Plovdiv Province is a province

Provinces of Bulgaria

Since 1999, Bulgaria has been divided into 28 provinces which correspond approximately to the 28 districts that existed before 1987. In 1987, during the Communist regime of Todor Zhivkov, the districts were consolidated into nine larger provinces , which survived until 1999.Each province is named...

 in central southern Bulgaria

Bulgaria

Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...

. It comprises 18 municipalities (общини, obshtini, sing. общинa, obshtina) on a territory of 5,972.9 km² with a total population, as of December 2009, of 701,684 inhabitants. The province is named after its administrative and industrial centre - the city of Plovdiv

Plovdiv

Plovdiv is the second-largest city in Bulgaria after Sofia with a population of 338,153 inhabitants according to Census 2011. Plovdiv's history spans some 6,000 years, with traces of a Neolithic settlement dating to roughly 4000 BC; it is one of the oldest cities in Europe...

.

Geography

It includes parts of the Upper Thracian Plain

Upper Thracian Plain

The Upper Thracian Plain constitutes the northern part of the historical region of Thrace. It is located in southern Bulgaria, between the Sredna Gora mountains to the north and west; the Rhodopes, Sakar and Strandzha to the south; and the Black Sea to the east. A fertile agricultural region, the...

, the Rhodopes, Sredna Gora

Sredna Gora

Sredna Gora is a mountain range in central Bulgaria, situated south of and parallel to Balkan mountain range and extending from the river Iskar to the west and the elbow of Tundzha north of Yambol to the east. Sredna Gora is 285 km long, reaching 50 km at its greatest width...

, the Sub-Balkan valleys

Sub-Balkan valleys

The Sub-Balkan valleys are located between Stara Planina, Vitosha and Sredna Gora. There is great abundance of mineral waters, the most notable spas being Bankya, Sofia, Banya, Pavel Banya, Sliven Mineral Baths, Aitos. They are divided into two parts: western and eastern...

 and Stara Planina, including its highest peak Botev (2, 376m). The main rivers in the province are Maritsa, Stryama, Pyasachnik. There are numerous dams, the most important of which is Pyasachnik. Mineral springs are abundant, there are several major spa resorts- Hisarya, Narechen

Narechen

Narechen is a village in the Plovdiv Province, central Bulgaria. it has 924 inhabitants. It is set amid pine forest on the Assenitsa river in the Rhodopean mountain. The village is notable for its hypothermal mineral springs which have transformed it into an important spa resort.Narechen Glacier...

, Banya

Banya, Plovdiv Province

Banya is a town in Southern Bulgaria. It is located in Plovdiv oblast and is close to Karlovo.-SPA resorts:The pretty health resort village of Banya is situated amidst a large park at the foot of the "Sashtinska Sredna gora" mountain, near the geographic centre of the country in the Valley of...

 and minor spas at Klisura

Klisura

Klisura is a small town in the Karlovo municipality of the Plovdiv Province in central Bulgaria. It is situated in a valley surrounded by the Balkan Mountain range and Sredna Gora...

, Asenovgrad

Asenovgrad

Asenovgrad is a town in central southern Bulgaria, part of Plovdiv Province.-History:Asenovgrad was founded by the Thracians as Stenímachos around 300–400 BC. In 72 BC the city was captured by the troops of the Roman Empire as part of the Roman expansion towards the Black Sea. After a long period...

, Kuklen

Kuklen

Kuklen is a town in southern Bulgaria, part of Plovdiv Province. It is located 14 km to the south of the nearest major town, Plovdiv, and is approximately 100 km south west of the Bulgarian capital, Sofia...

, Rosino, Krasnovo, Stoletovo and others. There are many natural landmarks, especially in the Central Balkan National Park

Central Balkan National Park

The Central Balkan National Park lies in the heart of Bulgaria, nestled in the central and higher portions of the Balkan Range. The Park contains rare and endangered wildlife species and communities, self-regulating ecosystems of biological diversity, as well as historical sites of global cultural...

