The dominant and traditional religion in the village is Eastern Orthodox Christianity and the population is 573 (as of September 2005[ [update]]). Shiroka Laka lies at 1,206 m above sea level, at . The mayor is Aleksandar Kavroshilov. The village has existed at this place since the 17th century and was founded by Bulgarians fleeing from the forcible Islamization conducted by the Ottoman authorities of the time in the Rhodopes.