Bulgaria
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Since 1999, Bulgaria has been divided into 28 provinces (Bulgarian: singular - област, oblast, plural - области, oblasti; also translated as regions) which correspond approximately to the 28 okrugs that existed before 1987. From 1987 until 1999 Bulgaria was divided into 9 larger oblasts.

Each oblast is named after its capital. In the case of Sofia Oblast and Sofia City, Sofia is the capital of both provinces, but its territory is only included in Sofia City.

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

[edit] List of provinces

[edit] History

In 1987, the then-existing 28 okrugs were transformed into 9 provinces. In 1999, the old okrugs were restored, but the name "oblast" was kept. The 9 big oblasts (1987-1999) are listed below, along with the 28 okrugs (before 1987) or 28 small provinces (after 1999) comprising them in brackets.

Burgas Province (Burgas, Sliven, Yambol)
Haskovo Province (Haskovo, Kardzhali, Stara Zagora)
Lovech Province (Gabrovo, Lovech, Pleven, Veliko Tarnovo)
Montana Province (Montana, Vidin, Vratsa)
Plovdiv Province (Pazardzhik, Plovdiv, Smolyan)
Razgrad Province (Razgrad, Ruse, Silistra, Targovishte)
Sofia Province (Sofia City)
Sofia Province (Blagoevgrad, Kyustendil, Pernik, Sofia Province)
Varna Province (Dobrich, Shumen, Varna)

[edit] The provinces by their population, area and population density

The 28 provinces of Bulgaria

Nom	Population (2004)	Population growth (2003/2004)	Land area (en km²)	Population density (inhab./km²)
Blagoevgrad Province	334 907	-0.8%	6 478	51,70
Burgas Province	418 925	-0.2%	7 618	55,00
Shumen Province	199 577	-0.6%	3 365	59,31
Dobrich Province	206 893	-0.8%	4 700	44,02
Gabrovo Province	137 461	-1.2%	2 053	66,96
Haskovo Province	268 335	-0.7%	4 033	66,53
Kardzhali Province	159 878	-0.7%	4 032	39,65
Kyustendil Province	154 468	-1.2%	3 027	51,03
Lovech Province	161 190	-1.3%	4 134	38,99
Montana Province	170 217	-2.0%	3 595	47,35
Pazardzhik Province	300 092	-1.0%	4 393	68,31
Pernik Province	142 251	-1.3%	2 377	59,84
Pleven Province	310 449	-1.5%	4 216	73,64

Nom	Population (2004)	Population density (2003/2004)	Land area (en km²)	Population density (inhab./km²)
Plovdiv Province	709 861	-0.2%	5 588	127,03
Razgrad Province	140 743	-1.0%	2 648	53,15
Ruse Province	259 173	-0.7%	2 616	99,07
Silistra Province	135 701	-1.3%	2 862	47,41
Sliven Province	211 005	-1.0%	3 646	47,41
Smolyan Province	133 015	-1.5%	3 532	37,66
Sofia (City)	1 221 157	+1.0%	1 119	1 091,29
Sofia Province	262 032	-1.1%	7 277	36,01
Stara Zagora Province	362 090	-0.5%	4 959	73,02
Targovishte Province	136 806	-1.0%	2 735	50,02
Varna Province	458 392	-0.1%	3 847	119,16
Veliko Tarnovo Province	285 677	-0.5%	4 684	60,99
Vidin Province	120 192	-2.0%	3 071	39,11
Vratsa Province	212 656	-1.7%	4 098	51,89
Yambol Province	147 906	-1.1%	4 209	35,14

Totalisations

Population
(2004)

7 761 049

Land area
(en km²)

110 912

Population growth
(2003/2004)

-0.5%

The 28 provinces of Bulgaria in order of their...

population

Nom	Population (2004) (hab.)
Sofia	1 221 157
Plovdiv Province	709 861
Varna Province	458 392
Burgas Province	418 925
Stara Zagora Province	362 090
Blagoevgrad Province	334 907
Pleven Province	310 449
Pazardzhik Province	300 092
Veliko Tarnovo Province	285 677
Haskovo Province	268 335
Sofia Province	262 032
Ruse Province	259 173
Vratsa Province	212 656
Sliven Province	211 005
Dobrich Province	206 893
Shumen Province	199 577
Montana Province	170 217
Lovech Province	161 190
Kardzhali Province	159 878
Kyustendil Province	154 468
Yambol Province	147 906
Pernik Province	142 251
Razgrad Province	140 743
Gabrovo Province	137 461
Targovishte Province	136 806
Silistra Province	135 701
Smolyan Province	133 015
Vidin Province	120 192

land area

Nom	Superficie (en km²)
Burgas Province	7 618
Sofia Province	7 277
Blagoevgrad Province	6 478
Plovdiv Province	5 588
Stara Zagora Province	4 959
Dobrich Province	4 700
Veliko Tarnovo Province	4 684
Pazardzhik Province	4 393
Pleven Province	4 216
Yambol Province	4 209
Lovech Province	4 134
Vratsa Province	4 098
Haskovo Province	4 033
Kardzhali Province	4 032
Varna Province	3 847
Sliven Province	3 646
Montana Province	3 595
Smolyan Province	3 532
Shumen Province	3 365
Vidin Province	3 071
Kyustendil Province	3 027
Silistra Province	2 862
Targovishte Province	2 735
Razgrad Province	2 648
Ruse Province	2 616
Pernik Province	2 377
Gabrovo Province	2 053
Sofia	1 119

Population density

Nom	Densité de population (hab./km²)
Sofia	1 091,29
Plovdiv Province	127,03
Varna Province	119,16
Ruse Province	99,07
Pleven Province	73,64
Stara Zagora Province	73,02
Pazardzhik Province	68,31
Gabrovo Province	66,96
Haskovo Province	66,53
Veliko Tarnovo Province	60,99
Pernik Province	59,84
Shumen Province	59,31
Burgas Province	55,00
Vratsa Province	51,89
Blagoevgrad Province	51,70
Kyustendil Province	51,03
Montana Province	47,35
Dobrich Province	44,02
Kardzhali Province	39,65
Lovech Province	38,99
Razgrad Province	53,15
Targovishte Province	50,02
Silistra Province	47,41
Sliven Province	47,41
Vidin Province	39,11
Smolyan Province	37,66
Sofia Province	36,01
Yambol Province	35,14