Sliven
Encyclopedia
Sliven is the eighth-largest city in Bulgaria
and the administrative and industrial centre of Sliven Province
and municipality. It is a relatively large town with 89,848 inhabitants, as of February 2011.
Sliven is famous for its Bulgarian Haiduts
who fought against the Ottoman Turks
in the 19th century and is known as the "City of the 100 Voyvodi", a Voyvoda being a leader of Haiduts. The current mayor of the city is former football star Yordan Letchkov
.
The famous rocky massif
Sinite Kamani (Сините камъни, "The Blue Rocks") and the associated national park, the fresh air and the mineral springs offer diverse opportunities for leisure and tourism. Investors are exploring the opportunity to use the famous local wind (Bora) for the production of electricity.
Another point of interest and symbol of the city, as featured on the coat of arms, is the thousand-year-old Stariya Briast (Старият Бряст, "The Old Elm"), a large Smooth-leaved Elm
in the center of the city. During the time of the Ottoman rule, Turkish officials would hang Bulgarian revolutionaries on the tree. In modern times, the city is doing its best to keep the tree alive with the addition of cement to the base.
Sliven Peak
on Livingston Island in the South Shetland Islands
, Antarctica is named after Sliven.
Sliven is located 300 km east of Bulgaria's capital Sofia
, 100 km from Bourgas, the country's largest commercial port, 130 km from the border with Greece
and 130 km from the border with Turkey
. It is located in close proximity to the cities of Yambol
and Nova Zagora
.
West of the city lies the so called Peach Valley which contains large peach
orchards. The city is also known for its mineral baths whose water is used to treat diseases of the liver and nervous system.
The most visited geographical location and attraction in the city is the Karandila (Карандила). It is a hilltop 1050m above sealevel, with great sights overlooking the city. On the Karandila is the rock formation Halkata (Хaлката, "The Ring"). It is a rock protrusion with an interesting, yet peculiar hole in the center. According to myth, one would have their most sincere wish granted upon passing through the ring. Karandila is the site of the annual Karakachani
festival, organized by the Federation of the Cultural and Educational Associations of Karakachans (ФКПДК) in Bulgaria each July.
Karandila is located in the nature park Sinite kamuni (Сините камъни), whose peak Bulgarka (Българка, 1181 m.) is the highest in the eastern Balkan mountain.
and Roma in Europe. Around 20,000 people live in cramped quarters in difficult hygienic conditions in a twelve-acre site enclosed by rusty barbed wire with a wall that separates the ghetto from the city. These three metre high walls are covered with racist slogans.
. Ruins of a Thracian
settlement dating to around 5th–3rd century BCE as well as Thracian
ceramics and Hellenistic coins have been discovered in the area of Hisarlaka — a small hill in Sliven. In antiquity it was known as Selymnos (Σήλυμνος in Greek
). The area occupied by present-day Sliven has in the past been settled by the Thracian
tribes Asti, Kabileti and Seleti. These tribes held their independence until time of Philip II of Macedon
and Alexander the Great who conquered them.
The 2nd century BCE marked the beginning of the Roman conquests of northeastern Thracia
. Sliven became part of the Roman Empire
around 72–71 BCE when the Thracian
Kabile
and later Greek
cities of Kabile
and Apolonia
are conquered. With the emergence of the Roman Empire
the region of the city became part of the Thracian
province of the Roman Empire
.
A new stage in the city's history began around 4th–2nd century BCE. The first written records of the settlement's name, Tuida/Suida/Tsuida date to this period. This name is most likely of Thracian
origin. Its etymology is currently not understood. It was a sanjak centre at first Rumelia eyalet
, after Silistre (also called Özi) eyalet, Edirne vilayet, finally Eastern Rumelia
vilayet in Ottoman Empire
as "İslimye" before its inclusion in the Principality of Bulgaria
in 1885.
In more modern times, Sliven became one of the most significant cultural centres during the Bulgarian National Revival, with much of its old heritage still preserved and enriched its heritage and today offers to its citizens and visitors a lot of opportunities for cultural life. It served as the birthplace of many prominent Bulgarians who contributed to the enlightenment such as Hadzhi Dimitar
, Dobri Chintulov
, Evgeniy Chapkanov, Ivan Sеliminski and many others. Another notable native is Anton Pann
who composed the Romania
n national anthem.
established the first factory in Bulgarian lands, thus starting industrial development in Bulgaria. Sliven was one of the largest industrial centers in Bulgaria, playing an important role during the Bulgarian National Revival
. It has long-lived traditions in textiles, machine-building, glass-making, chemical production, and the technical аnd food industries.
Following the beginning of communist rule in Bulgaria in 1944, most industries were nationalized and much industrial building and development was spurred. Industry continued to develop until the fall of communism, at which point much of the previously built industry stagnated; many plants and factories were shut down and there was little development.
In contemporary times, Sliven has experienced a surge in economy with increased investment, banking establishments and new industries have begun to emerge. The dairy industry, which has long been present, continues to grow and thrive. The wine industry, with companies such as Vinprom
and Vini Sliven and about a dozen others, continues to grow as grapes are easily grown due to the climate conditions. In terms of heavy industry, Sliven is home to a 3M
plant which produces machinery used to cut metals. The city also produces electric lights and electrical machines.
Light industry in Sliven is mostly devoted to textiles with many companies making wool clothing, socks, and food.
The city's main theater is located at the main city square. It is named after the Sliven native Stefan Kirov (Стефан Киров) who was a prominent actor and director.
), which includes the following 49 places (towns in bold):
, Romania
Gera
, Germany
(1965) Pécs
, Hungary
Voronezh
, Russia
Svetlahorsk
, Belarus
Ternopil
, Ukraine
Tekirdağ
, Turkey
- Tekirdağ Chongqing
, China
Kutaisi
, Georgia
Kaisariani
, Greece
Jerash
, Jordan
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...
and the administrative and industrial centre of Sliven Province
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...
and municipality. It is a relatively large town with 89,848 inhabitants, as of February 2011.
Sliven is famous for its Bulgarian Haiduts
Hajduk
Hajduk is a term most commonly referring to outlaws, highwaymen or freedom fighters in the Balkans, Central- and Eastern Europe....
who fought against the Ottoman Turks
Ottoman Turks
The Ottoman Turks were the Turkish-speaking population of the Ottoman Empire who formed the base of the state's military and ruling classes. Reliable information about the early history of Ottoman Turks is scarce, but they take their Turkish name, Osmanlı , from the house of Osman I The Ottoman...
in the 19th century and is known as the "City of the 100 Voyvodi", a Voyvoda being a leader of Haiduts. The current mayor of the city is former football star Yordan Letchkov
Yordan Letchkov
Yordan Letchkov is a former Bulgarian footballer and the current mayor of Sliven. He is generally regarded as one of the best players to come out of Bulgaria and was a key member of the squad which reached the semi-finals of the 1994 World Cup Finals...
.
The famous rocky massif
Massif
In geology, a massif is a section of a planet's crust that is demarcated by faults or flexures. In the movement of the crust, a massif tends to retain its internal structure while being displaced as a whole...
Sinite Kamani (Сините камъни, "The Blue Rocks") and the associated national park, the fresh air and the mineral springs offer diverse opportunities for leisure and tourism. Investors are exploring the opportunity to use the famous local wind (Bora) for the production of electricity.
Another point of interest and symbol of the city, as featured on the coat of arms, is the thousand-year-old Stariya Briast (Старият Бряст, "The Old Elm"), a large Smooth-leaved Elm
Smooth-leaved Elm
Ulmus minor subsp. minor Richens, the Smooth-leaved Elm, yclept Narrow-leafed Elm and East Anglian Elm, is a subspecies of the Field Elm native to southern Europe and Asia Minor including Iran.-Description:...
in the center of the city. During the time of the Ottoman rule, Turkish officials would hang Bulgarian revolutionaries on the tree. In modern times, the city is doing its best to keep the tree alive with the addition of cement to the base.
Sliven Peak
Sliven Peak
Sliven Peak rises to 530 m in the east extremity of Melnik Ridge, Livingston Island in the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica...
on Livingston Island in the South Shetland Islands
South Shetland Islands
The South Shetland Islands are a group of Antarctic islands, lying about north of the Antarctic Peninsula, with a total area of . By the Antarctic Treaty of 1959, the Islands' sovereignty is neither recognized nor disputed by the signatories and they are free for use by any signatory for...
