| Madan, Bulgaria | |
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Madan, Bulgaria
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| Coordinates: | |
| Country | Bulgaria |
| Provinces (Oblast) |
Smolyan |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Atanas Ivanov |
| Elevation | 851 m (2,792 ft) |
| Population (2009-12-31)[1] | |
| • Total | 6,007 |
| Time zone | EET (UTC+2) |
| • Summer (DST) | EEST (UTC+3) |
| Postal Code | 4900 |
| Area code(s) | 0308 |
Madan (Bulgarian: Мадан) is a town in Smolyan Province, the very south of Bulgaria in the Yellow Share of the Rhodope Mountains. It is the administrative centre of the homonymous Madan Municipality. As of December 2009, the town has a population of 6,007 inhabitants.[1]
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Madan is a part of Ardino Ridge, sloping down to the northeast between the rivers Arda and Varbitsa. In the central part of the Yellow Share rise the peaks Buchovitsa (1404 m), Veternitsa (1372 m) and Petrovitsa (1309 m).
The end of the ridge is Alada Peak (1241 m). From all sides the Yellow Share is separated by mountain-spurs, whose segmentations gradually slope down and vanish into the valleys of the rivers. The river system of the region is presented by the basins of the upper reaches of some of the longer rivers – to the north the basin of the Arda River with the headers Elhovska and Chepinska Rivers.
Madan is an ancient ore-miners' settlement, the extraction of lead ore having begun around 5th-4th century BC.
Most of the town's population consists of local Muslim Bulgarians due to the Ottoman invasion of the late 14th century. Тhere is a minority of Eastern Orthodox Bulgarians. Part of them came as refugeees from Greece and Turkey or during the Communist period (1944–1989) to work in the mines. It is, however, important to note that Madan was fully integrated in the first and second Bulgarian empires long before the arrival of the Ottomans to this part of the Balkans.
Madan Saddle on Smith Island, South Shetland Islands is named after Madan.
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