Jerma
Encyclopedia
The Jerma or Erma (Bulgarian
Cyrillic: Ерма) is a river in southeastern Serbia
and western Bulgaria
. Even though not very long (74 km), it is notable for passing the Serbian-Bulgarian border twice.
mountain, passing through the village of Klisura, after which it enters the area of Znepolje (Bulgarian: Znepole; Cyrillic: Знепоље/Знеполе), an arid region stretching over the border into Bulgaria. This is where the Jerma crosses the border for the first time, at the border crossing of Strezimirovci
.
mountain, the river, now called Erma, is also known as Transka reka after the town of Tran
, a regional centre of this area. The Erma passes close to the villages of Glavanovtsi and Turokovtsi, where it turns north, running through Tran. After Tran, the Erma cut the famous gorge Transko zhdrelo ("Gorge of Tran"). After the gorge, Erma flows through the Bulgarian part of the village of Petachinci. Erma receives its major tributary, the Yablanitsa, right before it re-enters Serbia after 26 km of flow in Bulgaria. The river crosses the border for the second time about a kilometer after (Petachinci)
and Vlaška planina
, it runs close to the villages of Trnsko-Odorovce and Vlasi, and the monasteries of Sveti Jovan, Sveti Nikolaj and Sveta Bogorodica, before it empties into the Nišava River, southeast of Pirot
after a total of 48 km in Serbia (thus belonging to the Black Sea
drainage area). In this last section, the Jerma flows through the Sukovo coal basin, named after the village Sukovo
, which is not on the banks of the Jerma itself, but a bit to the west. However, despite the hard coal was of high quality (7,000 cal), the coal mine near Pirot was shut down and coal is not being extracted anymore. In this final section, the Jerma is also known as Sukovska reka (Cyrillic: Суковска река; "river of Sukovo").
Bulgarian language
Bulgarian is an Indo-European language, a member of the Slavic linguistic group.Bulgarian, along with the closely related Macedonian language, demonstrates several linguistic characteristics that set it apart from all other Slavic languages such as the elimination of case declension, the...
Cyrillic: Ерма) is a river in southeastern Serbia
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
and western Bulgaria
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
. Even though not very long (74 km), it is notable for passing the Serbian-Bulgarian border twice.
Serbia
The Jerma originates in the undeveloped and sparsely populated area of Krajište, in the southeastern corner of Serbia. Starting from between the artificial Lake Vlasina and the Bulgarian border, it flows to the northwest on the eastern slopes of the GramadaGramada
Gramada is a town in northwestern Bulgaria, part of Vidin Province. It is the administrative centre of the homonymous Gramada Municipality, which lies in the central part of Vidin Province. It is located in the western Danubian Plain, 30 kilometres from the provincial capital Vidin and 200...
mountain, passing through the village of Klisura, after which it enters the area of Znepolje (Bulgarian: Znepole; Cyrillic: Знепоље/Знеполе), an arid region stretching over the border into Bulgaria. This is where the Jerma crosses the border for the first time, at the border crossing of Strezimirovci
Strezimirovci
Strezimirovci is a divided village in easternmost Serbia and westernmost Bulgaria. The Bulgarian half of the village is part of Tran municipality, Pernik Province, whereas the Serbian part belongs to Surdulica municipality, Pčinja District...
.
Bulgaria
Continuing through the Bulgarian part of Znepolje curving around the eastern side of the RuyRuy
Ruy may refer to:*another form of Rui, a Portuguese given name*Ruy Lopez, a chess opening named after Ruy López de Segura*Ruy Ramos - a Brazilian-born Japanese footballer*Ruy Mountain, a mountain on the border of Bulgaria and Serbia...
mountain, the river, now called Erma, is also known as Transka reka after the town of Tran
Tran, Bulgaria
Tran |thorn]]") is a small town in Pernik Province, western Bulgaria. It is 27 kilometres away from the town of Breznik and 15 km from the border with Serbia....
, a regional centre of this area. The Erma passes close to the villages of Glavanovtsi and Turokovtsi, where it turns north, running through Tran. After Tran, the Erma cut the famous gorge Transko zhdrelo ("Gorge of Tran"). After the gorge, Erma flows through the Bulgarian part of the village of Petachinci. Erma receives its major tributary, the Yablanitsa, right before it re-enters Serbia after 26 km of flow in Bulgaria. The river crosses the border for the second time about a kilometer after (Petachinci)
Returning to Serbia
The Jerma continues to flow generally to the north, passing next to the village of Iskrovci and the picturesque spa of Zvonačka Banja. Proceeding between the mountains of GrebenGreben
Grebno is a small village in the Uroševac municipality of southern Kosovo. All of the inhabitants are Albanians. The village has a population of 5,000-10,000 people. The large city of Uroševac is located to the north of the village. The Šar Mountains are located to the south-west of the...
and Vlaška planina
Vlaška planina
Vlaška planina is a mountain in southeastern Serbia, near the town of Dimitrovgrad. Its highest peak Panica has an altitude of 1443 meters above sea level. With Greben, Vlaška planina forms the attractive gorge of Jerma river....
, it runs close to the villages of Trnsko-Odorovce and Vlasi, and the monasteries of Sveti Jovan, Sveti Nikolaj and Sveta Bogorodica, before it empties into the Nišava River, southeast of Pirot
Pirot
Pirot is a town and municipality located in south-eastern Serbia. According to 2011 census, the town has a total population of 38,432, while the population of the municipality is 57,911...
after a total of 48 km in Serbia (thus belonging to the Black Sea
Black Sea
The Black Sea is bounded by Europe, Anatolia and the Caucasus and is ultimately connected to the Atlantic Ocean via the Mediterranean and the Aegean seas and various straits. The Bosphorus strait connects it to the Sea of Marmara, and the strait of the Dardanelles connects that sea to the Aegean...
drainage area). In this last section, the Jerma flows through the Sukovo coal basin, named after the village Sukovo
Sukovo
Sukovo is a village in the municipality of Pirot, Serbia. According to the 2002 census, the village has a population of 728 people....
, which is not on the banks of the Jerma itself, but a bit to the west. However, despite the hard coal was of high quality (7,000 cal), the coal mine near Pirot was shut down and coal is not being extracted anymore. In this final section, the Jerma is also known as Sukovska reka (Cyrillic: Суковска река; "river of Sukovo").