated. Bulgaria has been settled since ancient times and has seen many cultures and people
come and go, including Thracians, Ottoman Turks, Mongols, Crusaders and the Byzantine Empire. This chequered history has left behind a diverse culture.

In more recent times collectivization and de-collectivization has had a significant impact on the land and the people in rural areas. The country also has a strong nomadic heritage, and some Bulgarians such as the Karakachan ethnic minority still practise nomadic pastoralism with sheep and goats. Subsistence farming still feeds a significant proportion of the population.

The climate is continental, with hot summers changing sharply into cold winters. Cereals and sunflowers are grown on a large scale on the plains of the Danube valley and the Trakian plains between the Stara Planina, Rila, Pirin and Rodope mountain ranges. Dairy farming is a strong tradition and the yogurt cultured with [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lactobacillus_delbrueckii_subsp._bulgaricus *Lactobacillus bulgaricus*] is justifiably famous. Bulgaria has been famous for its wine since ancient times. Fruit and vegetables, farmed fish, and tobacco are also important products of Bulgarian agriculture. Forests cover a lot of the country and are highly valued for their timber, firewood, mushrooms and wildlife.