Economy of Plovdiv Economy of Plovdiv Plovdiv is the second only to Bulgaria's capital Sofia in economic importance and output. It is a major industrial, commercial, financial and shopping centre. Recently, Plovdiv has one of the country's fastest growing economies with average GDP growth of 12-13%. As of 2005 the total revenues are 9.4 billion leva (approximately 4.8 billion euro), which is with 88% more than in 2001. The profits for the same period rose 4.5 times. The unemployment is 6,5% which is lower than the national average. One of recent problems are municipality's administrative borders which almost completely coincide with the city
Plovdiv the Slavic name began to appear as "Papaldiv/n Plo(v)div, Pladiv, Pladin, Plapdiv, Plovdin", which evolved from a Thracian variant "Pulpudeva". As a result, the name has lost any meaning. In British English the Bulgarian variant "Plòvdiv" has become prevalent after World War I. The Crusaders mentioned the city as "Prineople", "Sinople" and "Phinepople". The Ottomans called the city "Filibe", a corruption of "Philip", in a document from 1448. Plovdiv is located on the banks of the Maritsa river, southeast of the Bulgarian capital Sofia. The city is in the southern part of the "Plain of Plovdiv", an alluvial plain that