Bulgaria Vs Belarus: A Geographical Comparison

Bulgaria and Belarus are two countries in Europe that have competed against each other in football as part of the UEFA Nations League. They have also been compared based on various economic, social, and health indicators. In terms of geography, Belarus is landlocked, while Bulgaria boasts a vast coastline.

Bulgaria's location and borders

Bulgaria is situated in Southeast Europe, in the northeastern part of the Balkan Peninsula. It is a European and Balkan country and belongs to the Black Sea and Danube regions. Bulgaria lies at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa and is close to markets and regions that are rich in raw materials. This strategic location has made Bulgaria a subject of interest for its neighbours, the USA, Russia, and Western European countries.

The country is bordered by Romania to the north, with the Danube River marking most of the border. To the east lies the Black Sea, Turkey and Greece to the south, North Macedonia to the southwest, and Serbia to the west. Bulgaria's capital, Sofia, lies in a mountainous basin in the west of the country.

The natural geographic location of Bulgaria is influenced by the Atlantic Ocean, the Black Sea, and the Mediterranean Sea. The Mediterranean influence is particularly decisive for the climate in the southern parts of the country. The influence of the Black Sea is tangible up to 40 kilometres inland from the shore, determining the specific Black Sea climate and diverse flora and fauna. The Danube River is another important factor, providing water resources for irrigation, electricity production, and fishing, as well as supporting a diverse range of species.

Bulgaria's economic geographic location comprises transport, trade, and tourism aspects. The country is a crossing point and transitional zone between Western Europe, the Near and Middle East, and the Mediterranean region. It is crossed by transport routes connecting the Commonwealth of Independent States to Southern Europe and Africa, as well as several other transport corridors. Bulgaria's long Black Sea coastline also connects it with all countries in the Black Sea region, while the Danube River links it to Western European waterways.

The political geographic location of Bulgaria is formed by its relations with different political communities, reflecting the country's political connections and outlining its borders. The contemporary strategic and geopolitical location of Bulgaria gained new advantages with its entry into NATO in 2004. The country's political borders depend on its concrete stage of social and political development.

Belarus' location and borders

Belarus, officially the Republic of Belarus, is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe. It is bordered by five countries: Latvia to the north, Lithuania and Poland to the northwest, Russia to the north and east, and Ukraine to the south. The total length of the state border is 3,617km. Belarus has a total area of 207,600 square kilometres (80,200 sq mi) and a population of 9.1 million.

The country stretches 560km from north to south, and 650km from west to east. It is divided into six administrative regions (called oblasts): Brest, Gomel, Grodno, Mogilev, Minsk, and Vitebsk. Minsk, the capital and largest city, is administered separately and enjoys special status.

Belarus is located in the water basins of the Baltic Sea and the Black Sea. There are over 20,000 streams and almost 11,000 lakes in the country. The biggest rivers are the Dnieper, the Western Dvina, and the Neman. The Dnieper is the country's longest river, stretching 689km through Belarusian territory.

Belarus is a relatively flat country, with large tracts of marshy land. The lowest area is in the Neman River valley in Grodno Oblast, while the highest point is Dzerzhinsky Hill in Dzerzhinsk District, Minsk Oblast (345m or 1,132 ft above sea level). The country's terrain is mostly flat lowlands, intersected by hills, flatlands, and lowlands with marshes and lakes. Lowlands account for about 70% of the territory, while hills account for about 30%.

Belarus's borders have evolved over time, particularly in the 20th century. During the Polish-Soviet War (1918-1921), Belarus lost nearly half of its territory to Poland. Its modern borders largely took shape in 1939 when some lands were reintegrated after the Soviet invasion of Poland. The borders were finalised after World War II.

Bulgaria's history

In the 5th century BC, the Thracians formed the powerful Odrysian Kingdom, which lasted until 46 BC when it was conquered by the Roman Empire. During this time, some Thracian tribes also fell under ancient Macedonian, Hellenistic, and Celtic domination. In the 6th century, the Slavs permanently settled on the peninsula, assimilating the mixture of ancient peoples.

In the 7th century, the Bulgars, a semi-nomadic people of Turkic descent, formed an independent state north of the Black Sea known as Great Bulgaria under the leadership of Kubrat. However, pressure from the Khazars led to its gradual disintegration. One of Kubrat's successors, Asparuh, led some of the Bulgar tribes to settle in the area around the Danube Delta, conquering territories from the Byzantine Empire. The crucial Battle of Ongal in 680, the peace treaty with Byzantium in 681, and the establishment of a permanent Bulgarian capital at Pliska marked the beginning of the First Bulgarian Empire.

