President of the Community of Madrid

The president of the Community of Madrid is the highest-ranking officer of the Autonomous Community of Madrid and the head of the executive branch. The office is currently held by Isabel Díaz Ayuso of the People's Party.
Origins and election.
In the process of the democracy restoration in Spain between 1975–1978, the nationalist and regionalist parties pressed to grant home rule to parts of Spain. Finally, the Constitution stated that any province or group of provinces could form an autonomous community and thus be granted partial home rule. The Autonomous Community of Madrid (Spanish "Comunidad Autónoma de Madrid") was created in 1982, and since then regional elections are held every 4 years.
The citizens of the Autonomous Communities of Spain do not elect a person for presidency of their community: but rather they elect the regional legislature, and that legislature elects the regional president. A candidate needs a majority (that is supposed to be loyal to him/her during the whole term) to be elected, but the top-voted party can be denied the right to form the government. This situation, though infrequent in nationwide elections, often happens in local/regional legislatures throughout Spain: the most usual coalition is between the Socialist Party (PSOE) and the United Left (IU).
In Madrid, such a coalition was formed in the 2nd term, in which the incumbent Socialist Joaquín Leguina obtained the most vote but not a majority, once more in the 3rd term, allowing him to remain in office even after having obtained fewer votes than the People's Party (PP), and once more in the 6th term, by the PSOE candidate Rafael Simancas. However, this last coalition ultimately failed due to the dissidence of two PSOE Assembly Members, which denounced the pact with IU as being too wide and unrepresentative of the people's will due to the planned power balance. Elections were repeated after a few weeks and Partido Popular won, then by absolute majority.
Since then, the People's Party victories by absolute majority were repeated in 2007 and 2011's regional elections. After the resignation of President Esperanza Aguirre, nominally due to personal matters in late 2012, her deputy president Ignacio González held the post. The People's Party obtained the most votes in 2015 but lost its absolute majority. Its candidate Cristina Cifuentes was invested president after an agreement with Citizens.
She was replaced by her deputy Ángel Garrido when she resigned after evidence of both a fake master's degree and petty shoplifting came out.
List of officeholders.
Governments:


Ioannina (regional unit)

Ioannina () is one of the regional units of Greece.
It is part of the region of Epirus. Its capital is the city of Ioannina. It is the largest regional unit in Epirus, and one of the largest regional units of Greece, with a population of 167,901 people, according to the 2011 census.
Geography.
Ioannina borders Albania in the north, and the regional units of Kastoria in the northeast, Grevena and Trikala in the east, Arta in the southeast, Preveza in the south and Thesprotia in the southwest and west.
Ioannina is a mountainous region, dominated by the Pindus mountains, that cover the eastern part of the regional unit. The main subranges of the Pindus are from north to south: Gramos, Smolikas (2,637 m, the highest of the Pindus), Tymfi, Lygkos, Lakmos and Athamanika. The lower Xerovouni mountains are situated in the south, and the Tomaros in the southwest.
Lake Pamvotida is the largest lake of Epirus. Several major rivers have their source in the Ioannina regional unit, including Aoös, Arachthos and Acheron.
History.
The area of the present regional unit of Ioannina joined Greece in 1913, after the First Balkan War.
Administration.
The regional unit Ioannina is subdivided into 8 municipalities. These are (number as in the map in the infobox):
Prefecture.
Ioannina was established as a prefecture in 1915 (). As a part of the 2011 Kallikratis government reform, the regional unit Ioannina was created out of the former prefecture Ioannina. The prefecture had the same territory as the present regional unit. At the same time, the municipalities were reorganised, according to the table below.
Provinces.
"Note:" Provinces no longer hold any legal status in Greece.
Tourism.
The prefecture of Ioannina, like most of the Greek mainland, is not as popular as the islands among tourists. However, besides the city Ioannina, there are a number of attractions in the area, including:
Sports.
Ioannina has a major football team, that is named PAS Giannina. There are minor sports teams throughout the prefecture:


Kymenlaakso

Kymenlaakso (literally "Kymi Valley") () is a region in Finland. It borders the regions of Uusimaa, Päijät-Häme, South Savo and South Karelia and Russia (Leningrad Oblast). Its name means literally "The Valley of River Kymi". Kymijoki is one of the biggest rivers in Finland with a drainage basin with 11% of the area of Finland. The city of Kotka with 51,000 inhabitants is located at the delta of River Kymi and has the most important import harbour in Finland. Other cities are Kouvola further in the inland which has after a municipal merger 81,000 inhabitants and the old bastion town Hamina.
Kymenlaakso was one of the first industrialized regions of Finland. It became the most important region for paper and pulp industry in Finland. Since the late 1900s many plants have closed, which has caused some deindustrialization, unemployment and population decline in Kymenlaakso, especially in those communes that were built around plants such as Myllykoski in Kouvola.
Historical provinces.
"For history, geography and culture see: Uusimaa, Karelia and Tavastia"
Municipalities.
The region of Kymenlaakso is made up of six municipalities, of which three have city status (marked in bold).
Kotka-Hamina Sub-region:
Kouvola Sub-region:
Former municipalities:
Politics.
Results of the 2019 Finnish parliamentary election in Kymenlaakso:


Province of Catanzaro

The province of Catanzaro (; Catanzarese: ) is a province of the Calabria region of Italy. The city Catanzaro is both capital of the province and capital of the region of Calabria. The province contains a total of 80 municipalities ("comuni"). Its provincial president is Sergio Abramo.
It contains the Isthmus of Catanzaro between Sant'Eufemia and the Gulf of Squillace. It borders the provinces of Crotone (formed from it in 1996), Cosenza, Reggio Calabria, and Vibo Valentia, and it also borders the Ionian and Tyrrhenian seas to the east and west, respectively.
History.
After the last ice age, stone age hunter-gatherers lived in this area. By about 3,500 BC they had turned to farming and started settling in villages. In the ninth and eighth centuries BC, Greeks began colonising the coastal regions of Calabria, calling the area Magna Graecia. They brought with them their Hellenic civilization and the olives, figs and vines that are cultivated in the province today.
By the third century BC, the Greeks were conquered by tribes from northern Italy, including a branch of the Samnites called the Bruttii. They established their sovereignty over present day Calabria and founded new cities, including their own capital "Consentia", now known as Cosenza. After their victory in the Pyrrhic War (280–275 BC), the Romans occupied Calabria, and the region remained under their control until the fifth century AD.
After the Visigoths overthrew the Romans, there followed an unsettled period for Calabria. However, by the middle of the sixth century, the Byzantine Empire was in control of southern Italy. The city of Catanzaro was founded by the Byzantines during the tenth century. The city, atop a hill above the Gulf of Squilis, was named "Katanrzarion" or "Catasarion" as these derive from the Greek words for "terrace" and "under"; terrace farming took place in the province. The city was fortified in 1055 and a castle was constructed; this allowed it to resist French invasion attempts lasting four months in 1528.
The area of the plateau of La Sila towards the Ionian Sea was settled by immigrants from Albania in the period 1448–1535. They formed an ethnic minority and created the communities known as Sila Greca (Greek Sila).
Geography.
The province of Catanzaro is one of the five provinces in the region of Calabria. To the south and east, the province has a coastline on the Ionian Sea, and to the northwest, a coastline on the Tyrrhenian Sea. The Province of Cosenza lies to the north and the Province of Crotone to the east. To the south west lie the provinces of Vibo Valentia and Reggio Calabria. The provincial capital as well as the capital of the region is the city of Catanzaro.
The province occupies both sides of the Calabrian Apennines and has a total area of . The central part of the province is the isthmus of Catanzaro, a long narrow valley of , connecting the north and south parts of the coastline, the Gulf of Squillace and the Gulf of Saint Euphemia; it is the narrowest part of the whole Italian peninsula. Other parts of the province are mostly mountainous, with steep sided valleys formed by short rivers. The River Ampollino on the boundary with the Province of Crotone is impounded to form the Ampollino Lake.
The eastern part of the province forms part of the high plateau of La Sila, about above sea level, which covers around of territory along the central part of Calabria. The highest point is Botte Donato, which reaches . There are large numbers of lakes surrounded by dense coniferous forests. The province includes much of the Sila National Park, a wild area with rough grassland and forests of pine, oak, beech and fir.
In the province of Catanzaro, between San Floro and Cortale, the ancient tradition of sericulture is still kept alive, thanks to young generations.
Economy.
Manufacturing.
The province of Catanzaro boasts a great tradition in the textile manufacturing, especially silk. Recently, several young people have given new life to this activity, developing sustainable and solidarity economy projects. In fact, among the municipalities of Girifalco, San Floro and Cortale, sericulture is still practiced, the breeding of silkworms combined with the cultivation of mulberry trees.
Tiriolo and Badolato are known above all for the manufacturing of the “vancale”, the typical Calabrian shawl, made of wool or silk, worn by women in ancient times on traditional costumes during the dance of tarantella, or as an ornamental decoration of the houses.
Typical in Tiriolo is also the manufacturing of carpets, linen and broom fibers, bobbin lace making, embroidery, precious ceramics, furnishing objects and artistic sculptures. The artistic production of weaving is also active in other centers such as in Platania and Petrizzi where once hemp fibers were also produced.
In Soveria Mannelli, Lanificio Leo, the oldest textile factory in Calabria founded in 1873, is still active. The factory still retains majestic and evocative tools dating back to the late nineteenth century.
The traditional production of artistic ceramics dating back to the Magna Graecia period is handed down in the ancient center of Squillace.
The small town Serrastretta, a green village in the woods of Presila, is famous for its wood production, in particular for its chairs characterized by a very original straw.
Sellia Marina, on the other hand, is known for its blown glass manufacturing.
Among many craftsmen there are also those of wrought iron, who work brass, pewter, tin to make balconies, railings, gates, oil lamps, candelabra and plates. Also worth mentioning are the goldsmiths and silversmiths who shape the foils and use the burin to produce earrings, jewels, necklaces, pendants often referring to ancient styles.
Transport.
The main transport hub of the province is the central town of Lamezia Terme, located beside the A2 Salerno-Reggio Calabria Motorway. From here, the SS.288 State Route runs to Catanzaro. The town is on the main line leading from Reggio Calabria to Naples, and is a major terminal for goods traffic. Secondary branch lines connect to Catanzaro and Crotone. Near Lamezia Terme is the principal airport of Calabria, the Lamezia Terme International Airport.


