Dobrich General Information
Dobrich district is situated in the north-east part of Bulgaria: the Danube Plain and Dobrudja. It borders with Varna, Shumen and Silistra districts. There is a direct connection to Romania (Danube River) and Black Sea. The Dobrich-Town municipality is located in the Dobrich district, which consists of eight municipalities: Dobrich-Town, Dobrich-Region, Balchik, Shabla, Kavarna, Tervel, General Toshevo and Kroushari. The municipality is situated in the Danube Hilly Plain upon the Dobrudja Plateau - 45 km away from Airport Varna and 35 km away from the Balchik Harbour.
The town of Dobrich is the second largest economic centre in Northeast Bulgaria. The municipality's territory encompasses the town of Dobrich and the "Riltsi" district with a total area of 1705 hectares.

Population

According to the data from the census of the 04.12.1992, the municipality's population numbered 119 814 inhabitants. In recent years, a lasting tendency towards a reduction of the municipality's population, which is typical of the country as a whole, affirmed itself. According to statistics, now 109 835 people live in the municipality. In terms of the age of the population, the common tendency for the country is that the portion of people 65 years old or more is growing up, while the portion of children 15 years old or less is going down – a proof of the fact that the nation is getting old.

Climate

The territory of the Dobrich municipality falls into the Temperately Continental Climatic Sub-Zone of the European Continental Climatic Zone. The average annual air temperature is 10.2°С. The absolute temperature minimum was registered in January - minus 22.7°С, and the maximum - in August and September - plus 39.1°С. The springs are comparatively cool; the autumns are warm because of the warming influence of the Black Sea. In winter the impact of the north-east air masses is more pronounced, which causes the greater differences in the thermal level through the year. The precipitation is characterized as weak - averagely 540 mm per year, with a clearly shown continental regime. The summer maximum is in June, the winter minimum - in February. 80% of the annual precipitation falls in summer. Despite the comparatively low altitude above sea level the snow-cover lasts up to 2.5 months. The northeast winter winds cause the drifting and re-laying of the snow-cover and its heaping into deep snow-drifts. The region is windy, with a low percentage of calm weather - averagely about 20% per year. The main wind transfer is from the northwest, with a high velocity of the winter winds and a low velocity of the summer winds. The average relative air humidity is 78%. In the winter period the humidity reaches 85-86%, and in summer decreases to 68-69%.

Relief

The town of Dobrich's territory is a part of the Danube Hilly Plain, which is characterized by flat and even hills, shallow and wide valleys with slanting slopes, cut through by the valley of the Suha Reka River, which passes through the town. The town of Dobrich is situated upon a plain terrain. Terrains with a favorable incline prevail - from 1.5% to 6%. The incline at some places on the slopes of the valley of the Suha Reka River in the south part of the town reaches 12-15%. The Chorcholiikite hill with a 10-12% incline of the east and the north slopes and very slanting slopes is situated northwest of the town. The slopes of the valley, which is situated eastwards of the North Industrial Zone are steeper - at some places they reach 10-15%.

History

The remains found by archaeologists testify that there was human presence on the territory of Dobrich in antiquity and early Middle Ages. The devastating Pecheneg invasions of the first third of 9 th century AD depopulated the interior of Dobrudja and the life in the settlements ceased for the whole period till the end of the 13 th century. In the 14 th century, a new settlement came into being in this crossroad area (roads from the Danube to the Black Sea and from Eastern Europe to the interior of the Balkan Peninsula passed through it). Its founder was the Turkish travelling merchant Hajioglou. In his honour and because of the important function of the town and the large food and livestock marketplace, it was named Hajioglou Pazarjik, which means "important marketplace" in Turkish. In 17 th-19th century, the town developed as a crafts, commercial and agricultural centre.
Its culture took shape, its church and educational work developed, girls' education was introduced. Its town planning started in 1869. The town was liberated from the Ottoman Yoke on 27.01.1878. It was renamed to Dobrich after the medieval Dobrudja ruler Dobrotitsa with a princely decree of 19.02.1882 (Bulgaria was a principality then). The town's development during the first decades of 20 th century was influenced by the political vicissitudes resulting from the three consecutive wars, which were led by Bulgaria. The Day of the town of Dobrich is celebrated on 25 September, because on this date in 1940 the Rumanian occupation of South Dobrudja was ended and the Bulgarian army entered Dobrich. The town bore the name of the Soviet Marshal Tolbouhin for several decades during the Communist rule. The name Dobrich was restored with a decree of the President of 19.09.1990. Now Dobrich is one of the ten largest towns in Bulgaria - an important cultural, economic and administrative centre in the northeast economic region of the country.

Dobrich Economy
Agriculture is the most developed branch of the economy. The main reason for this is the environment – climate, soils and clean lands. 81% of all the land in Dobrich is agricultural, almost 4,000,000 decares. More than 70% of it is cultivated, which makes Dobrich №1 cultivated region in the country. Farming, plant-growing and stock-breeding are the most important part of the economy in Dobrich. Dobrudja territory, called the “granary of Bulgaria” is part of the district. Some of the end products made in Dobrich are: bread and flour products, all kinds of sausages, milk and dairy products, poultry products, margarine and vegetable oils, wine, soft drinks.

The biggest bird-farm is located in the district. Other factories of great importance are the milk factory (one of the biggest factories in Bulgaria), the bread factory (one of the biggest factories in Bulgaria). Additional important products from other industries are cement factory, electric appliances, clothes, confection, furniture, car batteries, containers and many other factories from the food and beverage industry.