Dobrich

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Dobrich
Добрич
Central part of Dobrich

Coat of arms
Dobrich
Location of Dobrich
Coordinates: 43°34′N 27°50′E / 43.567°N 27.833°E / 43.567; 27.833
Country Bulgaria
Province
(Oblast)		 Dobrich
Government
 • Mayor Detelina Nikolova
Area
 • City 109.018 km2 (42.092 sq mi)
Elevation 225 m (738 ft)
Population (2012)[1]
 • City 90 375
 • Urban 112,203
Time zone EET (UTC+2)
 • Summer (DST) EEST (UTC+3)
Postal Code 9300
Area code(s) 058
Website Official website

Dobrich (Bulgarian: Добрич) is the ninth most populated city in Bulgaria, the administrative centre of Dobrich Province and the capital of the region of Southern Dobrudzha. It is located in the northeastern part of the country, 30 km west of the Bulgarian Black Sea Coast, not far from resorts such as Albena, Balchik, and Golden Sands.

Dobrich Knoll on Livingston Island in the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica is named after Dobrich. A point of interest is the Dobrich TV Tower.

Etymology

The city is named after the Bulgarian medieval lord of the surrounding region - Dobrotitsa.

History

The first evidence of settlement in what is now Dobrich dates from 4th-3rd centuries BC. Ruins from AD 2nd-4th century and 7th-11th century have also been found, including a Bulgar necropolis featuring pagan graves in the centre of the city.

During the 11th century, Pecheneg invasions devastated the interior of Dobruja, leaving many settlements in the region uninhabited at the time of the Second Bulgarian Empire.

The settlement was founded for a second time in the 16th century by the Turkish merchant Hacıoğlu Pazarcık, whose name it bore until 1882. According to Ottoman data from 1646–1650, there were over 1,000 houses in the city, about 100 shops, three inns, three Turkish baths, twelve mosques and twelve schools. From the 17th to the 19th century, the city developed as a handicraft, trade and agricultural centre, being famous for its weaving, homespun tailoring, coppersmith's trade, leather-work and agricultural products, such as wheat, linseed, wool and cheese. At the beginning of the 19th century, the city's population reached 12,000, many of whom refugees from eastern Bulgaria after the Russo-Turkish Wars. The cultural appearance of the city was also formed. The first Orthodox church was built in 1843. The city was liberated from the Ottoman Empire on 27 January 1878 and renamed Dobrich on 19 February 1882.

After the Treaty of Bucharest of 1913 (confirmed by the Treaty of Neuilly of 1919), Dobrich and the whole of Southern Dobruja were incorporated in Romania for a period until 1940. During that time, the city bore the name Bazargic, which is a transformation of the earlier Turkish name Hacıoğlu Pazarcık, and was centre of Caliacra County (judeţ in Romanian). On 25 September 1940, the Bulgarian army marched into the city after signing Treaty of Craiova on September 7, 1940; date celebrated as the city's holiday, later changed to September 25.

In 1949, during the period of Communist rule, Dobrich was renamed Tolbukhin (Толбухин) after Marshal of the Soviet Union Fyodor Tolbukhin. On 19 September 1990, a presidential decree restored the city's old name of Dobrich. Despite the renewing of the name Dobrich architecturally maintains ex-communist outlook even in 21st century.

Population

In January 2012, Dobrich was inhabited by 90 375 people within the city limits, while along with the legally affiliated adjacent villages the population was 112 203 inhabitants.[1] The number of the residents of the city (not the municipality) reached its peak in the period 1986-1991 when exceeded 110,000.[2] The following table presents the change of the population after 1887.

Dobrich
Year 1887 1910 1934 1946 1956 1965 1975 1985 1992 2001 2011
Population 10,717 17,146 > 29,938[a] 30,522 42,661 55,191 86,663 109,170 104,485 100,000 91,030
Highest number 116,066 in 1991
Sources: National Statistical Institute,[2][3] „citypopulation.de“,[4] „pop-stat.mashke.org“,[5] Bulgarian Academy of Sciences[6]
^ a. Population in 1930: 29,938[7]

Ethnic, linguistic and religious composition

According to the latest 2011 census data, the individuals declared their ethnic identity were distributed as follows:[8][9]

  • Bulgarians: 73,657 (87.5%)
  • Turks: 6,795 (8.1%)
  • Gypsies: 2,482 (2.9%)
  • Others: 528 (0.6%)
  • Indefinable: 708 (0.8%)
    • Undeclared: 6,860 (7.5%)

Total: 91,030

The percentage of Orthodox Christians, according to the 2001 census data, is 86%, whereas around 10% of the population are adherents of the Muslim faith.

Social institutions

Education

Higher Education:

There are about 30 high schools, 19 kindergartens and 3 mangers in Dobrich.

Notable natives

See also

  • List of cities in Bulgaria
  • Dobrudja

Twin cities

Gallery

  • Khan Asparuh (reign 668–695) monument, credited for establishment of the First Bulgarian Empire in 681

  • The clock tower in the "Old Dobrich"

  • A street in the "Old Dobrich"

  • The Church of St George in the centre of Dobrich, to the left is the statue of Vasil Levski by Kolyo Bogdanov

  • Dobrich park entrance

  • 130 years city park Dobrich 1997

  • The park in Dobrich (TV tower at the distance on the right)

  • The Synagogue in Dobrich

  • View of sunrise in Dobrich from apartment building.

  • Dobrich, Bulgaria, view from Hristo Botev area toward city center.

  • View from city cemetery in Dobrich, looking toward Dobrich TV tower.

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 (Bulgarian)National Statistical Institute - 2012
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 (Bulgarian)National Statistical Institute - Towns population 1956-1992
  3. ↑ (English) Bulgarian National Statistical Institute - towns in 2009
  4. ↑ (English) „WorldCityPopulation“
  5. ↑ „pop-stat.mashke.org“
  6. ↑ (Bulgarian) Bulgarian Academy of Sciences
  7. ↑ Caliacra County, as per 1930 Romanian census (Romanian)
  8. ↑ (Bulgarian) Population on 01.02.2011 by provinces, municipalities, settlements and age; National Statistical Institute
  9. ↑ Population by province, municipality, settlement and ethnic identification, by 01.02.2011; Bulgarian National Statistical Institute (Bulgarian)

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Dobrich.

Coordinates: 43°34′N 27°50′E / 43.567°N 27.833°E / 43.567; 27.833

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