Sofia is the capital of Bulgaria and it is located in the Western part of the country. The population is around 1.5 million people. Sofia was decided to become the capital in 1879 after the liberation from the Ottoman empire. The city is an administrative, cultural and economic center of Bulgaria and around 17% of the entire production of the country is focused there. In Sofia, there are many universities, theaters, galleries and various archeological museums and monuments. Next to Sofia, there is the oldest natural park in the Balkans - Vitosha mountains.