Eastern Rumelia
Which country did Sliven belong to from Jul 1877 to Sep 1885?
Sliven Sliven ( ) is the eighth-largest city in Bulgaria and the administrative and industrial centre of Sliven Province and municipality in Northern Thrace . Sliven is famous for its heroic Haiduts who fought against the Ottoman Turks in the 19th century and is known as the City of the 100 Voyvodi , a Voyvoda being a leader of Haiduts . The famous rocky massif Sinite Kamani ( Сините камъни , The Blue Rocks ) and the associated national park , the fresh air and the mineral springs offer diverse opportunities for leisure and tourism . Investors are exploring the opportunity to use the famous local wind ( Bora ) for the production of electricity . Another point of interest and a major symbol of the city as featured on the coat of arms , is the more than thousand-year-old Stariyat Briast ( Старият Бряст , The Old Elm ) , a huge Smooth-leaved Elm in the center of the city . During Ottoman rule , Turkish officials used to hang Bulgarian revolutionaries on it . Today the city is helping the tree to live on by frequent evaluations and reinforcing its base . It was elected Bulgarian tree of the year in 2013 . On 19 March 2014 the results of an online poll were revealed at a ceremony in the European Parliament . The Old Elm was voted European Tree of the Year 2014 . The city also served as an important strategic centre for the Bulgarian Army , with the headquarters of the Bulgarian Third Army located in the centre of the city , being situated relatively near to the sensitive Turkish border . Sliven Peak on Livingston Island in the South Shetland Islands , Antarctica is named after Sliven . Name . The name comes from the Slavic word sliv ( pour , confluence ) + the Slavic suffix or ending -en . In Turkish the name of the city is İslimiye , while in Greek it is Σλίβεν . Geography . Sliven is located 300 km east of Bulgarias capital Sofia , 100 km from Burgas , the countrys largest commercial port , 130 km from the border with Greece and 130 km from the border with Turkey . It is located in close proximity to the cities of Yambol and Nova Zagora . West of the city lies the so-called Peach Valley which contains large peach orchards . The city is also known for its mineral baths whose water is used to treat diseases of the liver and nervous system . The most visited geographical location and attraction in the city is the Karandila ( Карандила ) . It is a hilltop 1050m above sea level , with great sights overlooking the city . The rock formation Halkata ( Хaлката , The Ring ) is located on the Karandila . It is a rock protrusion with a peculiar hole in the center . According to myth , one would have their most sincere wish granted upon passing through the ring . Karandila is the site of the annual Karakachani festival , organized by the Federation of the Cultural and Educational Associations of Karakachans ( ФКПДК ) in Bulgaria each July . Karandila is located in the nature park Sinite Kamani ( Сините камъни ) , whose peak Bulgarka ( Българка , 1181 m. ) is the highest in the eastern Balkan mountain . Climate . Sliven Municipality is situated on the sub-Balkan plain in the zone of transitional-continental climate . In the region of Sliven , winter is mild and summer is relatively warm . Autumn is longer than spring . The local wind Bora is typical for the region . Demography . According to the Bulgarian National Statistical Institute , as of February 2011 , the total population of the Sliven Municipality is 125,268 inhabitants while 91,620 inhabitants live in the city of Sliven . The town is called the under-age mother capital of Europe , with 177 such births in 2008 . Ethnic groups . Members of the following ethnic groups are represented in the citys population : - Bulgarians : 68,853 ( 87.1% ) - Roma : 5,666 ( 7.2% ) - Turks : 2,637 ( 3.3% ) - Greeks ( Sarakatsani ) , Armenians and others : 1,388 ( 1.8% ) - Undefinable : 491 ( 0.6% ) - Undeclared : 12,585 ( 13.7% ) Total : 91,620 In Sliven Municipality , 88,750 declared as Bulgarians , 12,153 as Roma , 4,209 as Turks , and 18,641 did not declare their ethnic group . The city of Sliven , Sliven Municipality and Sliven Province have the largest number of Roma in Bulgaria . History . Remains of the oldest settlements on the territory of Sliven date back to around 6000 BCE of the Neolithic . Ruins of a Thracian settlement dating to around 5th–3rd century BCE as well as Thracian ceramics