Provinces of Bulgaria

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	7
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	1
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

[edit] 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 oblasts	Comprising
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