RAZGRAD - Geography and history
Rich in history, poor in water
This region is situated in the western part of North-eastern Bulgaria and borders the regions of Ruse, Silistra, Shumen and Turgovishte. It covers an area of 2 640 km2 or only 2.4% of the national territory. It is divided into 7 municipalities, within which there are 101 settlements. The population of the region is 143 129 inhabitants (in 2002), representing just 1.8% of the national total. Razgrad region's population density of 54.2 inhabitants per km2 is somewhat below the national average of 70.7.
The old Roman settlement of Abritus was situated in this part of the country. Razgrad town, which is now the main regional and administrative centre, was mentioned in records from the 13th century. Under Ottoman rule it developed as a centre of handicrafts, trade and administration and in 1575 it was assigned administrative functions under the name Hrusgrad. This land is among the oldest areas on which, at the end of the 7th century (681), the Bulgarian state was founded.
As throughout Northern Bulgaria, the climate is a moderately continental one with relatively long and cold winters (the lowest temperature of -28.6oC was measured here in January 1993) and hot summers (the highest temperature ever recorded in Bulgaria, 40.6oC, was measured here in July 1916). Summer heat and insufficient precipitation lead to drought. There is a water shortage and it is only the Belli Lom River that carries a steady flow of water. This was the reason for the construction of numerous dams, the largest of which is Beli Lom. There are also 40 protected nature sites within the region. The region extends over the eastern parts of the hilly Danube plain, making its relief somewhat undulating.
Minerals and migration
The region possesses rich deposits of kaolin, clay, quartz sand and limestone. These will continue to form the core of its industrial production for some time in the future, serving as they do as the basis for the region's china, faience and glass industries. One of the first enterprises to be privatised in Bulgaria after 1990, the Maize Works, is situated in the city of Razgrad and has had Belgian capital invested in it. A number of pharmaceutical companies are also present in the region.
At the same time, the unemployment rate is high and there is a trend towards depopulation of rural areas. The deteriorating economic situation and resulting migration of younger people has overwhelmed the region's positive reproduction capacity (due to its age structure) in recent years, resulting in a negative demographic balance.
In addition to this, the region suffers from a water shortage because of the absence of larger rivers and the abundance of karst (limestone) terrain where surface water is scarce since rainfall disappears into the permeable bedrock. Underground water is also quite limited, therefore water has to be extracted by drilling wells at great depth, resulting in higher costs for supplying water.
Pharmaceutical industry, glass and faience
In terms of its ethnic composition, the region is inhabited by Bulgarians and Turks in almost equal proportions (47%), with the rest of the population comprising mainly gypsies. Infant mortality, at 17.6% (in 2002), is above the Bulgarian average. The region is slightly less urbanised than others, as only 43.7% of the population live in towns. Per capita GDP here is below the national average although, more positively, the per capita amount of foreign investment puts it in 7th place among the 28 regions.
One of the biggest pharmaceutical companies in Europe is situated in the city of Razgrad (manufacturing antibiotics and other medicines). The manufacture of flat glass, china and faience products is another characteristic feature of local industry in Razgrad region.
Arable land accounts for 57.7% of the total area (in 2002), and cereals, oil-bearing crops (such as sunflowers), tobacco, sugar beet and fodder crops are grown here. Vegetables are grown mainly in the valley of the Belli Lom River, while vineyards and orchards predominate in the areas situated higher above sea level. In addition to the large poultry farms in the city of Zavet and the village of Kichenitsa, apiculture is another production line developed locally.
An overall road network of 489 km gives an above-average density of 185.2 km per 1 000 km2 (in 2002). The region is traversed by the oldest railroad in Bulgaria, running from Ruse to Varna. 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 46 285 of which 86% for households.
There is one college and 105 schools of varying academic levels During the school year 2002/2003, there were 117 students and 37 teachers in the colleges of the district.
Medical services are provided by three hospitals and 109 polyclinics. There are 6 hospital beds per 1 000 inhabitants, below the Bulgarian average. At the end of 2002, the region counted 327 physicians, 63 dentists and 663 personnel with intermediate level of medical education and personnel graduated in medical colleges with level "specialist".
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