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Vâlcea County Județul Vâlcea
County
Coat of arms
Coordinates: 45°05′N 24°07′E / 45.08°N 24.11°E / 45.08; 24.11Coordinates: 45°05′N 24°07′E / 45.08°N 24.11°E / 45.08; 24.11
Country	Romania
Development region	Sud-Vest
Historical region	Muntenia, Oltenia
Capital	Râmnicu Vâlcea
Area
• Total	5,765 km2 (2,226 sq mi)
Area rank	20th
Population (2011)
• Total	355,320
• Rank	26th
• Density	62/km2 (160/sq mi)
Telephone code	(+40) 250 or (+40) 350[1]
ISO 3166 code	RO-VL
Website	County Council Prefecture

Vâlcea County (also spelt Vîlcea; Romanian pronunciation: [ˈvɨlt͡ʃe̯a]) is a county (județ) of Romania. Located in the historical regions of Oltenia and Muntenia (which are separated by the Olt River), it is also part of the wider Wallachia region. Its capital city is Râmnicu Vâlcea.

Demographics

In 2011, it had a population of 355,320 and the population density was 61.63/km².

• 
  Romanians - over 98%^[2]
  


• 
  Roma, others.

Year	County population[3]
1948	341,590
1956	362,356
1966	368,779
1977	414,241
1992	436,298
2002	413,247
2011	355,320

Geography

This county has a total area of 5,765 km².

The North side of the county is occupied by the mountains from the Southern Carpathians group - The Făgăraș Mountains in the East with heights over 2200 m, and the Lotru Mountains in the West with heights over 2000 m. They are separated by the Olt River valley - the most accessible passage between Transylvania and Muntenia. Along the Olt River Valley there are smaller groups of mountains, the most spectacular being the Cozia Mountains.

Towards the South, the heights decrease, passing through the sub-carpathian hills to a high plain in the West side of the Romanian Plain.

The main river is the Olt River crossing the county from North to South. Its main affluents are the Lotru River in the North and the Olteț River in the South.

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

• 
  Argeș County in the East.


• 
  Gorj County and Hunedoara County in the West.


• 
  Sibiu County and Alba County in the North.


• 
  Dolj County and Olt County in the South.

Economy

The city of Râmnicu Vâlcea is the most industrialised in the county, the rest of the county having an agrarian development.

The predominant industries in the county are:

• Chemical industry.


• Food and beverage industry.


• Textile industry.


• Mechanical components industry.


• Construction materials.


• Wood and furniture industry.

In the West of the county coal and salt are extracted.

The area in the center of the county is well suited for fruit orchards, wines and raising cattle. The South is better suited for growing cereals and vegetables.

More information about Valcea County economy on Valcea Chamber of Commerce and Industry http://www.ccivl.ro

Tourism

The main tourist destinations are:

• The Olt River Valley:
  
  
  
  • The Călimănești-Căciulata resorts
  
  
  • The Cozia Monastery.
  
  
  • The Turnu Monastery.
  
  
  • The Cozia Mountains.
  
  
  • Various small churches and fortifications.
  
  
  
  


• The Lotru River valley:
  
  
  
  • The town of Brezoi.
  
  
  • The Lotru Mountains.
  
  
  • The Voineasa Resort
  
  
  • The Vidra Resort
  
  
  • The Obârșia Lotrului Resort.
  
  
  
  


• The city of Râmnicu Vâlcea.


• The Băile Govora Resort.


• The Băile Olănești Resort.

Politics

The Vâlcea County Council, elected at the 2016 local government elections, is made up of 33 counselors, with the following party composition:^[4]

Administrative divisions

Vâlcea County has 2 municipalities, 9 towns and 78 communes

• Municipalities
  
  
  
  • Drăgășani
  
  
  • 
    Râmnicu Vâlcea - capital city; population: 92,573 (as of 2011)
  
  
  
  

Historical county

Județul Vâlcea
County (Județ)
The building of the Vâlcea County court from the interwar period, now the Râmnicu Vâlcea court.
Coat of arms
Country	Romania
Historic region	Oltenia
Capital city (Reședință de județ)	Râmnicu Vâlcea
Area
• Total	4,081 km2 (1,576 sq mi)
Population (1930)
• Total	246,659
• Density	60/km2 (160/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+2 (EET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+3 (EEST)

Historically, the county was located in the southwestern part of Greater Romania, in the northeast part of the historical region of Oltenia. Its capital was Râmnicu Vâlcea. The interwar county territory comprised a large part of the current Vâlcea County; however the territories situated to the east of the Olt River in the current county were not part of the historical county.

The county was bordered to the north by Sibiu County, to the east by the counties of Argeş and Olt, to the south by Romanați County, and to the west by the counties of Dolj and Gorj.

Administration

Map of Vâlcea County as constituted in 1938.

The county was in 1930 divided into five administrative districts (plăṣi):^[5]

1. Plasa Cerna, headquartered at Lădești
   


2. Plasa Cozia, headquartered at Călimănești
   


3. Plasa Drăgășani, headquartered at Drăgășani
   


4. Plasa Horezu, headquartered at Horezu
   


5. Plasa Zătreni, headquartered at Zătreni
   

By 1938, there were six districts, four previous and two new ones resulting from the reorganisation of the southwest part of the county:^[6]

1. Plasa Cerna, headquartered at Lădești
   


2. Plasa Cozia, headquartered at Călimănești
   


3. Plasa Drăgășani, headquartered at Drăgășani
   


4. Plasa Horezu, headquartered at Horezu
   


5. Plasa Bălcești, headquartered at Bălcești
   


6. Plasa Oltețu, headquartered at Oltețu
   

Population

According to the 1930 census data, the county population was 246,713 inhabitants, ethnically divided as follows: 97.4% Romanians, 1.6% Romanies, 0.2% Germans, 0.2% Hungarians, 0.2% Jews, as well as other minorities. From the religious point of view, the population was 99.0% Eastern Orthodox, 0.4% Roman Catholic, 0.2% Jewish, as well as other minorities.

Urban population

In 1930, the county's urban population was 31,909 inhabitants, comprising 94.8% Romanians, 1.3% Romanies, 1.0% Germans, 0.8% Jews, 0.7% Hungarians, as well as other minorities. From the religious point of view, the urban population was composed of 96.4% Eastern Orthodox, 1.4% Roman Catholic, 0.8% Jewish, 0.7% Lutheran, 0.3% Greek Catholic, as well as other minorities.

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Vâlcea County.

External links