, including the spectacular waterfall Raysko Praskalo

Raysko Praskalo

Raysko Praskalo , 124.5 m in height, is the highest waterfall in Bulgaria and the Balkans. It is located under Botev Peak in the Balkan Mountains and is part of the Dzhendema Reserve of the Central Balkan National Park....

, the highest in the Balkans

Balkans

The Balkans is a geopolitical and cultural region of southeastern Europe...

.

Municipalities

The Plovdiv province (Област, oblast) contains 18 municipalities (singular: oбщина, obshtina - plural: Общини, obshtini). The following table shows the names of each municipality in English and Cyrillic, the main town or village (towns are shown in bold), and the population of each as of December 2009.

Municipality	Cyrillic	Pop.	Town/Village	Pop.
Asenovgrad	Асеновград	65,222	Asenovgrad Asenovgrad Asenovgrad is a town in central southern Bulgaria, part of Plovdiv Province.-History:Asenovgrad was founded by the Thracians as Stenímachos around 300–400 BC. In 72 BC the city was captured by the troops of the Roman Empire as part of the Roman expansion towards the Black Sea. After a long period...	51,499
Brezovo	Брезово	7,943	Brezovo Brezovo Brezovo is a town in Southern Bulgaria. It is located in Plovdiv oblast and is close to the town of Rakovski.- Populated places :The following towns and villages are located inside the territory of Brezovo municipality:* Babek* Borets* Brezovo...	1,886
Hisarya	Хисаря	13,113	Hisarya	7,410
Kaloyanovo Kaloyanovo municipality Kaloyanovo Municipality is a municipality in the Plovdiv Province, central Bulgaria and covers an area of 347 km². As of 2006 it has 12,390 inhabitants. The center of the municipality is the village of Kaloyanovo....	Калояново	12,402	Kaloyanovo Kaloyanovo Kaloyanovo can refer to:* Kaloyanovo municipality - a municipality in Plovdiv Province, Bulgaria* Kaloyanovo, Plovdiv Province - a village in Kaloyanovo municipality, Plovdiv Province, Bulgaria...	2,417
Karlovo	Карлово	54,459	Karlovo Karlovo Karlovo is a picturesque and a historically important town in central Bulgaria located in a fertile valley along the river Stryama at the southern foot of the Balkan Mountains...	24,132
Krichim	Кричим	8,590	Krichim Krichim Krichim is a town in southern Bulgaria, located in the southwestern part of Plovdiv Province close to Perushtitsa. It lies at the foot of the Rhodopes' northern slopes in the plains of Thrace, 20 km southwest of Plovdiv. The river Vacha, an important tributary of the Maritsa, runs through the...	8,590
Kuklen	Куклен	6,540	Kuklen Kuklen Kuklen is a town in southern Bulgaria, part of Plovdiv Province. It is located 14 km to the south of the nearest major town, Plovdiv, and is approximately 100 km south west of the Bulgarian capital, Sofia...	5,896
Laki	Лъки	3,387	Laki Laki, Bulgaria Laki is a small town in the Plovdiv Province, southern Bulgaria. As of 2006 it has 2,615 inhabitants. It is located in the Rhodope mountains at 54 km to the south of the province capital Plovdiv and at 88 to the north of Smolyan...	2,491
Maritsa Maritsa municipality Maritsa Municipality is located in the Plovdiv Province, southern Bulgaria on the northern bank of the Maritsa River. It has 30,676 inhabitants and consists only of villages. The municipality has thriving industry with around €400 000 000 invested in the recent years...  (Plovdiv rural)	Марица	31,447	Plovdiv Plovdiv Plovdiv is the second-largest city in Bulgaria after Sofia with a population of 338,153 inhabitants according to Census 2011. Plovdiv's history spans some 6,000 years, with traces of a Neolithic settlement dating to roughly 4000 BC; it is one of the oldest cities in Europe...	see below
Perushtitsa	Перущица	5,194	Perushtitsa Perushtitsa Perushtitsa or Perushtitza is a Bulgarian town located in the Plovdiv Oblast at the foot of the Rhodopes. It is located about 22 kilometers south of Plovdiv....	5,194
Plovdiv (city)	Пловдив	348,465	Plovdiv Plovdiv Plovdiv is the second-largest city in Bulgaria after Sofia with a population of 338,153 inhabitants according to Census 2011. Plovdiv's history spans some 6,000 years, with traces of a Neolithic settlement dating to roughly 4000 BC; it is one of the oldest cities in Europe...	348,465
Parvomay Parvomay Municipality Parvomay Municipality is a municipality in Plovdiv Province, Bulgaria, with administrative center Parvomay.-General information:Parvomay Municipality is situated in the most Eastern area of the Plovdiv field – part of the Upper Thracian Plain, with total area of 864 m2...	Първомай	27,813	Parvomay Parvomay Parvomay is a town and the name of a Municipality in Southern Bulgaria. It is located in Plovdiv Province region close to the towns Sadovo and Chirpan. The English translation is sometimes given as Parvomai or Purvomai...	13,984
Rakovski	Раковски	26,683	Rakovski Rakovski (town) Rakovski is a town in southern Bulgaria, in the historical region of Thrace. It is located in the Plovdiv Province. The town is also the centre of the Rakovski Municipality. Rakovski was founded in 1966 with the merging of three villages — General Nikolaevo, Sekirovo and Parchevich...	15,265
Rodopi Rodopi municipality Rodopi municipality is situated in the Plovdiv Province, southern Bulgaria. the population is 33,111.It occupies parts of the Upper Thracian Plain to the south of Plovdiv and the northern-most slopes of the central Rhodopi mountains. Its territory is ....  (Plovdiv rural)	Родопи	32,286	Plovdiv Plovdiv Plovdiv is the second-largest city in Bulgaria after Sofia with a population of 338,153 inhabitants according to Census 2011. Plovdiv's history spans some 6,000 years, with traces of a Neolithic settlement dating to roughly 4000 BC; it is one of the oldest cities in Europe...	see above
Sadovo	Садово	15,714	Sadovo Sadovo Sadovo is a small town in the Plovdiv Province, central Bulgaria. The population is 2 551. Most of the people are employed in agriculture, which due to the fertile soils and the high levels of mechanisation is efficient and highly productive. Major crops are apples, tomatoes, peppers, wheat,...	2,507
Sopot	Сопот	10,354	Sopot	9,299
Stamboliyski	Стамболийски	20,879	Stamboliyski Stamboliyski Stamboliyski is a town in southern Bulgaria, part of Plovdiv Province. It emerged in 1873-1875, when the Istanbul-Belovo railway was built...	11,721
Saedinenie	Съединение	11,193	Saedinenie	6,050