, Antarctica is named after Sliven.
Geography
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...
, 100 km from Bourgas, the country's largest commercial port, 130 km from the border with Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
and 130 km from the border with Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
. It is located in close proximity to the cities of Yambol
Yambol
Yambol is a city in southeastern Bulgaria, an administrative centre of Yambol Province. It lies on both banks of the Tundzha river in the historical region of Thrace. As of February 2011, the town has a population of 72,843 inhabitants. It is occasionally spelt 'Jambol'.The administrative centres...
and Nova Zagora
Nova Zagora
Nova Zagora is a town located in the southeastern plains of Bulgaria in Sliven Province. It is the administrative centre of Nova Zagora Municipality. As of December 2009, the town has a population of 23,625 inhabitants , while the entire municipality has a population of 45,111. The first traces...
.
West of the city lies the so called Peach Valley which contains large peach
Peach
The peach tree is a deciduous tree growing to tall and 6 in. in diameter, belonging to the subfamily Prunoideae of the family Rosaceae. It bears an edible juicy fruit called a peach...
orchards. The city is also known for its mineral baths whose water is used to treat diseases of the liver and nervous system.
The most visited geographical location and attraction in the city is the Karandila (Карандила). It is a hilltop 1050m above sealevel, with great sights overlooking the city. On the Karandila is the rock formation Halkata (Хaлката, "The Ring"). It is a rock protrusion with an interesting, yet peculiar hole in the center. According to myth, one would have their most sincere wish granted upon passing through the ring. Karandila is the site of the annual Karakachani
Sarakatsani
The Sarakatsani are a group of Greek transhumant shepherds inhabiting chiefly Greece, with a smaller presence in neighbouring Bulgaria, southern Albania and the Republic of Macedonia. Historically centered around the Pindus mountains, they have been currently urbanised to a significant degree...
festival, organized by the Federation of the Cultural and Educational Associations of Karakachans (ФКПДК) in Bulgaria each July.
Karandila is located in the nature park Sinite kamuni (Сините камъни), whose peak Bulgarka (Българка, 1181 m.) is the highest in the eastern Balkan mountain.
Demography
According to the Bulgarian National Statistical Institute, as of February 2011, the total population of the Sliven Municipality is 122 963 inhabitants while in the city of Sliven lives 89 848 citizens. The town is called the underage mother capital of Europe, with 177 such births in 2008 http://www.nowpublic.com/world/11-year-old-roma-girl-marries-and-gives-birth-same-day.Roma
Sliven has one of the largest ghettos for SintiSinti
Sinti or Sinta or Sinte is the name of a Romani or Gypsy population in Europe. Traditionally nomadic, today only a small percentage of the group remains unsettled...
and Roma in Europe. Around 20,000 people live in cramped quarters in difficult hygienic conditions in a twelve-acre site enclosed by rusty barbed wire with a wall that separates the ghetto from the city. These three metre high walls are covered with racist slogans.
Ethnic Groups
Members of the following ethnic groups are represented in the city's population.- BulgariansBulgariansThe Bulgarians are a South Slavic nation and ethnic group native to Bulgaria and neighbouring regions. Emigration has resulted in immigrant communities in a number of other countries.-History and ethnogenesis:...
(~80%) - TurksTurkish peopleTurkish people, also known as the "Turks" , are an ethnic group primarily living in Turkey and in the former lands of the Ottoman Empire where Turkish minorities had been established in Bulgaria, Cyprus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Greece, Kosovo, Macedonia, and Romania...
- ArmeniansArmeniansArmenian people or Armenians are a nation and ethnic group native to the Armenian Highland.The largest concentration is in Armenia having a nearly-homogeneous population with 97.9% or 3,145,354 being ethnic Armenian....
- JewsJewsThe Jews , also known as the Jewish people, are a nation and ethnoreligious group originating in the Israelites or Hebrews of the Ancient Near East. The Jewish ethnicity, nationality, and religion are strongly interrelated, as Judaism is the traditional faith of the Jewish nation...
- Roma (Gypsies) (~15%)
- SarakatsaniSarakatsaniThe Sarakatsani are a group of Greek transhumant shepherds inhabiting chiefly Greece, with a smaller presence in neighbouring Bulgaria, southern Albania and the Republic of Macedonia. Historically centered around the Pindus mountains, they have been currently urbanised to a significant degree...
