HASKOVO - Geography and history
Shared border with Greece and Turkey
Haskovo region is situated in South Bulgaria, and is the only region to border both the southern neighbouring Republics of Greece and Turkey. The region has an area of 5 533 km2 or about 4.6% of the national territory, and is the country's 5th largest region. The population numbers 272 448 inhabitants (in 2002), or 3.5% of the national total. In 2002, the population density of 49.2 inhabitants per km2 was well below the national average of 70.7 per km2.
Present day Haskovo Region has been appreciated since ancient times, and traces of its rich historical past can still be found today, including the remains of a Roman villa, Armira, near Ivaylovgrad, and the mediaeval fortress Mezek.
Geographically the region covers parts of the Upper Thracian Lowlands, the Haskovo hills and parts of the Eastern Rhodopes. This determines both the flat and undulating nature of its relief.
Its transitional Mediterranean climate gives it its hot summers and mild winters as well as insufficient precipitation. The river Maritsa, the deepest Bulgarian river, cuts across the region. The mineral springs at Marichleri and Haskovski Mineralni Bani are used for spa cures. The soil consists of various types of humus soils.
The lead-zinc ore deposits at Madjarovo and the marble deposits at Topolovgrad and Ivaylovgrad are some of the region's more significant mineral resources, and some lignite coal is also extracted here.
Border location and cross-border co-operation
One of Haskovo Region's strongest assets is the intensive cross-border co-operation with the administrative units of its two southern neighbours, respectively Edrene in the Republic of Turkey and Evros County in the Republic of Greece. This involves the exchange of goods, sharing of know-how and experience in administrative management practices, environmental protection, transport and other activities. There are also two important border crossings with these two countries in the region, situated at Capitan Andreevo (Turkey) and Novo Selo (Greece).
In addition to major national highways, the trans-continental London-Calcutta highway also runs through the region.
The region has a well-developed market structure, which includes the duty free zone at the city of Svilengrad, labour and stock exchanges.
This part of the country, however, faces some problems relating to the quality of its road network in certain municipalities, the emigration of inhabitants of Turkish origin, and poor infrastructure provision in rural areas.
Depopulation, particularly in the municipality of Ivaylovgrad, and in the far southern parts of the region in the area of Sakar Mountain, is one of the most acute problems. As a consequence of this entire rural communities, especially in the border regions, are disappearing off the map of the region.
Another problem specific to Haskovo Region is the shortage of drinking water. The construction of Trakiets Dam and other watersheds is being accelerated with a view to trying to overcome this problem.
Yet a third problem of the region relates to the process of the declining capitalisation of the area. The value of the long-term material assets in the smaller municipalities shows a downward trend.
Positive developments in transport
The demographic development of Haskovo Region is similar to that of the other regions in the country. As a consequence of unfavourable demographic processes (a diminishing birth rate and rising death rate) a drop in the population has been observed in recent years.
In 2001, the Gross Value Added represented 2.6% of that of the country. Agriculture had a share of 22.3%, while that of industry was 23.4% and the services were responsible for the remaining 54.3%. Industry continues to play a leading role in the economic development of Haskovo Region. The processing industry covers a number of sectors, above all machine tool engineering and metal processing, textile and knitwear industries and food and beverages production. Characteristic features of the region are the production of nitrate fertilizers at Dimitrovgrad, machine tools and equipment for the tobacco industry at Haskovo.
Arable land accounts for 22.6% of the region's area (in 2002). Agriculture is specialised in cereals, wheat and vegetables, as well as having a good tradition of melon and watermelon production.
The employment level of the population is below the national average. The number of those employed is 385 per 1 000 inhabitants in working age (between 15 and 65) in 2002. The unemployment rate of 19.6% (in 2002) is above the average.
Future developments of the transport infrastructure include the proposed roadbeds of two international transport corridors, No. 4 and No. 9, which are scheduled to traverse its area. The international Kalotina-Sofia-Plovdiv-Svilengrad highway and the parallel railroad are the backbone of the region's transport infrastructure. The road density of 196 km per thousand km2 (in 2002) is above the national average. 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 82 946 of which 85% for households.
The social and market structure is more advanced in the cities. In this sense the cities of Haskovo and Dimitrovgrad, where a large portion of the social services are concentrated, stand out particularly.
During the 2002/2003 school year, there were 935 students in colleges and universities, out of which 82% were at University or equivalent higher schools. Furthermore, 227 teachers were registered, representing 5.5% of all the teachers registered in the South Central region.
At the first of January 2003, there were 734 physicians, out of which 24% were all-practical, 186 dentists as well as 1 363 people with intermediate level of medical education. Taken together, this represented 12% of the staff of the South Central region.
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