Jerma 4985897 185401452 2008-01-19T10:52:43Z Green Giant 808676 clean up using [[Project:AutoWikiBrowser|AWB]] {{Infobox River | river_name = Jerma (Јерма, Ерма) | image_name = Ermagorge.JPG | caption = The Erma Gorge, Bulgaria | origin = near [[Lake Vlasina]], [[Serbia]] | mouth = near [[Pirot]], [[Serbia]] | basin_countries = [[Serbia]], [[Bulgaria]] | length = 74 km | elevation = | discharge = | watershed = }} The '''Jerma''' ([[Serbian language|Serbian]] [[Cyrillic]]: ''Јерма'') or '''Erma''' ([[Bulgarian language|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. == Course == === 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 [[Gramada]] 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]].[[Image:Ermavalley.JPG|thumb|The Erma valley, seen from the village Yarlovo across towards [[Ruy]] mountain, [[Bulgaria]]]] === Bulgaria === Continuing through the Bulgarian part of Znepolje curving around the eastern side of the [[Ruy]] mountain, the river, now called Erma, is also known as ''Transka reka'' after the town of [[Tran, Bulgaria|Tran]], a regional centre of this area. The Erma passes close to the villages of [[Glavanovtsi, Pernik|Glavanovtsi]] and [[Turokovtsi, Pernik|Turokovtsi]], where it turns north, running through Tran. After Tran, the Erma cut the famous gorge Transko zhdrelo ("Gorge of Tran"). After the gorge, the 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 at the villages of [[Bankya, Pernik|Bankya]] (Bulgaria) and Petačinci (Serbia). === 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 [[Greben]] 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]], 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"). The river also has potential for production of hydroelectricity, but this resource is not used either. == References == * ''Mala Prosvetina Enciklopedija'', Third edition (1985); Prosveta; ISBN 86-07-00001-2 * Jovan Đ. Marković (1990): ''Enciklopedijski geografski leksikon Jugoslavije''; Svjetlost-Sarajevo; ISBN 86-01-02651-6 [[Category:Rivers of Serbia]] [[Category:Rivers of Bulgaria]] [[Category:Pernik Province]] [[bg:Ерма]] [[fr:Jerma]] [[no:Jerma]] [[nn:Jerma]] [[sl:Jerma]]