Editing Varna, Bulgaria (section)

== Economy ==
[[File:Varna Port.jpg|thumb|[[Port of Varna|Port Varna]]]]
[[File:Pfohe Mall Varna.jpg|thumb|A new "lifestyle" shopping mall in the Troshevo district]]

Economically, Varna is among the best-performing and fastest-growing Bulgarian cities. In 2016 the unemployment rate is 3.5% and the average salary is nearly 900lv (450€) per month.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.chernomore.bg/obshtestvo/2017-02-14/srednata-zaplata-vav-varna-e-915-lv|title=Cherno more employment|publisher=Chernomore.bg|access-date=1 March 2017|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170302025350/http://www.chernomore.bg/obshtestvo/2017-02-14/srednata-zaplata-vav-varna-e-915-lv|archive-date=2 March 2017}}</ref>
The economy is service-based, with 61% of net revenue generated in trade and tourism, 16% in manufacturing, 14% in transportation and communications, and 6% in construction.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.varna.bg/invest/iconom.htm |title=-Община Варна- |publisher=Varna.bg |access-date=6 May 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081009221617/http://www.varna.bg/invest/iconom.htm |archive-date=9 October 2008 }}</ref> Financial services, particularly banking, insurance, investment management, and real-estate finance are booming. As of December 2008, the fallout of the global financial crisis has not yet been hard. The city is the easternmost destination of [[Pan-European corridors|Pan-European transport corridor]] 8 and is connected to corridors 7 and 9 via Rousse. Major industries traditionally include transportation ([[Navibulgar]], [[Port of Varna]], [[Varna Airport]]), distribution (Logistics Park Varna<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.propertywisebulgaria.com/article/logistic-park-varna-received-first-class-investor-certificate/id_562/catid_12 |title=Logistic Park Varna received First Class Investor Certificate – Daily News Article |publisher=Propertywisebulgaria.com |date=8 February 2008 |access-date=6 May 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071212061259/http://www.propertywisebulgaria.com/article/logistic-park-varna-received-first-class-investor-certificate/id_562/catid_12 |archive-date=12 December 2007 }}</ref>), [[shipbuilding]] (see also [[Oceanic-Creations]]), ship repair,<ref>{{cite web|title=Odessos Shipyard Varna|url=http://www.odessos-yard.bg/|website=Odessos Shiprepair Yard|access-date=5 August 2016|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160731145421/http://www.odessos-yard.bg/|archive-date=31 July 2016}}</ref> and other marine industries.

The largest port in Bulgaria is the [[Port of Varna]] through which over 7m tonnes of freight moves annually.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://port-varna.bg/content/10/files/GFO-2020.pdf |title=Annual Financial Report  |access-date=2022-06-25 |language=bg |publisher=Port Varna |date= }}</ref>

In June 2007, [[Eni]] and [[Gazprom]] disclosed the [[South Stream]] project whereby a {{convert|900|km|mi|0|abbr=off|adj=mid|-long}} offshore natural gas pipeline from Russia's [[Dzhubga]] with annual capacity of {{convert|63|e9m|e9ft|0|abbr=off}} was planned to come ashore at Varna, possibly near the Galata offshore gas field, en route to Italy and Austria. Nevertheless, the project was stopped due to the EU-Russia conflict.

With the nearby towns of [[Beloslav]] and [[Devnya]], Varna forms the [[Varna-Devnya Industrial Complex]], home to some of the largest chemical, thermal power, and manufacturing facilities in Bulgaria, including Varna Thermal Power Plant and ''Sodi Devnya'', the two largest cash privatisation deals in the country's recent history. There are also notable facilities for radio navigation devices, household appliances, security systems, textiles, apparel, food and beverages, printing, and other industries. Some manufacturing veterans are giving way to post-industrial developments: an ECE shopping mall is taking the place of the former VAMO diesel engine works and the Varna Brewery is being replaced by a convention centre.

[[File:GoldenSands.JPG|thumb|A beach at [[Golden Sands]]]]
[[File:BG Golden Sands.jpg|thumb|Grand Hotel Hermitage, Golden Sands]]

Tourism is of foremost importance with the suburban beachfront resorts of [[Golden Sands]], [[Riviera, Varna Province|Riviera Holiday Club]], Sunny Day, [[Saints Constantine and Helena, Bulgaria|Saints Constantine and Helena]] attracting around 1 million foreign tourists in 2016. The resorts received considerable internal and foreign investment in the late 1990s and early in the first decade of the 21st century, and are environmentally sound, being located reassuringly far from chemical and other smokestack industries. Varna is also Bulgaria's only international [[cruise ship|cruise]] destination with 36 cruises for 2014 and a major international conference and SPA centre. Varna South Bay is also becoming a popular area for tourists

The highest building in the city is [[Interhotel Cherno More]] at 72.2 meters.

Real estate boomed in 2003–2008 with some of the highest prices in the country, by fall 2007 surpassing Sofia. In 2017 Varna is second in terms of construction projects.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.varna24.bg/novini/varna/Varna-vtora-v-stranata-po-predstoyashto-stroitelstvo-na-novi-zhilishta-702128|title=Варна втора в страната по предстоящо строителство на нови жилища|website=varna24.bg|access-date=27 April 2018|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170901114724/https://www.varna24.bg/novini/varna/Varna-vtora-v-stranata-po-predstoyashto-stroitelstvo-na-novi-zhilishta-702128|archive-date=1 September 2017}}</ref>

In retail, the city not only has the assortment of international big-box retailers, now found in larger Bulgarian cities, but boasts made-in-Varna national chains with locations spreading over the country such as retailer [[Piccadilly (supermarket chain)|Piccadilly]], the famous restaurant chain ''Happy'' and pharmacy chain ''Sanita''. [[Mall Varna]], Grand Mall and Delta Planet Mall are the three largest shopping centres in Varna, turning the city into an attractive shopping destination. The city has many of the finest eateries in the nation and abounds in ethnic food places.
There is a plethora of Internet cafes and many places, including parks, are covered by free public wireless internet service. Varna is connected to other Black Sea cities by the submarine [[BSFOCS|Black Sea Fibre Optic Cable System]].

In 2016 Varna won the vote of Darik Radio listeners and was awarded "Best city to live" and "Protector of History".<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://varnautre.bg/2016/04/22/12274/%d0%b2%d0%b0%d1%80%d0%bd%d0%b0-%d0%b5-%d0%bd%d0%b0%d0%b9-%d0%b4%d0%be%d0%b1%d1%8a%d1%80-%d0%b3%d1%80%d0%b0%d0%b4-%d0%b7%d0%b0-%d0%b6%d0%b8%d0%b2%d0%b5%d0%b5%d0%bd%d0%b5-%d0%b8-%d0%bf%d0%b0%d0%b7|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170906040439/http://varnautre.bg/2016/04/22/12274/%d0%b2%d0%b0%d1%80%d0%bd%d0%b0-%d0%b5-%d0%bd%d0%b0%d0%b9-%d0%b4%d0%be%d0%b1%d1%8a%d1%80-%d0%b3%d1%80%d0%b0%d0%b4-%d0%b7%d0%b0-%d0%b6%d0%b8%d0%b2%d0%b5%d0%b5%d0%bd%d0%b5-%d0%b8-%d0%bf%d0%b0%d0%b7|url-status=dead|title=Варна е "Най-добър град за живеене" и "Пазител на историята"|archive-date=6 September 2017|access-date=27 September 2019}}</ref>