The First Bulgarian Empire established itself as a powerful force in the Balkans, dominating the region through its aggressive military traditions. Its ethnically and culturally diverse people united under a common religion, language, and alphabet, which preserved the Bulgarian national consciousness despite foreign invasions and influences. In the 10th century, during the reign of Simeon I, Bulgaria reached its zenith, with its borders extending to the coasts of three seas and rivaling Constantinople.

However, after Simeon's death, Bulgaria was weakened by external and internal conflicts, the spread of Bogomilism, and attacks from neighbouring powers. In the 11th century, the First Bulgarian Empire collapsed under multiple Rus' and Byzantine invasions and became part of the Byzantine Empire until 1185. A major uprising led by two brothers, Asen and Peter of the Asen dynasty, restored Bulgarian independence, establishing the Second Bulgarian Empire.

The Second Bulgarian Empire reached its apex under Ivan Asen II (1218-1241), but subsequent internal conflicts, constant attacks, and Mongol domination weakened the state. In the 14th century, the Second Bulgarian Empire split into three small Tsardoms, becoming easy prey for the invading Ottoman Turks. By 1396, Bulgaria had fallen under Ottoman rule, marking the beginning of the era known as the "Turkish yoke."

The five centuries of Ottoman rule (1396-1878) were marked by the loss of national and ecclesiastical independence, the elimination of the Bulgarian nobility, and the enservement of the peasantry. However, the picture was not entirely negative, as the "Pax Ottomanica" provided a period of relative stability when Ottoman power was at its height. During this time, Bulgarian culture and national consciousness survived, and the Bulgarian Orthodox Church played a crucial role in maintaining national identity.

In the 19th century, growing Bulgarian discontent fueled a movement of national revival, restoring Bulgarian national consciousness and paving the way for independence. The April Uprising of 1876 against Ottoman rule was violently suppressed, leading to widespread atrocities and massacres. This sparked international outrage and intervention, resulting in the Russo-Turkish War of 1877-78. The Treaty of San Stefano established an autonomous Bulgarian principality, but it was superseded by the Treaty of Berlin, which created a much smaller state.

Bulgaria gained independence from the Ottoman Empire in 1908, marking the beginning of its third and current state. However, many ethnic Bulgarians were left outside the new nation's borders, leading to irredentist sentiments and conflicts with neighbouring countries. Bulgaria's history in the 20th century was marked by its involvement in both World Wars, the rise of communism, and eventually, the transition to democracy and membership in the European Union and NATO.

Belarus' history

Belarus has a long history of human settlement, dating back to the Stone Age. The first signs of settlements in ancient Belarus date back to around 250,000 BC, with Stone Age sites discovered in the village of Ogovo and Palaeolithic remains found in the village of Yurovichi.

During the medieval period, different states controlled the lands of modern-day Belarus, including Kievan Rus, the Principality of Polotsk, and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. The early Slavic tribes—the Dregovichi, Radimichi, Krivichi, and Drevlyane—formed local principalities in the 8th and 9th centuries, such as Pinsk, Turaw, Polatsk, Slutsk, and Minsk. These came under the suzerainty of Kievan Rus, the first East Slavic state, in the mid-9th century. The regional economy relied on shifting agriculture, honey collecting, and fur hunting, with trade developing along the rivers, particularly the Dnieper.

In the 13th century, the Mongol invasion of 1240 overthrew Kievan Rus, and many Belarusian towns became dependencies of the Golden Horde. Over the following 150 years, the Grand Duchy of Lithuania expanded, absorbing much of the Belarusian population. Under Lithuanian rule, the conquered regions retained autonomy, and the Belarusian language and nationality began to emerge. A personal union between Lithuania and Poland was established in 1386 when the Lithuanian grand duke Jogaila married Jadwiga, the Polish queen.

In the 15th and 16th centuries, Smolensk and Lithuania's easternmost lands were lost to Russia, but the Belarusian population largely remained under Lithuanian control. The Union of Lublin in 1569 created a federated state between Poland and Lithuania, with the latter retaining its title of Grand Duchy and its code of laws. However, its western province, Podlasia, was ceded to Poland, along with the steppe lands and Kyiv. A Polish-speaking Roman Catholic aristocracy developed among the Belarusian population, while the peasantry remained predominantly Orthodox.

