Враца облысы: географиясы, халқы және экономикасы

Province of Bulgaria

Vratsa Province ( Oblast Vraca, former name Vraca okrug) is a Bulgarian province located in the northwestern part of the country, between Danube river in the north and Stara Planina mountain in the south. It is named after its main town Vratsa. As of 2016, the province has a population of 170 367 inhabitants, on territory of .

The Vratsa Province contains ten municipalities (singular: община, obshtina plural: общини, obshtini). The following table shows the names of each municipality in English and Cyrillic, the main town (in bold) or village, and the population of each as of 2016. Municipality Cyrillic Pop. BorovanБорован 5,456Borovan 2,646Byala SlatinaБяла Слатина 22,716Byala Slatina 10,282VratsaВраца 66,347Vratsa 53,860KozloduyКозлодуй 19,858Kozloduy 12,295KrivodolКриводол 9,116Krivodol 2,750MezdraМездра 19,663Mezdra 9,628MiziaМизия 6,611Mizia 2,850OryahovoОряхово 10,204Oryahovo 4,544RomanРоман 5,853Roman 2,581HayredinХайредин 4,546Hayredin 1,584

The regional road system consists of of the republican road system. Predominating are the 4th class roads. Their maintenance and control are under the responsibilities of the municipalities. The rehabilitation of these roads is a priority of the regional policy. Mezdra is a key railway station connecting the major cities in Bulgaria. The passenger's transport is ensured by 116 buses and 26 trolleys. The telecommunication network consists of 4 regional post stations Vratsa, Byala Slatina, Mezdra and Kozloduy, and 116 local post offices. They offer universal post services including express mail and international courier services EMS, SKYPAK and DHL. In the town of Vratsa there are branch offices of Mobiltel, Globul and Vivatel. The water supply system was envisaged to be improved and sewerage was mostly built, but there is a program for modernization all over the province, including the smaller villages. The nuclear power plant in Kozloduy, in the northern part of the province, is the major supplier of electricity in Bulgaria.

The administrative capital of the province is Vratsa in the southern parts, about from Sofia. The distance to the major cities is as follows: Vratsa Varna 414 km, Vratsa Plovdiv 217 km; Vratsa Pleven 108 km; Vratsa Burgas 416 km. The international road E79 passes through the province. The major European port and ferry complex Oryahovo Bechet, on the river Danube, is situated in Oryahovo municipality.

The economically active population is 48,892, employed as follows: in the services sector 27,685, in the industry 19,020, in the agriculture 2,187. The population has increased since the year 2000, and are mostly in private labour employment. The rate of unemployment is higher than the Bulgarian average, and the aim of the provincial policy is to implement programs to resolve this problem. The labour force distribution in the basic economic sectors is the following in the industry 38.9%, in the agriculture 4.5% and in services 56.6%. The decrease of the number and relative share of the employees in the public sector is matched by an increase in the private sector. The proportion of workforce in state and private sectors is 44.2% to 55.8%. The higher level of education stipulates a higher employment rate. In the province predominates the number of employees of secondary education. On the labour market, the number of specialists of higher education decreases in favour of those without education. The average salary level for the province is 297 levs.

The natural peculiarities of Vratsa Province contribute to the development of agriculture, lumber industry and electricity production. Major companies are the Kozloduy Nuclear Power Plant, of national importance; Chimco AD fertilizer factory, Beloizvorski cement cement factory and brewery; Ledenika AD joint stock company; Centromet AD centrifugal casting; Vratitsa LTD yarns, raw and finished fabrics, sewing articles; OMK Holding machining and machinery, tooling equipment, foundry, special production; Hemus M AD limestone, slabs, tiles, blocks, columns; Sunnytex AD production of household linen, weaving etc. ; Metizi AD steel wires, ropes and their products, spare parts; Variana LTD concrete articles, greyiron cast, metal safes; Enemona Holding civil engineering.

The main projects are related to the development of the transport infrastructure, water supply and sewerage, agriculture vegetables, cattle breeding, silk worm breeding, mushroom cultivation, development and strengthening of the existing industrial plants, development of alternative forms of tourism rural, ecotourism, cultural, religious, spaeology, mountaineering, hang gliding etc. The long term strategy for the regional economy is to promote small and medium enterprises as an alternative way to develop the industry.

Because of the close distance to the capital Sofia (site of the main universities in Bulgaria), only one local centre of New Bulgarian University, one pedagogical college branch of the Veliko Tarnovo University and one medical college exists in the province. The vocational schools have their main disciplines mostly in agricultural techniques, mechanics and electrotechnics, chemical technologies, civil engineering and construction, language school and mathematical secondary school. The total number of primary schools in the province is 54, 14 of them situated in the municipality of Vratsa and all state owned. There is only one private school, Europe Schools for English Language and Management.

At present, there are 15 branches of Bulgarian banks. The insurance companies have their 12 branches in the province.

The medical services are provided in 6 hospitals 2 of them in the main city of the province, Vratsa. As a result of the reforms in health care, there are also private medical services available, as well as stomatological services.

Three hotels are available within the province Valdi Palace, Hotel Tourist in the town and Vratsa, and Hotel Istar in the town of Kozloduy. In the surroundings of Vratsa 12 kilometres inside the mountain there is a modern centre for recreation with facilities such as sauna, fitness suite and others. Within the territory of the province is the Vrachanski Balkan Natural Park that offers excellent opportunities for recreation; there is Vrachanski Karst reserve, the cave Ledenika of international importance, and the Vratsa Gorge near the town of Vratsa.