Bosilegrad
{{Expand Serbian|topic=geo|Босилеград|date=June 2015}}
{{Infobox settlement
| native_name = {{native name|sr-Cyrl|Босилеград|italics=off}}
{{native name|bg|Босилеград|italics=off}}{{cite web|url=http://www.bosilegrad.org/sr/pdf/2019-17SSO/5.%20Statut%20opstine%20Bosilegrad.pdf |title=Статут општине Босилеград |trans-title=Municipality of Bosilegrad Statute |format=PDF |access-date=22 March 2025 |language=sr |publisher=Municipality of Bosilegrad}}
| native_name_lang = Serbia
| official_name = Bosilegrad
| other_name =
| settlement_type = Town and municipality
| image_shield = Grb Bosilegrada.png
| image_flag = Flag of Bosilegrad.svg
| image_skyline = {{Photomontage|position=center
|photo1a = Bosilegrad-house-03.jpg
|photo1b = Bosilegrad-school-3.jpg
|photo2a = Bosilegrad-entrance.jpg
|photo2b = Vasil Levski Bosilegrad.jpg
|photo3a = Bosilegrad-church-01.jpg
|photo3b = Bosilegrad-fountains.jpg
|size = 270
|spacing = 1
|color = #FFFFFF
|border = 1
|foot_montage = }}
| image_caption =
| image_map = File:Municipalities of Serbia Bosilegrad.png
| map_caption = Location of the municipality of Bosilegrad within Serbia
| mapsize =
| coordinates = {{coord|42|30|N|22|28|E|region:RS|display=inline,title}}
| subdivision_type = Country
| subdivision_name = {{flag|Serbia}}
| subdivision_type1 = Region
| subdivision_name1 = Southern and Eastern Serbia
| subdivision_type2 = District
| subdivision_name2 = Pčinja
| parts_type = Settlements
| parts_style = para
| p1 = 37
| leader_title = Mayor
| leader_name = Vladimir Zaharijev
| leader_party = To Smo Mi
| area_blank1_title = Town
| area_blank1_km2 = 18.37
| area_blank2_title = Municipality
| area_blank2_km2 = 571
| area_footnotes = {{Serbian municipalities 2006}}
| elevation_m = 696
| population_footnotes = {{Serbian census 2022}}
| population_as_of = 2022 census
| population_blank1_title = Town
| population_blank1 = 2,348
| population_density_blank1_km2 = auto
| population_blank2_title = Municipality
| population_blank2 = 6,065
| population_density_blank2_km2 = auto
| timezone = CET
| utc_offset = +1
| timezone_DST = CEST
| utc_offset_DST = +2
| postal_code_type = Postal code
| postal_code = 17540
| area_code_type = Area code
| area_code = +381(0)17
| blank_name = Car plates
| blank_info = VR
| website = {{url|www.bosilegrad.org}}
| blank_name_sec1 = Official languages
| blank_info_sec1 = Serbian together with Bulgarian
}}
Bosilegrad ({{lang-sr-cyr|Босилеград}}; {{langx|bg|Босилеград}}) is a town and municipality located in the Pčinja District of southern Serbia. The municipality comprises an area of {{convert|571|km2|sqmi|0|abbr=on}}. According to the 2022 census, the town has a population of 2,348, while the municipality has 6,065 inhabitants.{{cite web | title=2022 Census of Population, Households and Dwellings | url=https://publikacije.stat.gov.rs/G2023/PdfE/G20234001.pdf | access-date=2023-12-07}}
Along with Dimitrovgrad (Tsaribrod), Bosilegrad is an economic and cultural centre of Serbia's ethnic Bulgarian community.
History
Historically, Bosilegrad was part of Bulgaria. On May 15, 1917, Serbian paramilitaries (Chetniks) under the command of Kosta Pećanac crossed the old Bulgarian border and, as part of the Toplica Uprising, captured Bosilegrad, which they then burned. Then Pećanac and his band withdrew to Kosovo, which was controlled by the Austro-Hungarian Army.
The Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes gained some territory from Bulgaria as part of the Treaty of Neuilly-sur-Seine, following the invasion and occupation of part of the Kingdom of Serbia by Bulgaria and subsequent Allied defeat of the Central Powers in the First World War. From 1929 to 1941, it was part of Vardar Banovina. The Bulgarian army occupied Bosilegrad during the Second World War from 1941 to 1944. At the end of the Second World War, Bulgaria switched sides in the war and in October 1944 gave the occupied Western outlands back to Yugoslavia.Велизар Енчев, Югославската идея: исторически, политически и международни аспекти на доктрината за национално освобождение и държавно обединение на южните славяни, Захарий Стоянов, 2009, ISBN 9540902673, стр. 314.
