Madan, Smolyan Province Explained

Official Name:Madan
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Name:Bulgaria
Subdivision Type1:Provinces
(Oblast)
Timezone:EET
Utc Offset:+2
Timezone Dst:EEST
Utc Offset Dst:+3
Pushpin Map:Bulgaria
Pushpin Map Caption:Location of Madan, Bulgaria
Leader Title:Mayor
Postal Code Type:Postal Code
Subdivision Name1:Smolyan
Population Total:6,597
Population As Of:2019-02-28
Elevation M:851
Postal Code:4900
Area Code:0308
Coordinates:41.5°N 81°W
Leader Name:Fahri Molaysenov

Madan (Bulgarian: Мадан in Bulgarian pronounced as /mɐˈdan/) is a town in Smolyan Province, the very south of Bulgaria in the Yellow Share of the Rhodope Mountains. It is the administrative centre of the homonymous Madan Municipality. In 2019, the town had a population of 6,597.[1]

Geography

Madan is a part of Ardino Ridge, sloping down to the northeast between the rivers Arda and Varbitsa. In the central part of the Yellow Share rise the peaks Buchovitsa (1404 m), Veternitsa (1372 m) and Petrovitsa (1309 m).

The end of the ridge is Alada Peak (1241 m). From all sides the Yellow Share is separated by mountain-spurs, whose segmentations gradually slope down and vanish into the valleys of the rivers. The river system of the region is presented by the basins of the upper reaches of some of the longer rivers  - to the north the basin of the Arda River with the headers Elhovska and Chepinska Rivers.

History and population

Madan is an ancient ore-miners' settlement, the extraction of lead ore having begun around 5th-4th century BC.

Most of the town's population consists of local Pomaks and a minority of Eastern Orthodox Bulgarians.

Honour

Madan Saddle on Smith Island, South Shetland Islands is named after Madan.

External links

Notes and References

  1. Bulgarian National Statistical Institute - towns in 2009