and Hellenistic coins have been discovered in the area of Hisarlaka — a small hill in Sliven . In antiquity it was known as Selymnos ( Σήλυμνος in Greek ) . The area occupied by present-day Sliven has in the past been settled by the Thracian tribes Asti , Kabileti and Seleti . These tribes held their independence until time of Philip II of Macedon and Alexander the Great who conquered them . The 2nd century BCE marked the beginning of the Roman conquests of northeastern Thracia . Sliven was conquered by Rome around 72–71 BCE when the Thracian Kabile and later Greek cities of Kabile and Apolonia are conquered . With the emergence of the Roman Empire the region of the city became part of the Thracian province of the Roman Empire . A new stage in the citys history began around 2nd-4th century . The first written records of the settlements name , Tuida/Suida/Tsuida date to this period . This name is most likely of Thracian origin . Its etymology is currently not understood . Known as İslimye by the Turks , during Ottoman rule it was a sanjak centre in first Rumelia eyalet , then Silistre ( Özi ) eyalet , Edirne vilayet , finally being for a short period a centre of a department in the autonomous province of Eastern Rumelia before its inclusion in the Principality of Bulgaria in 1885 . During the First World War it was the site of the Sliven prisoner of war camp , the largest such camp in the country . It was the place of internment for Greek and Serbian civilians and soldiers , with peak numbers of 19,000 . In more modern times , Sliven became one of the most significant cultural centres during the Bulgarian National Revival , with much of its old heritage still preserved and enriched and today offers to its citizens and visitors a lot of opportunities for cultural life . It served as the birthplace of many prominent Bulgarians who contributed to the enlightenment such as Hadzhi Dimitar , Dobri Chintulov , Evgeniy Chapkanov , Ivan Seliminski and many others . Another notable native is Anton Pann who composed the Romanian national anthem . Another notable resident is Yordan Letchkov , whose goal in the 1994 World Cup eliminated defending champion Germany . Letchkov was mayor of Sliven from 2003 to 2011 . Economy . The economy of Sliven has centered around industry since the early 19th century . In 1834 , Dobri Zhelyazkov established the first factory in Bulgarian lands , thus starting industrial development in Bulgaria . Sliven was one of the largest industrial centers in Bulgaria , playing an important role during the Bulgarian National Revival . It has long-lived traditions in textiles , machine-building , glass-making , chemical production , and the technical and food industries . Following the beginning of communist rule in Bulgaria in 1944 , most industries were nationalized and much industrial building and development was spurred . Industry continued to develop until the fall of communism , at which point much of the previously built industry stagnated ; many plants and factories were shut down and there was little development . In contemporary times , Sliven has experienced a surge in economy with increased investment , banking establishments and new industries have begun to emerge . The dairy industry , which has long been present , continues to grow and thrive . The wine industry , with companies such as Vinprom and Vini Sliven and about a dozen others , continues to grow as grapes are easily grown due to the climate conditions . In terms of heavy industry , the city produces electric lights and electrical machines . The city has also become notorious as a source of young girls who are trafficked into the sex industry . Light industry in Sliven is mostly devoted to textiles with many companies making wool clothing , socks , and food . Culture . There are many buildings in the city built in the National Revival Architecture style , including the House museum Hadzhi Dimitar . It is in the south western part of the town and shows visitors a complex of a native memorial home and an old traditional inn . The Museum collection Dobri Chintulov is on the North side of Sliven ; it was the home of the Bulgarian revival teacher and poet Dobri Chintulov . The citys main theater is located at the main city square . It is named after the Sliven native Stefan Kirov ( Стефан Киров ) who was a prominent actor and director . Transportation . There is a military airport in the town , the Sliven Airfield .