PLEVEN - Geography and history
Core of Northern Bulgaria
Pleven Region is situated in the central part of Northern Bulgaria and has an area of 4 653 km2 (4.2% of the national territory). To the north, it borders the river Danube, to the east Veliko Turnovo oblast, to the south Lovech oblast and to the west Vratsa oblast. Administratively, it is divided into 11 municipalities, within which there are 124 settlements, including 14 towns.
The region extends over parts of the fertile Danube Plain and includes just the far northern reaches of the lower Balkan range. Its relief is accordingly predominantly flat. The lower streams of the rivers Iskar, Vit and Ossam flow through the region. The karst springs near the city of Pleven, the village of Bohot and elsewhere are also part of the region's water supply. The moderately continental climate is characterised by cold winters and hot summers. Humus-rich soils alternate with alluvial meadows (in the plains) and the less fertile forest soils of the lower Balkan mountains.
In ancient times this area was inhabited by the Thracian tribe known as the Myzians, which has given the name Myziya to all of Northern Bulgaria. There are numerous archaeological finds from the Roman Empire, including remains of the Roman town of Storgoziya. In the Middle Ages, Pleven and the surrounding area belonged to the Bulgarian state. Under Ottoman rule the city was an important administrative, economic and garrison town. After the liberation of Bulgaria (1878) it grew into one of the most important urban centres in the country.
Limited deposits of oil and gas have been discovered and are now being extracted. Deposits of fire- and ceramic clay and limestone have considerable economic significance.
Rich natural resources but environmental problems
Pleven Region's potential in the field of agriculture is considerable due to the right mix of climatic conditions and soil type. Industrial capacity is available and there is well-developed oil and gas extraction. As far as the region's infrastructure is concerned, it has a good road and rail network, and its villages and towns are provided with the main services.
Some of the major problems worth mentioning are air pollution in the municipality of Nikopol, due to emissions produced by the Romanian city of Turnu Magurele, and the pollution of arable land caused by oil extraction. Furthermore, the demographic structure of the population is deteriorating, and industry is operating below capacity and with a reduced workforce.
Water supply is one of the problems faced by the region, as there is a grave shortage of both drinking water and water for irrigation.
Despite these drawbacks, Pleven Region should continue to play an important role in the national economy in the future and it does possess the necessary prerequisites for further successful social and economic development.
Oil extraction and industrial-agrarian economy
The region is characterised by negative natural population growth, which in turn is also reflected in the trend towards a decrease in the size of the population of active age. In the year 2002, the population was equal to 320 327 (4.1% of the national total).
The birth rate, at 7.8 per thousand in 2002, is lower than the national average, whereas the death rate, at 17.1 per thousand the same year, is slightly higher. Infant mortality rate was of 13.9 per thousand live births in 2002.
Industry is the principal economic sector, with the main branches being oil extraction and oil processing, machine tools engineering, the canning industry, wine production, brewing, milling, tobacco processing, and ceramics, all of which are of national significance. Agriculture is well developed and includes the cultivation of cereals (wheat, maize), oil-bearing crops (sugar beet, sunflower, tobacco) and vegetables. Stockbreeding in the region is entirely in the hands of the private sector, producing dairy goods, meat and meat processing and leather goods.
In terms of foreign investment, the region ranks in 10th place and is close to the national average. Per capita GDP is slightly below the national average. In 2001, the Gross Value Added represented 3.4% of that of the country. Agriculture had a share of 25.7% while that of industry was 23.9% and the services was responsible for the remaining 50.4%.
The economic restructuring and closure of some inefficient manufacturers has resulted in an increase in the unemployment rate (18.1% in 2002), a figure which is higher than the national average of 16.8%.
The number of those employed in the region accounts for 3.9% of the national total (2002 figures), and the employment rate per 1 000 inhabitants in working age (between 15 and 65) is 36.9% while the national average is 40.3%.
Pleven Region is crossed by some of Bulgaria's most important railway and road routes, such as those to and from Varna, and Sofia. Road density at 171 km per 1 000 km2 is just below the national average.
Medical services are provided by the Higher Institute of Medicine, a regional hospital in the city of Pleven and a network of health centres and clinics. The region lags slightly behind in terms of its provision of hospital beds per 1000 inhabitants. At the first of January 2003, there were 1 152 physicians, out of which 22.4% were all-practical, 194 dentists as well as 1 889 people with intermediate level of medical education. Taken together, this represented 29% of the staff of the North Central region.
Science and higher education are served by the Higher Institute of Medicine, the Fodder Research Institute and the Research Institute on Viticulture in Pleven, as well as the Air Force Academy in the city of Dolna Mitropoliya. During the 2002/2003 school year, there were 972 students in colleges and universities, out of which 697 were at University or equivalent higher schools. Furthermore, 349 teachers were registered, representing 14% of all the teachers registered in the North Central region.
The regional centre has its own theatre, symphony orchestra, and numerous museum-related activities. In 2002, there were 13 museums, 6 cinemas and 1 theatre in Pleven.
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 111 948 of which 87% for households.
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