Bolhrad Болград | |
|---|---|
 Transfiguration Cathedral  Bolhrad Lyceum No. 2  Monument of Bulgarian volunteers  Pushkin Park  Town hall | |
 Flag  Coat of arms | |
 Interactive map of Bolhrad | |
  Bolhrad  Bolhrad | |
| Coordinates:45°40′2″N28°36′46″E / 45.66722°N 28.61278°E /45.66722; 28.61278 | |
| 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 |
Bolhrad (Ukrainian:Болград,romanized: Bolhrad,pronounced[bolˈɦrɑd];Bulgarian:Болград,romanized: Bolgrad;Romanian:Bolgrad,Gagauz:Bolgrad) is a smallcity inOdesa Oblast (province) of southwesternUkraine, in the historical region ofBudjak. It is theadministrative center ofBolhrad Raion (district) and hosts the administration ofBolhrad urban hromada, one of thehromadas of Ukraine.[1] Population:14,818 (2022 estimate).[2]
Russian Empire (Bessarabia Governorate) 1812–1856
Principality of Moldavia 1856–1859
Romania 1859–1878
Moldavian Democratic Republic 1917–1918
Soviet Union (Ukrainian SSR) 1940–1941
Soviet Union (Ukrainian SSR) 1944–1991
Bolhrad was founded in 1821 byBulgarian settlers inBessarabia, under the direction of GeneralIvan Inzov who is "revered" by Bolhrad residents as the "Founder of Our City."[3] Bolhrad became part ofMoldavia from 1856 to 1859,Romania from 1859 to 1878, then becoming part of theMoldavian Democratic Republic, from 1917 to 1918.
Home to a significantRomanian ethnic community at that time, the citizens of Bolgrad played an important role in supportingthe unification of Greater Romania. Through cultural institutions and political activism—especially during the events of 1917–1918—Romanians from Bolgrad strongly advocated for theunion of Bessarabia with Romania, contributing meaningfully to the formation ofGreater Romania.[4] From 1918 to 1940, Bolgrad was part of theKingdom of Romania, being considered an important cultural center in the region, before occupied by theUSSR, during theOccupation of Bessarabia by the Soviet Union, then being incorporated in the territory of theUkrainian SSR, and later, after thedissolution of the sovied union, being part of independentUkraine.
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| 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 ofBessarabian Bulgarians and is considered by locals to be the unofficial capital of theBessarabian historic district ofBudjak.[citation needed]
In 1897, the linguistic make-up was 68.9% Bulgarian, 11.3% Moldavian, 7,1% Jewish, 5.0% Russian, 5,1% Ukrainian, 1.0% Turkish, and 0.8% Polish.[5]
As of the2001 Ukrainian census,Bulgarians still constitute the largest ethnic group in the city, accounting for almost half of the population. The second largest group areUkrainians, closely followed byRussians. The town also has a significantMoldovan/Romanian andGagauz population.[6][7]
| 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]
As of 1920, Bolhrad has had acoal industry.[10]
TheGeorgi Sava Rakovski Bolhrad High School founded in 1858 is the oldest high school of theBulgarian National Revival.[11][12]
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