Sofia Province - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

Sofia Province is a province

Province

A province is a territorial unit, almost always an administrative division, within a country or state.-Etymology:The English word "province" is attested since about 1330 and derives from the 13th-century Old French "province," which itself comes from the Latin word "provincia," which referred to...

(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"...

) of 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...

. The province does not include 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...

in its territories, but Sofia however remains its administrative center. The province borders on the provinces of 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:...

, 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:...

, 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...

, 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...

, 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...

, 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:...

, 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...

, 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...

and "Sofia

Sofia

-Capital" (which is in a separate oblast, see Sofia Administration), to the northwest there is border with Serbia

Serbia

Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...

The province has a territory of 7 059 km² and has 254,996 inhabitants. The land is predominantly mountainous. To the north are the southern slopes of the Balkan Mountains

Balkan Mountains

The Balkan mountain range is a mountain range in the eastern part of the Balkan Peninsula. The Balkan range runs 560 km from the Vrashka Chuka Peak on the border between Bulgaria and eastern Serbia eastward through central Bulgaria to Cape Emine on the Black Sea...

and to the south rises Rila

Rila

Rila is a mountain range in southwestern Bulgaria and the highest mountain range of Bulgaria and the Balkans, with its highest peak being Musala at 2,925 m...

with the highest point in the peninsular Musala

Musala

Musala is the highest peak in Bulgaria and the entire Balkan Peninsula, standing at 2,925 m . The summit of the Rila mountain in southwestern Bulgaria, Musala is the highest peak between the Alps and the Caucasus and the highest in Eastern Europe bar the Caucasus.Between 1949–1962 the peak was...

. There are also several smaller mountains and spacious valleys. One of the most important ski resorts in Bulgaria

Bulgaria

, Borovets

Borovets

Borovets , known as Chamkoria until the middle of the 20th century, is a popular Bulgarian mountain resort situated in Sofia Province, on the northern slopes of Rila, at an altitude of 1350 m...

, is located here close to Samokov

Samokov

Samokov is a town in Sofia Province in the southwest of Bulgaria. It is situated in a kettle between the mountains Rila and Vitosha, 55 kilometres from the capital Sofia...

.

Industry is well developed. Mining and ferrous metallurgy are the backbone of the economy with the largest copper refinery in South Eastern Europe in Pirdop

Pirdop

Pirdop is a town located in South-West Bulgaria of Sofia Province in the southeastern part of the Zlatitsa - Pirdop Valley at 670 m above sea level. It is surrounded by the Balkan Range to the north, Sredna Gora Mountain to the south, and Koznitsa and Galabets saddles to the east and west,...

and important copper mines at Chelopech

Chelopech

Chelopech is a village in the western part of Bulgaria. It is the only village in the Chelopech Municipality, Sofia Province.- Geographical outline :...

and Etropole

Etropole

Etropole is a town in western Bulgaria, part of Sofia Province. It is located close to the northern slopes of the Balkan Mountains in the valley of the Malki Iskar from Sofia.-History:...

. Machinery is well developed in Botevgrad

Botevgrad

Botevgrad ; pre-1866: Samundzhievo ), is a town in western Bulgaria. It is located in Sofia Province and is close to Pravets. Botevgrad is situated at a 47-km-distance from Sofia.-Geography:...

(buses, car components, electronics), Pravets

Pravets

Pravets is a town in central western Bulgaria, located approximately 60 km from the capital Sofia.Pravets has a population of 4,512 people. Mountains surround it, which allows for a mild climate with rare winds. In the outskirts there is a small lake used for fishing and recreation...

(computers), Etropole

Etropole

Etropole is a town in western Bulgaria, part of Sofia Province. It is located close to the northern slopes of the Balkan Mountains in the valley of the Malki Iskar from Sofia.-History:...

, Samokov

Samokov

Samokov is a town in Sofia Province in the southwest of Bulgaria. It is situated in a kettle between the mountains Rila and Vitosha, 55 kilometres from the capital Sofia...

, Elin Pelin

Elin Pelin (town)

Elin Pelin , previously known as Novoseltsi , is a town in central western Bulgaria. It is the administrative centre of Elin Pelin municipality, located in central Sofia Province...

, Ihtiman

Ihtiman

Ihtiman is a town in western Bulgaria, part of Sofia Province. It is located in the Ihtimanska Sredna Gora mountains and lies in a valley 48 km from Sofia and 95 km from Plovdiv, close to Trakiya motorway....

