The Muslim Bulgarians ( Bulgarian : Българи-мохамедани , Bǎlgari-mohamedani , as of recently also Българи-мюсюлмани, Bǎlgari-mjusjulmani , locally called Pomak , ahryan , poganets , marvak , or poturnak ) are Bulgarians who follow the faith of Islam . They are generally thought to be the descendants of the indigenous Slavs who converted to Islam during Ottoman rule. Most scholars have agreed that the Bulgarian Muslims are a " religious group of Bulgarian Slavs who speak Bulgarian as their mother tongue and do not understand Turkish , but whose religion and customs are Islamic ". Bulgarian Muslims live mostly in the Rhodopes – Smolyan Province , the southern part of the Pazardzhik and Kardzhali Provinces and the eastern part of the Blagoevgrad Province in Southern Bulgaria . They also live in a group of villages in the Lovech Province in Northern Bulgaria. The name Pomak is pejorative in Bulgarian and is resented by most members of the community, The name adopted and used instead of Pomak is Bulgarian Muslims .
27-526: Bulgarian Muslims do not represent a homogenous community and have a multitude of ethnic and religious identities. A clear majority of them (127,350 according to the latest census in 2001) declare themselves to be ethnic Bulgarians of Islamic faith. However, a significant percentage, in particular in the Central and Eastern Rhodopes (the Smolyan and Kardzhali Province ) are strongly religious and have preserved
54-682: Is a province in Southern-central Bulgaria , located in the Rhodope Mountains , neighbouring Greece to the south. It is named after its administrative and industrial centre — the city of Smolyan . The province embraces a territory of 3,192.8 km (1,232.7 sq mi). that is divided into 10 municipalities with a total population of 124,795, as of December 2009. Smolyan Province (Област, Oblast ) contains 10 municipalities (singular: община, obshtina ; plural: Общини, obshtini ). The following table shows
81-536: Is a province in Southern-central Bulgaria , located in the Rhodope Mountains , neighbouring Greece to the south. It is named after its administrative and industrial centre — the city of Smolyan . The province embraces a territory of 3,192.8 km (1,232.7 sq mi). that is divided into 10 municipalities with a total population of 124,795, as of December 2009. Smolyan Province (Област, Oblast ) contains 10 municipalities (singular: община, obshtina ; plural: Общини, obshtini ). The following table shows
108-649: Is common. For example, only one-third of the Muslim Bulgarian population of the region of Kirkovo , mostly people aged over 60, have Turkish or Arabic names. Unlike the Bulgarian Muslims in the Central and Eastern Rhodopes, who usually have a Bulgarian identity, the ones living on the western fringes of the Rhodopes (in the provinces of Pazardzhik and Blagoevgrad ) largely Identify as Turkish. For example, out of 62,431 self-declared Muslims in
135-512: Is mostly because of ethnicity most Muslims in Bulgaria have different reproductive traditions and they have a younger age structure compared to the ethnic Bulgarians which leads to higher fertility and birth rates. In provinces with large Muslim concentrations, birth rates are a little bit higher while death rates are lower than the country average. For example: Bulgaria had a total birth rate of 10.5‰ in 1992 while Muslims formed about 13 percent of
162-710: The Blagoevgrad Province in 2001, 31,857 (more than half) have opted for Turkish ethnicity although the self-declared speakers of Turkish as a mother tongue are only 19,819. Considering that mother tongue in the Bulgarian census is counted on the basis of a declaration of the respondent and not on actual proof of what language this person speaks at home and that an inquiry of the Ministry of the Interior in 1989 gave only 3,689 ethnic Turks and 56,191 Pomaks for
189-815: The Blagoevgrad Province , it is highly likely that the vast majority of the Turks in the province are actually Pomaks. A similar phenomenon exists in the Pazardzhik Province where there may be between 10,000 and 15,000 Pomaks. Almost 64% of Muslims in Bulgaria that are ethnically Turks live in Kardzhali, Razgrad, Targovishte, Shumen, Silistra, Dobrich Ruse, and Burgas. They live mostly in rural settlements. Muslims in Bulgaria that are ethnically Roma mainly live in Shumen , Sliven , Dobrich , Targovishte , Pazardzhik and Silistra . Pomak Muslims mainly live around
