Bulgaria

, situated in the eastern Balkans, has been undergoing a slow and painful transition to a market economy since the end of Communist rule in 1991.

A predominantly Slavic-speaking, Orthodox country, was the birthplace of the Cyrillic alphabet, which was created there towards the end of the 9th century AD.

It was long influenced by Byzantine culture and was part of the Ottoman Empire for 500 years before gaining its independence in the 19th century.

After World War II it became a satellite of the Soviet Union, but is now a member country of the EU and NATO.

OverviewOverviewFactsLeadersMedia

Its transition to democracy and a market economy after the collapse of communism has not been easy and the country is striving to boost low standards of living.

Please turn on JavaScript. Media requires JavaScript to play.

Throughout the early 1990s was wracked by political instability and strikes. The former communists were a powerful influence. Although the end of the decade was more stable, there was little tangible progress with economic reform.

Under 's former king, Simeon II, who was prime minister between 2001 and 2005, the country pressed ahead with market reforms designed to meet EU economic targets.

It achieved growth, saw unemployment fall from highs of nearly 20% and inflation come under control but incomes and living standards remained low.