Yakoruda
Якоруда | |
|---|---|
 Sunset in Yakoruda | |
  Yakoruda Location of Yakoruda | |
| Coordinates: 42°1′N 23°41′E / 42.017°N 23.683°E | |
| Country | Bulgaria |
| Provinces (Oblast) | Blagoevgrad |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Nuredin Kafelov |
| Elevation | 888 m (2,913 ft) |
| Population (15.06.2010) | |
• Total | 6,299 |
| Time zone | UTC+2 (EET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+3 (EEST) |
| Postal Code | 2790 |
| Area code | 07442 |
| License plate | E |
Yakoruda (Bulgarian: Якоруда [jɐkoˈrudɐ]) is a Bulgarian town located in the southwestern part of the country. A part of the Blagoevgrad Province, it is the seat of Yakuroda Municipality which is the north-easternmost in the province. The town lies in the Rhodope Mountains, along the Mesta River, 26 km west of the town of Velingrad. Yakoruda was proclaimed a town on 9 September 1964, having previously been officially classified as a village.
A plurality of the residents are Muslim Bulgarians (Pomaks), the rest being for the most part Eastern Orthodox.
Notable natives are Survivor BG season one runner-up Ahmed Shuganov, Minister of Labour and Social Policy Emiliya Maslarova, and Dr. Anna Petrova-Mayor, Professor of Physics at California State University Chico.