Smolyan Province
Encyclopedia
Religion
The Smolyan province along with the Kardzhali ProvinceKardzhali Province
Kardzhali Province is a province of southern Bulgaria, neighbouring Greece with the Greek prefectures of Xanthi, Rhodope and Evros to the south and east. Kardzhali Province area is 3209.1 km². Its main city is Kardzhali.-History:...
is a province where the predominant religion is not Orthodox Christianity but Islam. However, unlike Kardzhali where the majority of the population is Turkish, the Muslim population of the Smolyan province is made up almost entirely of Muslim Bulgarians.
Religious adherence in the province according to 2001 census:
| Census 2001 | ||
|---|---|---|
| religious adherence | population | % |
| Orthodox Christians | 41,599 | 29.70% |
| 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 |
58,758 | 41.95% |
| Roman Catholics | 100 | 0.07% |
| 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... |
93 | 0.06% |
| Other | 513 | 0.37% |
| Religion not mentioned | 39,003 | 27.85% |
| total | 140,066 | 100% |
Language
In the 2001 census, 135,761 people from the Smolyan province identified one of the following as their mother tongue (with percentage of total population):129,181 Bulgarian
Bulgarian language
Bulgarian is an Indo-European language, a member of the Slavic linguistic group.Bulgarian, along with the closely related Macedonian language, demonstrates several linguistic characteristics that set it apart from all other Slavic languages such as the elimination of case declension, the...
,
5,782 Turkish
Turkish language
Turkish is a language spoken as a native language by over 83 million people worldwide, making it the most commonly spoken of the Turkic languages. Its speakers are located predominantly in Turkey and Northern Cyprus with smaller groups in Iraq, Greece, Bulgaria, the Republic of Macedonia, Kosovo,...
, 532 Roma (Gypsy)
Romani language
Romani or Romany, Gypsy or Gipsy is any of several languages of the Romani people. They are Indic, sometimes classified in the "Central" or "Northwestern" zone, and sometimes treated as a branch of their own....
and 266 other .
Ethnic groups
In the 2001 census, 132,654 people from the Smolyan province identified themselves as belonging to one of the following ethnic groups (with percentage of total population):| Ethnic group | Population | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Bulgarian 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:... |
122,806 | |
| Turkish Turkic peoples The Turkic peoples are peoples residing in northern, central and western Asia, southern Siberia and northwestern China and parts of eastern Europe. They speak languages belonging to the Turkic language family. They share, to varying degrees, certain cultural traits and historical backgrounds... |
6,212 | |
| Roma (Gypsy) | 686 | |
| Russian Russians The Russian people are an East Slavic ethnic group native to Russia, speaking the Russian language and primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries.... |
111 | |
| Armenian Armenians Armenian 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.... |
42 | |
| Greek Greeks The Greeks, also known as the Hellenes , are a nation and ethnic group native to Greece, Cyprus and neighboring regions. They also form a significant diaspora, with Greek communities established around the world.... |
13 | |
| Ukrainian Ukrainians Ukrainians are an East Slavic ethnic group native to Ukraine, which is the sixth-largest nation in Europe. The Constitution of Ukraine applies the term 'Ukrainians' to all its citizens... |
27 | |
| Jewish | 1 | |
| Romanian Romanians The Romanians are an ethnic group native to Romania, who speak Romanian; they are the majority inhabitants of Romania.... |
1 | |
| Other | 55 |
Economy
The economy of the province is based on tourism, mining, timber and machine industries and livestock raising. The main crops of the region are potatoes (about 30% of the national production), rye and barley; but sheep, pigs and cattle are of greater importance for the agriculture. In the eastern parts of the province are located more than 20 lead and zinc mines, which form one of the most extensive ore deposits in the BalkansBalkans
The Balkans is a geopolitical and cultural region of southeastern Europe...
. The dense coniferous forests are prerequisite for well developed timber industry in Dospat
Dospat
Dospat is a town in the very south of Bulgaria, part of Smolyan Province, situated in the Rhodope Mountains, close to Dospat Dam. It is the administrative centre of the homonymous Dospat Municipality...
, Smolyan
Smolyan
Smolyan is a town and ski resort in the very south of Bulgaria not far from the border with Greece. It is the administrative and industrial centre of the homonymous Smolyan Province...
, Devin
Devin
Devin may refer to:*Devin , a Gaelic name*Devin , a Hindu name. Short form of Devindra , a title applied to the Hindu god Indra.*Devin, Bulgaria, a town in Bulgaria*Devín, a borough of Bratislava, Slovakia...
. In Smolyan
Smolyan
Smolyan is a town and ski resort in the very south of Bulgaria not far from the border with Greece. It is the administrative and industrial centre of the homonymous Smolyan Province...
there are big plants producing machine tools and other machinery, while textile industry is mainly developed to the east in Nedelino
Nedelino
Nedelino is a town and municipality in the Rhodope Mountains of the Smolyan Province, southern Bulgaria. The former name of Nedelino was "Uzundere" which meaning "Long Creek"......
, Zlatograd
Zlatograd
Zlatograd is a town in Smolyan Province, Southern-central Bulgaria. It is the administrative centre of the homonymous Zlatograd Municipality. As of December 2009, the town has a population of 7,110 inhabitants....
, Madan
Madan, Bulgaria
Madan is a town in Smolyan Province, the very south of Bulgaria in the Yellow Share of the Rhodope Mountains. It is the administrative centre of the homonymous Madan Municipality. As of December 2009, the town has a population of 6,007 inhabitants.-Geography:...
and Rudozem
Rudozem
Rudozem is a town in southern Bulgaria, near the Greek border, located in the Rhodope Mountains, where the Elhovo and Chepino rivers flow into the Arda, and is part of Smolyan Province. It is the administrative centre of the homonymous Rudozem Municipality...
. There is also a synthetic rubber plant in Madan
Madan, Bulgaria
Madan is a town in Smolyan Province, the very south of Bulgaria in the Yellow Share of the Rhodope Mountains. It is the administrative centre of the homonymous Madan Municipality. As of December 2009, the town has a population of 6,007 inhabitants.-Geography:...
.
Nowadays, tourism is the backbone of the economy, especially in winter due to the excellent ski resorts of Pamporovo
Pamporovo
Pamporovo is a popular ski resort in Smolyan Province, southern Bulgaria, one of the best-known in Southeastern Europe. It is set amongst magnificent pine forests and is primarily visited during the winter for skiing and snowboarding. It is also a popular tourist place in summer. The hub of...
and Chepelare
Chepelare
Chepelare is a town and ski resort in Smolyan Province in Southern Bulgaria. It is situated in the central part of the Rhodopes, on the banks of Chepelare River. Chepelare is a popular winter resort with one of the longest ski runs in Southeastern Europe. It is located near Pamporovo, one of the...
; having been completely renovated and modernized. The only factory for skiing equipment is located in Chepelare and employs 400 people. The mineral springs in Devin
Devin
Devin may refer to:*Devin , a Gaelic name*Devin , a Hindu name. Short form of Devindra , a title applied to the Hindu god Indra.*Devin, Bulgaria, a town in Bulgaria*Devín, a borough of Bratislava, Slovakia...
and Beden
Beden
The Beden is an ancient Somali maritime vessel that remains the longest surviving sewn ship in East Africa. Its shipyards predominantly lie in the Hafun region, and the ship's modern usage is chiefly for fishing. The ship's construction style is unique to Somalia and significantly differs from...
are very popular among tourists. The beautiful, unspoilt nature and the spectacular gorges, rock bridges and caves attract many people from around the country as well as foreign tourists, while the numerous dams are popular with campers and fishermen.