Plovdiv wine region. Bulgaria, The land of wine

Plovdiv region

Plovdiv

The area of Plovdiv region is 13,585 sq. km (12.2% of the territory of the country). To the north the boundary follows the ridge of Balkan Range and includes part of the sub-Balkan valleys (Karlovo). The vast and fertile Upper Thrachian Plain is in the central part of Plovdiv region. The south includes part of the Rhodope Mountains. The climate and the fertile soils of the Upper Thrachian Plain are very suitable for intensive farming. The region is crossed by the Maritsa, one of the biggest Bulgarian rivers. Hisarya, Velingrad, Devin and Banya are spas.

The population of Plovdiv region is 1,221,449 (14.4% of the population of the country). The people employed in the national economy in 1993 were 13.9% of all in the country. In the same year the percentage of unemployment was the highest (15.7%) in comparison with the other regions. The urban-rural population ratio is 64:36. The urbanization processes go at a slower pace than country's average.

The economy is industrial-agrarian. In 1993 Plovdiv region accounted for 46% of the vegetable canning in the country, 25% of the fruit canning, 30% of cotton textile, 35% of tobacco products, 12% of the meat products, 12% of the sugar. The northern part of the region(

Panagyurishte) mines copper ores and the southern part (Madan, Rudozem) - lead and zinc ores, from which non-ferrous metals are extracted. Internationally known is the production of lead, zinc, silver and other non-ferrous metals in the plant nearPlovdiv . Of significant importance for the region is mechanical engineering (electrical engineering and electronics, I.C.L trucks, electrical engines). A joint venture for cars is forthcoming. Chemical, timbering and paper industries are the sectors in which the region specializes. There are big chemical plants in Plovdiv (Alen Mak for perfumes and cosmetics), in Pazardzhik and Madan - for rubber, for furniture in Velingrad and Smolyan , for ski - in Chepelare (of the famous company Atomic), for cellulose and paper in Belovo and Stamboliysky. Structural changes are under way in agriculture. Farm cooperatives are being created, whose members are real owners of the land. The region is of national significance in the production of vegetables, fruits, wheat, maize, tobacco, potatoes and rice. The enterprise mix is: 61% cereals, 9% industrial crops, 9% fruits and vegetables, 21% fodder crops. There is an increase of farm production in the private sector.

Plovdiv has an important transport function in South Bulgaria. The high speed motorway Trakiya and convenient railway transport connect Plovdiv and Sofia. Tourism is a priority of the region. The high mountain resort Pamporovo (near Smolyan ) is internationally famous. Health tourism is also developing in Hisarya, Narechen and Devin.

Plovdiv is a successor of an old Thrachian town. It is beautifully located on seven hills. Valuable surviving architecture monuments have been exposed. An ancient amphitheatre in the central part of the city town, part of the ancient water supply system. Valuable architectural monuments (the ethnographical museum), the houses of prominent artists (Zlatyu Boyadzhiev, Tsanko Lavrenov), old streets that used to form the center of the old town have been preserved and restored. Modern Plovdiv is the second largest city in Bulgaria (341,000) and an important cultural center. Traditional is the international annual fair, held in May and in September. A free trade zone on the fair grounds facilitates the international economic links. Plovdiv is an academic center with a University, a Medical Institute and an Agricultural institute.

The towns Sopot, Karlovo and Kalofer that are connected with Bulgarian Revival are in the northern part of the region. Today they work for the national military industrial complex. To the south, inSmolyan

, Madan and Rudozem, have preserved the typical architecture of the Rodope Mountains. Many tourists visit the fortress near Asenovgrad, the Bachkovo Monastery, the interesting natural history museum inChepelare , the architectural complex in the village of Mogilitsa (near Smolyan) the astronomy observatory at Rozhen (near Smolyan).

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Plovdiv wine region. Bulgaria as a wine producing country