Page:Statesman's Year-Book 1899 American Edition.djvu/1452

 1096 TURKEY AND TRIBUTARY STATES:— BULGARIA

2. Minister of the Interior; 3. Minister of Public Instruction; 4. Minister of Finance; 5. Minister of Justice; 6. Minister of War; 7. Minister for Commerce and Agriculture; 8. JSlinister of Public Works, Ways and Means. Ministers need not be members of the Sobranje, but have the right to take part in its debates.

There is an Imperial Ottoman Commissioner resident in Bulgaria.

Area and Population.

The estimated area of the Principality of Bulgaria proper is 24,380 English sij^uare miles, and of South Bulgaria (or Eastern Kumelia) 13,700 si^itare miles. By a census taken on January 1, 1893, the population of the whole Principality was ascertained to be 3,310,713; the population of Eastern Rumelia being 998,431. Bulgaria has been redivided into 22 districts (including the six districts of Eastern Rumelia). The population, divided according to language, was as follows in 1893: 2,504,336 were Bulgars, 569,728 Ttirks, 62,628 Rumanians, 58,518 Greeks, 52,132 Gipsies, 27,531 Spanish speaking Jews, 16,290 Tartars, 6,445 Armenians, 3,620 Germans and Austrians, l,22i Albanians, 928 Russians, 905 Czechs, 818 Servians, 803 Italians, and 3,820 spoke other languages. The present capital of the Principality is the city of Sotia, with a population of 46, 593. The other principal towns are Philippopolis (capital of Rumelia), 41,068; Rtistchuk, 37,174; Varna, 28, 174; Tirnovo (the ancient capital of Bulgaria), 25,295; Gornia Orehovitza, 25,013; Slivna, 23,210; Plevna, 23,178; Tatar-Pazarjik, 22,056; Razgrad, 21,551; Vidin, 20,944; Orehovo, 20,054. The movement of population in the principality in five years has been: —

1

Years

1891 1892 1893 1894 1895

Marriages

Living birtlis

Still- births

Deaths

Surplus of j births 1

29,658 27,553 21,967 26,640 31,230

126,924 117,883 116,319 127,516 138,338

368 321 612 690 767

86,817 103,550 91,829 92,037 90,210

40,107 14,333 24,490 35,479 . 48,128

Keligion and Instruction.

The national faith is that of the Orthodox Greek Church, though, in 1870, in consequence of its demand for and acceptance of religious autonomy, the Bulgarian Clmrcli was declared by the I'atiiarch of Constantinople to be outside the Orthodox communion. The church is governed by the Synod of Bishops. An Exarch, resident at Constantinople, chosen by the Sj-nod with the approval of the Sultan, dispenses ecclesiastical patronage as directed by the Synod and the parishes of the various dioceses, the approval of the Government being required for each nomination. There are 12 Eparchies or Bishoprics. The clergy, both Orthodox and of other religicus bodies, are paid by the State and also receive fees for services at buiials, marriages, &c. Of the poj)ulation in 1 893, 2,606,786 belonged to the Orthodox Greek Church, 643,528 were Maliometans, 28,307 were Jews, 22,617 were Catliolics, 6,643 Armenian Gregorians, 2,384 Protestants.

There is a university at Soiia, with three faculties — History and Philology, Physics and Mathematics, and Law. In 1896 it was attended by 408 students. In Bulgaria in 1896 there were 16 gymnasia (including 7 for