History
Remains of the oldest settlements on the territory of Sliven date back to around 6000 BCE of the NeolithicNeolithic
The Neolithic Age, Era, or Period, or New Stone Age, was a period in the development of human technology, beginning about 9500 BC in some parts of the Middle East, and later in other parts of the world. It is traditionally considered as the last part of the Stone Age...
. Ruins of a Thracian
Thracians
The ancient Thracians were a group of Indo-European tribes inhabiting areas including Thrace in Southeastern Europe. They spoke the Thracian language – a scarcely attested branch of the Indo-European language family...
settlement dating to around 5th–3rd century BCE as well as Thracian
Thrace
Thrace is a historical and geographic area in southeast Europe. As a geographical concept, Thrace designates a region bounded by the Balkan Mountains on the north, Rhodope Mountains and the Aegean Sea on the south, and by the Black Sea and the Sea of Marmara on the east...
ceramics and Hellenistic coins have been discovered in the area of Hisarlaka — a small hill in Sliven. In antiquity it was known as Selymnos (Σήλυμνος in Greek
Greek language
Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
). The area occupied by present-day Sliven has in the past been settled by the Thracian
Thracians
The ancient Thracians were a group of Indo-European tribes inhabiting areas including Thrace in Southeastern Europe. They spoke the Thracian language – a scarcely attested branch of the Indo-European language family...
tribes Asti, Kabileti and Seleti. These tribes held their independence until time of Philip II of Macedon
Philip II of Macedon
Philip II of Macedon "friend" + ἵππος "horse" — transliterated ; 382 – 336 BC), was a king of Macedon from 359 BC until his assassination in 336 BC. He was the father of Alexander the Great and Philip III.-Biography:...
and Alexander the Great who conquered them.
The 2nd century BCE marked the beginning of the Roman conquests of northeastern Thracia
Thracia
Thracia is a Web-Based computer game created and developed by an exclusively Romanian team, part of Infotrend Consulting, and launched in 2009. At the time, it was the first endeavor of its kind. All browser games were text based, made up mostly of static content...
. Sliven became part of the Roman Empire
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
around 72–71 BCE when the Thracian
Thracians
The ancient Thracians were a group of Indo-European tribes inhabiting areas including Thrace in Southeastern Europe. They spoke the Thracian language – a scarcely attested branch of the Indo-European language family...
Kabile
Kabile
Kabile is a village in southeastern Bulgaria, part of the Tundzha municipality, Yambol Province. The ruins of an ancient Thracian royal city can be found nearby, and it remained an important fortress throughout the Middle Ages.- Geography :...
and later Greek
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
cities of Kabile
Kabile
Kabile is a village in southeastern Bulgaria, part of the Tundzha municipality, Yambol Province. The ruins of an ancient Thracian royal city can be found nearby, and it remained an important fortress throughout the Middle Ages.- Geography :...
and Apolonia
Sozopol
Sozopol is an ancient seaside town located 35 km south of Burgas on the southern Bulgarian Black Sea Coast. Today it is one of the major seaside resorts in the country, known for the Apollonia art and film festival that is named after one of the town's ancient names.The busiest times of the year...
are conquered. With the emergence of the Roman Empire
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
the region of the city became part of the Thracian
Thrace
Thrace is a historical and geographic area in southeast Europe. As a geographical concept, Thrace designates a region bounded by the Balkan Mountains on the north, Rhodope Mountains and the Aegean Sea on the south, and by the Black Sea and the Sea of Marmara on the east...
province of the Roman Empire
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
.
A new stage in the city's history began around 4th–2nd century BCE. The first written records of the settlement's name, Tuida/Suida/Tsuida date to this period. This name is most likely of Thracian
Thracian language
The Thracian language was the Indo-European language spoken in ancient times in Southeastern Europe by the Thracians, the northern neighbors of the Ancient Greeks. The Thracian language exhibits satemization: it either belonged to the Satem group of Indo-European languages or it was strongly...
origin. Its etymology is currently not understood. It was a sanjak centre at first Rumelia eyalet
Rumelia Eyalet
The eyalet of Rumeli or eyalet of Rumelia , also known as Rumeli Beylerbeyliği was a eyalet of the Ottoman Empire. The capital was in Adrianople , Monastir and Sofia. Its reported area in the 19th century was .It was formed during the reign of Murad I as the first Beylerbeylik of the Ottoman Empire...
