There are four peninsulas in Europe:

The first is the Iberian Peninsula, which is comprised of Spain and Portugal. The second is the Italian Peninsula. The third is the Balkan Peninsula, which consists of Albania, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Greece, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro, Romania, Serbia, and the European part of Turkey; it extends from the Mediterranean and Adriatic Seas to the Black Sea and the fourth one is the Scandinavian peninsula, consisting of: Norway and Sweden.

Bulgaria borders Greece and Turkey to the south, Macedonia and Serbia to the west, Romania to the north, and the Black Sea in the east. Between Bulgaria and Romania is the River Danube, and the Balkan Range crosses the country from the Black Sea to Serbia.

Bulgaria was established in 681 AD, and it’s the oldest country in Europe to have never changed its name. It’s also known for its population of gypsies (or Romani).

Bulgaria dates back to 400 BC when the Thracians lived in the area. The Thracians were known for their horsemanship and their gold and silver jewelry.

The Romans conquered Bulgaria in 100 AD and ruled until 395 when the Roman Empire split into two. Bulgaria became part of the Byzantine Empire from 971 until 1185.

After a time under Serbian occupation, the country was under the Ottoman Empire from 1396 until April 1877 when Russia declared war on Turkey.

In October 1915, during WWI, Bulgaria joined Germany in the war, until France and England charged Bulgaria and the country signed an armistice.

After the WWI fiasco, Bulgaria remained neutral during WWII. However, in March 1941, Bulgaria allowed German troops to cross the country for an invasion into Greece. On September 8, 1944, Russian troops entered Bulgaria, and the country became part of the Russian Empire from 1946 to 1989. Bulgaria, once again, regained its independence.

Bulgaria joined NATO in 2004 and the EU in 2007.