216-499: The Kardzhali Province (4,565 or 2.8%) and the Blagoevgrad Province (4,242 or 1.2%) is well above the national average of 0.8%. These are most likely to be Muslim Bulgarians who would have opted for another ethnicity, for example "Pomak" or "Muslim", if these were allowed as answers at the census or are unclear themselves about their own ethnic identity. Due to the multitude of different ethnic and religious identities of
243-522: The Muslim name system, customs and clothing, the Smolyan Province, which is largely populated by Bulgarian Muslims (approximately 117,000 or 71% of the population according to the Ministry of Interior in 1989), According to the 2001 census, 43 municipalities out of 262 have a Muslim majority. There were five municipalities with a Muslim population over 90 percent: Chernoochene (96.8 percent) has
270-597: The Muslim Bulgarians, it is extremely difficult to calculate the exact number of the members of the community in Bulgaria. An inquiry conducted by the Bulgarian Ministry of the Interior in 1989 estimated their number at 269,000. A summation of the different groups with different ethnic identities (approximately 130,000 Muslim Bulgarians, approximately 55,000-65,000 Bulgarians, up to 50,000 Muslim Turks, 15,000 to 20,000 undeclared) yields approximately
297-605: The Province did not declare their ethnic group at the 2011 census. In the 2001 census, 132,654 people of the population of 140,066 of Smolyan Province identified themselves as belonging to one of the following ethnic groups: In the 2001 census, 135,761 people of the population of 140,066 of Smolyan Province identified one of the following as their mother tongue (with percentage of total population): 129,181 Bulgarian ( 92.2%), 5,782 Turkish ( 4.1%), 532 Romani ( 0.4%) and 266 other ( 0.2%). Unlike Kardzhali Province where
SECTION 10
#1732764975018324-549: The Province did not declare their ethnic group at the 2011 census. In the 2001 census, 132,654 people of the population of 140,066 of Smolyan Province identified themselves as belonging to one of the following ethnic groups: In the 2001 census, 135,761 people of the population of 140,066 of Smolyan Province identified one of the following as their mother tongue (with percentage of total population): 129,181 Bulgarian ( 92.2%), 5,782 Turkish ( 4.1%), 532 Romani ( 0.4%) and 266 other ( 0.2%). Unlike Kardzhali Province where
351-501: The Rhodope Mountains, especially in the province Smolyan and the municipalities of Satovcha , Yakoruda , Belitsa , Garmen , Gotse Delchev , Ardino , Krumovgrad , Kirkovo and Velingrad . A large part of the population in those areas did not respond to the census questions which makes it difficult to calculate the exact number of Pomaks. In the municipality of Dospat for example, only 4746 people out of 9116 answered
378-512: The agriculture. In the eastern parts of the province are located more than 20 lead and zinc mines, which form one of the most extensive ore deposits in the Balkans . The dense coniferous forests are prerequisite for well-developed timber industry in Dospat , Smolyan , Devin . In Smolyan there are big plants producing machine tools and other machinery, while textile industry is mainly developed to
405-406: The agriculture. In the eastern parts of the province are located more than 20 lead and zinc mines, which form one of the most extensive ore deposits in the Balkans . The dense coniferous forests are prerequisite for well-developed timber industry in Dospat , Smolyan , Devin . In Smolyan there are big plants producing machine tools and other machinery, while textile industry is mainly developed to
432-685: The east in Nedelino , Zlatograd , Madan and Rudozem . There is also a synthetic rubber plant in Madan . Bulgaria's national observatory, Rozhen Observatory , is located near Chepelare. The primary of Media of Bulgaria has a 2-meter mirror, and is the largest observatory in SE Europe. Smolyan Province 41°40′N 24°35′E / 41.667°N 24.583°E / 41.667; 24.583 Smolyan Province ( Bulgarian : Област Смолян , Oblast Smolyan ; former name Smolyan okrug )
459-489: The highest share of Muslims, followed by Venets (95.9 percent), Satovcha (91.3 percent), Ruen (90.9 percent) and Kaolinovo (90.0 percent)(122,806 or 87.7%) and that only 58,758 people or 41.9% of the population of the province declared to profess Islam in 2001. Muslims in Bulgaria have slightly better demographic indicators compared to the Orthodox Christians in Bulgaria. The reason for this difference
