Ruse Province

Ruse Province is a province in northern Bulgaria, named after its main city - Ruse, neighbouring Romania via the Danube. It is divided into 8 municipalities with a total population, as of February 2011, of 235,252 inhabitants.

The Danube Bridge, the only bridge over the Danube in Bulgaria as of 2010, is located in the province. One of the versions of a folk song, inspired by the Ruse blood wedding, can be heard in the province.

Population

The Ruse province had a population of 266,213 (266,157 also given) according to a 2001 census, of which 7001487000000000000♠48.7% were male and 7001513000000000000♠51.3% were female. As of the end of 2009, the population of the province, announced by the Bulgarian National Statistical Institute, numbered 249,144 of which 7001258000000000000♠25.8% are inhabitants aged over 60 years.

The following table represents the change of the population in the province after World War II:

Ruse Province Year 1946 1956 1965 1975 1985 1992 2001 2005 2007 2009 2011 Population 215,361 236,117 273,226 305,722 315,762 290,800 266,213 256,835 253,008 249,144 235,252 Sources: National Statistical Institute, „Census 2001“, „Census 2011“, „pop-stat.mashke.org“,??

Ethnic groups

Ethnic groups in Rousse Province (2011 census) Ethnic group Percentage Bulgarians   81.4% Turks   13.2% Gypsies   4.0% others and indefinable   1.4%

Total population (2011 census): 235 252

Ethnic groups (2011 census): Identified themselves: 216 612 persons:

• Bulgarians: 176 413 (81,44%)
• Turks: 28 658 (13,23%)
• Gypsies: 8 615 (3,98%)
• Others and indefinable: 2 926 (1,35%)

Ethnic groups according to the 2001 census, when 266 157 people of the population of 266,213 of Rousse Province identified themselves (with percentage of total population):

• Bulgarians: 213 408
• Turks: 37 050
• Gypsies: 9 703

Religion

Religions in Rousse Province (2001 census) Religious group Percentage Orthodox Christian   80.9% Muslim   15.8% Roman Catholic Christian   0.2% Protestant Christian   0.2% others and indefinable   2.9%

Religious adherence in the province according to 2001 census:

Census 2001 religious adherence population % Orthodox Christians 215,434 80.94% Muslims 41,997 15.78% Roman Catholics 567 0.21% Protestants 482 0.18% Other 1,596 0.60% Religion not mentioned 6,081 2.29% total 266,157 100%