Towns

The province's capital is the city of Plovdiv, other towns include Karlovo

Karlovo

Karlovo is a picturesque and a historically important town in central Bulgaria located in a fertile valley along the river Stryama at the southern foot of the Balkan Mountains...

, Sopot

Sopot, Bulgaria

Sopot is a Bulgarian town situated in the fertile sub-Balkan mountain valley of Karlovo , immediately below the steep southern slopes of the Troyan Balkan Mountain...

, Klisura

Klisura

Klisura is a small town in the Karlovo municipality of the Plovdiv Province in central Bulgaria. It is situated in a valley surrounded by the Balkan Mountain range and Sredna Gora...

, Kalofer

Kalofer

Kalofer is a town in central Bulgaria, located on the banks of the Tundzha between the Balkan Mountains to the north and the Sredna Gora to the south. Kalofer is part of Plovdiv Province and the Karlovo municipality...

, Hisarya, Saedinenie

Saedinenie

Saedinenie is a town in the Plovdiv Province, central Bulgaria. As of 2006 it has 6 302 inhabitants. There is a new electronics plant there with 540 employees.-Honour:...

, Rakovski

Rakovski (town)

Rakovski is a town in southern Bulgaria, in the historical region of Thrace. It is located in the Plovdiv Province. The town is also the centre of the Rakovski Municipality. Rakovski was founded in 1966 with the merging of three villages — General Nikolaevo, Sekirovo and Parchevich...

