The Rila monastery
Kyustendil Province ( ,
transliterated Oblast
Kyustendil) is a province
in southwestern Bulgaria
, extending
over an area of 3084.3 km² (constituting
2.7% of the total territory of the Republic of Bulgaria), and has a
population of 163,889. It borders on the provinces of Sofia
, Pernik
and Blagoevgrad
, while to the west, its limits coincide with the
state borders between Bulgaria and the
Republic of
Macedonia
, and Bulgaria and the
Republic of
Serbia
. The administrative center of the Province is
Kyustendil
.
Background
The region features diverse surface relief - fertile
valleys and
canyons, separated
by hillocks and mountains. The northern and western parts of the
territory form the so-called "Kyustendilsko kraishte" (Kyustendil
Cornerland), and include parts of the cross-border Milevska,
Chudinska, Zemenska and - to the east - Konyavska mountains. To the
south, the Kyustendilsko kraishte reaches as far as the valleys of
the
Dragovishtitsa and
Bistritsa rivers, as well as
the Lisets mountain.
The southern part of the region includes
massifs of the Osogovo
, Vlahina
and
North-Western Rila
mountains,
embracing the Kamenitsa, Kyustendil and Dupnitsa
lowerlands.The region is divided in two under-districts -
Kyustendil in west and Dupnitsa in east.
In Dupnitsa
region there are the geographic areas: Gorno pole
(Upper field), Dolno pole (Lower field)and the area Razmetanitsa
where the Emperor Samuil of
Bulgaria killed his brother Aaron and his
family.
The region abounds with
granites,
clays,
fossils, and
ores.
Polymetal ores are excavated in Osogovo; brown coals
in the Bobov
dol
mines. Clays deposits
are located at the villages of Chetirtsi, Yahinovo and
Dragovishtitsa.
The region, however,
is most famous for its numerous mineral
water springs: hot mineral
water springs in Kyustendil, Sapareva
banya
, the villages of Nevestino and Chetirtsi. A
marvel of nature, found in the region are the Stobski piramidi
(
Stob pyramids).
For the most part, the
climate is
trans-continental, but at higher altitudes it is
mountainous.
The main drainage river is Struma whose subsidiaries are the Treklyanska,
Dragovishtitsa, Bistritsa, Slokoshtitsa, Novoselska, Dzherman and Rila
rivers. Subterranean water levels are relatively high. Near
the village of Kamenichka Skakavitsa, the Golemi dol river forms a
70-meter-high waterfall. The Dyakovo, Bersin, Drenov dol and
Bagrentsi artificial lakes (dams) are chiefly used for irrigation
purposes. Soil composition is most favorable for the
traditionally-developed fruit-growing.
Forest vegetation is mostly deciduous, although coniferous forests
are also present. In the Gabra natural reservation (area: 89,5
metric hektars) houses the last remaining black-pine trees.
The Region of Kyustendil includes 9 municipalities with a total of
182
settlement. The regional
administrative center is the town of Kyustendil situated in its
Southwestern part: the Kyustendil lowerland. The town also serves
as the administrative center of the municipality of Kyustendil
(with an area of 923 km²., this Municipality represents 30,2% of
the total territory of the Region), with a population of 73 346, of
whom 51 300 are residents of the town area.
Four main transport
routes pass through Kyustendil: from Republic of Macedonia on the Skopie
-Sofia
high-way;
from Serbia
on the
Nish
-Bosilegrad
-Kyustendil high-way; through Dupnitsa and Kyustendil passes the oldest commercial road that for
centuries has linked Constantinople
and the Adriatic Sea
. Kyustendil has managed to preserve is
historical, ecological and cultural heritage. It is a contemporary
Bulgarian administrative center, whose future is mostly seen in the
development of cultural tourism, and modern rehabilitation resort
centers by the hot mineral water springs.
The surrounding region is like an untapped National Park. Wander
through green lanes past medieval houses and barns and discover
stunning landscapes. Plenty of fishing, walking, treking, 4*4
country, hunting, with clear air and a fantastic climate.
Municipalities
Municipalities in Kyustendil
province
The Kyustendil province (област,
oblast) contains nine
municipalities (singular: oбщина,
obshtina - plural:
общини,
obshtini). The following table shows the names of
each municipality in English and
Cyrillic,
the main town (in bold) or village, and the population as of
2009.
| Municipality |
Cyrillic |
Pop. |
Town/Village |
Pop. |
| Boboshevo |
Бобошево |
3,016 |
Boboshevo |
1,383 |
| Bobov dol |
Бобов дол |
10,266 |
Bobov dol |
6,664 |
| Dupnitsa |
Дупница |
54,671 |
Dupnitsa |
42,800 |
| Kocherinovo |
Кочериново |
4,506 |
Kocherinovo |
2,190 |
| Kyustendil |
Кюстендил |
74,395 |
Kyustendil |
58,774 |
| Nevestino |
Невестино |
2,738 |
Nevestino |
629 |
Rila |
Рила |
3,424 |
Rila |
2,937 |
| Sapareva banya |
Сапарева баня |
8,165 |
Sapareva banya |
4,326 |
| Treklyano |
Трекляно |
547 |
Treklyano |
226 |
Demographics
The Kyustendil province had a
population
of 162,622 (also given as 162,534) according to a 2001
census, of which were
male and
were
female.
Religion
In the 2001 census, 156,359 people from Kyustendil province
identified one of the following as their
religion (with percentage of total
population):154,637
Eastern
Orthodox ( ),928
Protestant ( ),231
Muslim ( ),76
Catholic ( ),and 487 other ( ).
Language
In the 2001 census, 161,691 people from Kyustendil province
identified one of the following as their
mother tongue (with percentage of total
population):153,242
Bulgarian (
),7,929
Roma ( ),117
Turkish ( ),and 403 other ( ).
Ethnic groups
In the 2001 census, 161,500 people from Kyustendil province
identified themselves as belonging to one of the following ethnic
groups (with percentage of total population):
References
- Population Chart, 15.03.2009 from Bulgarian Directorate
General: Civil Registration and Administrative
Services
- Population to 01.03.2001 by Area and Sex from Bulgarian
National Statistical Institute: Census 2001
- Population to 01.03.2001 by Region and Religion from
Bulgarian National Statistical Institute: Census
2001
- Population to 01.03.2001 by District and Mother Tongue
from Bulgarian National Statistical Institute: Census
2001
- Population to 01.03.2001 by District and Ethnic Group
from Bulgarian National Statistical Institute: Census
2001
See also
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