, after Silistre (also called Özi) eyalet, Edirne vilayet, finally Eastern Rumelia
Eastern Rumelia
Eastern Rumelia or Eastern Roumelia was an administratively autonomous province in the Ottoman Empire and Principality of Bulgaria from 1878 to 1908. It was under full Bulgarian control from 1885 on, when it willingly united with the tributary Principality of Bulgaria after a bloodless revolution...
vilayet in Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
as "İslimye" before its inclusion in the Principality of Bulgaria
Principality of Bulgaria
The Principality of Bulgaria was a self-governing entity created as a vassal of the Ottoman Empire by the Treaty of Berlin in 1878. The preliminary treaty of San Stefano between the Russian Empire and the Porte , on March 3, had originally proposed a significantly larger Bulgarian territory: its...
in 1885.
In more modern times, Sliven became one of the most significant cultural centres during the Bulgarian National Revival, with much of its old heritage still preserved and enriched its heritage and today offers to its citizens and visitors a lot of opportunities for cultural life. It served as the birthplace of many prominent Bulgarians who contributed to the enlightenment such as Hadzhi Dimitar
Hadzhi Dimitar
Dimitar Nikolov Asenov , better known as Hadzhi Dimitar , was one of the most prominent Bulgarian voivods and revolutionaries working for the Liberation of Bulgaria from Ottoman rule.-Early life:...
, Dobri Chintulov
Dobri Chintulov
Dobri Petrov Chintulov was a Bulgarian poet, teacher and composer of the Bulgarian National Revival period.Born in the town of Sliven in September 1822 to the family of a craftsman, Chintulov studied at the Greek school in his hometown...
, Evgeniy Chapkanov, Ivan Sеliminski and many others. Another notable native is Anton Pann
Anton Pann
Anton Pann , was an Ottoman-born Wallachian composer, musicologist, and Romanian-language poet, also noted for his activities as a printer, translator, and schoolteacher...
who composed the Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
n national anthem.
Economy
The economy of Sliven has centered around industry since the early 19th century. In 1834, Dobri ZhelyazkovDobri Zhelyazkov
Dobri Zhelyazkov Fetisov was the first Bulgarian factory-owner and industrialist, the founder of the first textile factory in Bulgaria and the Ottoman Empire....
established the first factory in Bulgarian lands, thus starting industrial development in Bulgaria. Sliven was one of the largest industrial centers in Bulgaria, playing an important role during the Bulgarian National Revival
Bulgarian National Revival
The Bulgarian National Revival , sometimes called the Bulgarian Renaissance, was a period of socio-economic development and national integration among Bulgarian people under Ottoman rule...
. It has long-lived traditions in textiles, machine-building, glass-making, chemical production, and the technical аnd food industries.
Following the beginning of communist rule in Bulgaria in 1944, most industries were nationalized and much industrial building and development was spurred. Industry continued to develop until the fall of communism, at which point much of the previously built industry stagnated; many plants and factories were shut down and there was little development.
In contemporary times, Sliven has experienced a surge in economy with increased investment, banking establishments and new industries have begun to emerge. The dairy industry, which has long been present, continues to grow and thrive. The wine industry, with companies such as Vinprom
Bulgarian wine
Grape growing and wine production have a long history in Bulgaria, dating back to the times of the Thracians. Wine is, together with beer and grape rakia, among the most popular alcoholic beverages in the country.-Viticultural regions:...
and Vini Sliven and about a dozen others, continues to grow as grapes are easily grown due to the climate conditions. In terms of heavy industry, Sliven is home to a 3M
3M
3M Company , formerly known as the Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company, is an American multinational conglomerate corporation based in Maplewood, Minnesota, United States....
plant which produces machinery used to cut metals. The city also produces electric lights and electrical machines.
Light industry in Sliven is mostly devoted to textiles with many companies making wool clothing, socks, and food.
