Velingrad Municipality

Velingrad Municipality (Bulgarian: Община Велинград) is the largest municipality in Pazardzhik Province, Bulgaria. The municipality consists of two towns, Velingrad and Sarnitsa as well as 22 villages, with a total population of 40,595.[1]

Velingrad Municipality
Country Bulgaria
ProvincePazardzhik Province
Population
 • Total40,595

The municipality of Velingrad is mostly inhabited by ethnic Bulgarians, which are Orthodox and Muslim (Pomaks) by religion.

Demographic situation

The municipality of Velingrad has relatively favourable demographic indicators compared with the rest of Bulgaria. Nevertheless, the number of births dropped sharply while the number of deaths remained fairly constant. This led to a negative natural growth rate.

PopulationLive birthsDeathsNatural growthBirth rate (‰)Death rate (‰)Natural growth rate (‰)
200043,591502495+711.511.4+0.1
200142,665454423+3110.69.9+0.7
200242,416426425+110.010.0+0.0
200342,306440478-3810.411.3-0.9
200442,029456497-4110.811.8-1.0
200541,906455481-2610.911.5-0.6
200641,899493496-311.811.9-0.1
200741,753487483+411.711.6+0.1
200841,718506482+2412.111.6+0,6
200941,613514510+412.412.3+0.1
201041,366474487-1311.511.8-0.3
201140,595462478-1611.411.8-0.4
201240,390451486-3511.212.0-0.8
201340,148415484-6910.312.1-1.7
201439,785409535-12610.313.4-3.2
201534,511354496-14210.314.4-4.1
201634,281361480-11910.514.0-3.5
201734,045357489-13210.514.4-3.9
201833,787366480-11410.814.2-3.4

Religion

According to the latest Bulgarian census of 2011, the religious composition, among those who answered the optional question on religious identification, was the following:

Religious composition of Velingrad Municipality [2]
Orthodox Christianity
 
 44.1%
Catholicism
 
 0.3%
Protestantism
 
 0.8%
Islam
 
 43.8%
No religion
 
 2.9%
Prefer not to answer, others and aindefinable
 
 8.1%

The municipality of Velingrad is nearly equally divided between believers belonging to the Bulgarian Orthodox Church and Islam. Most Christians live in the town of Velingrad, while the Muslims (mostly Pomaks) live in mountainous villages.

References
  1. Bulgarian National Statistical Institute (Dec 2011)
  2. "Religious composition of Bulgaria 2011". pop-stat.mashke.org.

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