Provinces of Bulgaria - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

Since 1999, 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...

has been divided into 28 provinces which correspond approximately to the 28 districts (okrug

Okrug

Okrug is an administrative division of some Slavic states. The word "okrug" is a loanword in English, but it is nevertheless often translated as "area", "district", or "region"....

s) that existed before 1987. In 1987, during the Communist regime of Todor Zhivkov

Todor Zhivkov

Todor Khristov Zhivkov was a communist politician and leader of the People's Republic of Bulgaria from March 4, 1954 until November 10, 1989....

, the districts were consolidated into nine larger provinces (oblast

Oblast

Oblast is a type of administrative division in Slavic countries, including some countries of the former Soviet Union. The word "oblast" is a loanword in English, but it is nevertheless often translated as "area", "zone", "province", or "region"...

s), which survived until 1999.

Each province is named after its capital. In the case of Sofia Province

Sofia Province

Sofia Province is a province of Bulgaria. The province does not include Sofia in its territories, but Sofia however remains its administrative center...

and Sofia Capital, Sofia

Sofia

Sofia is the capital and largest city of Bulgaria and the 12th largest city in the European Union with a population of 1.27 million people. It is located in western Bulgaria, at the foot of Mount Vitosha and approximately at the centre of the Balkan Peninsula.Prehistoric settlements were excavated...

is the capital of both, but its territory is only included in Sofia Capital.

The provinces are further subdivided into 264 municipalities (община, obshtina).

