Provinces of Bulgaria
Since
1999,
Bulgaria has been divided into 28 provinces (
Bulgarian: singular - област, oblast, plural - области, oblasti; also translated as
regions) which correspond approximately to the 28
okrugs that existed before
1987. From
1987 until
1999 Bulgaria was divided into 9 larger oblasts.
Each oblast is named after its capital. In the case of
Sofia Oblast and Sofia City,
Sofia is the capital of both provinces, but its territory is only included in Sofia City.
The provinces are further subdivided into municipalities (община, obshtina).
In 1987, the then-existing 28 okrugs were transformed into 9 provinces. In 1999, the old okrugs were restored, but the name "oblast" was kept. The 9 big oblasts (1987-1999) are listed below, along with the 28 okrugs (before 1987) or 28 small provinces (after 1999) comprising them in brackets.
*Burgas Province (Burgas, Sliven, Yambol)
*Haskovo Province (Haskovo, Kardzhali, Stara Zagora)
*Lovech Province (Gabrovo, Lovech, Pleven, Veliko Tarnovo)
*Montana Province (Montana, Vidin, Vratsa)
*Plovdiv Province (Pazardzhik, Plovdiv, Smolyan)
*Razgrad Province (Razgrad, Ruse, Silistra, Targovishte)
*Sofia Province (Sofia City)
*Sofia Province (Blagoevgrad, Kyustendil, Pernik, Sofia Province)
*Varna Province (Dobrich, Shumen, Varna)
