Bulgaria is located in Southeastern Europe, bordered by Romania, Serbia, Macedonia, Greece and Turkey. With a population of over 7 million people, Bulgaria's capital and largest city is Sofia. The country has a long history dating back to the First and Second Bulgarian Empires between the 7th-14th centuries, and gained independence from the Ottoman Empire in 1878. Bulgaria is now a member of NATO and the European Union, and its economy relies heavily on tourism, taking advantage of its natural beauty, cultural traditions like fire dancing and traditional dances, and famous exports like yogurt and wine. Famous Bulgarians include inventor John Atanassoff and Olympic champion high jumper Stefka Kostadin