Estremoz

Estremoz () is a municipality in Portugal. The population in 2011 was 14,318, in an area of 513.80 km². The city Estremoz itself had a population of 7,682 in 2001. It is located in the Alentejo region.
History.
The region around Estremoz has been inhabited since pre-historic times. There are also vestiges of Roman, Visigoth and Muslim occupation.
During the Reconquista, Estremoz was captured in the 12th century by the army of knight Geraldo Sem Pavor ("Gerald the Fearless"), who had also conquered neighbouring Évora. However, Estremoz was soon retaken by the Moors and only in the mid-13th century was it reconquered by the Portuguese King Sancho II.
An important strategic site between the Kingdoms of Portugal and Castile, Estremoz received a charter (fuero) in 1258 from Afonso III after the Moors were driven out a second time, which promoted Christian colonization in the area. King Dinis rebuilt the castle as a royal palace, further promoting the area. His widow, Dowager Queen Elizabeth of Portugal, died in Estremoz castle on July 4, 1336, shortly after mediating a peace treaty between her son Alfonso IV of Portugal and grandson Alfonso XI of Castile. Her grandson Pedro I of Portugal died in the Franciscan monastery at Estremoz in 1367. During the 1383–1385 Crisis, Nuno Álvares Pereira established his headquarters in Estremoz, then defeated the Castilian forces at the Battle of Atoleiros.
During the Portuguese Restoration War (1640–1668), Portuguese forces (including from Estremoz) defeated the Castilians in the nearby and decisive Battles of Ameixial (1663) and Montes Claros (1665).
Geography.
Administratively, the municipality is divided into 9 civil parishes ("freguesias"):
Economy.
Together with the two other marble towns, Borba and Vila Viçosa, Estremoz is internationally known for its fine to medium marble that occurs in several colours: white, cream, pink, grey or black and streaks with any combination of these colours. Especially the pink marble (Rosa Aurora and Estremoz Pink) is in high demand.
This marble has been used since Antiquity as a material for sculpture and architecture. The first exports in Roman times were probably for the construction of the Circus Maximus of Emerita Augusta, in modern-day Spain. The Portuguese navigators exported this marble to Africa, India and Brazil. The marble from this region was used in famed locations such as the Monastery of Jerónimos, the Monastery of Batalha, the Monastery of Alcobaça and the Tower of Belém.
There is so much marble around Estremoz that it is used everywhere; even the doorsteps, pavements and the cobble stones are made out of marble. This marble is even converted into whitewash for painting the houses.
Portugal is the second largest exporter of marble in the world, surpassed only by Italy (Carrara marble). About 85% of this marble (over 370,000 tons) is produced around Estremoz.
In the quarries marble blocks are cut from the rock with a diamond wire saw, a durable steel cable with a series of circular diamond beads. The initial conduit for the wire is made by drilling a horizontal hole and a vertical hole of which the ends meet exactly inside the rock. The wire saw may need a day to cut through the marble. The Estremoz marble has been designated by the International Union of Geological Sciences as a Global Heritage Stone Resource.


List of regions of the United Kingdom by GRP

This article lists the gross regional product (GRP) of regions of the United Kingdom, defined as Level 2 regions of the Nomenclature of Territorial Units for Statistics (NUTS 2), in nominal values. Values are shown in euros in the original source. For comparison, all figures are converted into pounds sterling and US dollars according to annual average exchange rates. All values are given in millions, and converted values are rounded to the nearest whole number.


Ruse Province

Ruse Province ( or Rusenska Oblast , former name Ruse okrug) is a province in northern Bulgaria, named after its main city - Ruse, neighbouring Romania via the Danube. It is divided into 8 municipalities with a total population, as of February 2011, of 235,252 inhabitants.
The Danube Bridge, one of only two bridges opened over the Danube, is located in the province. One of the versions of a folk song, inspired by the Ruse blood wedding, can be heard in the province.
Municipalities.
The Ruse province (, "oblast") contains eight municipalities (, "obshtina"; plural , "obshtini"). The following table shows the names of each municipality in English and Cyrillic, the main town (in bold) or village, and the population of each as of December 2009.
Population.
The Ruse province had a population of 266,213 (266,157 also given) according to a 2001 census, of which were male and were female.
As of the end of 2009, the population of the province, announced by the Bulgarian National Statistical Institute, numbered 249,144 of which are inhabitants aged over 60 years.
The following table represents the change of the population in the province after World War II:
Ethnic groups.
Total population (2011 census): 235 252
Ethnic groups (2011 census):
Identified themselves: 216,612 persons:
Ethnic groups according to the 2001 census, when 266,157 people of the population of 266,213 of Rousse Province identified themselves (with percentage of total population):
Religion.
Religious adherence in the province according to 2001 census:


Province of Biella

The Province of Biella () is a province of Italy located in Piedmont. It was created in 1992 and its capital is the city of Biella.
It has an area of , and a total population of 178 551 (1-1-2017). There are 82 "comuni" (singular: "comune") in the province .
The main "comuni" by population are:
Culture.
Sacro Monte di Oropa.
Biella is home to the Sacred Mountain of Oropa, which became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2003.


Province of Brindisi

The Province of Brindisi () is a province in the Apulia region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Brindisi. It has an area of and a total population of 401,652 (2013).
Geography.
The Province of Brindisi is situated in southeastern Italy, extending for , the second smallest province in the region after the Province of Barletta-Andria-Trani. It was established in 1927 from the ancient Terra d'Otranto. With the Adriatic Sea to the east, it is bordered to the north by the Province of Bari, on the west by the Province of Taranto and to the south-east by the Province of Lecce. The northern, central and western parts are hilly with much woodland, with the Murgia hills of particular note, while to the north-west, bordering on the provinces of Taranto and Bari, it is lower-lying, with the Itria Valley (Valle d'Itria). The maximum height reached within the province is above sea level, near Selva di Fasano. The other peaks are slightly lower and are all located in the north-central area. The coastline in the province is long, partly rocky, with many alternating stretches of sandy beaches, small harbours and bays. To the south it is essentially flat and widely used for crops.
The province, according to the Geological Map of Italy, prepared by the Geological Survey of Italy, is composed of various types of land: in the central-southern area there is a predominance of dolomitic limestone (present generally in the inhabited zone from the plateau of the Murgia), small eluvial deposits, sand, clay, grey silted marshes (around Francavilla Fontana, Oria and San Donaci), chalk and limestone, including firm bioclastic limestone and chalky sandstone.
In the north-central part, particularly Bari and Mola, the limestone stems from the Late Cretaceous, and deposits of limestone and sandstone date back to the Pleistocene. There are no significant rivers, because of the karst terrain, but there are many springs that gush out producing little streams. As for waterways, the longest is the Canale Reale, which flows into the territory of Villa Castelli, bordering Francavilla Fontana, and flows into the Natural Reserve of Torre Guaceto. Along the coast, in addition, there are numerous ponds and small freshwater lakes, fed by underground aquifers.
Demography.
In 1861, the province had a total population of 114,790 which grew steadily until 2001 when there were 402,422 inhabitants. It has been more or less static since 2002 when there were 401,534 inhabitants, rising to 403,163 in 2010 but falling again to 401,867 in 2011. In 2010, only 7,437 foreigners (1.8% of the total) resided in the province.
Main communes.
There are 20 comunes (Italian: "comuni") in the province:
Economy.
Surrounded by vineyards, artichoke and olive groves, the city of Brindisi is a major sailing port for the southern part of Italy. In modern times, the province has experienced a process of change in its economic structure, with a progressive decrease in the weight of industry and growth of the tertiary sector. A significant increase in tourism, due to a good infrastructure has been witnessed, as well as the growth of its artistic and culinary assets.
In 2011, the principal sectors of activity in the province were commerce (30%), agriculture (27%) and construction (13%), together representing 70% of the economy. The number of enterprises rose to a peak of 38,435 in 2005 but thereafter fell to 37,304 in 2011. Of these, 8,453 were active in agriculture, mainly in crop production with small percentages in the areas of livestock, agricultural support and mixed farming.
Main sights.
In addition to Brindisi, Oria, with its 13th century castle built by Frederick II, is one of the province's main attractions. Ostuni, still protected by its town walls, is noted for its citadel, its cathedral and numerous mansions.


Phocis

Phocis (, , ) is one of the regional units of Greece. It is part of the administrative region of Central Greece. It stretches from the western mountainsides of Parnassus on the east to the mountain range of Vardousia on the west, upon the Gulf of Corinth. It is named after the ancient region of Phocis, but the modern regional unit also includes parts of ancient Locris and Doris.
Geography.
Modern Phocis has an area of 2120 km² (819 mi²), of which 560 km² (216 mi²) are forested, 36 km² (14 mi²) are plains, and the remainder is mountainous. The massive ridge of Parnassus (2,459 m/8,068 ft), which traverses the heart of the country, divides it into two distinct portions. The neighbouring prefectures are Aetolia-Acarnania to the west, Phthiotis to the north and Boeotia to the east. It also shares a tiny border with Evrytania. Much of the south and east are deforested and rocky and mountainous while the valley runs from Itea up to Amfissa. Forests and green spaces are to the west, the central part and the north.
Its reservoir is the Mornos Dam on the Mornos river. It covers nearly 1 km to 3 km². It was completed in the 1960s, and GR-48 was extended to pass through the dam.
The roads of Phocis are:
Administration.
Prefecture.
The prefecture of Phocis was formed in 1947 from the previous Phthiotis and Phocis Prefecture. As a part of the 2011 Kallikratis government reform, a new regional unit Phocis was formed from the 1947 prefecture Phocis () without a change of territory.
Municipalities.
In 2011 the regional unit Phocis was subdivided into 2 municipalities according to the table below.
Former provinces.
The pre-2011 municipalities had been organized into two provinces:
These were abolished. Provinces no longer hold any legal status in Greece.
People.
Modern Phocis was inhabited by several Greek tribes since antiquity, mainly by Phocians, Locrians and Dorians, which were intermingled and formed the present-day Phocian population, with a unique linguistic and cultural heritage, frequently mentioned as Roumeliotes.
Population statistics.
With a population of 40,343 (2001), it is one of Greece's least populous regional units, and has a population density of 19 persons per km² (49/mi²). In the summer months, the population nearly doubles due to the influx of tourists.
Most of the villages are in the south, the southeast and the east, especially in the areas between Amfissa and Itea. The north and the west are the least populated.
Sporting teams.
Here are the most popular sporting teams in the prefecture. All of the teams are under the Phocis Football Clubs Association in which it existed since 1985 after the separation and dissolution of the Phocis-Phtiotis Football Guild Union.


