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Sliven
Сливен

Province (oblast)	Sliven
Population	106,434 (2006-06-12)
Altitude	243 m
Postal code	8800
Area code	044
License plate province code	CH
Geographic coordinates	42° 41' north, 26° 20' east
Time zone	EET (UTC+2; UTC+3 in summer)
Mayor	Yordan Lechkov (independent)

Sliven (Bulgarian: Сливен) is a town in southeast Bulgaria and the administrative centre of Sliven Province. It is a comparatively large town with 110,000 inhabitants (the 8th largest in Bulgaria). Sliven is famous for its Bulgarian haiduts who fought against the Ottoman Turks in the 19th century. The current mayor of the city is former football star Yordan Letchkov.

In 1834, Dobri Zhelyazkov established the first factory in Bulgarian lands, thus starting industrial development in Bulgaria. Sliven was one of the largest industrial centres in Bulgaria, playing an important role during the Bulgarian National Revival. It has long-lived traditions in textiles, machine-building, glass-making, and the technical аnd food industries.

One of the most significant cultural centres during the Bulgarian National Revival, Sliven has preserved and enriched its heritage and today offers to its citizens and visitors a lot of opportunities for cultural life. A birthplace of many prominent Bulgarians who contributed to the enlightenment, Sliven gave Bulgaria many authors, scientists, intellectuals like Julia Kristeva, Hadzhi Dimitar, Dobri Chintulov, Evgeniy Chapkanov, Ivan Siliminski and many others. Another notable native is the Roma Anton Pann who composes the Romanian national anthem.

The famous rocky massif Sinite Kamani (Сините камъни, "The Blue Rocks") and the associated national park, the fresh air and the mineral springs offer diverse opportunities for leisure and tourism.

Sliven Peak on Livingston Island in the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica is named for Sliven.

Sliven is the administrative centre of the eponymous Sliven municipality (part of Sliven Province), which includes the following 49 places (towns in bold):

Bikovo Binkos Blatets Bozhevtsi Bozadzhii Byala Chintulovo Chokoba Dragodanovo Gavrailovo Gergevets Glufishevo Glushnik Golyamo Chochoveni Gorno Aleksandrovo Gradsko Ichera Izgrev Kaloyanovo Kamen Kermen Kovachite Krushare

Malko Chochoveni Mechkarevo Mladovo Nikolaevo Novachevo Panaretovtsi Rachenitsa Rakovo Samuilovo Seliminovo Skobelevo Sliven Sotirya Sredorek Stara Reka Staro Selo Strupets Topolchane Trapoklovo Vaglen Zaychari Zhelyu Voyvoda Zlati Voyvoda

• Gera, Germany
• Pécs, Hungary
• Voronezh, Russia
• Svetlahorsk, Belarus

• Digital photos from Sliven
• Official site of Sliven
• Sliven at Pictures of Bulgaria
• Guide to Sliven district, cities, villages and regions
• Sliven.net
• Sliven.government.bg
• Sliven.start.bg
• Sliven on Google Maps

Cities and towns in Bulgaria

Aytos | Asenovgrad | Blagoevgrad | Botevgrad | Burgas | Dimitrovgrad | Dobrich | Dupnitsa | Gabrovo | Gorna Oryahovitsa | Gotse Delchev | Harmanli | Haskovo | Karlovo | Karnobat | Kazanlak | Kardzhali | Kyustendil | Lom | Lovech | Montana | Nova Zagora | Panagyurishte | Pazardzhik | Pernik | Petrich | Pleven | Plovdiv | Razgrad | Rousse | Samokov | Sandanski | Sevlievo | Shumen | Silistra | Sliven | Smolyan | Sofia | Stara Zagora | Svishtov | Targovishte | Troyan | Varna | Veliko Tarnovo | Velingrad | Vidin | Vratsa | Yambol