Elena Municipality

{{other uses|Elena (disambiguation)}} {{Infobox settlement  | name = Elena Municipality | native_name = Община Елена | settlement_type = Municipality | image_shield = | image_map = Elena Municipality Within Bulgaria.png | map_caption = Elena Municipality within Bulgaria and Veliko Tarnovo Province. | subdivision_type = Country | subdivision_name = {{BUL}} | subdivision_type1 = Province {{smaller|(Oblast)}} | subdivision_name1 = Veliko Tarnovo | subdivision_type2 = Admin. centre {{smaller|(Obshtinski tsentar)}} | subdivision_name2 = Elena | timezone = EET | utc_offset = +2 | timezone_DST = EEST | utc_offset_DST = +3 | coordinates = {{coord|42|55|N|25|51|E|region:BG|display=inline,title}} | area_footnotes = | area_total_km2 = 671.39 |population_footnotes = <ref name="divisions"/> |population_as_of = December 2009 |population_total = 10,407 | population_density_km2 = auto | website = }}

'''Elena Municipality''' ({{langx|bg|Община Елена}}) is a municipality (''obshtina'') in Veliko Tarnovo Province, Central-North Bulgaria, located on the northern slopes of the central Stara planina mountain in the area of the so-called Fore-Balkan. It is named after its administrative centre, the town of Elena. It includes a territory of {{cvt|671.39|km2}} with a population of 10,407 inhabitants, as of December 2009.<ref name="divisions">{{in lang|en}} [http://www.nsi.bg/otrasalen.php?otr=53&a1=1583&a2=1584&a3=1585#cont Bulgarian National Statistical Institute - Bulgarian provinces and municipalities in 2009] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101113165626/http://www.nsi.bg/otrasalen.php?otr=53&a1=1583&a2=1584&a3=1585#cont |date=November 13, 2010 }}</ref>

The area is best known for its Bulgarian National Revival atmosphere preserved in its main town. Chumerna peak, {{cvt|1536|m}} above sea level, in the Elena-Tvarditsa range is the highest point in the province.

== Geography == Elena Municipality is situated in the Elena Balkan, {{convert|215|km}} West of Varna, {{cvt|38|km}} South of Veliko Tarnovo and {{cvt|280|km}} East of Bulgaria's capital - Sofia. The city of Elena is situated in the valley of the Elena river. The rivers Veselina, Elena, Miykovska, and Bebrovska spring from the area.

=== Flora === The flora and fauna are varied, with the most common trees being beech, oak, maple, linden, and hornbeams. Other trees often found in the area are elm, ash, cherries, pear, and sorrel.

=== Fauna === There is a large diversity of animals living in the area. Widespread deer, Red deer, and wild boar are the most common, followed by predators like foxes, jackals and less often wolves. Smaller animals are also quite common - rabbits, partridge, snipe, and doves.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Географски особености|url=https://elena.acstre.com/subsection-439-content.html|access-date=2021-02-26|website=elena.acstre.com|language=bg}}</ref>

== Settlements == {{Image label begin|image=Map of Elena municipality (Veliko Tarnovo Province).png|width=264|thumb=1|float=right|caption=Elena Municipality within Veliko Tarnovo Province}} {{Image label small|x=0.95|y=1.93|scale=100|text=13px|center'''Veliko Tarnovo'''}} {{Image label small|x=1.50|y=1.70|scale=100|text='''•'''}} {{Image label small|x=1.25|y=1.62|scale=100|text=Gorna Oryahovitsa}} {{Image label small|x=0.77|y=0.23|scale=100|text='''•'''}} {{Image label small|x=0.55|y=0.31|scale=100|text=Svishtov}} {{Image label small|x=1.95|y=2.45|scale=100|text='''•'''}} {{Image label small|x=1.85|y=2.57|scale=100|text='''Elena'''}} {{Image label small|x=2.15|y=1.45|scale=100|text='''•'''}} {{Image label small|x=1.85|y=1.37|scale=100|text=Strazhitsa}} {{Image label small|x=0.63|y=1.45|scale=100|text='''•'''}} {{Image label small|x=0.45|y=1.37|scale=100|text=Pavlikeni}} {{Image label small|x=0.32|y=1.60|scale=100|text='''•'''}} {{Image label small|x=0.27|y=1.68|scale=100|text=Suhindol}} {{Image label small|x=1.40|y=0.98|scale=100|text='''•'''}} {{Image label small|x=1.00|y=1.06|scale=100|text=Polski Trambesh}} {{Image label small|x=1.63|y=1.80|scale=100|text='''•'''}} {{Image label small|x=1.55|y=1.88|scale=100|text=Lyaskovets}} {{Image label small|x=2.00|y=2.03|scale=100|text='''•'''}} {{Image label small|x=1.93|y=2.11|scale=100|text=Zlataritsa}} {{Image label end}}

