- Provinces of Bulgaria
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Since 1999, Bulgaria has been divided into 28 provinces (Bulgarian: области, oblasti; singular област, oblast; also translated as "region") which correspond approximately to the 28 districts (okrugs) that existed before 1987. In 1987, during the Communist regime of Todor Zhivkov, the districts were consolidated into nine larger provinces (oblasts), which survived until 1999.[1]
Each province is named after its capital. In the case of Sofia Province and Sofia Capital, Sofia 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 (Census 2001)[2][3] Population (Census 2011)[2][3] Population growth (2001/2011)[2] Land area (km²) Population density (/km²) Municipalities Blagoevgrad 341,173 323,552 -5.2% 6,478 49.95 14 Burgas 423,547 415,817 -1.8% 7,618 54.58 13 Dobrich 215,217 189,677 -11.9% 4,700 40.36 8 Gabrovo 144,125 122,702 -14.9% 2,053 59.77 4 Haskovo 277,478 246,238 -11.3% 4,033 61.06 11 Kardzhali 164,019 152,808 -6.8% 4,032 37.90 6 Kyustendil 162,534 136,686 -15.9% 3,027 45.16 9 Lovech 169,951 141,422 -16.8% 4,134 34.21 8 Montana 182,258 148,098 -18.7% 3,595 41.20 11 Pazardzhik 310,723 275,548 -11.3% 4,393 62.72 11 Pernik 149,832 133,530 -10.9% 2,377 56.18 6 Pleven 311,985 269,752 -13.5% 4,216 63.98 11 Plovdiv 715,816 683,027 -4.6% 5,973 114.35 18 Razgrad 152,417 125,190 -17.9% 2,648 47.28 7 Ruse 266,157 235,252 -11.6% 2,616 89.93 8 Shumen 204,378 180,528 -11.7% 3,365 53.65 10 Silistra 142,000 119,474 -15.9% 2,862 41.74 7 Sliven 218,474 197,473 -9.6% 3,646 54.16 4 Smolyan 140,066 121,752 -13.1% 3,532 34.47 10 Sofia-Capital 1,170,842 1,291,591 +10.3% 1,349 957.44 24 Sofia (province) 273,240 247,489 -9.4% 7,277 34.01 22 Stara Zagora 370,615 333,265 -10.1% 4,959 67.20 11 Targovishte 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 293,172 258,494 -11.8% 4,684 55.19 10 Vidin 130,074 101,018 -22.3% 3,071 32.89 11 Vratsa 243,036 186,848 -23.1% 4,098 45.59 10 Yambol 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.
Provinces of Bulgaria from 1987 to 1998
1987-1999
oblastsComprising 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 See also
- Bulgaria
- Etymological list of provinces of Bulgaria
- List of cities and towns in Bulgaria
- List of villages in Bulgaria
- Municipalities of Bulgaria
- ISO 3166-2:BG
- (French) Liste des gouverneurs des provinces bulgares
References
- ^ Government Structure of Bulgaria at countrystudies.us, a website affiliated with the Library of Congress
- ^ a b c http://www.nsi.bg/EPDOCS/Census2011final.pdf Census 2011 PDF
- ^ a b http://censusresults.nsi.bg/Welcome.aspx Census 2011
Blagoevgrad · Burgas · Dobrich · Gabrovo · Haskovo · Kardzhali · Kyustendil · Lovech · Montana · Pazardzhik · Pernik · Pleven · Plovdiv · Razgrad · Ruse · Shumen · Silistra · Sliven · Smolyan · Sofia-Capital · Sofia Province · Stara Zagora · Targovishte · Varna · Veliko Tarnovo · Vidin · Vratsa · Yambol
First-level administrative divisions in Europe Sovereign
statesAlbania · Andorra · Armenia2 · Austria · Azerbaijan3 · Belarus · Belgium · Bosnia and Herzegovina · Bulgaria · Croatia · Cyprus2 · Czech Republic · Denmark · Estonia · Finland · France1 · Georgia3 · Germany · Greece · Hungary · Iceland · Ireland · Italy · Kazakhstan2 · Latvia · Liechtenstein · Lithuania · Luxembourg · Republic of Macedonia · Malta · Moldova · Monaco · Montenegro · Netherlands · Norway · Poland · Portugal · Romania · Russia1 · San Marino · Serbia · Slovakia · Slovenia · Spain · Sweden · Switzerland · Turkey1 · Ukraine · United Kingdom
States with limited
recognitionAbkhazia3 · Kosovo · Northern Cyprus2 · South Ossetia3
1 Has part of its territory outside Europe. 2 Considered European for cultural, political and historical reasons but is geographically in West Asia. 3 Partially or entirely in Asia, depending on the definition of the border.Categories:- Provinces of Bulgaria
- Subdivisions of Bulgaria
- Lists of country subdivisions
- Country subdivisions of Europe
- First-level administrative country subdivisions
- Bulgaria-related lists
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