, Brezovo

Brezovo

Brezovo is a town in Southern Bulgaria. It is located in Plovdiv oblast and is close to the town of Rakovski.- Populated places :The following towns and villages are located inside the territory of Brezovo municipality:* Babek* Borets* Brezovo...

, Stamboliyski

Stamboliyski

Stamboliyski is a town in southern Bulgaria, part of Plovdiv Province. It emerged in 1873-1875, when the Istanbul-Belovo railway was built...

, Krichim

Krichim

Krichim is a town in southern Bulgaria, located in the southwestern part of Plovdiv Province close to Perushtitsa. It lies at the foot of the Rhodopes' northern slopes in the plains of Thrace, 20 km southwest of Plovdiv. The river Vacha, an important tributary of the Maritsa, runs through the...

, Perushtitsa

Perushtitsa

Perushtitsa or Perushtitza is a Bulgarian town located in the Plovdiv Oblast at the foot of the Rhodopes. It is located about 22 kilometers south of Plovdiv....

, Sadovo

Sadovo

Sadovo is a small town in the Plovdiv Province, central Bulgaria. The population is 2 551. Most of the people are employed in agriculture, which due to the fertile soils and the high levels of mechanisation is efficient and highly productive. Major crops are apples, tomatoes, peppers, wheat,...

, Parvomay

Parvomay

Parvomay is a town and the name of a Municipality in Southern Bulgaria. It is located in Plovdiv Province region close to the towns Sadovo and Chirpan. The English translation is sometimes given as Parvomai or Purvomai...

, Asenovgrad

Asenovgrad

Asenovgrad is a town in central southern Bulgaria, part of Plovdiv Province.-History:Asenovgrad was founded by the Thracians as Stenímachos around 300–400 BC. In 72 BC the city was captured by the troops of the Roman Empire as part of the Roman expansion towards the Black Sea. After a long period...

, Laki

Laki, Bulgaria

Laki is a small town in the Plovdiv Province, southern Bulgaria. As of 2006 it has 2,615 inhabitants. It is located in the Rhodope mountains at 54 km to the south of the province capital Plovdiv and at 88 to the north of Smolyan...

, Katunica, Yiagodovo.

Demography

The Plovdiv province had a population

Population

A population is all the organisms that both belong to the same group or species and live in the same geographical area. The area that is used to define a sexual population is such that inter-breeding is possible between any pair within the area and more probable than cross-breeding with individuals...

 of 715,904 (715,816 also given) according to a 2001 census

Census

A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...

, of which were male

Male

Male refers to the biological sex of an organism, or part of an organism, which produces small mobile gametes, called spermatozoa. Each spermatozoon can fuse with a larger female gamete or ovum, in the process of fertilization...

 and were female

Female

Female is the sex of an organism, or a part of an organism, which produces non-mobile ova .- Defining characteristics :The ova are defined as the larger gametes in a heterogamous reproduction system, while the smaller, usually motile gamete, the spermatozoon, is produced by the male...

.
As of the end of 2009, the population of the province, announced by the Bulgarian National Statistical Institute, numbered 701,684 of which are inhabitants aged over 60 years.
The following table represents the change of the population in the province after World War II

World War II

World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

:

Religion

Religious adherence in the province according to 2001 census:

Census 2001
religious adherence	population	%
Orthodox Christians	608,226	84.97%
Muslim Muslim A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable... s	62,595	8.74%
Roman Catholics	23,122	3.23%
Protestants Protestantism Protestantism is one of the three major groupings within Christianity. It is a movement that began in Germany in the early 16th century as a reaction against medieval Roman Catholic doctrines and practices, especially in regards to salvation, justification, and ecclesiology.The doctrines of the...	3,913	0.55%
Other	4,412	0.62%
Religion not mentioned	13,548	1.89%
total	715,816	100%

Economy

The economy of the province is of great importance. The agricultural production is intensive and efficient with high levels of irrigation. The major crops are fruit (apples, plums, pears, cherries), grapes, melons and watermelons, vegetables (tomatoes, peppers, carrots, cabbage, potatoes), wheat, rice, barley and others. Industry is very well developed: ferrous metallurgy near Plovdiv

Plovdiv

Plovdiv is the second-largest city in Bulgaria after Sofia with a population of 338,153 inhabitants according to Census 2011. Plovdiv's history spans some 6,000 years, with traces of a Neolithic settlement dating to roughly 4000 BC; it is one of the oldest cities in Europe...