486-457: The majority of the Muslim population is Turkish, the Muslim population of Smolyan Province is made up mostly of Muslim Bulgarians . The Muslim population is mainly concentrated in the municipalities Banite , Borino , Dospat , Madan and Rudozem . The Orthodox-Christians population live predominantly in the municipality of Smolyan and the municipality of Chepelare . The religious structure of
513-404: The majority of the Muslim population is Turkish, the Muslim population of Smolyan Province is made up mostly of Muslim Bulgarians . The Muslim population is mainly concentrated in the municipalities Banite , Borino , Dospat , Madan and Rudozem . The Orthodox-Christians population live predominantly in the municipality of Smolyan and the municipality of Chepelare . The religious structure of
540-446: The municipalities of Devin , Nedelino and Zlatograd is mixed with Pomaks as well as Orthodox Christians. Religious adherence in the province according to 2011 census: The economy of the province is based on tourism, mining, timber and machine industries and livestock raising. The main crops of the region are potatoes (about 30% of the national production), rye and barley; but sheep, pigs and cattle are of greater importance for
567-446: The municipalities of Devin , Nedelino and Zlatograd is mixed with Pomaks as well as Orthodox Christians. Religious adherence in the province according to 2011 census: The economy of the province is based on tourism, mining, timber and machine industries and livestock raising. The main crops of the region are potatoes (about 30% of the national production), rye and barley; but sheep, pigs and cattle are of greater importance for
SECTION 20
#1732764975018594-784: The names of each municipality in English and Cyrillic , the main town or village (towns are shown in bold), and the population of each as of December 2009. The Smolyan province had a population of 140,066 according to the 2001 census , of which 48.8% were male and 51.2% were female . As of the end of 2009, the population of the province, announced by the Bulgarian National Statistical Institute, numbered 124,795 of which 23.4% are inhabitants aged over 60 years. Total population (2011 census): 121 752 Ethnic groups (2011 census): Identified themselves: 95,175 persons: A further 26,000 persons in
621-630: The names of each municipality in English and Cyrillic , the main town or village (towns are shown in bold), and the population of each as of December 2009. The Smolyan province had a population of 140,066 according to the 2001 census , of which 48.8% were male and 51.2% were female . As of the end of 2009, the population of the province, announced by the Bulgarian National Statistical Institute, numbered 124,795 of which 23.4% are inhabitants aged over 60 years. Total population (2011 census): 121 752 Ethnic groups (2011 census): Identified themselves: 95,175 persons: A further 26,000 persons in
648-601: The people and families who converted to Islam in order to stay and avoid being deported to Bulgaria. Bulgarian historian Lyubomir Miletich wrote a book in 1918 detailing these events called the Destruction of the Thracian Bulgarians in 1913 . Smolyan Province 41°40′N 24°35′E / 41.667°N 24.583°E / 41.667; 24.583 Smolyan Province ( Bulgarian : Област Смолян , Oblast Smolyan ; former name Smolyan okrug )
675-466: The question on their religion and in the municipality of Satovcha only 9562 out of 15444 people did so. Tatar Muslims live in northeastern Bulgaria and the small Arab diaspora is based mainly in the capital, Sofia. Finally, there are those Bulgarian Muslims who have chosen not to declare their ethnicity in the 2001 Census . The percentage of undeclared in the Smolyan Province (9,696 or 6.9%),
702-730: The same number. Despite the multitude of different ethnic the predominant ethnic identity would be Bulgarian (approximately 200,000 or three-quarters of the total population) and the predominant religious identity would be Muslim. Muslim Bulgarians in the Rhodopes speak a variety of archaic Bulgarian dialects . Under the influence of mass media and school education, the dialects have been almost completely unified with standard Bulgarian among Muslim Bulgarians living in Bulgaria . Thracian Bulgarians in East Thrace in Turkey , descended from
729-630: The total population. However, in provinces with large Muslim populations the birth rate ranged from in 11.0% in Smolyan and 11.6% in Silistra to 13.1% in Razgrad (>50 percent Muslim) and 14.7% in Kardzhali (about 70 percent Muslim). A small number of Bulgarian Muslims less than 50, from the Central and Eastern Rhodopes, have converted into Orthodox Christianity or have adopted a Christian identity since 1990. The use of Bulgarian names among Muslims
#17982