Province	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... (Census 2001)	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... (Census 2011)	Population growth Population growth Population growth is the change in a population over time, and can be quantified as the change in the number of individuals of any species in a population using "per unit time" for measurement.... (2001/2011)	Land area (km²)	Population density Population density Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans... (/km²)	Municipalities
Blagoevgrad Blagoevgrad Province Blagoevgrad Province , also known as Pirin Macedonia , is a province of southwestern Bulgaria. It borders four other Bulgarian provinces to the north and east, Greece to the south, and the Republic of Macedonia to the west. The province has 14 municipalities with 12 towns...	341,173	323,552	-5.2%	6,478	49.95	14
Burgas Burgas Province -Municipalities:The Burgas province contains 13 municipalities . The following table shows the names of each municipality in English and Cyrillic, the main town or village , and the population of each as of 2009.-Demography:The Burgas province had a population of 423,608 -Municipalities:The Burgas...	423,547	415,817	-1.8%	7,618	54.58	13
Dobrich Dobrich Province Dobrich Province is a province in northeastern Bulgaria, part of Southern Dobruja geographical region. It is divided into 8 municipalities with a total population, as of December 2009, of 199,705 inhabitants.-Municipalities:...	215,217	189,677	-11.9%	4,700	40.36	8
Gabrovo Gabrovo Province Gabrovo Province , former name Gabrovo okrug) is a small province lying at the geographical centre of Bulgaria. It is named after its main town - Gabrovo. In 2009 the total population of the area is 130,001.-Municipalities:...	144,125	122,702	-14.9%	2,053	59.77	4
Haskovo Haskovo Province Haskovo Province is a province in southern Bulgaria, neighbouring Greece and Turkey to the southeast, comprising parts of the Thracian valley along the river Maritsa. It is named after its administrative and industrial centre - the city of Haskovo...	277,478	246,238	-11.3%	4,033	61.06	11
Kardzhali Kardzhali Province Kardzhali Province is a province of southern Bulgaria, neighbouring Greece with the Greek prefectures of Xanthi, Rhodope and Evros to the south and east. Kardzhali Province area is 3209.1 km². Its main city is Kardzhali.-History:...	164,019	152,808	-6.8%	4,032	37.90	6
Kyustendil Kyustendil Province -Religion:Religious adherence in the province according to 2001 census:-Language:Mother tongues in the province according to 2001 census:* 153,242 Bulgarian * 7,929 Roma * 1363 others and unspecified -Ethnic groups:...	162,534	136,686	-15.9%	3,027	45.16	9
Lovech Lovech Province Lovech Province is one of the 28 provinces of Bulgaria, lying at the northern centre of the country. It is named after its main city - Lovech. As of December 2009, the population of the area is 151,153.-Municipalities:...	169,951	141,422	-16.8%	4,134	34.21	8
Montana Montana Province Montana Province is a province in northwestern Bulgaria, bordering Serbia in the southwest and Romania in the north. It spreads its area between the Danube river and Balkan mountain. As of February 2011, the province has a population of 148,098 inhabitants, on territory of 3,635.5 km²...	182,258	148,098	-18.7%	3,595	41.20	11
Pazardzhik Pazardzhik Province Pazardzhik Province is a province in Southern Bulgaria, named after its administrative and industrial centre - the town of Pazardzhik. It embraces a territory of 4,456.9 km² that is divided into 11 municipalities with a total population of 290,614 inhabitants, as of December 2009.-History:The...	310,723	275,548	-11.3%	4,393	62.72	11
Pernik Pernik Province -Religion:Religious adherence in the province according to 2001 census:-Ethnic groups:Ethnic groups in the province according to 2001 census:145 642 Bulgarians ,3 035 Roma and 1155 others and unspecified .-Economy:...	149,832	133,530	-10.9%	2,377	56.18	6
Pleven Pleven Province Pleven Province is a province located in central northern Bulgaria, bordering the Danube river, Romania and the Bulgarian provinces of Vratsa, Veliko Tarnovo and Lovech. It is divided into 11 subdivisions, called municipalities, that embrace a territory of 4,333.54 km² with a population, as...	311,985	269,752	-13.5%	4,216	63.98	11
Plovdiv Plovdiv Province Plovdiv Province is a province in central southern Bulgaria. It comprises 18 municipalities on a territory of 5,972.9 km² with a total population, as of December 2009, of 701,684 inhabitants...	715,816	683,027	-4.6%	5,973	114.35	18
Razgrad Razgrad Province Razgrad Province , former name Razgrad okrug) is a province in Northeastern Bulgaria, geographically part of the Ludogorie region. It is named after its administrative and industrial centre - the town of Razgrad...	152,417	125,190	-17.9%	2,648	47.28	7
Ruse Ruse Province Ruse Province is a province in northern Bulgaria, named after its main city - Ruse, neighbouring Romania via the Danube. It is divided into 8 municipalities with a total population, as of December 2009, of 249,144 inhabitants....	266,157	235,252	-11.6%	2,616	89.93	8
Shumen Shumen Province -Religion:Religious adherence in the province according to 2001 census:-Transportation:Shumen lies on the main route between Varna and Sofia and is served by numerous trains and buses serving the city. The city is also very well connected with Istanbul which serves the large Turkish community in...	204,378	180,528	-11.7%	3,365	53.65	10
Silistra Silistra Province Silistra Province is a province of Bulgaria, named after its main city - Silistra. It is divided into 7 municipalities with a total population, as of December 2009, of 127,659 inhabitants....	142,000	119,474	-15.9%	2,862	41.74	7
Sliven Sliven Province Sliven Province is a province in southeastern Bulgaria, named after its administrative and industrial centre - the city of Sliven. It embraces a territory of 3,544.1 km² that is divided into 4 municipalities, with a total population, as of December 2009, of 204,887...	218,474	197,473	-9.6%	3,646	54.16	4
Smolyan Smolyan Province -Religion:The Smolyan province along with the Kardzhali Province is a province where the predominant religion is not Orthodox Christianity but Islam. However, unlike Kardzhali where the majority of the population is Turkish, the Muslim population of the Smolyan province is made up almost entirely...	140,066	121,752	-13.1%	3,532	34.47	10
Sofia Sofia Sofia is the capital and largest city of Bulgaria and the 12th largest city in the European Union with a population of 1.27 million people. It is located in western Bulgaria, at the foot of Mount Vitosha and approximately at the centre of the Balkan Peninsula.Prehistoric settlements were excavated... -Capital	1,170,842	1,291,591	+10.3%	1,349	957.44	24
Sofia (province) Sofia Province Sofia Province is a province of Bulgaria. The province does not include Sofia in its territories, but Sofia however remains its administrative center...	273,240	247,489	-9.4%	7,277	34.01	22
Stara Zagora Stara Zagora Province Stara Zagora is a province of south central Bulgaria. It is named after its administrative and industrial centre—the city of Stara Zagora—the sixth-biggest town in the country...	370,615	333,265	-10.1%	4,959	67.20	11
Targovishte Targovishte Province Targovishte Province is a province in northeastern Bulgaria, named after its main city - Targovishte. As of December 2009, it has a population of 129,675 inhabitants.-Municipalities:...	137,689	120,818	-12.3%	2,735	44.17	5
Varna	462,013	475,074	+2.8%	3,819	124.40	12
Veliko Tarnovo Veliko Tarnovo Province Veliko Tarnovo is a province in the middle of the northern part of Bulgaria. Its capital city, Veliko Tarnovo, is of historical significance as it is known as the capital of Medieval Bulgaria...	293,172	258,494	-11.8%	4,684	55.19	10
Vidin Vidin Province Vidin Province is the northwesternmost province of Bulgaria. It borders Serbia to the west and Romania to the northeast. Its administrative centre is the city of Vidin on the Danube river. The area is divided into 11 municipalities...	130,074	101,018	-22.3%	3,071	32.89	11
Vratsa Vratsa Province Vratsa Province , former name Vratsa okrug) is a Bulgarian province located in the northwestern part of the country, between Danube river in the north and Stara Planina mountain in the south. It is named after its main town - Vratsa...	243,036	186,848	-23.1%	4,098	45.59	10
Yambol Yambol Province Yambol is a province in southeastern Bulgaria, neighbouring Turkey to the south. It is named after its main city Yambol, while other towns include Straldzha, Bolyarovo and Elhovo...	156,070	131,447	-15.8%	4,209	31.23	5

History

In 1987, the then-existing twenty-eight districts were transformed into nine large provinces. In 1999, the old districts were restored, but the designation "province" ("oblast") was kept. The nine large provinces are listed below, along with the pre-1987 districts (post-1999 provinces) comprising them.

1987-1999 oblasts	Comprising
Burgas	Burgas, Sliven, Yambol
Haskovo	Haskovo, Kardzhali, Stara Zagora
Lovech	Gabrovo, Lovech, Pleven, Veliko Tarnovo
Montana	Montana, Vidin, Vratsa
Plovdiv	Pazardzhik, Plovdiv, Smolyan
Razgrad	Razgrad, Ruse, Silistra, Targovishte
Sofia	Sofia City
Sofia	Blagoevgrad, Kyustendil, Pernik, Sofia
Varna	Dobrich, Shumen, Varna

History

See also