BOURGAS - Geography and history
Southern Bulgaria's Sea Gate
The region with the city of Bourgas as its regional centre is situated in the south-east corner of Bulgaria. It is the largest of Bulgaria's 28 regions, covering an area of 7 748 km2 or 7.0% of the national territory. It borders the regions of Varna, Shumen, Yambol and Sliven, the Black Sea to the east and the Republic of Turkey to the south. The region is administered by 12 municipalities, which have 14 cities and 259 settlements. The region has a population of 421 049 inhabitants (at the end of 2002), accounting for 5.4% of the national total, which puts it in 4th place among the regions. The population density, of 54 inhabitants per km2, is well below average.
In ancient times this area was inhabited by Thracian tribes and in the 6th and 5th centuries B.C. Greek colonists founded a number of human settlements here, including Apolonia and Messemvria. Later on the Romans built the Debeltum Fortress here. Numerous mediaeval churches have been preserved in the city of Nessebar and elsewhere.
The relief features great diversity, extending over part of the Eastern Balkan mountain range, the Bourgas Lowlands and the Strandja mountain. The climate is transitory continental with a strong influence from the sea. The rivers, Luda Kamchiya, Hadjiyska, Russocastrenska, Veleka, Ropotamo, and the border river Resovska, are short and discharge into the Black Sea. There are a number of lakes as well, including the Pomoriysko, Mandrensko, Atanasovsko and Bourgas lakes. The explored mineral deposits comprise brown coal, copper, polymetallic ores, Balgarite and marble.
In the southern end of the region, as well as in the Balkan mountain range, one may find vast forests of well-preserved deciduous trees. The first nature reserve in Bulgaria, Silkosiya, is situated in the Strandja mountain.
Advantageous location and sea resorts
This part of the country is one of the most industrialised areas and is characterised by a large and diversified manufacturing potential. Some further advantages are the favourable agro-climatic and soil conditions, the availability of a skilled labour force, the existence of a duty free zone, a commercial port offering opportunities for transit freight, and the ability to attract substantial foreign investment. Conditions for the development of tourism and recreational activities are considerable. The Slanchev Bryag (Sunny Beach), Elenite, and Dyuni resorts, the cities of Nessebar and Pomorie are of national and international renown and contribute to the regional economy.
The region, and particularly the city of Bourgas, is situated at the start of the Bulgarian section of the 8th international transport corridor, giving it advantageous transport connections. The regional centre will also be the starting point of the future oil pipeline from Bourgas to Alexandropolus (Greece). These aspects will further enhance the attractiveness of the region for various forms of investment. Its geographic location offers opportunities for cross-border co-operation with countries on the Black Sea, Caspian Sea and in other regions.
Some of the regional disadvantages are the great concentration of its urban population and the rising unemployment level as a consequence of restructuring industry and agriculture. Another problem is environmental protection, particularly along the contact zone between land and sea. At that point the environment is subject to extreme overloading due to the high concentration of polluting manufacturing facilities (the petrochemical industry) as well as the operation of two harbours .
A process of depopulation is underway in some municipalities in the Balkan mountain range areas of the region, which also gives cause for concern.
From petrochemical industry to seaports
In terms of its demographic features, the birth rate, of 9.2 per thousand in 2002, is higher than the national average, whereas the death rate, of 12.8 per thousand, is lower. The share of population below the age of 25 (30% in 2002) is higher than the national average (28%), whereas the share of those above 65 is lower (15% against 17% nationally), denoting a relatively young population. The urban population accounts for 69.5% of the regional total, while 9% of the population in the region are ethic Turks, mainly in the municipalities of Aytos and Ruen.
The region is inhabited by 5.0% of the total number of those gainfully employed (in 2000). The unemployment level of 19% (2002) is over the national average.
Petrol processing is the principal industrial sector. Neftochim-Bourgas processes crude oil and part of its production output is exported. Other industrial sectors include food and beverages production, machine tool engineering (shipbuilding and ship repair) and electro-technical industry. The product line comprises ships, chemical fibre, and electro-technical components. The energy sector is represented by industrial thermal power plants and relies above all on the national grid.
Arable land accounts for 22.3% of the total area of the region (in 2002). Compared to the rest of the country, a relatively higher share of land is used for cultivating technical and cereal crops and perennial plants, and a lower share of the area is for vegetable growing and forage crops.
Road length here is 1 125 km (in 2002), giving a density of 145 km per thousand km2, which is below average. The major roads traversing the region are the Sofia-Plovdiv-Bourgas and Sofia-Karlovo-Bourgas roads and the panoramic Constantsa-Varna-Bourgas-Malko Tarnovo-Istanbul highway. Railroads connect the city of Bourgas to Sofia and inland. There is an international commercial harbour at Bourgas with a specialised crude oil port as well as an international airport. Pipelines transport natural gas to Turkey as well as to other parts of Bulgaria.
All settlements are connected to both electricity and water supplies. 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 160 364 of which 83% for households.
In addition to primary and secondary schools, Bourgas has two higher educational establishments (a university and a chemical college). During the 2002/2003 school year, there were 10 548 students in colleges and universities, out of which 90% were at University or equivalent higher schools. Furthermore, 730 teachers were registered, representing 70% of all the teachers registered in the South-East region.
Medical services are provided by several hospitals and spas. 5.0 hospital beds are available per 1 000 inhabitants. At the first of January 2003, there were 1 096 physicians, out of which 24% were all-practical, 246 dentists as well as 1 868 people with intermediate level of medical education. Taken together, this represented 54% of the staff of the South-East region.
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