Part 9 (1/2)
Poor as were her acquisitions of territory compared with her hopes from the war, Bulgaria at least won a free outlet to the open sea. Her ports on the Black Sea were always felt to be of limited use, because traffic to and from them had to pa.s.s through the Dardanelles and was therefore at the mercy of Turkey in case of war. But now Bulgaria has free access to the Aegean Sea, and though without a good port has a possible port there.
Considerations of strategic position and of territorial acquisition are, however, of minor importance in considering Bulgaria's future. It is in the character of the Bulgarian race and the conditions of life encouraging the growth of that st.u.r.dy character in which the hopes of that future are bound up. The young Bulgarian is born usually in the country, and usually also as one of a large family. Here is an interesting table--compiled before the war--showing at once the proportion of urban and rural population and the prevalence of large families in Bulgaria:
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Number of such
Number of such
Number of
Families.
Number of
Families.
Members of
--------------------
Members of
--------------------
Families.
In the
Families.
In the
In Towns.
Country.
In Towns.
Country.
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1
19,299
11,807
11
737
11,506
2
22,311
25,035
12
340
7,570
3
28,182
45,747
13
180
4,853
4
29,732
66,554
14
79
3,446
5
27,884
82,771
15
44
2,187
6
21,746
83,635
16
39
1,499
7
13,636
69,216
17
16
1,069
8
7,619
48,218