; thriving electronics industry in Plovdiv

Plovdiv

Plovdiv is the second-largest city in Bulgaria after Sofia with a population of 338,153 inhabitants according to Census 2011. Plovdiv's history spans some 6,000 years, with traces of a Neolithic settlement dating to roughly 4000 BC; it is one of the oldest cities in Europe...

, Saedinenie

Saedinenie

Saedinenie is a town in the Plovdiv Province, central Bulgaria. As of 2006 it has 6 302 inhabitants. There is a new electronics plant there with 540 employees.-Honour:...

, Voivodinovo

Voivodinovo

Voivodinovo is a village in the Plovdiv Province, southern Bulgaria. As of 2006 it has 2,018 inhabitants. It is one of the biggest villages in the Maritsa municipality and is at 2 km to the east of Plovdiv...

, Radinovo

Radinovo

Radinovo is a village in the Maritsa municipality, Plovdiv Province, Bulgaria. As of 2006 the population is 720. There is a large plant producing refrigerators owned by Liebherr , as well as a tobacco processings plant and several other industrial enterprises....

 and other villages in the area; agricultural machinery (tractors) in Karlovo

Karlovo

Karlovo is a picturesque and a historically important town in central Bulgaria located in a fertile valley along the river Stryama at the southern foot of the Balkan Mountains...

, weapon and military plants in Sopot

Sopot, Bulgaria

Sopot is a Bulgarian town situated in the fertile sub-Balkan mountain valley of Karlovo , immediately below the steep southern slopes of the Troyan Balkan Mountain...

, Karlovo

Karlovo

Karlovo is a picturesque and a historically important town in central Bulgaria located in a fertile valley along the river Stryama at the southern foot of the Balkan Mountains...

, Plovdiv

Plovdiv

Plovdiv is the second-largest city in Bulgaria after Sofia with a population of 338,153 inhabitants according to Census 2011. Plovdiv's history spans some 6,000 years, with traces of a Neolithic settlement dating to roughly 4000 BC; it is one of the oldest cities in Europe...

; chemical industry in Plovdiv

Plovdiv

Plovdiv is the second-largest city in Bulgaria after Sofia with a population of 338,153 inhabitants according to Census 2011. Plovdiv's history spans some 6,000 years, with traces of a Neolithic settlement dating to roughly 4000 BC; it is one of the oldest cities in Europe...

, Asenovgrad

Asenovgrad

Asenovgrad is a town in central southern Bulgaria, part of Plovdiv Province.-History:Asenovgrad was founded by the Thracians as Stenímachos around 300–400 BC. In 72 BC the city was captured by the troops of the Roman Empire as part of the Roman expansion towards the Black Sea. After a long period...

; food industry is developed almost everywhere, most notably in Plovdiv

Plovdiv

Plovdiv is the second-largest city in Bulgaria after Sofia with a population of 338,153 inhabitants according to Census 2011. Plovdiv's history spans some 6,000 years, with traces of a Neolithic settlement dating to roughly 4000 BC; it is one of the oldest cities in Europe...

 and Asenovgrad

Asenovgrad

Asenovgrad is a town in central southern Bulgaria, part of Plovdiv Province.-History:Asenovgrad was founded by the Thracians as Stenímachos around 300–400 BC. In 72 BC the city was captured by the troops of the Roman Empire as part of the Roman expansion towards the Black Sea. After a long period...

 (wines). Tourism is a growing industry with the rich cultural heritage of the province and the numerous mineral springs

Mineral Springs

Mineral Springs is the name of several locations in the United States:* Mineral Springs, Arkansas* Mineral Springs, North Carolina* Mineral Springs Township, North Dakota* Mineral Springs at Green Springs, Ohio...

which are of international importance.