Towns and villages

  Towns and villages in Pernik Municipality as of October 1999  

There are 24 towns and villages in Pernik Municipality. Two of them are towns and the other 22 are villages. The “Cherna gora ” quarter was affiliated to Pernik Municipality after it was separated from the town of Batanovtsi and acknowledged as a self-contained village in 1991. So was the village of Selishten dol, which used to be a part of the Breznik Municipality. In terms of reserves of resources Pernik Municipality is among the municipalities of Category I (their number is 41). It is the 10th largest in population and the 29th largest in territory.

The settlement network spreads mainly in the flatland of the municipality and along the slopes of the mountains that surround the hollow. The average density of settlements equals the average of the country – 5 settlements per 100 square kilometres. On the average there are 20 square kilometres per settlement. The average proximity of the settlements varies from 4.7-5 to 8 kilometres. This is favourable to the formation of a vital territorial community.

In terms of urban characteristics the settlements are distributed among six categories: There is one middle-sized town – Pernik; one very small town – Batanovtsi; 3 large villages – Divotino, Dragichevo, and Studena; 5 middle-sized villages – Kladnitsa, Ljulin, Meshtitsa, Rudartsi and Jardzhilovtsi; 7 small villages – Bogdanov dol, Bosnek, Vitanovtsi, Golemo Buchino, Kralev dol, Rasnik and Cherna gora; 7 very small villages – Viskyar, Zidartsi, Leskovets, Planinitsa, Selishten dol and Tchouipetlovo. No change in the urban characteristics of the settlements in the municipality is expected in the near future.

According to administrative status, the town of Pernik functions as a regional and municipal centre. 12 villages and one town have mayoral status.

The village of Rudartsi is modelled as a country house area. It has more than 3000 temporary residents.

Because of its economic, social and infrastructure functions, Pernik Municipality plays an important part in the structure of the regional and national urban framework. It contains the larger part of the territory of Pernik Region.

There is a sufficient housing fund, and it doesn't obstruct the municipality's stable development. According to the National Statistical Institute after the 1992 census there are 42 141 housings in the municipality. The average number of inhabitants per home is 2.6 – lower than the average of the country – 2.8. This also holds for the number of households. There are 94.2 households per 100 homes while in the country as a whole their number is 98.4 per 100 homes. The number of villa-type housings has increased.

There is enough housing available for the population. Problems may arise because a substantial number of the residence buildings are obsolete and they lack construction elements for earthquake stability.

The total housing area of Pernik Municipality is 2 855 769 square meters. According to the information of 1996, the useable housing area is distributed as follows:

Residential area – 1 826 798 square meters;

Auxiliary area – 604 671 square meters;

Kitchen area 424 300 square meters;

There are 26.36 square meters of usable housing area per person, 16.86 square meters of residential area and 5.58 square meters of auxiliary area.

Average rental prices:

Rental price for municipal housing: - 0.3 leva per square meter;

Rental prices for stores:

                            Zone I – 3.0 leva per square meter.

                            Zone II – 2.5 leva per square meter;

                            Zone III – 2.0 leva per square meter;

                           Zone IV – 1.8 leva per square meter;

Village rental price for stores – 1.5 leva per square meter.