In the 18th century, the First, Second, and Third Partitions of Poland led to the incorporation of Belarus into the Russian Empire. Under Russian rule, the area was divided into five governorships: Grodno, Minsk, Mogilyov, Vilnia, and Vitebsk. During this time, small-scale industries emerged in Belarusian towns, including timber working, glassmaking, and boatbuilding. The emancipation of the serfs in the 1860s accelerated industrialization, particularly with the introduction of railways. However, poor economic conditions prompted significant emigration, with nearly 1.5 million people leaving the region in the 50 years before the Russian Revolution of 1917.

During World War I (1914-1918), heavy fighting between German and Russian troops caused considerable destruction in Belarus. The Russian Revolution overthrew the monarchy, leading to the rise of the Bolsheviks. The Treaty of Brest-Litovsk, signed on March 3, 1918, between the new Soviet government and Germany, resulted in Russia ceding parts of present-day Belarus, along with Ukrainian and Baltic lands, to Germany. However, Germany's defeat by Russia's Western allies invalidated the treaty.

Points of interest in Bulgaria and Belarus

Bulgaria and Belarus are two distinct countries in Eastern Europe, with their own unique cultures, histories, and natural landscapes. Here are some points of interest in each country:

Bulgaria

Bulgaria, officially the Republic of Bulgaria, is one of the largest countries in the Balkans and has a rich history, dating back to the 7th century, making it one of the oldest states in Europe. It offers a mix of Eastern and Western cultures, delicious food, and welcoming people.

• Sofia – The capital city of Bulgaria, with over 1.2 million residents, is located at the foothills of Vitosha Mountain. It has a long history, with human habitation dating back 30,000 years, and was once the most important city in the region under Roman rule. Notable sites include the Neo-Byzantine Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, the National Archaeological Museum, and the remains of the fortress of Serdika.
• Rila Monastery – Located about 73 miles south of Sofia, it is the largest and most well-known Eastern Orthodox monastery in Bulgaria. Founded in the 10th century, it is a key historic, architectural, and tourist site, recognised by UNESCO.
• Burgas – The fourth-largest city in Bulgaria, located on the Black Sea coast, offers a balance of history, beaches, and shopping. The seaside park and the annual sand festival are highlights.
• Pomorie – A seaside resort on a rocky peninsula in Burgas Bay, known for its ancient history, including the impressive Beehive Tomb, dating back to the 2nd or 3rd century AD.
• Sozopol – An ancient seaside town, famous for the Apollonia Art and Film Festival, and one of the oldest settlements on the Black Sea coast, with evidence of Bronze Age habitation.
• Veliko Tarnovo – A city with a 7,000-year history, located on the Yantra River. It was once the capital of the Second Bulgarian Empire and is known for the medieval Tsaravets Fortress, surrounded by stone walls.
• Stara Zagora – The sixth-largest city in Bulgaria, known for its linden trees and poets. The area features prehistoric mounds, and the city itself has a rich history, having been inhabited by various civilisations.
• Plovdiv – The second-largest city in Bulgaria, once known as Philippopolis, with a vibrant city centre and a laid-back Old Town known for its Bulgarian National Revival architecture.
• Hisarya – A resort town near Plovdiv, known for its well-preserved Roman walls and gates, as well as its mineral-rich springs.
• Ruse – Located on the Danube River, Ruse is the fifth-largest city in Bulgaria and is known for its Neo-Baroque and Neo-Rococo architecture, earning it the nickname "Little Vienna."
• Varna – The third-largest city in Bulgaria, located on the Black Sea coast, is the maritime capital of the country. It is home to the Archaeological Museum of Varna, which houses the oldest gold jewellery in the world, dating back to 5000 BC.

Belarus

Belarus, officially the Republic of Belarus, is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe. It shares borders with Lithuania, Latvia, Russia, Ukraine, and Poland. Belarus has a distinct ethnic identity and language, and its history is closely intertwined with that of its neighbouring countries.

• Minsk – The capital city of Belarus, located in the central part of the country, with about one-fifth of the country's population. Minsk has a modern feel, having been largely rebuilt after its destruction during World War II.
• Belovezhskaya Forest – Located on the western border with Poland, this forest is one of the largest surviving areas of primeval mixed forest in Europe. It is a UNESCO World Heritage site, known for its tall trees and diverse wildlife, including the European bison, elk, deer, and boars.
• Prypyat River Basin – This area includes the Pripet Marshes, one of the largest wetlands in Europe, with poor drainage and a high waterlogged area. It is a habitat for a variety of wildlife and birds.
• Narach, Osveyskoye, and Drysvyaty – These are some of the largest lakes in Belarus, offering natural beauty and opportunities for exploration.

Frequently asked questions