▁Population ▁ ▁The ▁R use ▁province ▁had ▁a ▁population ▁of ▁ 2 6 6 , 2 1 3 ▁( 2 6 6 , 1 5 7 ▁also ▁given ) ▁according ▁to ▁a ▁ 2 0 0 1 ▁census , ▁of ▁which ▁ ▁were ▁male ▁and ▁ ▁were ▁female . ▁As ▁of ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁ 2 0 0 9 , ▁the ▁population ▁of ▁the ▁province , ▁announced ▁by ▁the ▁Bulgar ian ▁National ▁Statist ical ▁Institute , ▁number ed ▁ 2 4 9 , 1 4 4 ▁of ▁which ▁ ▁are ▁inhabitants ▁aged ▁over ▁ 6 0 ▁years . ▁ ▁The ▁following ▁table ▁represents ▁the ▁change ▁of ▁the ▁population ▁in ▁the ▁province ▁after ▁World ▁War ▁II : ▁ ▁Eth nic ▁groups ▁ ▁Total ▁population ▁( 2 0 1 1 ▁census ): ▁ 2 3 5 ▁ 2 5 2 ▁ ▁Eth nic ▁groups ▁( 2 0 1 1 ▁census ): ▁Ident ified ▁themselves : ▁ 2 1 6 , 6 1 2 ▁persons : ▁Bulg ari ans : ▁ 1 7 6 , 4 1 3 ▁( 8 1 , 4 4 %) ▁Tur ks : ▁▁ 2 8 , 6 5 8 ▁( 1 3 , 2 3 %) ▁Roman i : ▁ 8 , 6 1 5 ▁( 3 , 9 8 %) ▁O thers ▁and ▁in defin able : ▁ 2 , 9 2 6 ▁( 1 , 3 5 %) ▁ ▁Eth nic ▁groups ▁according ▁to ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 1 ▁census , ▁when ▁ 2 6 6 ,