Development regions of Romania

The development regions of Romania (Romanian "Regiunile de dezvoltare ale României") refer to the eight regional divisions created in Romania in 1998 in order to better co-ordinate regional development as Romania progressed towards accession to the European Union. The development regions correspond to NUTS II-level divisions in European Union member states. Despite becoming increasingly significant in regional development projects, Romania's development regions do not actually have an administrative status and do not have a legislative or executive council or government. Rather, they serve a function for allocating European Union PHARE funds for regional development, as well as for collection of regional statistics. They also co-ordinate a range of regional development projects and became members of the Committee of the Regions when Romania joined the EU on January 1, 2007.
List.
There are 8 development regions in Romania, which (with the exception of București-Ilfov) are named by their geographical position in the country:


Kyustendil Province

Kyustendil Province (, trl "Oblast Kyustendil") is a province in southwestern Bulgaria, extending over an area of (constituting 2.7% of the total territory of the Republic of Bulgaria), and with a population of 163,889. It borders on the provinces of Sofia, Pernik, and Blagoevgrad; to the west, its limits coincide with the state borders between Bulgaria and North Macedonia, and between Bulgaria and the Republic of Serbia. The administrative center of the Province is Kyustendil.
Geography.
The region features diverse surface relief — fertile valleys and canyons, separated by hillocks and mountains. The northern and western parts of the territory form the so-called "Kyustendilsko kraishte" (Kyustendil Cornerland) and include parts of the cross-border Milevska, Chudinska, Zemenska and — to the east — Konyavska mountains. To the south, the Kyustendilsko kraishte reaches as far as the valleys of the Dragovishtitsa and Bistritsa rivers, as well as the Lisets mountain. The southern part of the region includes massifs of the Osogovo, Vlahina and northwestern Rila mountains, embracing the Kamenitsa, Kyustendil and Dupnitsa lowerlands.
The region is divided in two under-districts: Kyustendil in west and Dupnitsa in east. In Dupnitsa region there are the geographic areas of Gorno pole (Upper field), Dolno pole (Lower field), and the area Razmetanitsa where the Emperor Samuil of Bulgaria killed his brother Aron and his family.
The region abounds with granites, clays, fossils, and ores. Polymetal ores are excavated in Osogovo; brown coals in the Bobov dol mines. Clays deposits are located at the villages of Chetirtsi, Yahinovo and Dragovishtitsa. The region, however, is most famous for its numerous mineral water springs: hot mineral water springs in Kyustendil, Sapareva banya, the villages of Nevestino and Chetirtsi. A marvel of nature, found in the region are the Stobski piramidi (Stob pyramids).
For the most part, the climate is transcontinental, but at higher altitudes it is mountainous. The main drainage river is Struma whose subsidiaries are the Treklyanska, Dragovishtitsa, Bistritsa, Slokoshtitsa, Novoselska, Dzherman and Rila rivers. Subterranean water levels are relatively high. Near the village of Kamenichka Skakavitsa, the Golemi dol river forms a 70-meter-high waterfall. The Dyakovo, Bersin, Drenov dol and Bagrentsi artificial lakes (dams) are chiefly used for irrigation purposes. Soil composition is most favorable for the traditionally developed fruit-growing.
Forest vegetation is mostly deciduous, although coniferous forests are present. The Gabra natural reservation (area: 89,5 metric hektars) houses the last remaining black-pine trees.
Administration.
The region of Kyustendil includes nine municipalities with 182 settlements. The regional administrative center is the town of Kyustendil situated in its southwestern part: the Kyustendil lowerland. The town serves as the administrative center of the municipality of Kyustendil (with an area of , this municipality represents 30,2% of the total territory of the Region), with a population of 73 346, of whom 51 300 are residents of the town area. Four main transport routes pass through Kyustendil: from North Macedonia on the Skopie-Sofia high-way; from Serbia on the Niš-Bosilegrad-Kyustendil highway; through Dupnitsa and Kyustendil passes the oldest commercial road that for centuries has linked Constantinople and the Adriatic Sea. Kyustendil has managed to preserve is historical, ecological and cultural heritage. It is a contemporary Bulgarian administrative center, whose future is mostly seen in the development of cultural tourism, and modern rehabilitation resort centers by the hot mineral water springs.
The surrounding region is like an untapped national park. Wander through green lanes past medieval houses and barns and discover stunning landscapes. Plenty of fishing, walking, trekking, 4*4 country, hunting, with clear air and a fantastic climate.
Municipalities.
The Kyustendil province (област, "oblast") contains nine municipalities (singular: община, "obshtina", plural: общини, "obshtini"). The following table shows the names of each municipality in English and Cyrillic, the main town (in bold) or village, and the population as of 2009.
Population.
Kyustendil province had a population of 135,664 according to the 2011 census, of which were male and were female.
The following table represents the change of the population in the province after World War II:
Ethnic groups.
Total population (2011 census): 136 686<br>
Ethnic groups (2011 census):
Of 130,615 persons:
Ethnic groups in the province according to 2001 census:
Most of the Gypsies live within the city limits of Kyustendil, the provincial center of Bulgaria with largest concentration of Gypsies, where they are 5,179, constituting 12.2% of the population. Most of the rest are to be found in the second largest city of Dupnitsa, where they are 2,333.
Language.
Mother tongues in the province according to 2001 census:
Religion.
Religious adherence in the province according to 2001 census:


Province of Ragusa

The Province of Ragusa (; Sicilian: Pruvincia 'i Rausa) was a province in the autonomous region of Sicily in southern Italy, located in the south-east of the island. Following the abolition of the Sicilian provinces, it was replaced in 2015 by the Free municipal consortium of Ragusa. Its capital is the city of Ragusa, which is the most southerly provincial capital in Italy.
Geography.
From Scoglitti to Pozzallo, the Ragusan coastline is approximately long. Along the Ragusan coast are many fishing villages such as Kaukana, Punta Secca, Marina di Ragusa and Marina di Modica. The Hyblaean Mountains are dominating the north of the province and its highest peaks are Monte Lauro, Monte Casale and Monte Arcibessi. The rivers of the province are the Irminio, Dirillo and Ippari and the only lake in the province is the Lago di Santa Rosalia along the course of the Irminio river. The skyline of Ragusa is punctuated by the towers, domes and cupolas of the many churches for which the province is known. The area is mostly unspoilt, as during the 19th century and early 20th century there was large migration from Ragusa to the more prosperous areas of Italy and abroad.
It has an area of and a total population of 321,192 (2017). There are 12 comunes (Italian: "comuni") in the province , see Comunes of the Province of Ragusa. By population, they are:
Economy.
Parts of the province have changed dramatically in the late 20th and early 21st centuries, largely due to tourism. However, others are relatively unchanged from pre-industrial times. Main productive activities can be found in the towns of Ragusa and Pozzallo, where the two major industrial areas are located. The west and south of the province are mainly dedicated to the intensive farming in greenhouses and the local vegetables leave from the "Market of Vittoria" to be exported to all of Europe making the province of Ragusa one of the biggest producers of greenhouse produce. In the areas around Ragusa and Modica cattle farming is at the highest levels in the region for milk, dairy and meat production. Tourism has now replaced the fishing industry as the principal source of employment along the coast.
Main sights.
Baroque.
The cities of Ragusa, Modica and Scicli contain many examples of baroque architecture and from 2002 are part of the World Heritage. The main monuments are:


County Westmeath

County Westmeath (; or simply ) is a county in Ireland. It is in the province of Leinster and is part of the Midlands Region. It originally formed part of the historic Kingdom of Meath. It was named Mide because the kingdom was located in the geographical centre of Ireland (the word Mide meant 'middle'). Westmeath County Council is the administrative body for the county, and the county town is Mullingar. At the 2016 census, the population of the county was 88,770.
History.
Following the Norman invasion of Ireland, the territory of the Gaelic Kingdom of Meath formed the basis for the Anglo-Norman Lordship of Meath granted by King Henry II of England to Hugh de Lacy in 1172. Following the failure of de Lacy's male heirs in 1241, the Lordship was split between two great-granddaughters. One moiety, a central eastern portion, was awarded to Maud (de Geneville) as the liberty of Trim; the other moiety, comprising north-eastern and western portions, went to Maud's sister Margery (de Verdun) and in 1297 became the royal county of Meath. The liberty and royal county were merged in 1461. While the east of the county was in the English Pale, the west was Gaelicised in the fourteenth century and outside the control of the sheriff of Meath.
As a part of the better administration of the newly established Kingdom of Ireland, the Parliament of Ireland passed the Counties of Meath and Westmeath Act 1543, the eastern portion retaining the name Meath and the western portion called Westmeath.
Geography and political subdivisions.
Westmeath is the 20th largest of Ireland's 32 counties by area and the 22nd largest in terms of population. It is the sixth largest of Leinster's 12 counties in size and eighth largest in terms of population. The Hill of Uisneach in the barony of Moycashel is sometimes regarded as the notional geographical centre of Ireland although the actual geographic centre of Ireland lies in neighbouring County Roscommon. The summit of Mullaghmeen is the highest point in County Westmeath. At just 258 metres this makes it the lowest county top in Ireland.
Local government and politics.
The head office of Westmeath County Council is located in Mullingar. There are currently 20 councillors. The three electoral areas of Westmeath are Athlone (7 seats), Mullingar-Coole (7 seats) and Mullingar-Kilbeggan (6 seats). The Local Government (Ireland) Act 1898, provided the framework for the establishment of County Councils throughout Ireland. The first meeting of Westmeath County Council was held on 22 April 1899.
Demography.
Westmeath's population growth has been stronger than the national average. After the Great Famine, the population of Westmeath declined dramatically. It stabilised in the middle of the 20th century, and has continued to grow. Westmeath's proximity to Dublin, with good motorway facilities and frequent rail service, has made commuting popular.
County Westmeath's population fell in the century following the Great Famine, with many leaving for better opportunities in America.
The largest town in the county is Athlone, followed by the County town Mullingar. Westmeath is the largest county by population in the Irish Midlands. Important commercial and marketing centres include Moate, Kilbeggan, Kinnegad, Ballinahown, Delvin, Rochfortbridge, Killucan and Castlepollard. According to the 2011 census, 51.9% of Westmeath households have at least one Irish speaker.
Westmeath is one of the few counties in Ireland where some census records from 1841 are still available. Some of the records of that census have been digitised and maintained by the National Archives of Ireland.
As of the 2016 census, Westmeath had a population of 88,770, consisting of 44,082 males and 44,668 females. The Central Statistics Office also said that despite the overall increase in population, the rural population had still fallen (2016 census).
Economy.
Initially, development occurred around the major market centres of Mullingar, Moate, and Kinnegad. Athlone developed due to its military significance, and its strategic location on the main Dublin–Galway route across the River Shannon. Mullingar gained considerable advantage from the development of the Royal Canal. The canal facilitated cheap transport of produce to Dublin, Britain and Europe. Athlone and Mullingar expanded further with the coming of the Midland Great Western Railway network in the nineteenth century.
Tourism in Westmeath is generally based on its many water amenities. The county lakes include Lough Derravaragh, Lough Ennell, Lough Owel, Lough Lene, Lough Sheelin and Lough Ree. Both the Grand Canal, and the Royal Canal flow through Westmeath, and the River Shannon (Ireland's key tourism waterway) has a modern inland harbour in Athlone.
In 2017 the largest employment sectors within Westmeath were:
Two major "Greenway" projects are intended to improve cycling facilities. The Athone - Mullingar section of the Dublin – Galway Greenway, along the old railway corridor between Athlone and Mullingar, was constructed in 2015.
The Royal Canal Greenway takes tourists from the county boundary to Mullingar, and then on towards Longford. Those wishing to use the Dublin-Galway Greenway can transfer from the Royal Canal route to the old rail corridor onwards towards Athlone.
The development of industry in Westmeath has been mainly based on food processing and consumer products. Whiskey is distilled in Kilbeggan and tobacco is processed in Mullingar. The county has an extensive beef and dairy trade. In recent times, the manufacturer Alkermes has located in Athlone. The eastern part of the county is home to commuters, many of whom work at the technology parks on the western side of Dublin.
Mullingar is renowned for the high quality of its beef and veal. Weaned cattle from the west of the Shannon are fattened for market on the lush grasslands of Meath and Westmeath. The cattle are also used to maintain grassland to help sustain wildlife in the areas fringing the Bog of Allen.
Westmeath is home to many stud farms. The plains of Westmeath, covered in calcium-rich marl, contribute significantly to calcification of foal bones during their formative years. Westmeath mares are usually put into foal in spring to facilitate summer growth. Pregnancy lasts for approximately 335–340 days and usually results in one foal. Horses mature when they are around four years old.
Railways.
Westmeath also has railway infrastructure with a number of trains passing through towns in the county. The Dublin–Westport/Galway railway line runs through the county, with services from Dublin Heuston to Galway/Westport/Ballina inter-city train service stops at Athlone, while the Dublin-Sligo railway line service stops at Mullingar. The line from Athlone via Moate railway station to Mullingar could be reopened for trains from Galway to Dublin Connolly. Other major infrastructural projects and plans for the county include Transport 21.
Road transport.
Roads are of good quality in the county. As part of the Transport 21 infrastructure programme undertaken by the government, both the N4 and N6 roads have been upgraded to motorway or dual carriageway standard. All towns that these roads passed through are now bypassed, such as Mullingar, Athlone, Moate and Kinnegad. Both Dublin and Galway are within commuting distance from Westmeath following the completion of the M6 motorway in December 2009.
Sport.
Westmeath is an active sporting county. The Westmeath GAA senior football team won the Leinster Senior Football Championship, the Delaney Cup, in 2004. They also won the National Football League Division 2 in 2001, 2003 and 2008. The Westmeath senior hurling team has enjoyed much recent success winning the Christy Ring Cup in 2005, 2007 and 2010.
Athlone Town F.C. have won the League of Ireland Championship on two occasions, in 1980 and 1982, and the FAI Cup in 1924.
Westmeath Ladies won the 2011 All-Ireland Intermediate Football Championship.
Athlone Institute of Technology boasts a €10 million international athletics arena, which opened in early 2013. The International Arena has a footprint of 6,818m2 and an overall building floor area of 9,715m2. Some 850 tonnes of structural steel and fifty thousand concrete blocks went into the construction of the facility, which can house two thousand spectators.
Westmeath Snooker Ranking Tournaments officially recognised by The Republic of Ireland Billiards & Snooker Association are organised and run by St Mary's Snooker Club Bishopgate Street Mullingar. The Ranking events in Junior, Intermediate and Senior events are:
People.
Notable Westmeath natives include:


Freiburg (region)

Freiburg is one of the four Regierungsbezirke of Baden-Württemberg, Germany, located in the south-west of the country. It covers the Black Forest ("Schwarzwald") hills as well as the Rhine valley. It is sub-divided into the three regions ("Regionalverband") Hochrhein-Bodensee, Schwarzwald-Baar-Heuberg and Südlicher Oberrhein.
Economy.
The Gross domestic product (GDP) of the region was 86.9 billion € in 2018, accounting for 2.6% of German economic output. GDP per capita adjusted for purchasing power was 35,300 € or 117% of the EU27 average in the same year. The GDP per employee was 97% of the EU average.


Province of Latina

The Province of Latina () is an area of local government at the level of province in the Republic of Italy. It is one of five provinces that form the region of Lazio. The provincial capital is the city of Latina. It is bordered by the provinces of Frosinone to the north-east and by the Metropolitan City of Rome Capital to the north-west.
It has an area of and a population of 561,189 (2012). There are 33 "comuni" (singular: "comune") in the province
Sub-divisions of the province.
The most populous "comuni" are:
History.
The province of Latina was founded on 18 December 1934, encompassing mainly the drained areas of the Agro Pontino previously part of the province of Rome. Apart the Pontine lands, it includes the Aurunci, Lepini and Ausoni mountain ranges, as well as the Pontine islands archipelago. The port of Gaeta and Formia, in the southernmost part of the province, belonged traditionally and linguistically to Campania.
Geography.
Although the smallest of the provinces in the Lazio region, the province of Latina includes a variety of geographical and historical areas.
Hill and mountain areas.
The mainland area is, in the south- and north-eastern part, mostly occupied by limestone hills and mountains. Ranges include the Lepini, Aurunci, Ausoni. The highest elevation is that of Monte Petrella (Aurunci). The climate is semi-continental with hot summers and cold winters; temperatures rarely fall below . The mountains are characterized by small medieval settlements ("borghi") and traditionally live of cattle raising and agriculture; however, these activities saw a marked decline in recent times, and today workers usually commute daily to work in Rome or Latina.
Tourism is an increasing interesting resource, attracted especially by the uncontaminated nature and by artistic traces of the Middle Ages (Abbeys of Valvisciolo and Fossanova, where St. Thomas Aquinas died). The main centres of this area are Cori, Sezze, and Priverno.
Agro Pontino.
The Agro Pontino occupies the plain extending southwards from Aprilia to Terracina, along the Tyrrhenian Sea. Until the 1930s, it was covered by unhealthy marshes, which were dried up under Fascist government; the area as subsequently settled by immigrants coming from north-eastern Italy, in newly built cities like Sabaudia or Latina itself. The sole mountain peak is that of Circeo promontory. The climate is mild. The Agro Pontino is the most economically developed part of the province, housing a flourishing agricultural sector and numerous service firms and industries. It also houses much of the water basins of the province, like the coast Lakes of Fogliano, Caprolace, and Paola.
Apart the capital, the main cities include Cisterna di Latina, Terracina, Sabaudia.
Formia and Gaeta.
Cities rich of ancient and medieval history, Gaeta and Formia were traditionally part of the Kingdom of Naples. They belonged to the Campania region until 1934. Traces of the different cultural milieu can be identified in the costumes and, most of all, in the local dialect, a variant of Neapolitan. Formia and Gaeta constitutes a single metropolitan area with an important port (with connection to the Pontine Islands), a station on the main railway line Rome-Naples. Other important centres include Sperlonga and Minturno.
Pontine Islands.
Once mainly used as penitentiaries, the Pontine Islands are now a renowned tourist resort in summer. The only inhabited islands are Ponza and Ventotene.


Central Transdanubia

Central Transdanubia () is a statistical (NUTS 2) region of Hungary. The capital is Székesfehérvár. It is part of Transdanubia (NUTS 1) region. Central Transdanubia includes counties of Fejér, Komárom-Esztergom, and Veszprém.


Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania


North Ostrobothnia

North Ostrobothnia (; ) is a region of Finland. It borders the Finnish regions of Lapland, Kainuu, North Savo, Central Finland and Central Ostrobothnia, as well as the Russian Republic of Karelia.
Municipalities.
The region of North Ostrobothnia is made up of 30 municipalities, of which 11 have city status (marked in bold).
Koillismaa sub-region:
Nivala–Haapajärvi sub-region:
Oulu sub-region:
Oulunkaari sub-region:
Raahe sub-region:
Siikalatva sub-region:
Ylivieska sub-region:
Politics.
Results of the 2019 Finnish parliamentary election in North Ostrobothnia:


Trentino

Trentino () officially the Autonomous Province of Trento, is an autonomous province of Italy, in the country's far north. The Trentino and South Tyrol constitute the region of Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol, an autonomous region under the constitution. The province is composed of 177 "comuni" (municipalities). Its capital is the city of Trento. The province covers an area of more than , with a total population of 541,098 in 2019. Trentino is renowned for its mountains, such as the Dolomites, which are part of the Alps.
Etymology.
The province is generally known as Trentino. The name derives from Trento, the capital city of the province. Originally, the term was used by the local population only to refer to the city and its immediate surroundings. Under former Austrian government, which began in the 19th century (previously Trentino was governed by the local bishop), the common German name for the region was "Welschtirol" () or "Welschsüdtirol" (‘Italian South Tyrol’), or just "Südtirol", meaning South Tyrol with reference to its geographic position as the southern part of Tyrol.
The corresponding Italian terms were "Tirolo Meridionale," that was historically used to describe the wider southern part of the County of Tyrol, specifically Trentino and sometimes also today's South Tyrol, or "Tirolo Italiano". In its wider sense, "Trentino" was first used around 1848 in an article by a member of the Frankfurt National Assembly; it became a popular term among leftist intellectual circles in Austria.
Since the new 1972 autonomous status, the administrative name of the province is "Autonomous Province of Trento" (, ).<ref name="Official Journals of the Provincia autonoma di Trento/Autonome Provinz Trient">Official Journals of the Provincia autonoma di Trento/Autonome Provinz Trient: No. 1 (2002) , No. 17 (2003), No. 23 (2003), No. 39 (2003) , No. 45 (2006) No. 20 (2007) and No. 25 (2007) </ref>
History.
The history of Trentino begins in the mid-Stone Age. The valleys of what is now Trentino were already inhabited by man, the main settlements being in the valley of the Adige River, thanks to its milder climate.
In the early Middle Ages, this area was included within the Kingdom of Italy and the March of Verona. In 1027, the Bishopric of Trent was established as a State of the Holy Roman Empire by Emperor Conrad II. It was an ecclesiastical territory, roughly corresponding to the present-day Trentino, governed by the Prince-Bishops of Trento.
The Council of Trent, held in three major sessions from 1545 to 1563, with the first at Trento, was one of the important councils in the history of the Roman Catholic Church. It was an articulation of Roman Catholic doctrine in response to the Protestant Reformation, and specified doctrine on salvation, the sacraments, and the Biblical canon.
After the Napoleonic Wars of the early 19th century, the bishopric was secularized and absorbed into the Austrian County of Tyrol. It was governed by the House of Habsburg-Lorraine. The region was the location of heavy fighting during World War I, as it was directly on the front lines between Austria-Hungary and Italy. Trentino was occupied by Italy in November 1918 and was annexed in 1919 by the Kingdom of Italy in the Treaty of Saint-Germain-en-Laye.
After World War II, the Italian and Austrian Foreign Ministers signed the Gruber-De Gasperi Agreement, creating the autonomous region of Trentino-South Tyrol, consisting of the autonomous provinces of Trentino and South Tyrol. Since the treaty, Trentino has enjoyed considerable autonomy from the Italian central government in Rome. It has its own elected government and legislative assembly.
In 1996, the Euroregion Tyrol-South Tyrol-Trentino was formed between the Austrian state of Tyrol and the Italian provinces of South Tyrol and Trentino. The boundaries of the association correspond to the old County of Tyrol. The aim is to promote regional peace, understanding and cooperation in many areas. The region's assemblies meet together as one on various occasions and have set up a common liaison office to the European Union in Brussels.
Geography.
Trentino is a mountainous region. The Adige River flows through the central Trentino in a valley named after the river. The principal towns of Trentino lie in the Adige Valley, which has been a historical passage connecting Italy with Northern Europe. Among other important valleys are Non Valley, known for its apple production, Sole Valley, Giudicarie, which has been historically connected by Trento and Brescia, Fiemme and Fassa, Lagarina, Mocheni, Sugana Valley and many others.
The province has an area of , and a total population of 524,826 (2010). There are 217 "comuni" (singular: "comune"), in the province.
The Marmolada, at above sea level, is the highest mountain in the Dolomites. The glacier on the Marmolada is also a landmark. Other high mountains include the Monte Baldo, Carè Alto, Cermis, Crozzon di Brenta, Hintere Eggenspitze, Latemar, Paganella, Piz Boè, Presanella, Punta San Matteo and Vezzana.
Politics.
The 1972 second Statute of Autonomy for Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol devolved most legislative and executive competences from the regional level to the provincial level, creating "de facto" two separate regions. Administratively, the province enjoys a large degree of autonomy in the following sectors: health, education, welfare and transport infrastructure. The provincial council comprises 35 members, one of whom must by law be drawn from the Ladin minority.
In the last elections in 2013, the strongest party became the Democratic Party ("Partito Democratico del Trentino") with 9 deputies, Trentino Tyrolean Autonomist Party (8), Union for Trentino (5), Lega Nord Trentino (2), Forza Italia (1), Five Stars Movement (1), Trentino Project (1), Ladin Autonomist Union (1), Civic Trentino (1), Administer Trentino (1), with one independent.
The executive powers are attributed to the provincial government (Italian: "Giunta Provinciale"), headed by the governor ("Presidente"). Since 2013 the governor is Ugo Rossi of the centrist Trentino Tyrolean Autonomist Party. The president of the provincial council alternates with the governor of South Tyrol as president of the Trentino-South Tyrol region. The regional government has its seat in the former "Hotel Imperial" in Trento.
The Ladin community has one reserved seat in the provincial assembly and is thereby guaranteed political representation.
Administration.
Due to the division of the province into the 217 municipalities ("Comuni/Gemeinden"), often of small or even tiny size, in the late 1970s, eleven larger units known as districts ("comprensori") were introduced. The municipalities forming a district elect the council for that district. However, this tier of government has provoked criticism, and, in 2006, a reform created fifteen more homogenous "Valley Communities" ("comunità di valle", "Talgemeinden") and one territory including the municipalities of Trento, Cimone, Aldeno and Garniga Terme (see Municipalities of Trentino).
As of 2009, the only municipalities with a population over 20,000 were Trento, Rovereto, and Pergine Valsugana.
Economy.
The Gross domestic product (GDP) of the region was 20.5 billion euros in 2018, accounting for 1.2% of Italy's economic output. GDP per capita adjusted for purchasing power was 37,900 euros or 126% of the EU27 average in the same year. The GDP per employee was 119% of the EU average.
Despite the overwhelmingly mountainous nature of the territory, agriculture remains important. Farms often join together to form larger cooperatives. The most important produce comprises: apples (50% of national production, together with South Tyrol) and other fruit, vegetables (primarily in the Val di Gresta) and grape; important especially for its quality, the latter is used for the production of dry and sparkling wines.
In January 2008, the Edmund Mach Foundation was established to promote research, training and services in the agricultural, agri-food and environmental fields.
The primary industries, often small and medium-sized, are concentrated in Valsugana, Vallagarina and the Adige Valleys. Sectors include textiles, mechanics, wood and paper productions. Also important is the production of hydro-electric energy.
Tourism is the mainstay of the provincial economy. The main resorts include: Madonna di Campiglio, San Martino di Castrozza, Fiera di Primiero, Canazei, Moena, Cavalese, Folgaria, Folgarida-Marilleva, Riva del Garda and Levico Terme, Comano Terme and Roncegno, these last three being renowned thermal stations.
The unemployment rate stood at 5.3% in 2020.
Transport.
The Trentino province is crossed by the main road and rail connections between Italy and Germany. These include the Brenner A22 motorway and road which passes through the Etsch/Adige Valley. A regional project of switching much of the road traffic to railways is currently under consideration.
The province has two more railways: the Valsugana Line, connecting Trento to Venice and the Trento-Malè-Marilleva railway between Trento and Malè.
Demographics.
In 2019 the population of Trentino was 541,098. The highest concentration of the population is located around the capital city of Trento, and the southern parts. The whole region is divided up into 175 municipalities. The majority of the Trentino population is Italian-speaking with its local dialects.
Languages.
The region is also home to four other indigenous linguistic minorities, which are Ladin, Lombard, Mócheno and Cimbrian. All languages except Lombard are protected by regional and provincial laws, statutes, and regulations.
After World War II and the devolution of power to regional authorities, a change in policy slowly began, which gained momentum in the 1990s. Since then a number of far-reaching laws and regulations have been passed and implemented, that protect and promote the use of these three languages and the unique cultural heritage and identity. This has for example been extended to school curricula in the regional languages and street signs becoming bilingual. All three minorities have their own cultural institute which were decreed by national law and receive state funds. The purpose of these cultural institutes is to safeguard and promote the respective culture and languages.
The Ladin minority is found in the Fassa Valley, in the municipalities of Canazei ("Cianacei"), Campitello di Fassa ("Ciampedèl"), Mazzin ("Mazin"), Moena, Soraga and Sèn Jan di Fassa. In the census of 2001, 16,462 inhabitants of Trentino declared Ladin as their native language.
Mócheno is still spoken in the municipalities of Frassilongo ("Garait"), Palù del Fersina ("Palai en Bersntol") and Fierozzo ("Vlarötz"), while the Cimbrian language is spoken in Luserna ("Lusérn"). The 2001 census found there were 2,276 native Mócheno and 882 Cimbrian speakers. The linguistic breakdown according to the census of 2001 is:
The Nones language hails from the Non Valley and is considered by some linguists a variant of Ladin. Estimates range up to 30,000 speakers. The Solandro language is also under debate as to whether it is a dialect of Ladin or a separate language. Native speakers are mainly found in the Sole Valley and are estimated to be up to 15,000. Both idioms are alternatively considered as dialects within the range of Gallo-Romance languages. There is no official census to date that has Nones and Solandro as officially distinct languages. The total number of Ladin speakers in the census of 2001 exceeds the population of around 7,500 in the Fassa Valley. A number of Nones and Solandro speakers identified as Ladin speakers, while others chose not to exercise that option due to the disagreement whether or not their languages are Ladin or a separate idiom.
Culture.
The Trentino is a region of cultural encounters. Already in the past Germans, Italians and Ladins joined in this area. The alpine province is a piece of land, in which mountain passes and elevated plains join hilly valleys and plains and in which different people and cultures join. Its history, but also the relatively insular geographic position of some valleys led to an extraordinary richness in culture and many customs and traditions that have been kept alive up to the present. Also some minority groups and gastronomic peculiarities have been preserved till now.
Museums.
In the territory of the Province there are numerous museums, which have had significant development over the last twenty years by the financial resources of the Province. Among the main ones:
Also worthy of note are the cultural institutes and museums dedicated to the three minorities of the Province, the Istitut cultural Ladin "majon di fascegn" in Val di Fassa and the "Kulturinstitut Bersntol - Lusérn" for the promotion of German-speaking minorities mòchene and Cimbre.
Castles.
In the region there are numerous castles. With the financial aid of Province, some of them could be restored and are now open to the public. Here the most important:
Sports and recreation.
The region offers many opportunities for mountain climbing and trekking and winter sports. Important winter events are the world championships organised by the International Ski Federation (FSI) such as the Nordic ski 1991, 2003 and 2013, snowboarding 2001 and freestyle ski championship 2007, as well as the Adamello Ski Raid and Marcialonga. The Tour de Ski has since 2007 had its conclusion in Val di Fiemme with the Final Climb stage up the alpine skiing course on Alpe Cermis.
During the spring and summer, cycling is a big event in the region, such as the Giro del Trentino and Maratona dles Dolomites over the mountain passes. Cross country racing such as the Cross della Vallagarina and the 10-kilometre road running competition Giro al Sas also take place.
Association football is a popular ball sport in Trentino. Teams within the region are U.S. Alta Vallagarina, A.C. Mezzocorona, A.S.D. Porfido Albiano and Trento Calcio 1921.
Trentino Volley is a professional Italian volleyball team. It plays in the Italian Volleyball League without interruption since 2000, while Aquila Trento is a basketball team in the Italian top league.