, Slivnitsa

Slivnitsa

Slivnitsa is a town in western Bulgaria, 22 km away from Sofia, lying on the main road connecting the capital with the Bulgarian-Serbian border...

, Godech

Godech

Godech is a small town located in the Sofia Province, of Bulgaria. The town is founded in a valley on the far west of Stara Planina, where the Nishava River passes. The settllment is about 20 km east of the Serbian border and has its highest peak Kom to the north. Godech is officially a...

. The centre of food and sugar industry is Svoge

Svoge

Svogue is a town in western Bulgaria, part of Sofia Province. It is located in the gorge of the Iskar River, at the place where the mountains Mala planina, Golema planina and Ponor meet, 40 km north of the capital Sofia....

. This is also the birthplace of bass/baritone opera singer and musician Boris Damianov.

Municipalities

The Sofia province (Област, oblast) contains 22 municipalities (singular: oбщина, obshtina - plural: Общини, obshtini). The following table shows the names of each municipality in English and Cyrillic, the main town (in bold) or village, and the population of each as of 2009.

Municipality	Cyrillic	Pop.	Town/Village	Pop.
Anton Anton Municipality Anton Municipality is located in Sofia Province, Bulgaria. The administrative centre is in Anton, Bulgaria-External links:*...	Антон	1,650	Anton Anton, Bulgaria Anton is a village in western Bulgaria, part of Sofia Province. It is the administrative centre of Anton Municipality, which lies in the easternmost part of Sofia Province. Anton is situated in the Zlatitsa–Pirdop Valley, 80 kilometres east of the capital Sofia...	1,650
Botevgrad	Ботевград	36,183	Botevgrad Botevgrad Botevgrad ; pre-1866: Samundzhievo ), is a town in western Bulgaria. It is located in Sofia Province and is close to Pravets. Botevgrad is situated at a 47-km-distance from Sofia.-Geography:...	23,694
Bozhurishte	Божурище	6,735	Bozhurishte Bozhurishte Bozhurishte is a town in western Bulgaria. It is the administrative center of Bozhurishte Municipality in Sofia Province; close to Kostinbrod and the capital Sofia. The old airport of Sofia, now a military one, is near the town. Bozhurishte was first mentioned in 1750...	4,829
Chavdar	Чавдар	1,252	Chavdar Chavdar, Sofia Province Chavdar is a village in western Bulgaria, part of Sofia Province. It is the administrative centre of Chavdar municipality, which lies in the easternmost part of Sofia Province. Chavdar is situated in the Zlatitsa–Pirdop Valley, 80 kilometres east of the capital Sofia, at the foot of the...	1,252
Chelopech	Челопеч	1,571	Chelopech Chelopech Chelopech is a village in the western part of Bulgaria. It is the only village in the Chelopech Municipality, Sofia Province.- Geographical outline :...	1,571
Dolna Banya	Долна баня	4,917	Dolna Banya Dolna banya Dolna Banya, also Dolna Banja or Dolna Bania is a town located in Sofia Province in southwestern Bulgaria. 75 km from Sofia and Plovdiv, Dolna Banya is located by the north-eastern slopes of the Rila Mountains, 18 and 30 km respectively from the ski resorts of Borovets and Samokov...	4,917
Dragoman	Драгоман	5,373	Dragoman Dragoman, Bulgaria Dragoman is a small town in the Sofia Province, western Bulgaria. The town is located very close to the border with Serbia. the population is 3,522.-Honour:Dragoman Glacier on Smith Island, South Shetland Islands is named after Dragoman....	3,541
Elin Pelin	Елин Пелин	22,015	Elin Pelin Elin Pelin (town) Elin Pelin , previously known as Novoseltsi , is a town in central western Bulgaria. It is the administrative centre of Elin Pelin municipality, located in central Sofia Province...	7,293
Etropole	Етрополе	13,773	Etropole Etropole Etropole is a town in western Bulgaria, part of Sofia Province. It is located close to the northern slopes of the Balkan Mountains in the valley of the Malki Iskar from Sofia.-History:...	12,078
Godech	Годеч	5,670	Godech Godech Godech is a small town located in the Sofia Province, of Bulgaria. The town is founded in a valley on the far west of Stara Planina, where the Nishava River passes. The settllment is about 20 km east of the Serbian border and has its highest peak Kom to the north. Godech is officially a...	4,783
