Who are the people living in Bulgaria today?
The majority (85%) of the 8.7million people living in Bulgaria today speak the country´s official language: Bulgarian. Turkish is spoken by 9%, most of them in the south eastern plains. Minority languages are Macedonian (which is almost only a dialect of Bulgarian), Romani, Gagauz and Albanian. Most young pople living in Bulgaria speak some English, although the older generation generally learnt Russian as a second language. Bulgaria has a relatively old population, especially in rural areas, where poverty and limited job opportunities have driven many younger people to the cities. Although Bulgaria has a significant (13%) Sunni Muslim population, Bulgaria is predominently Orthodox Christian. Some 85% if Bulgarians claim to be Orthodox, but in practice, the church plays a minor role in Bulgarian life except among the elderly. Younger people living in Bulgaria tend to have a very relaxed approach to religion.
