Sibiu County

Sibiu
—  County   —
Coat of arms
Country	Romania
Development region	Centru
Historic region	Transylvania
Capital	Sibiu
Area
– Total	5,432 km2 (2,097.3 sq mi)
Area rank	24th
Population (2002)
– Total	421,724
– Rank	25th
– Density	77.6/km2 (201.1/sq mi)
Telephone code	(+40) 269 or (+40) 369[1]
ISO 3166 code	RO-SB
Website	County Council Prefecture

Sibiu (Romanian pronunciation: [siˈbiw]; Hungarian: Szeben) is a county (judeţ) of Romania, in the historical region Transylvania, with the capital city Sibiu.

Demographics

In 2002, it had a population of 421,724 and the population density was 78/km².

At the 2002 census the county has the following population indices:

• Romanians - 90.6% (or 382,061)^[2]
• Hungarians - 3.6% (or 15,344)
• Romas - 4.1% (or 17,125)
• Germans - 1.6% (or 6,554)
• Other - 0.1% (or 640)

Religion:

• Romanian Orthodox - 88.9%
• Greek Catholics - 2.3%
• Reformed - 2.0%
• Roman Catholics - 1.5%
• Pentecostals - 1.1%
• Baptists 0.9%
• Other - 3.3%

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	452,873
2002	421,724
2004	423,535
2007	424,855

Geography

This county has a total area of 5,432 km².

In the South side there are the Carpathian Mountains (Southern Carpathians) - Făgăraş 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

AB

AR

AG

BC

BH

BN

BT

BV

BR

BZ

CS

CL

CJ

CT

CV

DB

DJ

GL

GR

GJ

HR

HD

IL

IS

IF

MM

MH

MS

NT

OT

PH

SM

SJ

SB

SV

TR

TM

TL

VS

VL

VN

B

• Braşov County in the East.
• Alba County in the West.
• Mureş County in the North.
• Vâlcea County in the South.
• Argeş County in the South-East.

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 Copşa 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

Political parties of the mayors in Sibiu County

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 Mediaş.
• The medieval Saxon fortified churches and villages from Transylvania, some of them being UNESCO World Heritage Sites:
  • Biertan.
  • Valea Viilor.
  • Cisnădie.
  • Cisnădioara.
  • Slimnic.
  • Agnita.
• The abbey of Cârţa
• The Făgăraş Mountains.
  • The Bâlea Valley and the Transfăgărăşan.
  • The Negoiu Peak.
• Păltiniş mountain resort and the Cindrel Mountains.
• Ocna Sibiului, Bazna and Miercurea Sibiului Spa towns.
• The Mărginimea Sibiului rural area.

People

• Emil Cioran
• Octavian Goga

Administrative divisions

Sibiu County has 2 municipalities, 9 towns and 53 communes

Municipalities

• Mediaş
• Sibiu - capital city; population: 170,038 (as of 2007)

Towns Agnita Avrig Cisnădie

Copşa Mică Dumbrăveni Miercurea Sibiului

Ocna Sibiului Sălişte Tălmaciu

Communes Alma Alţâna Apoldu de Jos Arpaşu de Jos Aţel Axente Sever Bazna Bârghiş Biertan

Blăjel Boiţa Brateiu Brădeni Bruiu Chirpăr Cârţa Cârţişoara Cristian

Dârlos Gura Râului Hoghilag Iacobeni Jina Laslea Loamneş Ludoş Marpod

Merghindeal Micăsasa Mihăileni Moşna Nocrich Orlat Păuca Poiana Sibiului Poplaca

Porumbacu de Jos Racoviţa Răşinari Râu Sadului Roşia Sadu Slimnic Şeica Mare Şeica Mică

Şelimbăr Şura Mare Şura Mică Tilişca Târnava Turnu Roşu Valea Viilor Vurpăr

References

1. ^ The number used depends on the numbering system employed by the phone companies on the market.
2. ^ National Institute of Statistics, "Populaţia după etnie"
3. ^ National Institute of Statistics, "Populaţia la recensămintele din anii 1948, 1956, 1966, 1977, 1992 şi 2002"

External links