Sofia Province

Sofia Province (, "Sofiyska oblast") is a province ("oblast") of Bulgaria. The province does not include Sofia in its territories, but Sofia remains its administrative center. The province borders on the provinces of Pernik, Kyustendil, Blagoevgrad, Pazardzhik, Plovdiv, Lovech, Vratsa, Montana and "Sofia City Province" (which is in a separate "oblast", see Sofia Administration), and borders with Serbia to the northwest.
History.
Prehistory and antiquity.
Archaeological excavations near Chavdar suggest that the region has been settled by humans as early as 7,000 years ago. The earliest evidence of a mass settlement dates back to Thracian times, including "tumuli" (burial mounds) which remain poorly studied. According to Thucydides, the areas north of Vitosha were inhabited by the Tilataei and the Treri. The Triballi were also known to have inhabited the region around Serdica. The Serdi, a Celtic tribe that appeared in place of the vanished Treri and Tilataei, were first mentioned in 29 BC. Roman General Marcus Licinius Crassus began his campaign against the Triballi in that year, and in 27 BC his troops captured Serdica.
Felix Philipp Kanitz, the first person to study the Iskar Gorge area thoroughly, identified eight Roman "castella", which he considered proof of the great strategic importance the Romans placed on the gorge. The road passing through it connected Roman lands from Thessaloniki all the way to Dacia. However, up until modern times, the gorge was poorly accessible because of its rugged terrain. As a result, the inhabitants were partially isolated from the rest of the world, self-reliant, but also safe from wars and invasions. Some of the population of Moesia thus found the Iskar river area an appealing safe haven later in the 5th century, when the province was threatened by Hunnic and Gothic raids.
Middle Ages.
Gothic assaults were followed by large-scale settlement of South Slavs in territories south of the Danube in the early 580s AD. The Eastern Roman Empire, or Byzantium, was incapable of defending these territories at the time. With most Byzantine troops protecting the rich Asian provinces from Arab and Persian raids, even small and disorganised Slavic attacks caused much disruption throughout Moesia. The numerous Slavs gradually mixed with and assimilated the native population. The area remained under Byzantine control until 809 AD, when Krum captured Serdica and massacred some 6,000 soldiers and civilians. Sometime in the 10th century, construction of the Boyana Church began as well.
Churches and monasteries in the area flourished during the Second Bulgarian Empire. Tsar Ivan Alexander established a ring of 14 monasteries around Sredets (formerly Serdica), with rules and organisation similar to the monastery cluster on Mount Athos, known as "Sveta Gora" in Bulgarian. The "Sveta Gora of Sofia" includes temples and monasteries throughout today's Sofia Province, spanning from Plana and Vitosha Mountains in the south to Dragoman and the slopes of Stara Planina in the north. Some of these were established during the First Bulgarian Empire or generally before Ivan Alexander's rule. Apart from these monasteries, a number of other, smaller temples can be traced back to the Second Empire. This includes the Saint Nicholas church in Bukovets, built by Crusaders in the 12th century. Crusader presence was also attested around Bov, which is believed to have been established by an eponymous Fourth Crusade knight who became a vassal of Tsar Kaloyan.
Ottoman rule.
The modern territory of Sofia Province has been part of three of the four revolutionary districts during the April Uprising.
Under the Third Bulgarian State.
A few years after Bulgaria's liberation in 1878, Bulgarian nationalists organised a coup in the Ottoman province of Eastern Rumelia and declared its unification with the Principality of Bulgaria. The Kingdom of Serbia opposed the strengthening of its rival. Serbian king Milan I declared war on Bulgaria on 14 November 1885, but the Serbian forces were decisively defeated at the Battle of Slivnitsa between 17 and 19 November. Another decisive Bulgarian victory occurred at Gurgulyat, where Bulgarian soldiers and civilian volunteers fought the Serb Moravian division and prevented it from reinforcing the main Serbian force at Slivnitsa.
During World War II, a number of resistance fighters were based in the area. The mainly Soviet-oriented resistance - the People's Liberation Rebel Army, PLRA - organised locally under the 1st Sofia Rebellion Operations Zone, particularly in the areas around Botevgrad and Ihtiman. Anti-partisan operations by the Bulgarian government military, then part of the Axis powers, had become fierce by 1944. In January 1944, Special Operations Executive Major William Frank Thompson and another British officer, Sergeant Kenneth Scott, were parachuted with radio equipment in southern Yugoslavia; their mission was to provide liaison between the British Army and the PLRA. The two joined a group of 100 ill-equipped Bulgarian partisans and entered Bulgaria in May 1944.
After some initial success, the group was ambushed, and Thompson was captured near Eleshnitsa along with a dozen Bulgarian partisans. After being shown the severed heads of other partisans on pikes, they were tortured by government troops and their paramilitary aides, the "Gendarmerie". Because of his Communist sympathies and fluent Bulgarian and Russian, Thompson and the other resistance fighters were executed by a firing squad. Several villages in the area were merged after the war into what is now a single village, Thompson, named after the British officer.
Geography.
 With a territory of 7 020 km², Sofia Province is the second-largest in Bulgaria. It also has the highest number of municipalities, 22, and borders nine other provinces as well as Serbia to the northwest. The lowest areas stand at 350 metres above sea level, whereas the highest rise above 2,900 metres, resulting in diverse terrain, soil and climatic factors.
A temperate climate with cold winters, cool springs and mild summers hampers the agricultural use of the otherwise fertile mountain valleys. Stara Planina, Sredna Gora and Rila are the principal mountain ranges that the province straddles, while Plana and Vitosha lie entirely within its territory. The highest peak on the Balkan Peninsula, Musala, rises 2,925 metres above sea level in Rila at the southern end of the province.
The precise height of Musala was only measured in 1932 by an expedition of the State Geographic Institute of the Ministry of War. Previously, Vihren in southwest Bulgaria was imprecisely measured and proclaimed to be the country's highest peak. This made Mytikas on Mount Olympus in Greece, which rose only three metres higher than Vihren, the highest on the Balkan Peninsula. Locals in Bulgaria supposedly began piling up rocks on Vihren over time to restore its status, but the 1932 military expedition measured both Vihren and Musala with a margin of error of only 15 centimetres and thus put an end to the rivalry.
Rila is also the source of the Iskar, the longest river that runs entirely within Bulgarian territory. It is a tributary to the Danube and forms part of the Black Sea river basin. The long Cherni (black) Iskar is considered the main stem of the river, taking its source from the Chamovsko Lake (2,500 m) to the north-east of Damga Peak (2,669 m) and from there the river flows in north-eastern direction through the Govedartsi Valley, filled by the waters of the Chanakgyolski, Malyovishki and Urdini Lakes. The river enters the Balkan Mountains at the town of Novi Iskar and forms a long and spectacular gorge, whose slopes reach a height of 200 m up to 500 m at some points. The Iskar Gorge reaches a length of between its beginning at Kurilo, a neighbourhood of Novi Iskar, and the village of Lyutibrod where it ends. Other rivers flowing through the province
s territory are Topolnitsa, Nishava and Maritsa, and larger bodies of water include 60 barrages and dams.
Demographics.
Sofia Province has 247,489 inhabitants according to the 2011 Bulgarian Census.
The Sofia province (Област, "oblast") contains 22 municipalities (singular: община, "obshtina" - plural: Общини, "obshtini"). The following table shows the names of each municipality in English and Cyrillic, the main town (in bold) or village, and the population of each as of 2009.
Population.
The following table represents the change of the population in the province after World War II:
The province had a population of 273 252 (also given as 273,240) according to a 2001 census, of which were male and were female.
Ethnic groups.
Total population (2011 census): 247 489
Ethnic groups (2011 census):
Identified themselves: 230 781 persons:
Ethnic groups in the province according to 2001 census:
253 536 Bulgarians (),<br>
16 748 Romani ()
and 2956 others and unspecified ().
Religion.
Religious adherence in the province according to 2001 census:
Economy.
Sofia Province's Gross regional product (GRP) was 3.11 billion leva ($1.84 billion) in 2016, with a per capita value of 13,203 leva ($7810), the third-highest nationally. That year, some 9,000 companies produced 8.12 billion leva ($4.8 billion) worth of goods and services. Nearly two-thirds of businesses are in the processing sector and operate at a profit.
Mining has been developed on a large scale since the 1950s. The Chelopech copper mine opened in 1954 and has since produced 19.7 million tonnes of ore, peaking at 512,000 tonnes annually in 1988. In 1958, a copper smelter and refinery near Pirdop began operations and blended concentrates from Chelopech and two other mines in the area, Elatsite and Assarel. Since its privatisation in 1997, the smelter has become Bulgaria's second-largest company as a subsidiary of Aurubis. Canadian company Dundee Precious Metals Inc. has acquired the Chelopech mine, where gold concentrate is currently extracted alongside copper.
Mondelez Bulgaria (formerly Kraft Foods Bulgaria) is the largest confectionery producer nationally, largely owing to the production capacity of its chocolate factory in Svoge. The factory was established in 1901, privatised in 1993, and upgraded in 2008 to produce up to 365,000,000 chocolate bars annually. Beverages are manufactured near Kostinbrod, where the largest instant coffee factory in Southeast Europe, as well as the main Coca-Cola bottling facility in Bulgaria, are located.
Botevgrad is a major microelectronics R&D and manufacturing centre. Microchips, integrated circuits, sensors and automotive electronics are all produced by private companies on the grounds of the former "Mikroelektronika" state-owned factories. Computer manufacturing was also thriving in Pravets during the Socialist era and by 1988 Bulgaria seemed set to become a major exporter of computers to the West. "Pravetz" models manufactured in the town accounted for 40% of all computers used in the Eastern Bloc in the 1980s. The Pravets manufacturing plant became defunct after the collapse of Communism, but a high-voltage electronics factory owned by Siemens has taken its place.
Bulgaria's oldest ski resort, Borovets, is located near Samokov. Its high annual influx of tourists has given a boost to the local property market and has drawn foreign investment in hospitality and recreation.