Culture
There are many buildings in the city built in the National Revival Architecture style, including the Hadzhi Dimitur House-Museum. It is in the south western part of the town and shows visitors a complex of a native memorial home and an old traditional inn. The Dobry Chintulov Memorial House Museum is on the North side of Sliven; it was the home of the Bulgarian revival teacher and poet Dobry Chintulov.The city's main theater is located at the main city square. It is named after the Sliven native Stefan Kirov (Стефан Киров) who was a prominent actor and director.
Municipality
Sliven is the administrative centre of the eponymous Sliven municipality (part of Sliven ProvinceSliven 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...
), which includes the following 49 places (towns in bold):
|
Topolchane, Sliven Province Topolchane is a village located 10 km southeast of Sliven, Bulgaria, near the road to Burgas.-History:Near the village there are Thracian tumuli which were also used in Medieval times.... |
Town twinning
Alba IuliaAlba Iulia
Alba Iulia is a city in Alba County, Transylvania, Romania with a population of 66,747, located on the Mureş River. Since the High Middle Ages, the city has been the seat of Transylvania's Roman Catholic diocese. Between 1541 and 1690 it was the capital of the Principality of Transylvania...
, Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
Gera
Gera
Gera, the third-largest city in the German state of Thuringia , lies in east Thuringia on the river Weiße Elster, approximately 60 kilometres to the south of the city of Leipzig and 80 kilometres to the east of Erfurt...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
(1965) Pécs
Pécs
Pécs is the fifth largest city of Hungary, located on the slopes of the Mecsek mountains in the south-west of the country, close to its border with Croatia. It is the administrative and economical centre of Baranya county...
, Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
Voronezh
Voronezh
Voronezh is a city in southwestern Russia, the administrative center of Voronezh Oblast. It is located on both sides of the Voronezh River, away from where it flows into the Don. It is an operating center of the Southeastern Railway , as well as the center of the Don Highway...
, Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
Svetlahorsk
Svetlahorsk
Svietlahо́rsk is a town in Homiel Province of western Belarus. It is located by the river Biarezina and has 69,900 inhabitants .-Industry:Within Svietlаhorsk there are many industrial activities and organizations...
, Belarus
Belarus
Belarus , officially the Republic of Belarus, is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe, bordered clockwise by Russia to the northeast, Ukraine to the south, Poland to the west, and Lithuania and Latvia to the northwest. Its capital is Minsk; other major cities include Brest, Grodno , Gomel ,...
Ternopil
Ternopil
Ternopil , is a city in western Ukraine, located on the banks of the Seret River. Ternopil is one of the major cities of Western Ukraine and the historical region of Galicia...
, Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
Tekirdağ
Tekirdag
Tekirdağ , the ancient Bisanthi , is a city in Eastern Thrace, in the European part of Turkey. Tekirdağ is the capital of Tekirdağ Province, felt by the local people to be a quieter and more pleasant town than the industrial centre of Çorlu, which it administers. The city population as of 2009 was...
, Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
- Tekirdağ Chongqing
Chongqing
Chongqing is a major city in Southwest China and one of the five national central cities of China. Administratively, it is one of the PRC's four direct-controlled municipalities , and the only such municipality in inland China.The municipality was created on 14 March 1997, succeeding the...
, China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
Kutaisi
Kutaisi
Kutaisi is Georgia's second largest city and the capital of the western region of Imereti. It is 221 km to the west of Tbilisi.-Geography:...
, Georgia
Georgia (country)
Georgia is a sovereign state in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the southwest by Turkey, to the south by Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan. The capital of...
Kaisariani
Kaisariani
Kaisariani , also Kessariani, is a suburb in the eastern part of Athens, Greece. Kaisariani is located about 7 km from downtown Athens, about 4 km SW of Katechaki Avenue 4 km from the Hymettus Ring , which forms part of the Attiki Odos private superhighway network, and 6 km S...
, Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
Jerash
Jerash
Jerash, the Gerasa of Antiquity, is the capital and largest city of Jerash Governorate , which is situated in the north of Jordan, north of the capital Amman towards Syria...
, Jordan
Jordan
Jordan , officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan , Al-Mamlaka al-Urduniyya al-Hashemiyya) is a kingdom on the East Bank of the River Jordan. The country borders Saudi Arabia to the east and south-east, Iraq to the north-east, Syria to the north and the West Bank and Israel to the west, sharing...