Montana Region is one of the 28 regions of Bulgaria. It covers
an area of 3,635.5 km² and has a population of 148,098 (2011
census). The postal codes of the settlements in the Montana
region are from 3400 (for the city of Montana) to 3699. Its
vehicle code is M.
Montana region borders Vidin, Vratsa,
Sofia region.
Berkovitsa
Balyuvitsa, Berkovitsa, Bistrilitsa, Bokilovtsi,
Borovtsi, Burzia, Gaganitsa, Zamfirovo, Komarevo, Kostentsi, Kotenovtsi,
Leskovets, Mezdreya, Poshnitsa, Perlichevo, Rashovitsa, Slatina,
Tsvetkova bara, Chereshovitsa, Yagodovo
Boychinovtsi
Beli
breg, Beli brod, Boychinovtsi, Vladimirovo, Gromshin, Erden, Kobiljak,
Lehchevo, Madan, Murchevo, Ohrid, Palilula, Portitovtsi
Broussards
Brusartsi, Bukovets, Vasilovtsi, Dondukovo, Dabova Mahala,
Kiselevo, Knyazheva Mahala, Kriva bara, Odorovtsi, Smirnenski
Wolfdrum
Botevo, Bazovets, Valchedrum, Septevriitsi, Gorni Tsiber,
Dolni Tsiber, Zlatia, Ignatovo, Mokresh, Razgrad, Cherni Vrah
Varshets
Varshets, Gorna Bela Rechka, Gorno Ozirovo, Dolna Bela
Rechka, Dolno Ozirovo, Draganitsa, Spanchevtsi, Stoyanovo, Cherkassy
George Damyanovo
Vidlitsa, Gavril Genovo, Georgi Damyanovo,
Glavanovtsi, Govedha, Diva Slatina, Dulgi del, Elovitsa, Kamenna Riksa,
Kopilovtsi, Melyane, Pomezhdin, Chemish
Scrap
Dobri dol, Dolno
Linevo, Zamfir, Kovachitsa, Lom, Orsoya, Slivata, Staliiska mahala,
Stanevo, Traikovo
Medkovets
Asparuhovo, Medkovets, Pishurka,
Rasovo, Slivovik
Montana
Bezdenitsa, Belotintsi, Dolno
Belotintsi, Blagovo, Vinishte, Virove, Voinitsi, Gabrovnitsa, Gorna
Verenitsa, Gorno Tserovene, Doctor Yosifovo, Dolna Verenitsa, Dolna
Riksa, Klisuritsa, Krapchene, Lipen, Montana, Nikolovo, Slavotin,
Smolyanovtsi, Stubel, Cold Buche , Sumer, Trifonovo
Chiprovtsi
Belimel, Gorna Kovachitsa, Gorna Luka, Zhelezna, Martinovo, Mitrovtsi,
Prevala, Ravna, Chelyusnitsa, Chiprovtsi
Yakimovo
Dolno
Cerovene, Dalgodeltsi, Komoshtitsa, Yakimovo
In the north, the district borders the Danube River and natural
conditions have been created for direct connections with Romania and the
other countries of the Danube basin. It is adjacent to the Republic of
Serbia and Sofia to the southwest, Vratsa region to the east and Vidin
region to the northwest. Montana Region consists of 130 settlements
distributed in 11 municipalities: Berkovitsa, Boychinovtsi, Brusartsi,
Valchedrum, Varshets, Georgi Damyanovo, Lom, Medkovets, Montana,
Chiprovtsi and Yakimovo. Its population is about 184,000 people.
The Ogosta, Tsibritsa and Lom rivers pass through the territory of the
district. Of the rivers that flow into the Danube, the Augusta River is
the second largest in terms of catchment area. The largest dam in
Bulgaria and one of the largest on the Balkan Peninsula - the "Ogosta"
dam - was built on the river. There are also quite a few micro-dams in
the area - 56 of them.
The climate in the district is
characterized by a cold winter, with snowfall usually in the months of
December, January and February, and a warm summer. Spring usually occurs
in the middle of March, and autumn is relatively warm and longer. One of
the highest summer temperatures in Bulgaria was recorded in the
district: 45oC in the town of Boychinovtsi.
The Montana region has a thousand-year history, with numerous
historical and cultural monuments, a clean environment and places for
recreation and tourism. The geographical position favors its development
as a transport, tourist and cultural center. South of Montana are the
remains of the Roman fortress Castra ad Montanesium. That is where the
name of the city comes from. Most of the findings that were found there
are kept in the Historical Museum of the city of Montana. Only 22 km.
west of the city is the Lopushan Monastery.
Montana Reservoir is
located south of the city and is a wonderful place for vacations,
sports, water tourism and fishing. There are numerous rest centers and
restaurants in the surrounding area. There are regular bus lines to get
there.
The mineral springs near the town of Varshets are of great
importance for the development of balneotherapy.
The Montana region is connected by rail and road transport with all
settlements in the country and border crossings in all directions. The
road network is of internal and external regional importance, with more
important roads being Lom - Montana - Sofia and Vidin - Vratsa -
Botevgrad - Sofia, as well as the international road E-79.
The
economic axis of the district is the railway. the line Sofia - Mezdra -
Vratsa - Vidin. It departs from the town of Boychinovtsi to the town of
Montana and the town of Berkovitsa, and from the town of Brusartsi to
the town of Lom.
Water transport is also an important factor in
the development of the region. The port of Lom is the second largest
port on the Danube. It is the river port of Northwestern Bulgaria and
the shortest connection between Bulgaria, Western Europe and the White
Sea. Of great economic importance is the Petrokhan Pass, through which
the shortest road from Sofia to Northwestern Bulgaria passes.