South Savo

Southern Savonia or, officially, South Savo (; ) is a region in the south-east of Finland. It borders the regions of Northern Savonia (North Savo), North Karelia, South Karelia, Kymenlaakso, Päijät-Häme, and Central Finland. The total area of Southern Savonia is 18,768.33 km2 (7,246.5 sq mi), with a population of 153,738 (2011).
Southern Savonia is located in the heart of the Finnish lake district, and contains Lake Saimaa, the largest lake in Finland. The three major towns in the region are Mikkeli, Savonlinna and Pieksämäki.
Local cuisine is best known for fried vendace, often served with potato puree, and a semicircle-shaped pastry called "lörtsy".
Historical provinces.
"For history, geography and culture see: Savonia"
Municipalities.
Southern Savonia includes 12 municipalities listed below (towns marked in bold).
Politics.
Results of the 2019 Finnish parliamentary election in Southern Savonia:


Metropolitan Borough of Dudley

The Metropolitan Borough of Dudley is a metropolitan borough of West Midlands in England. It was created in 1974 following the Local Government Act 1972, through a merger of the existing Dudley County Borough with the municipal boroughs of Stourbridge and Halesowen. The borough borders Sandwell to the east, the city of Birmingham to the south east, Bromsgrove to the south in Worcestershire, South Staffordshire District to the west, and the city of Wolverhampton to the north.
Being a metropolitan borough Dudley is effectively a unitary authority, with the exceptions of Transport for West Midlands, (publicly branded as West Midlands Network), fire and police services, and the local government pension fund (West Midlands Pension Fund), which are jointly run by the seven metropolitan boroughs of the West Midlands county.
For Eurostat purposes, Dudley is a NUTS 3 region (code UKG36), and is one of seven boroughs or unitary districts that comprise the "West Midlands" NUTS 2 region.
History.
The Metropolitan Borough of Dudley was created in 1974 from the existing boroughs of Dudley, Stourbridge and Halesowen. This followed an earlier reorganization in 1966, as per the provisions of the Local Government Act 1958, which saw an expansion of the three boroughs from the abolition of the surrounding urban districts of Amblecote, Brierley Hill, Coseley, and Sedgley; and the municipal boroughs of Tipton, Oldbury, and Rowley Regis.
Initially the borough had a two-tier system of local government, with the borough council sharing power with the West Midlands County Council. In 1986 metropolitan county councils were abolished under the Local Government Act 1985, and Dudley effectively became a unitary authority.
Government.
Dudley Council has its main offices in Dudley town centre (where Dudley Council House is located), along with additional smaller offices throughout the borough. The council is made up of 72 councillors representing 24 wards, and as of the 2016 local government elections, has no party with overall control. The political make-up is as follows: The 2018 election left Labour and the Conservatives tied on 35 seats each, but the Tories re-took control of the council when the last remaining UKIP member defected to the Conservatives. In the time since, one Conservative councillor in the Norton ward has defected to the Labour Party, which means control of the council could quite easily change yet again. The councillor in the ward of Norton in recent years has since been vacant. This ward is due to have an elected member again, in the Dudley Council local elections on 6th May 2021.
The Tories currently have control of Dudley Council as a majority run administration. After a no overall control result occured since the last local elections the Tories gained power of Dudley council in the 2021 England Local Elections.
On its formation in 1974, the Metropolitan Borough of Dudley was controlled by the Labour Party, who lost control to the Conservatives in 1976. From 1980 to 1982 and again from 1984 to 1986, there was no overall control of the council, with the Conservatives regaining their majority in 1982 before losing it again in 1984. Labour won overall control of the council in 1986 and held it until 1992, when the Conservatives briefly controlled the council with a majority of one, before losing control back to Labour the following September. Then came a nine-year run of Labour overall control which ended in 2003, when no party had overall control and the Conservatives led a minority administration. In 2004, the Conservatives gained control of Dudley MBC and held it for eight years before losing control to Labour. In 2016, Labour lost control of the council, and formed a minority administration - supported by UKIP, which lasted until 2017 when the Conservatives, again supported by Ukip, took over the leadership of the authority. The 2018 local elections left the Conservatives and Labour tied on 35 seats, but the Conservatives regained control shortly after when the authority's only remaining UKIP councillor defected to the Tories.
Wards.
The 24 wards of the Dudley Borough are each represented by 3 councillors:
Demography.
At the 2011 Census, the total population of the Dudley Metropolitan Borough was 312,925, an increase of 7,770 from the last census; making it the 25th largest government district in England. The population density was 31.9 people per hectare.
90.4% of Dudley's population identified as White, with 88.7% identifying as White British, 0.5% as White Irish, and 1.2% as Other White. The second largest ethnic group was Asian and British Asian, making up 5.6% of the population. Black and Black British people comprised 1.7% of the population of the borough.
Statistics on religious beliefs show that 65.3% of the population identify as Christian, with the second largest religious group being Muslim, at 4.1%. 22% identified as having no religion, while 6.2% did not state a religious belief.
Unemployment in the borough stood at 5.3%, slightly higher than the national average of 4.4%. Of those in the population considered economically active, 38.2% were in full-time employment, 15% were in part-time employment, 7.5% were self-employed, and 2.5% were in full-time education.
Of those economically inactive, 16.2% were retired, 4.6% were looking after homes or family, 4.4% were long-term sick or disabled, and 4.3% were full-time students without employment.
Economy.
A part of the Black Country, Dudley traditionally has been an industrial centre of manufacturing, quarrying, and mining, although this has declined in more recent years, with a shift in focus towards the service sector (accounting for 79.1% of employment) and tourism. Despite this, there are still numerous large industrial sites around the borough, such as the Pensnett Trading Estate, with the manufacturing industries making up 15.3% of employment.
Tourism is of increasing importance to the local economy, with approximately 6,600 people employed within the sector. Attractions such as the Black Country Living Museum and Dudley Zoo bring in hundreds of thousands of visitors each year.
The Merry Hill Shopping Centre in Brierley Hill is one of the largest shopping centres in the UK and is the main retail centre of the borough, with an average of 23.5 million visitors a year, and houses branches of several large retailers including Debenhams, Marks & Spencer, and Next.
Other large employers in the borough include JCDecaux UK, which has its Birmingham area office in Halesowen, Rentokil Initial, and Midtherm Engineering.
Regeneration.
Large public and private sector developments have taken place in the Metropolitan Borough of Dudley since its creation in 1974.
The closure of Round Oak Steelworks in December 1982 paved the way for the creation of the Merry Hill Shopping Centre on nearby farmland between 1985 and 1989. The Waterfront leisure and commercial complex was developed on the site of the steelworks itself between 1989 and 1995.
Pensnett Trading Estate in Kingswinford has been developed since the 1960s for mostly light industry and services.
A major redevelopment of Halesowen town centre took place in 2007/08, when the bus station was rebuilt and a section of the 1960s shopping area demolished to make way for a new Asda superstore.
A similar redevelopment of Stourbridge town centre in 2011/12 saw most of the Crown Centre completely rebuilt to incorporate a new Tesco superstore.
Relatively little new council housing has been built in the borough since the early 1980s, with almost all of the new social housing developments since then being built by housing associations. Most of the older private housing in the borough has been renovated rather than demolished during this time. However, there have been a number of redevelopment programmes involving 20th century council housing. In July 1999, four of the borough's tower blocks (two at Eve Hill in Dudley and two at Tanhouse in Halesowen) were demolished on consecutive weekends in controlled explosions. Two years later, two more tower blocks at Queens Cross in Dudley were demolished using the same method. Four tower blocks in Netherton are scheduled for demolition in 2017/18. In 2009, 266 homes on the predominantly 1930s Priory Estate in Dudley were demolished and the land later redeveloped with new housing. In the mid-1990s, the neighbouring Wren's Nest Estate underwent extensive refurbishment as well as improved community facilities in a multimillion-pound project funded by the European Single Budget. Four blocks of low-rise flats on the estate were demolished as part of the regeneration.
Education.
Tertiary education.
There are two further education colleges in the Dudley Borough: Dudley College of Technology, Halesowen College. The borough is also home to the King Edward VI sixth form college in Stourbridge, originally a grammar school established in 1552, converting to a sixth form centre in 1976. A small number of secondary schools in the borough offer sixth form facilities, while several others did so until the beginning of the 1990s when the local authority decided to concentrate post-16 education in further education colleges.
Since the University of Wolverhampton closed its Dudley campus in 2002, the metropolitan borough is the largest district in the UK without its own university.
Primary and secondary education.
Dudley MBC maintains 78 primary schools (39 include nursery facilities), 20 secondary schools, and 7 special schools, along with 3 Pupil Referral Units and 1 standalone nursery school. Pupils transfer to secondary school at the age of 11, although between 1972 and 1990 pupils in the north of borough transferred to secondary school at the age of 12, and from 1972 to 1982 there was a three-tier education system in Halesowen where pupils entered first school at 5, middle school at 9 and secondary school at 13.
The borough had well over 30 secondary schools on its creation, although this was quickly reduced as a result of the introduction of the comprehensive system a year later, which resulted in a number of schools being merged or closed.
By September 1990, however, the number of secondary schools in the borough had fallen to 22 as a result of the closure of Gilbert Claughton and Mons Hill Schools and the merger of High Park and Longlands Schools in Stourbridge to form Ridgewood High. A year earlier, Castle High had been formed in the town centre of Dudley from a merger of The Dudley School and Blue Coat School; this new school also took in some of the former Gilbert Claughton and Mons Hill pupils. The 1980s had also seen the closure of some the borough's less popular and smaller primary schools, with the older buildings mostly being demolished and the more modern ones being converted for community use.
The closure of Cradley High School in Halesowen in July 2008 saw the number of secondary schools in the borough fall to 21, and the total has remained at 20 since the closure of Pensnett High School in July 2012.
When the Metropolitan Borough of Dudley was formed, many primary schools were existed as separate infant and junior or first and middle schools, but by 1990 virtually all of the separate schools had been merged to create full circle primary schools, the last separate infant and junior schools to merge being Red Hall in Lower Gornal in January 1997.
There are no grammar schools in the borough, with all state schools being comprehensive, a system which has been universal in the borough since the mid-1970s. The Former grammar schools in the borough were Dudley's Boys Grammar and Girls High Schools (merged with Park Secondary Modern School in 1975 to form The Dudley School, which in turn merged with The Blue Coat School to form Castle High in 1989), Sir Gilbert Claughton Grammar School in Dudley (which adopted comprehensive status in 1975 before closing in 1990), Brierley Hill Grammar School (actually situated in Kingswinford; it has been known as the Crestwood School since adopting comprehensive status), King Edward VI Boys Grammar School in Stourbridge (which is now a mixed sixth form college), Stourbridge Girls High School (which merged with the Boys Grammar School and Valley Road Secondary Modern School to form Redhill School), Halesowen Grammar School (which merged with Halesowen Technical School to form Earls High School) and High Arcal Grammar School in Sedgley (which survives as a comprehensive school).
The sole independent school in the borough is the Elmfield Rudolf Steiner School in Stourbridge, which follows the Steiner Waldorf curriculum.
The Old Swinford Hospital school in Stourbridge is one of only 34 state-funded boarding schools in England, with education being funded by the local education authority (LEA).
Healthcare.
The main NHS hospital serving the borough is Russells Hall Hospital, situated to the south of Dudley town centre. Following a major expansion of the hospital in 2005, all inpatient services were transferred to the site from smaller hospitals around the borough, resulting in the closure of Wordsley Hospital, and the downgrading of the Guest Hospital and Corbett hospitals into outpatient centres.
Psychiatric care is offered at the Bushey Fields Hospital, located adjacent to Russells Hall Hospital.
See also Healthcare in West Midlands.
Localities.
"See List of areas in Dudley"


