Sibiu County
| Sibiu County Județul Sibiu |
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| County | ||
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| Country | Romania | |
| Development region | Centru | |
| Historical region | Transylvania | |
| Capital | Sibiu | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 5,432 km2 (2,097 sq mi) | |
| Area rank | 24th | |
| Population (2002) | ||
| • Total | 421,724 | |
| • Rank | 25th | |
| • Density | 78/km2 (200/sq mi) | |
| Telephone code | (+40) 269 or (+40) 369[1] | |
| ISO 3166 code | RO-SB | |
| Website | County Council Prefecture |
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Sibiu (Romanian pronunciation: [siˈbiw]) is a county (județ) of Romania, in the historical region Transylvania, with the capital city Sibiu.
Contents
Name
In Hungarian, it is known as Szeben megye, and in German as Kreis Hermannstadt. During Austro-Hungarian administration, from 1876 to 1918, there was a county with similar name (see: Szeben County).
Demographics
In 2011, it had a population of 375,992 and the population density was 78/km².
At the 2011 census the county has the following population indices:
- Romanians - 91.25% (or 340,836)[2]
- Romani - 4.76% (or 17,901)
- Hungarians - 2.89% (or 10,893)
- Germans - 1.09% (or 4,117)
- Other - 0.1% (or 640)
Religion:
- Romanian Orthodox - 90.9%
- Greek Catholics - 2.3%
- Reformed - 2.0%
- Roman Catholics - 1.5%
- Pentecostals - 1.1%
- Baptists 0.9%
- Other - 1.3%
Urbanisation - 5th most urbanised county in Romania:
- City dwellers: 277,574 (or 65.8%)
- Village dwelers: 144,150 (or 34.2%)
Traditionally, the biggest minority in the county were Germans, but their numbers have decreased since World War II and especially the Romanian Revolution of 1989.
The south side of the county, closer to the mountains was mainly inhabited by Romanians (Mărginimea Sibiului), and the north side of the country - the Transylvanian Plateau was inhabited evenly by Germans and Romanians, but most Saxon villages are now deserted. The Roma population, mainly from southern Romania, was placed close to the villages in the Communist period and have since increased their numbers.
| Year | County population[3] |
|---|---|
| 1948 | 335,116 |
| 1956 |  372,687 |
| 1966 | 414,756 |
| 1977 | 481,645 |
| 1992 |  452,820 |
| 2002 | 421,724 |
| 2004 | 423,535 |
| 2007 | 424,855 |
| 2011 | 375,992 |
Geography
This county has a total area of 5,432 km².
In the South side there are the Carpathian Mountains (Southern Carpathians) - Făgăraș Mountains with heights over 2500 m, Lotru and Cindrel which make up to 30% of the county's surface. The Olt River crosses the mountains over to the South of Romania in Sibiu County forming one of the most accessible link between Transylvania and Wallachia. In the North side there is the Transylvanian Plateau.
The most important rivers crossing the county are the Olt in the South with Cibin its main effluent, and the Târnava in the North.
Neighbours
- Brașov County in the East.
- Alba County in the West.
- Mureș County in the North.
- Vâlcea County in the South.
- Argeş County in the South-East.ș
Economy
Sibiu County has one of the most dynamic economies in Romania, and is one of the regions with the highest level of foreign investment.
The predominant industries in the county are:
- Machine and automotive components.
- Food industry.
- Textile industry.
- Wood industry.
The biggest natural resource in the county is natural gas, especially in the north side, having one of the largest sources in the country.
In Copșa Mică during the communist period there were two chemical industrial complexes which polluted the environment heavily with carbon black, heavy metals, and other chemical substances. That's why the area is still considered one of the most polluted communities in Europe. Fortunately, after 1989 many of the industrial complexes were shut down and the area is slowly recovering.
Politics
The regional legislature is the County Council. Its president was Martin Bottesch (Democratic Forum of Germans in Romania), from 2004 to 2012.
Tourism
The main tourist attractions in the county are:
- The city of Sibiu with its medieval fortifications and its historic centre.
- The medieval city of Mediaș.
- The medieval Saxon fortified churches and villages from Transylvania, some of them being UNESCO World Heritage Sites:
- The abbey of Cârța
- The Făgăraș Mountains.
- The Bâlea Valley and the Transfăgărășan.
- The Negoiu Peak.
- Păltiniș mountain resort and the Cindrel Mountains.
- Ocna Sibiului, Bazna and Miercurea Sibiului Spa towns.
- The Mărginimea Sibiului rural area.
People
Administrative divisions
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Sibiu County has 2 municipalities, 9 towns and 53 communes
- Municipalities
- Towns
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- Communes
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- Alma
- Alțâna
- Apoldu de Jos
- Arpașu de Jos
- Ațel
- Axente Sever
- Bazna
- Bârghiș
- Biertan
- Blăjel
- Boița
- Brateiu
- Brădeni
- Bruiu
- Chirpăr
- Cârța
- Cârțișoara
- Cristian
- Dârlos
- Gura Râului
- Hoghilag
- Iacobeni
- Jina
- Laslea
- Loamneș
- Ludoș
- Marpod
- Merghindeal
- Micăsasa
- Mihăileni
- Moșna
- Nocrich
- Orlat
- Păuca
- Poiana Sibiului
- Poplaca
- Porumbacu de Jos
- Racovița
- Rășinari
- Râu Sadului
- Roșia
- Sadu
- Slimnic
- Șeica Mare
- Șeica Mică
- Șelimbăr
- Șura Mare
- Șura Mică
- Tilișca
- Târnava
- Turnu Roșu
- Valea Viilor
- Vurpăr
References
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Sibiu County. |
- ↑ The number used depends on the numbering system employed by the phone companies on the market.
- ↑ National Institute of Statistics, "Populația după etnie"
- ↑ National Institute of Statistics, "Populația la recensămintele din anii 1948, 1956, 1966, 1977, 1992 și 2002"
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