Okrug Pčinja

Пчињски округ Pčinjski Okrug
Situation in Serbia
State :	Serbia
Area :	3,520 km²
Residents :	227,690 (2002)
Capital :	Vranje

Okrug Pčinja ( Serbian Пчињски округ, Pčinjski okrug, Albanian Qarku i Pçinjës ) is an administrative district in the southeast of the Serbian heartland. The district borders on Bulgaria to the east, Macedonia to the south, Kosovo to the west and Jablanica district to the north . The main administrative seat is the city of Vranje .

The district consists of the following municipalities ( opštine ):

• Opština Vranje Main town and main administrative seat of all municipalities: Vranje
• Opština Preševo ​​Main town: Preševo
• Opština Bujanovac Main town: Bujanovac
• Opština Vladičin Han Main town: Vladičin Han
• Opština Surdulica Main town: Surdulica
• Opština Bosilegrad Main town: Bosilegrad
• Opština Trgovište Main town: Trgovište

population

According to the 2002 census, this district has a population of 227,690 and is multi-ethnic. The municipality of Bosilegrad (70.86% Bulgarians) is a center of the Bulgarian minority in Serbia. The communities Preševo ​​(89.1% Albanians) and Bujanovac (54.7% Albanians) are predominantly populated by the Albanian ethnic group. The 2011 census was largely boycotted by the Albanians. Therefore no more recent data are available on the population structure.

Population structure 1991

• Serbs = 60.4%
• Albanians = 26.5%
• Roma = 5.7%
• Bulgarians = 4.4%
• Remainder = 3%

Population structure 2002

• Serbs = 147,046 (64.58%)
• Albanians = 54,795 (24.07%)
• Roma = 12,073 (5.3%)
• Bulgarians = 8,491 (3.73%)
• Remainder = 5,285 (2.32%)

history

The cultural and historical monuments are several centuries old. The oldest military facility is a 13th century castle. Also worth seeing are the Turkish baths from the 16th century and the pasha's house from 1765, in which a primary school was opened in 1881.

economy

The economic activity in the district includes mining, construction, textile industry, foreign trade, agriculture and forestry. The best known are the furniture factory "Simpo" and the textile factory "Yumco".

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Serbia. Country information from the Federal Foreign Office, accessed on June 30, 2013.