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Since 1999, Bulgaria has been divided into 28 provinces (Bulgarian: области, oblasti; singular област, oblast; also translated as "region") which correspond approximately to the 28 okrugs (districts) that existed before 1987. From 1987 until 1999, beginning with the Communist administration of Todor Zhivkov, the okrugs were consolidated into nine larger oblasts.^[1]

Each oblast is named after its capital. In the case of Sofia Oblast and Sofia City, Sofia is the capital of both provinces, but its territory is only included in Sofia City.

The provinces are further subdivided into 260 municipalities (община, obshtina).

Province	Population (2005)	Population growth (2004/2005)	Land area (km²)	Population density (/km²)	Municipalities
Blagoevgrad	334,907	-0.8%	6,478	51.70	14
Burgas	418,925	-0.2%	7,618	55.00	13
Dobrich	206,893	-0.8%	4,700	44.02	8
Gabrovo	135,780	-1.2%	2,053	66.96	4
Haskovo	268,335	-0.7%	4,033	66.53	11
Kardzhali	159,878	-0.7%	4,032	39.65	6
Kyustendil	154,468	-1.2%	3,027	51.03	9
Lovech	159,214	-1.3%	4,134	38.99	8
Montana	166,775	-2.0%	3,595	47.35	11
Pazardzhik	300,092	-1.0%	4,393	68.31	11
Pernik	142,251	-1.3%	2,377	59.84	6
Pleven	305,025	-1.5%	4,216	73.64	11
Plovdiv	707,570	-0.2%	5,973	118	18
Razgrad	140,743	-1.0%	2,648	53.15	7
Ruse	256,835	-0.7%	2,616	99.07	8
Shumen	199,577	-0.6%	3,365	59.31	10
Silistra	135,701	-1.3%	2,862	47.41	7
Sliven	211,005	-1.0%	3,646	47.41	4
Smolyan	133,015	-1.5%	3,532	37.66	10
Sofia (city)	1,231,622	+1.0%	1,349	913	24
Sofia (province)	262,032	-1.1%	7,277	36.01	22
Stara Zagora	362,090	-0.5%	4,959	73.02	11
Targovishte	136,806	-1.0%	2,735	50.02	5
Varna	457,922	-0.1%	3,819	120	12
Veliko Tarnovo	283,599	-0.5%	4,684	60.99	10
Vidin	117,809	-2.0%	3,071	39.11	11
Vratsa	209,124	-1.7%	4,098	51.89	10
Yambol	147,906	-1.1%	4,209	35.14	5

[edit] History

In 1987, the then-existing twenty-eight okrugs were transformed into nine large oblasts. In 1999, the old okrugs were restored, but the name "oblast" was kept. The nine large oblasts are listed below, along with the pre-1987 okrugs or post-1999 oblasts comprising them.

Provinces of Bulgaria from 1987 to 1998

1987-1999 oblasts	Comprising
Burgas	Burgas, Sliven, Yambol
Haskovo	Haskovo, Kardzhali, Stara Zagora
Lovech	Gabrovo, Lovech, Pleven, Veliko Tarnovo
Montana	Montana, Vidin, Vratsa
Plovdiv	Pazardzhik, Plovdiv, Smolyan
Razgrad	Razgrad, Ruse, Silistra, Targovishte
Sofia	Sofia City
Sofia	Blagoevgrad, Kyustendil, Pernik, Sofia
Varna	Dobrich, Shumen, Varna

[edit] See also

[edit] References

^ Government Structure of Bulgaria at countrystudies.us, a website affiliated with the Library of Congress

[0] Government Structure of Bulgaria at countrystudies.us, a website affiliated with the Library of Congress

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