Nova Zagora
(Bulgarian: Нова Загора) is a town located in the southeastern plains of
Bulgaria in Sliven Province. It is the administrative centre of Nova Zagora
Municipality. As of December 2009, the town has a population of 23,625
inhabitants, while the entire municipality (including surrounding villages) has
a population of 45,111.
The first
traces of life in the region date back thousands of years. Many archeological
sites are located in the region, showing settlements dating back to the Stone
Age and the Stone-Copper age (Eneolithic). The most prominent archeological
site is in the nearby village of Karanovo. The Nova Zagora Historical Museum
has many historically significant artifacts dating back to this era.
The region
is very fertile, growing a wide range of produce including grapes, sunflowers
and cereals. The municipality has a manufacturing base including machine tools
producer ZMM Ltd., agriculture equipment maker Perla Ltd., and textile
manufacturer Miroglio Ltd.
Nova Zagora
is located on the main Sofia-Plovdiv-Burgas railroad, as well as the Trakia
Highway that runs from Sofia to Burgas. It is 35 km east of Stara Zagora and 30
km west of Sliven. The Nova Zagora Municipality is part of the Sliven
administrative district.
Nova Zagora
has Roma (Gypsy) and Turkish minority. Official estimates indicate that
approximately 12 percent of the population is from these ethnic minorities,
while unofficial estimates are higher. The town suffers from high levels of
unemployment (estimated at 23 percent), and the population has been declining.
The climate
is mild, with the average winter temperature at 1.2 degrees Celsius, and the
average August temperature of 23.5 degrees.
The town
has a variety of sports facilities, including tennis, a soccer and athletics
stadium, karate and there is also a football (soccer) team called Zagorets Nova
Zagora.
