Shumen Province

Shumen Province is a province in northeastern Bulgaria named after its main city Shumen. It is divided into 10 municipalities with a total population, as of December 2009, of 194,090 inhabitants.

Shumen • Kaspichan • Novi Pazar • Veliki Preslav • Smyadovo • Varbitsa • Kaolinovo • Hitrino • Venets • Nikola Kozlevo Municipalities within Shumen Province with their administrative centres

The Main City

The city of Shumen is famous in the region for the Monument to 1300 Years of Bulgaria. The monument is in the cubist style and is 1300 steps (each step representing a year) above the center of the town. Other places of note are the Shumen fortress, Tombul Mosque,and Shumen Plato National park. The center of the town has a historical museum, large library, and large theater. The municipality building, also in the center, has a concert hall that features regular symphony performances. Shumen is also the location of the Shumensko Brewery, a popular beer in Bulgaria. The area surrounding Shumen plays a significant part in Bulgarian History with the first and second capitols of historical Bulgaria within thirty kilometers from the city.

Population

The Shumen province had a population of 204,395 (204,378 also given) according to a 2001 census, of which 7001488000000000000♠48.8% were male and 7001512000000000000♠51.2% were female. As of the end of 2009, the population of the province, announced by the Bulgarian National Statistical Institute, numbered 194,090 of which 7001227000000000000♠22.7% are inhabitants aged over 60 years.

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

Shumen Province Year 1946 1956 1965 1975 1985 1992 2001 2005 2007 2009 2011 Population 222,141 224,705 243,416 253,437 254,884 220,320 204,395 198,106 196,559 194,090 180 528 Sources: National Statistical Institute, „Census 2001“, „Census 2011“, „pop-stat.mashke.org“,??

Ethnic groups

Ethnic groups in Shumen Province (2011 census) Ethnic group Percentage Bulgarians   59.2% Turks   30.3% Gypsies   8.2% others and indefinable   2.3%

Total population (2011 census): 180 528

Ethnic groups (2011 census): Identified themselves: 167 952 persons:

• Bulgarians: 99 446 (59,21%)
• Turks: 50 878 (30,29%)
• Gypsies: 13 847 (8,24%)
• Others and indefinable: 3 781 (2,25%)

A further 12 000 persons in Shumen Province did not declare their ethnic group at the 2011 census.

Ethnic groups according to the 2001 census, when 204 378 people of the population of 204,395 of Shumen Province identified themselves (with percentage of total population):

• Bulgarians: 123 084
• Turks:59 551
• Gypsies: 16 457

Religion

Religions in Shumen Province (2001 census) Religious group Percentage Orthodox Christian   59.1% Muslim   35.5% Protestant Christian   0.7% Roman Catholic Christian   0.2% others and indefinable   4.5%

Religious adherence in the province according to 2001 census:

Census 2001 religious adherence population % Orthodox Christians 120,787 59.10% Muslims 72,544 35.50% Protestants 1,472 0.72% Roman Catholics 386 0.19% Other 821 0.40% Religion not mentioned 8,368 4.09% total 204,378 100%

Transportation

Shumen lies on the main route between Varna and Sofia and is served by numerous trains and buses serving the city.