Caraș-Severin County
Caraş-Severin | |
|---|---|
County (Judeţ) | |
 Coat of arms | |
 | |
| Country |  Romania |
| Development region1 | Vest |
| Historic region | mostly Banat, few villages in Transylvania |
| Capital city (Resedinţă de judeţ) | Reşiţa |
| Government | |
| • Type | County Board |
| • President of the County Board | Iosif Secăşan |
| • Prefect2 | Ioan Anton Paulescu |
| Area | |
• Total | 8,514 km2 (3,287 sq mi) |
| Population (2002) | |
• Total | 333,219 |
| • Density | 39/km2 (100/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+2 (EET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+3 (EEST) |
| Postal Code | 32wxyz3 |
| Area code | +40 x554 |
| Car Plates | CS5 |
| Website | County Board County Prefecture |
| 1The developing regions of Romania have no administrative role. They where formed just to attract funds from the European Union 2 as of 2007, the Prefect is not a politician, but a public functionary. He (or she) is not allowed to be a member of a political party, and is banned to have any political activity in the first six months after the resignation (or exclusion) from the public functionary corps 3w, x, y, and z are digits that indicate the city, the street, part of the street, or even the building of the address 4x is a digit indicating the operator: 2 for the former national operator, Romtelecom, and 3 for the other ground telephone networks 5used on both the plates of the vehicles that operate only in the county limits (like utility vehicles, ATVs, etc.), and the ones used outside the county | |
Caraş-Severin (IPA: ['ka.raʃ se.ve.'rin]; Serbian: Караш Северин, Croatian: Karaš-Severin; Hungarian: Krassó-Szörény, Bulgarian: Караш-Северин) is a county (judeţ) of Romania, in historical region Banat, with the county seat at Reşiţa.
Demographics
The county is part of the Danube-Kris-Mures-Tisa euroregion.
In 2002, it had a population of 333,219 and a population density of 39/km².
The majority of the population (88.24%) are Romanians. There are also Roma (2.37%), Croats (1.88%), Germans (1.84%), Serbs (1.82%), Hungarians (1.74%) and Ukrainians (1.05%).[1]
| Year | County population[2] |
|---|---|
| 1948 | 302,254 |
| 1956 | 327,787 |
| 1966 | 358,726 |
| 1977 | 385,577 |
| 1992 | 376,347 |
| 2002 | 333,219 |
Geography
With 8,514 km², it is the third largest county in Romania, after Timiş and Suceava counties. It is also the county through which the Danube River enters Romania.
The mountains make up 67% of the county's surface, including the Southern Carpathians range, with Banat Mountains, Ţarcu-Godeanu Mountains and Cernei Mountains and elevations between 600 and 2100 m. Transition hills between mountains and the Banat Plain lie in the western side of the ocunty.
The Danube enters Romania in the vicinity of Baziaş, bordering Serbia. Timiş, Cerna, Caraş and Nera cross the county, some of them through spectacular valleys and gorges.
Neighbours
- Hunedoara County and Gorj County to the east.
- Timiş County to the north.
- Mehedinţi County to the southeast.
- Serbia to the southwest:
- Vojvodina Autonomous Province to the west - South Banat okrug.
- Bor District and Braničevo District to the south.
History and Economy
In 1718 the county was part of the Habsburg Monarchy of Austria, in its province named Banat. The county seat, Reşiţa, was founded in 1771 and became a modern industrial center during the Austrian occupation. The area received considerable attention due to its mines industry. In 1855, the entire Banat area, with its supplies of mineral deposits and timber, was transferred from the Austrian Treasury to an Austrian and French mining and railroad company named STEG. STEG built the Oraviţa-Baziaş line -- Romania's oldest railroad track. After World War I, STEG, Banat and most of Austro-Hungarian property were taken over by a company named UDR. The arrival of the communist regime in Romania after WWII and that regime's campaign of nationalization of the mining industry brought tremendous social upheaval in the area.
Tourism
Archaeological findings show the area has been populated since Paleolithic times. There is a County Museum of History in Resita, displaying archeological artifacts, and, in the town of Ocna de Fier, the Constantin Gruiescu Mineralogical Collection. The county hosts the regional daffodil and lilac festivals in the Spring. Sites worth visiting:
- Cheile Nerei - Beuşinta National Park;
- Semenic - Cheile Caraşului National Park;
- Domogled - Valea Cernei National Park;
- Danube Iron Gate National Park;
- Semenic resort;
- Băile Herculane resort.
Administration
- President of County Council - Iosif Secasan Democratic Party
- Vicepresidents - Horia Irimia, National Liberal Party and Tilică Pîrvulescu
Administrative divisions
The county has 2 municipalities, 6 towns, and 69 communes.
Municipalities
Towns
Communes
Villages
References
- ^ National Institute of Statistics, "Populaţia după etnie"
- ^ National Institute of Statistics, "Populaţia la recensămintele din anii 1948, 1956, 1966, 1977, 1992 şi 2002"