Nova Zagora

Nova Zagora Нова Загора
Nova Zagora Location of Nova Zagora
Coordinates: 42°29′28″N 26°0′52″E / 42.49111°N 26.01444°E / 42.49111; 26.01444Coordinates: 42°29′28″N 26°0′52″E / 42.49111°N 26.01444°E / 42.49111; 26.01444
Country	Bulgaria
Province (Oblast)	Sliven
Government
- Mayor	Nikolaj Grozev
Elevation	131 m (430 ft)
Population (December 2009)[1]
- Total	23,625
Time zone	EET (UTC+2)
- Summer (DST)	EEST (UTC+3)
Postal Code	8900
Area code(s)	0457

Nova Zagora (Bulgarian: Нова Загора) 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 ^[1], while the entire municipality (including surrounding villages) has a population of 45,111. ^[2]

The first traces of life in the region date back thousands of years. Many archeological sites are located in the region, showing settlements dating back to the Stone Age and the Stone-Copper age (Eneolithic). The most prominent archeological site is in the nearby village of Karanovo. The Nova Zagora Historical Museum has many historically significant artifacts dating back to this era.

The region is very fertile, growing a wide range of produce including grapes, sunflowers and cereals. The municipality has a manufacturing base including machine tools producer ZMM Ltd., agriculture equipment maker Perla Ltd., and textile manufacturer Miroglio Ltd. ^[3]

Nova Zagora is located on the main Sofia-Plovdiv-Burgas railroad, as well as the Trakia Highway that runs from Sofia to Burgas. It is 35 km east of Stara Zagora and 30 km west of Sliven. The Nova Zagora Municipality is part of the Sliven administrative district.

Nova Zagora has Roma (Gypsy) and Turkish minority. Official estimates indicate that approximately 12 percent of the population is from these ethnic minorities, while unofficial estimates are higher. The town suffers from high levels of unemployment (estimated at 23 percent), and the population has been declining.

The climate is mild, with the average winter temperature at 1.2 degrees Celsius, and the average August temperature of 23.5 degrees.

The town has a variety of sports facilities, including tennis, a soccer and athletics stadium, karate and there is also a football (soccer) team called Zagorets Nova Zagora.

References

1. ^ ^{a b} (English) Bulgarian National Statistical Institute - towns in 2009
2. ^ (English) Municipality Website 2011
3. ^ (English) [http://www.nova-zagora.com/engl/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=26&Itemid=27 Municipality Website 2011]