Settlements
Aside from the town of Bosilegrad, the municipality consists of the following villages:
Demographics
{{Historical populations
| type =
| percentages = pagr
|1948|18816 |1953|19751 |1961|18368 |1971|17306 |1981|14196 |1991|11644 |2002|9931 |2011|8129 |2022|6,065
| source = {{cite web|title=2011 Census of Population, Households and Dwellings in the Republic of Serbia|url=http://pod2.stat.gov.rs/ObjavljenePublikacije/Popis2011/Knjiga20.pdf|website=stat.gov.rs|publisher=Statistical Office of the Republic of Serbia|access-date=11 January 2017|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714191241/http://pod2.stat.gov.rs/ObjavljenePublikacije/Popis2011/Knjiga20.pdf|archive-date=14 July 2014}}{{cite web | title=2022 Census of Population, Households and Dwellings | url=https://publikacije.stat.gov.rs/G2023/PdfE/G20234001.pdf | access-date=2023-12-07}}
}}
According to the 2022 census, the municipality of Bosilegrad has 6,065 inhabitants. Only 32.28% of inhabitants live in urban areas.{{cite web | title=2022 Census of Population, Households and Dwellings | url=https://publikacije.stat.gov.rs/G2023/PdfE/G20234001.pdf | access-date=2023-12-07}}
=Ethnic groups=
The majority of municipality's population are Bulgarians, amounting to 72.3% of total population. Other minor ethnic groups are Serbs and Roma people. The ethnic composition of the municipality:
| class="wikitable mw-collapsible" |
| Ethnic group |
|---|
| style="background:#F5F5DC;"|Bulgarians
|align="right" |
| align="right" |
| align="right" |
| align="right"|7,037
|align="right"|5,839 |align="right"|4,075 |
| style="background:#F5F5DC;"|Serbs
|align="right"|292 |align="right"|616 |align="right"|1,165 |align="right"|1,308 |align="right"|895 |align="right"|786 |
| style="background:#F5F5DC;"|Macedonians
|align="right"|58 |align="right"|49 |align="right" |
| align="right"|42
|align="right"|38 |align="right"|26 |
| style="background:#F5F5DC;"|Montenegrins
|align="right"|13 |align="right"|6 |align="right"|6 |align="right"|3 |align="right"|2 |align="right"|1 |
| style="background:#F5F5DC;"|Romani
|align="right"|13 |align="right"|10 |align="right"|3 |align="right" |
| align="right"|162
|align="right"|143 |
| style="background:#F5F5DC;"|Muslims
|align="right"|1 |align="right"|1 |align="right"|10 |align="right" |
| align="right" |
| align="right" |
| style="background:#F5F5DC;"|Yugoslavs
|align="right"|255 |align="right"|3,976 |align="right"|1,649 |align="right"|288 |align="right"|20 |align="right"|18 |
| style="background:#F5F5DC;"|Others
|align="right"|16,675 |align="right"|9,538 |align="right"|8,811 |align="right"|1,253 |align="right"|1,173 |align="right"|1,016 |
| style="background:#F0F0F0;"|Total
|align="right"|17,306 |align="right"|14,196 |align="right"|11,644 |align="right"|9,931 |align="right"|8,129 |align="right"|6,065 |
Gallery
File:Bosilegrad-view.jpg|Town of Bosilegrad
File:Bosilegrad1.JPG|Bosilegrad town street
File:Bosilegrad5.JPG|Bosilegrad town hall
File:Vasil Levski Bosilegrad.jpg|Unveiling of the monument of Bulgarian revolutionary Vasil Levski
File:Bosilegrad-school-2.jpg|School in Bosilegrad
File:Serbian-Bulgarian border at Bosilegrad.jpg|Serbia–Bulgaria State border
File:Bosilegrad-church-01.jpg|Bosilegrad Church
File:Izvora-church-02.jpg|Church in Izvor, Bosilegrad
File:Lisinsko jezero4.JPG|Lisinsko Lake in Bosilegrad
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{Commons category|Bosilegrad}}
- [http://www.bosilegrad.org Official website]
{{Pčinja District}}
{{Municipalities and cities of Southern and Eastern Serbia}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:Populated places in Pčinja District
Category:Municipalities and cities of Southern and Eastern Serbia