(towns are shown in bold): Population (December 2009)<ref name="statistika">{{in lang|en}} [http://www.nsi.bg/otrasalen.php?otr=53&a1=1583&a2=1584&a3=1588#cont Bulgarian National Statistical Institute - Bulgarian towns in 2009] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101113165731/http://www.nsi.bg/otrasalen.php?otr=53&a1=1583&a2=1584&a3=1588#cont |date=November 13, 2010 }}</ref><ref name="villages under 1000">{{in lang|en}} [http://www.nsi.bg/nrnm/index.php?ezik=en&f=8&s=1&date=29.12.2010&e=1&s1=4&c1=2&a1=1000&c=0 Bulgarian National Statistical Institute - Bulgarian villages under 1000 inhabitants - December 2009]</ref><ref name="Settlements 1000-5000">{{in lang|en}} [http://www.nsi.bg/nrnm/index.php?ezik=en&f=8&s=1&date=29.12.2010&e=1&s1=4&c1=3&a1=1000&c=1&s2=4&c2=2&a2=5000 Bulgarian National Statistical Institute - Bulgarian Settlements 1000-5000 inhabitants - December 2009]</ref> {{colbegin|colwidth=20em}} * '''Elena''' - '''Елена''' - 5,665 * Aplatsi - Аплаци - * Bagalevtsi - Багалевци - * Badevtsi - Бадевци - * Baevtsi - Баевци - * Bazhdari - Баждари - * Balutsi - Балуци - * Bebrovo - Беброво - * Beykovtsi - Бейковци - * Berkovtsi - Берковци - * Blaskovtsi - Блъсковци - * Bogdansko - Богданско - * Boykovtsi - Бойковци - * Bosevtsi - Босевци - * Brezovo - Брезово - * Brachkovtsii - Бръчковци - * Buynovtsi - Буйновци - * Byalkovtsi - Бялковци - * Chavdartsi - Чавдарци - * Chakali - Чакали - * Chervenkovtsi - Червенковци - * Cherni Dyal - Черни дял - * Daveri - Давери - * Daynovtsi - Дайновци - * Debeli Rat - Дебели рът - * Dobrevtsi - Добревци - * Dolni Maryan - Долни Марян - * Dolni Tanchevtsi - Долни Танчевци - * Donkovtsi - Донковци - * Draganovtsi - Драгановци - * Dragiytsi - Драгийци - * Dragnevtsi - Драгневци - * Drenta - Дрента - * Dukovtsi - Дуковци - * Darlevtsi - Дърлевци - * Gabarka - Габрака - * Ganev Dol - Ганев дол - * Glogovets - Глоговец - * Golemani - Големани - * Gorni Kray - Горни край - * Gorni Tanchevtsi - Горни Танчевци - * Gorska - Горска - * Gramatitsi - Граматици - * Gardevtsi - Гърдевци - * Harvalovtsi - Харваловци - * Hristovtsi - Христовци - * Hanevtsi - Хъневци - * Ivanivanovtsi - Иванивановци - * Ignatovtsi - Игнатовци - * Ilakov Rat - Илаков рът - * Iliyuvtsi - Илиювци - * Kamenari - Каменари - * Kantari - Кантари - * Karaivantsi - Караиванци - * Karandili - Карандили - * Kirevtsi - Киревци - * Kozhlyuvtsi - Кожлювци - * Kozya Reka - Козя река - * Kolari - Колари - * Konstantin - Константин - * Kosevtsi - Косевци - * Kostel - Костел - * Kotutsi - Котуци - * Krilyuvtsi - Крилювци - * Krumchevtsi - Крумчевци - * Lazartsi - Лазарци - * Lesiche - Лесиче - * Maysko - Майско - * Marafeltsi - Марафелци - * Marinovtsi - Мариновци - * Maryan - Марян - * Mahalnitsi - Махалници - * Miykovtsi - Мийковци - * Minevtsi - Миневци - * Mirchovtsi - Мирчовци - * Ruhovtsi - Руховци - {{colend}} == Demography == The following table shows the change of the population during the last four decades.

{{Table BG Municipality population | municipality = Elena | 1975 = 16,546 | 1985 = 14,684 | 1992 = 13,581 | 2001 = 11,342 | 2005 = 10,843 | 2007 = 10,621 | 2009 = 10,407 | 2011 = ... | ref 1 = <ref name="divisions"/> | ref 2 = <ref name="divisions census 2001">[https://web.archive.org/web/20200202022156/https://www.nsi.bg/Census2011/Census/Census.htm National Statistical Institute - Census 2001]</ref> | ref 3 = <ref name="pop-stat-divisions">[http://pop-stat.mashke.org/bulgaria-division.htm „pop-stat.mashke.org“]</ref> }}

=== Religion === According to the latest Bulgarian census of 2011, the religious composition, among those who answered the optional question on religious identification, was the following: {{bar box |width=300px |title=Religious composition of Elena Municipality <ref>{{cite web|url=http://pop-stat.mashke.org/bulgaria-religion2011.htm|title=Religious composition of Bulgaria 2011|website=pop-stat.mashke.org}}</ref> |titlebar=#ddd |bars= {{bar percent|Orthodox Christianity|blue|70.2}} {{bar percent|Catholicism|purple|0.2}} {{bar percent|Protestantism|yellow|0.5}} {{bar percent|Islam|green|17.3}} {{bar percent|No religion|red|2.7}} {{bar percent|Prefer not to answer, others and indefinable|gray|9.3}} }}

==References== <references />

==External links== * [https://web.archive.org/web/20160303215730/http://www.en.elena.bg/about/situation.htm Official website] {{in lang|en}}

Category:Municipalities in Veliko Tarnovo Province