MONTANA - Geography and history
The heart of the North-West
The region is situated in North-West Bulgaria, bordering internally the regions of Vidin, Vratsa and Sofia. To the north it borders Romania (across the river Danube), and to the south Serbia and Montenegro. Its area is 3 636 km2 (3.3% of the total area of Bulgaria) and it comprises 11 municipalities. There are 130 settlements in the region, the largest of these being the regional centre Montana, followed by Lom, Berkovitsa, Valchedrum, Varshets, Chiprovtsi and Boychinovtsi.
The first historically proven inhabitants of this area were the Thracians. During Roman times a number of settlements were founded, some of which are still present today such as the regional centre of Montana and the town of Lom (Almus).
The region's relief is quite varied, from north to south consisting of parts of the Danube Plain, the lower Balkans and the Balkan mountain range. Its natural resources are low-calorific lignite coal of no economic value at Lom, iron ore around the municipality of Chiprovtsi (in the Balkan mountain range), marble, clay and marl. The climate is moderately continental with cold winters and hot summers. Precipitation is insufficient, particularly in the developed agricultural area in the plains. The major rivers - Ogosta, Tsibritsa and Lom - do not have high water levels and are practically of no importance for irrigation.
With a population of 176 963 inhabitants in 2002, or 2.3% of the total population of the country, the region is among Bulgaria's smallest regions. Its density, at 48.7 inhabitants per km2, was below the national average of 70.7 inhabitants per km2 in 2002. With 58.6% of the population living in towns, this is below the national average of 67.7%.
Deteriorating demographic structure
The large share of the population aged 65 and above (22.7% in 2002, the second highest figure in Bulgaria) causes considerable development problems. In addition, the share of people below 25 is below average, resulting in a marked deterioration in the age structure and a decrease in the size of the population. Natural growth was negative in 2002 because of the low birth rate (8.1 per thousand) and high death rate (20.0 per thousand). Infant mortality was under the national average.
An unemployment rate over the national average (18% in 2002) and a lack of investment exacerbate the region's weak position. Furthermore, parts of the region's infrastructure are quite poor, with some roads in need of urgent repair-work.
Major development potentials may be found in the favourable agro-environmental conditions, the available labour force and the transport infrastructure (road and rail). A section of European Transport Corridor No. 4 should traverse this part of Bulgaria.
While road and waterway transport is well developed in the region, the road density at 162.3 km per 1 000 km2 (in 2002) is below the national average of 173.7 km per 1 000 km2. The section of the Sofia - Vratsa - Vidin railway, which crosses the region, is gaining in importance. Lom is one of the most important Bulgarian ports on the river Danube and is of considerable international importance as well.
At the end of 2002, the number of telephone posts (including the installed direct, party-line and supplementary telephone apparatus to the settlements' telephone exchanges) was 57 718 of which 88% for households.
Developed cereal crops production
31.9% of the region's area is by arable land (in 2002), where cereals, vines, sunflower, sugar beat, and other crops are also grown. Cattle, sheep and pig breeding are now all entirely in the hands of the private sector.
Industry accounts for 53% of the total revenue from gainful employment, compared to 41.6% nationally. Production is considerable in the field of machine tool engineering (Montana, Lom, Belogradchik), and in the canning industry (Boychinovtsi, Lom, Berkovitsa).
Foreign investment, both overall and per capita, in the region falls far below the national average. The construction of the second bridge across the river Danube at Vidin - Kalafat, which forms a section of the Trans-European Corridor No. 4, should help raise investors' interest in this part of the country and should enhance its economic development. The generated GDP per capita is below the national average.
The relatively high unemployment level is above the national average and represents one of the most acute social problems. The number of those employed per 1 000 inhabitants in working age (between 15 and 65) was 508 people in 2000, less the national average (535 people in the same year). The private sector is gradually employing ever more people and currently employs 36.9% of all those employed in the region, which is above the national average (31.9%).
While the population of the region is well provided with drinking water, not all villages in the region are connected to a sewerage network. Mineral springs are among the most precious natural resources here, the spa of Varshets in the Balkan mountains being of particular importance.
In addition to a regional hospital, there are district hospitals in the rest of the municipal centres. At the end of 2002, the region counted 471 physicians, 95 dentists and 794 personnel with intermediate level of medical education and personnel graduated in medical colleges with level "specialist".
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