Bulgaria is a beautiful country located on the Black Sea with a rich and long history. A people called the Bulgur's inhabited the region now known as Bulgaria in 650 AD giving the modern name to the country. Bulgaria joined the European Union in 2007 after meeting the strict requirements for membership. Tourism has become increasingly popular in part to the diverse interests between majestic skiing slopes in the mountains and sunbathing beaches on the Black Sea. Here are five things you might not know about Bulgaria.

5 Facts You Might Not Know

1
97% of Bulgarians own their own home. This is the highest private home ownership rate in the word. Interestingly, 97,9 % of privately owned homes have at least one television set; while only 93 % possess a refrigerator.
2
Earliest prehistoric man lived in what is now Bulgaria. Cave paintings from 44,000 BC exist in Bacho Kiro cave. The oldest recovered artifacts made from gold have also been located in Bulgaria. Coins, jewelry and weapons dated from 4,600 BC were found in excavated burial sites in 1972.
3
The earliest organized culture in Bulgaria was the Thracian's. Spartacus was a Thracian born in Bulgaria. As a Roman sympathizer turned gladiator slave, he led a revolt defeating the much larger Roman armies on several occasions.
4
The Rila Cross is a stature carved over twelve years by a Bulgarian Monk named Rafail until 1802 when he became blind. On the wooden cross, that stands less than 32 inches in height and 17 inches in width, are 104 scenes from the bible, as well as 650 figures.
5
The first electronic digital computer was invented by the Bulgarian John Atanassoff during the years 1937-1942. Today, there is an annual John Vincent Atanassoff award given by the Bulgarian president to honor achievement in computer engineering.

The capital of Bulgaria is Sofia. The currency of Bulgaria is the Bulgarian Lev(BGN) Flag of Bulgaria