Veliko Tarnovo (Bulgarian: Област Велико Търново, romanized: Oblast Veliko Tǎrnovo) is a province in the middle of the northern part of Bulgaria. Its capital city, Veliko Tarnovo, is of historical significance as it was the capital of the Second Bulgarian Empire. The province is divided into ten municipalities with a total population, as of December 2009, of 275,395.
Other towns in the province include Gorna Oryahovitsa, which is within 10 km (6.2 mi) of Veliko Tarnovo, Svishtov, set on the Danube River and famous for its Tsenov Academy of Economics, and Suhindol, the hometown of Lovico — an internationally recognised label for fine wines and spirits. Another notable place is the village of Arbanasi, set between Veliko Tarnovo and Gorna Oryahovitsa. The combination of old style and modern architecture, as well as its churches and monasteries, present the spirit of Bulgaria. Real estate is among the most expensive in the country.
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Municipalities
The Veliko Tarnovo oblast contains 10 municipalities (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 December 2009.
Demographics
The Veliko Tarnovo province had a population of 293,294 (293,172 also given) according to a 2001 census, of which 48.3% were male and 51.6% were female.
As of the end of 2009, the population of the province, announced by the Bulgarian National Statistical Institute, numbered 275,395 of which 26% are inhabitants aged over 60 years.
Ethnic groups
Total population (2011 census): 258 494
Ethnic groups (2011 census):
Identified themselves: 233,992 persons:
Bulgarians: 211 353 (90,32%)
Turks: 15 709 (6,71%)
Romani: 3 875 (1,65%)
Others and indefinable: 3 055 (1,31%)
A further 25,000 persons in the Province did not declare their ethnic group at the 2011 census.
Religion
Religious adherence in the province according to 2001 census: