My Country Is Bulgaria

My Country

My country is Bulgaria. It is small country in Europa. It is located on the Balkan Peninsula. Bulgaria is country rich in history and tradition. The First Bulgarian Empire has been created in 681AD. The creator of the first Bulgarian Empire was khan Asparukh. We have many successful khans, who strengthened the Bulgarian states throughout the 8th and 9th centuries. One of these great khans is Simeon the Great. His 34-year rule began in 893, and saw the largest territorial expansion of Bulgaria. Also his time is call the golden age of Bulgarian culture. After Simeon's death Bulgaria was weakened from many wars. In 1018 the Byzantines ended the First Bulgarian Empire. In 1185 the two brothers Ivan Asen I and Peter IV re-establishment the Bulgarian Empire. Then in 1936 Bulgaria lost a war with the Ottomans, and was ruled by them for 5 centuries. This was a time of great sorrow for the Bulgarian people. We are Orthodox Christians, but the Ottomans are Muslims. They tried to change our religion and the Bulgarian people were subject of a great terror. For 5 centuries we had tried to set free our country and people. Then 1877 year Russia declared a war on the Ottoman Empire and defeated its forces with the help of the Bulgarian volunteers. On March 3 1878 Bulgaria received its long waiting freedom. Unfortunately the Great Powers didn't allow to Bulgaria to take back its own land. They were afraid that such a large country on the Balkans can treat their interests. On November 10 Bulgaria became from communism to democracy. After 2001 economical and politic conditional in Bulgaria improve greatly, and in 2004 became a member of NATO and of the European Union in 2007.