Municipal council (Sweden)

A municipal council () is the decision-making body governing each of the 290 municipalities of Sweden. Though the Swedish Local Government Act () uses the term "municipal assembly" in an English translation of the Act, "municipal council" and even "city council" are used as well, even in official contexts in English by several of Sweden's largest municipalities, including Stockholm, Malmö, and Gothenburg.
This system of administrative division was established with the municipal reform of 1971. Prior to this reform, municipal governance in Sweden was conducted by either a "kommunalfullmäktige" (municipal council in rural areas) or a "stadsfullmäktige" (city council in urban areas).
The number of members in each assembly can range from 21 to 101, depending on the population of the municipality in question. Members of the assemblies are chosen to serve for four-year terms through elections using a party-list proportional representation system. These municipal elections are held on the second Sunday of September, the same day as Swedish parliamentary elections.
The term "kommunfullmäktige" is also used by Swedish-speakers in Finland, where it corresponds to the "kunnanvaltuusto" with the same meaning.


Euroregion Elbe/Labe

The Euroregion Elbe/Labe is one of the Euroregions with German and Czech participation. The purpose of the community of municipal interests is cross-border cooperation on a supranational level. The term is used to refer to both the organization and the geographical area of its operation.
Area and location.
The territory of the Euroregion Elbe/Labe includes on the German side the city of Dresden and the county of Sächsische Schweiz-Osterzgebirge, on the Czech side the territories of the former districts of Teplice, Ústí nad Labem, Děčín and Litoměřice. It occupies an area of 5400 km² and has about 1.3 million inhabitants, of which about 802,000 on the German side and about 495,000 on the Czech side (as of 2020).
It is named after the river Elbe (Czech: "Labe"). Characteristic natural areas are the Osterzgebirge, the Saxon Switzerland, the Saxon Elbeland with the Dresden Elbtalkessel, the North Bohemian Basin and the České Středohoří. In addition, North Bohemia and the Dresden conurbation form significant economic areas.
Cross-border transport axes in the region are the A17 / D8 freeway, the Dresden-Prague railroad line, and the Inland Waterway Elbe.
The largest cities in the region are Dresden and Ústí nad Labem.
Organization.
The Euroregion Elbe/Labe as an organization is itself not a legal entity, but a cross-border community of interests, consisting of the Municipal association Euroregion Upper Elbe Valley-Eastern Erzgebirge ("Kommunalgemeinschaft Euroregion Oberes Elbtal/Osterzgebirge e.V.") and the Voluntary Association of Municipalities Euroregion Labe ("Dobrovolní svazek obce Euroregion Labe").
Bodies of the Euroregion Elbe/Labe are the joint Council and the Presidium. The Council consists of 15 representatives from both sides and serves mainly the exchange between the political levels and the coordination of the strategic focus of the Euroregion. The Presidium consists of the presidents and vice-presidents of both organizations as well as their managing directors. It discusses the long-term development of the Euroregion as well as short-term decisions.
The Euroregion Elbe/Labe is represented by two co-presidents, usually the two presidents of the sub-organizations. These are currently Dirk Hilbert (Lord Mayor of Dresden) and Ing. Petr Nedvědický (Primator Ústí n. L.).
German side.
The German "Kommunalgemeinschaft Euroregion Oberes Elbtal/Osterzgebirge e.V." includes the city of Dresden, the Landkreis Sächsische Schweiz-Osterzgebirge, the Großer Kreisstadt Dippoldiswalde and the Großer Kreisstadt Pirna. The statutory seat is for historical reasons in Pirna, the office is located in Dresden.
The "Kommunalgemeinschaft Euroregion" is a non-profit association. The highest body is the General Assembly (31 representatives), which mainly takes the decisions required by association law (budget, discharge) and elects the committee representatives. The Working Committee (12 representatives) is more active in operational work. Short-term decisions are made by the Executive Committee (5 representatives), which also represents the association externally (with two board members). President of the municipal association is currently Dirk Hilbert (Lord Mayor of Dresden), managing director is Rüdiger Kubsch.
Czech side.
The Czech "Dobrovolní svazek obce Euroregion Labe" unites 66 municipalities from the Ústecký kraj (Ústí nad Labem Region). The seat of the association of municipalities is in Ústí n.L..
The supreme body is the General Assembly (sněm), in which all member municipalities have a seat and a vote. Active community work takes place mainly in the Council of Euroregion Labe (not to be confused with the joint council as a cross-border body). Short-term decisions are made in the Presidium, which also represents the association of municipalities externally. The president is Ing. Petr Nedvědický (Primator Ústí n. L.), the managing director is Vladimír Lipský.
Not all Czech municipalities in the area of activity of the Euroregion Labe/Elbe are members of the association of municipalities Euroregion Labe. Among the non-members, some municipalities in the western part are members of Euroregion Krušnohoří, others in the Schluckenau corner are members of Euroregion Nisa.
Member municipalities on the Czech side are: Benešov nad Ploučnicí, Bílina, Brňany, Brzánky, Budyně nad Ohří, Bynovec, Bystřany, Černouček, Česká Kamenice, Chlumec, Chotiněves, Chuderov, Děčín, Dlažkovice, Dobkovice, Dolánky nad Ohří, Dolní Poustevna, Dubí, Dušníky, Evaň (a Horka), Františkov nad Ploučnicí, Horní Habartice, Hřensko, Huntířov, Janská, Jetřichovice, Jílové u Děčína, Krabčice, Krásná Lípa, Křešice, Kunratice, Kytlice, Libotenice, Lipová, Litoměřice, Lovečkovice, Lovosice, Malá Veleň, Malíč, Martiněves, Mikulášovice, Miřejovice, Mšené Lázně, Nové Dvory, Oleško, Petrovice, Povrly, Prackovice nad Labem, Přestavlky, Rochov, Siřejovice, Snědovice, Straškov-Vodochody, Sulejovice, Telnice, Terezín, Tisá, Travčice, Třebívlice, Trmice, Úpohlavy, Úštěk, Ústí nad Labem, Velemín, Velké Žernoseky, Vlastislav, Zubrnice.
History.
The Elbe/Labe Euroregion was founded on June 24, 1992 in Ústí nad Labem. The driving force behind the foundation was the then Primator of the city of Ústí nad Labem, Lukaš Mašin, whose initiative was taken up on the German side mainly by the District Administrator of the Pirna District, Hans-Jürgen Evers.
The association of municipalities Euroregion Labe was originally established as "Klub Euroregion Labe" with selected municipalities of political districts Děčín (western part), Teplice, Litoměřice and Ústí nad Labem as members. At the time of its establishment, on the German side, the former counties of Dippoldiswalde, Freital, Meißen, Dresden, Pirna, Sebnitz and the city of Dresden were members.
During its foundation and establishment, the Euroregion was actively supported by the Euregio on the German-Dutch border and other established border regions on the basis of many years of experience. Since 1993, the Euroregion Elbe/Labe has been a member of the Association of European Border Regions (AEBR). Thus, a close integration into European networks took place at an early stage.
From its foundation until 2014, Christian Preußcher (16.11.1955 - 03.10.2020) was the managing director of the Kommunalgemeinschaft Euroregion.
Activity.
Expert groups.
The Euroregion Elbe/Labe organizes regular exchange between professionals on both sides of the border in the following expert groups:
These expert groups meet several times a year, inform each other about current topics and developments and carry out their own projects. The aim is also the coordination of professional activities towards a positive development of the border region.
Funding.
The Euroregion Elbe/Labe has been supporting the promotion of cross-border projects with funds from the European Union since 1995.
The most important funding instrument for the Euroregion is the Small Project Fund (as it exists in other border regions), which is administered by the Euroregion itself. It has been in place since 1996 and was initially funded by the INTERREG and PHARE CBC programs, but after the Czech Republic's accession to the European Union in 2005 it was funded only by INTERREG. The Small Projects Fund is used mainly to support people-to-people projects, projects of culture and cooperation of organizations and institutions, the financial volume of which is mostly maximum 30,000 euros.
From 2000 to 2020, a total of about 650 projects were supported by the Small Projects Fund in the Elbe/Labe Euroregion.
In addition to managing the Small Projects Fund, the Euroregion also participates in decisions on projects funded by the INTERREG Saxony-Czech Republic program.
Consulting.
In the sense of a Saxon-Czech competence center, the Euroregion Elbe/Labe uses its extensive cross-border contacts, its many years of experience as well as its linguistic competences to advise institutions and private persons on cross-border activities. This ranges from the provision of information on the neighboring country to the mediation of contacts to the search for suitable financing possibilities.
Euroregion projects.
In the first years, the Euroregion was mainly concerned with initiating contacts between Saxon and Czech actors in order to promote cooperation in solving common challenges in areas such as environmental and nature protection, transport and infrastructure or tourism. The Euroregion was involved in a supportive way e.g. in the establishment of the Bilingual Friedrich-Schiller-Gymnasium Pirna, the Cross-border Mining Trail in the Upper Eastern Ore Mountains, the ferry connection between Schöna and Hřensko as well as the bus line from Dresden to Teplice.
Since 1993, the Euroregion Labe has been offering a culture pass for Czech citizens, which entitles them to discounted admission to many cultural institutions on the German side.
One of the first practical projects of the Euroregion Elbe/Labe was the construction of a section of the Elberadweg between Schöna and the border in 1999.
The Czech-German Culture Days have been organized by the Euroregion Municipal Community since 2018, after the Brücke/Most Foundation, which started the festival in 1999, was unable to continue it for financial reasons.
See also.
List of euroregions
External links.
Official website of Euroregion Elbe/Labe