Bolhrad

Bolhrad (Ukrainian: Болград, romanized: Bolhrad, pronounced [boɫˈɦrɑd]; Bulgarian: Болград, romanized: Bolgrad; Romanian: Bolgrad, Gagauz: Bolgrad) is a small city in Odesa Oblast (province) of southwestern Ukraine, in the historical region of Budjak. It is the administrative center of Bolhrad Raion (district) and hosts the administration of Bolhrad urban hromada, one of the hromadas of Ukraine.^[1] Population: 14,818 (2022 estimate).^[2]

Bolhrad Болград
City
Transfiguration Cathedral
Flag Coat of arms
Bolhrad Show map of Ukraine Bolhrad Show map of Odesa Oblast
Coordinates: 45°40′2″N 28°36′46″E
Country	Ukraine
Oblast	Odesa Oblast
Raion	Bolhrad Raion
Hromada	Bolhrad urban hromada
Founded	1821
Area
• Total	94 km2 (36 sq mi)
Elevation	75 m (246 ft)
Population  (2022)
• Total	14,818
• Density	160/km2 (410/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+2 (EET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+3 (EEST)
Postcode district(s)	68700—706
Area code	+380-4846

History

Historical affiliations

 Russian Empire (Bessarabia) 1821–1856
Principality of Moldavia 1856–1859
Romania 1859–1878
 Russian Empire (Bessarabia) 1878–1917
 Moldavian Democratic Republic 1917–1918
 Kingdom of Romania 1918–1940
 Soviet Union (Ukrainian SSR) 1940–1941
 Kingdom of Romania 1941–1944
 Soviet Union (Ukrainian SSR) 1944–1991
 Ukraine 1991–present

Bolhrad was founded in 1821 by Bulgarian settlers in Bessarabia, under the direction of General Ivan Inzov who is "revered" by Bolhrad residents as the "Founder of Our City."^[3] Bolhrad became part of Moldavia from 1856 to 1859, Romania from 1859 to 1878, 1918 to 1940, and 1941 to 1944, before being incorporated into the USSR (in the territory of the Ukrainian SSR), and later independent Ukraine. In 1921, there was a terrorist attack on a palace in the city.^[4]

• Images of Romanian-times Bolhrad
• 
  Transfiguration Cathedral
• 
  Bolhrad High School

Demographics

Historical population

Year	Pop.	±%
1897	12,300	—
1930	14,280	+16.1%
1941	10,713	−25.0%
2001	17,353	+62.0%
2011 (est.)	15,479	−10.8%
Source: [5]

The surrounding Bolhradsky district is predominantly populated by ethnic Bulgarians (a majority of 61%). Bolhrad itself is inhabited by a large number of Bessarabian Bulgarians and is considered by locals to be the unofficial capital of the Bessarabian historic district of Budjak.^{[citation needed]}

In 1897, the ethnic make-up, by mother tongue, was 68.9% Bulgarian, 11.3% Russian, 9.7% Jewish, 5.0% Moldavian/Romanian, 2.5% Ukrainian, 1.0% Turkish, and 0.8% Polish.^[5]

As of the 2001 Ukrainian census, Bulgarians still constitute the largest ethnic group in the city, accounting for almost half of the population. The second largest group are Ukrainians, closely followed by Russians. The towns also has a significant Moldovan and Gagauz population.^[6][7]

} Ethnic groups in Bolhrad percent Bulgarians   45.50% Ukrainians   22.58% Russians   22.51% Gagauz   3.34% Moldovans   2.48% Belarusians   0.72% Armenians   0.50% Poles   0.10% Jews   0.07% Georgians   0.06% Romanians   0.06%

According to the 2001 census, there was no language spoken by the majority of the population, which was composed of speakers of Russian (48.7%), Bulgarian (32.65%), Ukrainian (13.92%), Gagauz (2%) and Romanian (1.15%).^[8] Most ethnic Ukrainians, Bulgarians and Gagauz were native speakers of the languages of their respective groups, but most ethnic Moldovans were Russian-speakers in 2001.^[9]

Economy

As of 1920, Bolhrad has had a coal industry.^[10]

Education

Bolhrad High School

The Georgi Sava Rakovski Bolhrad High School founded in 1858 is the oldest high school of the Bulgarian National Revival.^[11][12]

Notable people

Natives

• Dimitar Grekov (1847–1901), Bulgarian politician
• Danail Nikolaev (1852–1942), Bulgarian general
• Georgi Todorov (1858–1934), Bulgarian general
• Vladimir Cavarnali (1910–1966), Bulgarian Romanian poet, journalist, and political figure
• Nicolae Văcăroiu (born 1943), former Prime Minister of Romania^[13][14][15]
• Irina Molokanova (born 1957), Transnistrian politician
• Petro Poroshenko (born 1965), fifth President of Ukraine, entrepreneur and business oligarch

Residents

• Mykola Shmatko (1943-2020), Ukrainian visual artist

References

1. "Болградская городская громада" (in Russian). Портал об'єднаних громад України.
2. Чисельність наявного населення України на 1 січня 2022 [Number of Present Population of Ukraine, as of January 1, 2022] (PDF) (in Ukrainian and English). Kyiv: State Statistics Service of Ukraine. Archived (PDF) from the original on 4 July 2022.
3. Куемжи, Мария, Болградский Историко-Этнографический Музей (Bolhrad, Odes'ka Oblast, Ukraine; Фонд им. И.Н. Инзова, 2007)
4. "Bomb in Bolgrad Palace Kills 100 Guards, Report". Chicago Tribune. 14 December 1921. Retrieved 19 January 2017.
5. Первая Всеобщая перепись населения Российской империи, 1897 г. (in Russian). Vol. III. 1905. pp. 70–73.
6. See the 2001 census results by language by city at https://datatowel.in.ua/pop-composition/ethnic-cities
7. The Ukrainian census of 2001, ethnicity/nationality data by localities, at http://pop-stat.mashke.org/ukraine-ethnic2001.htm
8. See the 2001 census results by language by locality at https://socialdata.org.ua/projects/mova-2001/
9. See the 2001 census results by language by locality at https://socialdata.org.ua/projects/mova-2001/
10. Kaba, John (1919). Politico-economic Review of Basarabia. United States: American Relief Administration. p. 27.
11. Манолова, Надя; Красимира Табакова (2008). "150 години Болградска гимназия" (in Bulgarian). Държавна агенция за българите в чужбина. Archived from the original on April 11, 2009. Retrieved 2009-10-19.
12. "Болградска гимназия „Свети свети Кирил и Методий"". Българска енциклопедия А-Я (in Bulgarian). БАН, Труд, Сирма. 2002. ISBN 954-8104-08-3. OCLC 163361648.
13. https://www.bbc.co.uk/romanian/news/story/2006/09/printable/060925_moldova_romania_ue.shtml ^{[bare URL]}
14. "Românul care a fost premier și președinte are o bătrânețe lipsită de griji. Pensia, de toată frumusețea". 10 November 2020.
15. "Nicolae Văcăroiu - Curriculum Vitae".

External links

• More about Bolhrad on the web-site of Bolhrad gymnasium