Gorna Malina	Горна Малина	5,668	Gorna Malina Gorna Malina Gorna Malina is a village in western Bulgaria, part of Sofia Province. It is the administrative centre of Gorna Malina municipality, which lies in the central eastern part of Sofia Province, 20-30 kilometres east of Sofia...	1,357
Ihtiman	Ихтиман	18,903	Ihtiman Ihtiman Ihtiman is a town in western Bulgaria, part of Sofia Province. It is located in the Ihtimanska Sredna Gora mountains and lies in a valley 48 km from Sofia and 95 km from Plovdiv, close to Trakiya motorway....	14,571
Koprivshtitsa	Копривщица	2,547	Koprivshtitsa Koprivshtitsa Koprivshtitsa is a historic town in Sofia Province, central Bulgaria, lying on the Topolnitsa River among the Sredna Gora mountains. It was one of the centres of the April Uprising in 1876 and is known for its authentic Bulgarian architecture and for its folk music festivals, making it a very...	2,547
Kostenets Kostenets municipality The Kostenets municipality is one of the 22 municipalities of the Sofia Province, Bulgaria. Its territory is 302 km² and has 14,154 inhabitants as of 2009. It encompasses the Valley of Gorna Banya, along the upper flow of the Maritsa river, surrounded by Rila to the south and Sredna Gora to the...	Костенец	14,154	Kostenets Kostenets Kostenets is a village in the Sofia Province southwestern Bulgaria, located in the Kostenets Municipality . As of the 2000 census, the village had a total population of 4,201...	7,762
Kostinbrod	Костинброд	16,145	Kostinbrod Kostinbrod Kostinbrod is a town in western Bulgaria. It is located 15 km west of the capital city of Sofia. It is located on two important transport corridors: Lom — Sofia — Thessaloniki and Sofia — Belgrade...	11,523
Mirkovo	Мирково	2,534	Mirkovo Mirkovo Mirkovo is a village in western Bulgaria, part of Sofia Province. It is the administrative centre of Mirkovo municipality, which lies in the central eastern part of Sofia Province...	1,707
Pirdop	Пирдоп	9,217	Pirdop Pirdop Pirdop is a town located in South-West Bulgaria of Sofia Province in the southeastern part of the Zlatitsa - Pirdop Valley at 670 m above sea level. It is surrounded by the Balkan Range to the north, Sredna Gora Mountain to the south, and Koznitsa and Galabets saddles to the east and west,...	8,361
Pravets	Правец	7,919	Pravets Pravets Pravets is a town in central western Bulgaria, located approximately 60 km from the capital Sofia.Pravets has a population of 4,512 people. Mountains surround it, which allows for a mild climate with rare winds. In the outskirts there is a small lake used for fishing and recreation...	4,440
Samokov	Самоков	41,544	Samokov Samokov Samokov is a town in Sofia Province in the southwest of Bulgaria. It is situated in a kettle between the mountains Rila and Vitosha, 55 kilometres from the capital Sofia...	30,085
Slivnitsa	Сливница	9,511	Slivnitsa Slivnitsa Slivnitsa is a town in western Bulgaria, 22 km away from Sofia, lying on the main road connecting the capital with the Bulgarian-Serbian border...	7,790
Svoge	Своге	22,557	Svoge Svoge Svogue is a town in western Bulgaria, part of Sofia Province. It is located in the gorge of the Iskar River, at the place where the mountains Mala planina, Golema planina and Ponor meet, 40 km north of the capital Sofia....	8,741
Zlatitsa	Златица	6,274	Zlatitsa Zlatitsa Zlatitsa is a town in southern Bulgaria located in the Zlatitsa-Pirdop valley, between Stara Planina to the north and Sredna Gora to the south at 680 meters above the sea level. It is situated immediately south in the lap of the Zlatitsa -Teteven Mountain...	5,529

Demography

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...

:
The 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 273 252 (also given as 273,240) 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...

Religion

Religious adherence in the province according to 2001 census:

Census 2001
religious adherence	population	%
Orthodox Christians	261 996
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	3 368
Roman Catholics	186
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...	2 320
Other	1027
Religion not mentioned	4 343
total	273,240	100%

Ethnic groups

Ethnic groups in the province according to 2001 census:

253 536 Bulgarians

Bulgarians

The 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:...

,

16 748 Roma (Gypsy)
and 2956 others and unspecified .

Municipalities

Demography

Religion

Ethnic groups

See also