Bulgaria and Romania are neighboring countries in Eastern Europe that share many cultural similarities and historical connections. They are located on the Balkan peninsula and have a common border along the Danube River. Both were formerly under Ottoman rule and gained independence in the late 19th century. To this day, they share linguistic, religious, architectural, and folk traditions as well as having joined the European Union at the same time in 2007.

1. What do we have in common
Bulgaria - Romania

2. Republic of Bulgaria and Republic of Romania are countries in
Eastern Europe.

3. Bulgaria and Romania are situated on
the Balkan peninsula.
Bulgaria
Bulgaria is entirely situated on
the peninsula.
Romania
Part of Romania – 9% occupies
the peninsula.

4. Bulgaria and Romania are neighbour countries – they have 609 km
common border - 470 km of them are land frontier.
The Danube functions as a border and separates the two countries.

5. The Black Sea is the eastern border of Bulgaria and Romania.
Both countries have big seaside towns, ports and resorts.
България
Варна
Румъния
Констанца

6. Bulgaria Romania

7. The official religion in both countries is Orthodox Christian.
The Bulgarians and the Romanians have common holidays
which follow the Christian calendar.

8. Wallachia used to be a temporary home of many Bulgarian
revolutionaries during the Ottoman yoke. The Bulgarian Central
Revolutionary Committee was established in Bucharest by Lyuben
Karavelov.

9. Both Bulgaria and Romania gained their independence after the
Russo-Turkish War in 1877-1878. Many Romanian soldiers took part
in crucial battles for the liberation of Bulgaria on our territory.
Bulgaria – 3rd March 1878 Romania – 9th May 1877

10. From 1913 till 1949 South Dobrudza was part of Romania.
During that time the residence of Queen Maria of Edinburgh
was built in Balchik.

11. The Cyrillic alphabet is used in Bulgaria. Until the middle of the 19th
century, the time when Wallachia and Moldavia were united, the
Cyrillic alphabet was also used in Romania. The services in the
churches were performed in Church-Slavonic language.

12. There many similar words in Bulgarian and Romanian.
Bulgarian
маса
тухла
портокал
ливада
даскал
кутия
За много години
ще не ще
Romanian
masă
tuvlă
portocal
livadă
dascăl
cutie
La mulţi ani
vrea nu vrea

13. There are similarities in the folk costumes and the customs in
some parts of North Bulgaria and South Romania.

14. We have common traditions like wearing “martenitsas” in the
beginning of March.

15. Bulgaria and Romania were part of the Eastern socialist block
between 1944 and 1989. There are many examples of the
typical architecture of those times in both countries.
България Румъния

16. Both countries joined the European Union on 1.01.2007