Pazardzhik District

an administrative and territorial unit in southern Bulgaria. Area, 4,400 sq km. Population, 312,000 (1972). The city of Pazardzhik is the administrative center. Much of the district is covered by mountains: the Sredna Gora in the north and the Rhodope Mountains in the south. The central section lies within the fertile upper Thracian Plain, which extends along the Maritsa River.

One of Bulgaria’s most industrially developed regions, Pazardzhik District also produces a large agricultural surplus. Electrical energy is created by the hydroelectric power plants of the Batak and Belmeken-Sestrimo systems. Copper ores are mined in the vicinity of Panagyurishte. The district’s industries produce machine tools, electronic calculating equipment, batteries, canned fruits and vegetables, and tobacco goods. Other products include timber, pulp and paper (Belovo), and textiles (Panagyurishte, Pazardzhik).

Pazardzhik District is a region of intensive agriculture, with more than one-half of the land irrigated. There are wheat and corn plantings, and vegetables are grown, primarily in greenhouses. Locally grown fruits, grapes, and tobacco are important exports. The district has balneological health resorts at Velin-grad and Bania. It also has mountain health resorts, including Iundola and Anton Ivanov.