Harghita County

Template:Short description Template:Use dmy dates Template:More citations needed Template:Infobox settlement

Harghita County (Template:Langx, Template:IPA and Template:Langx, Template:IPA) is a county (Template:Lang) in the center of Romania, in eastern Transylvania, with the county seat at Miercurea Ciuc.

Demographics

2002 census

In 2002, Harghita County had a population of 326,222<ref>National Institute of Statistics, "Populația la recensămintele din anii 1948, 1956, 1966, 1977, 1992 și 2002" Template:Webarchive</ref> and a population density of 52/km².

Hungarians – 84.62% (or 276,038)<ref>National Institute of Statistics, "Populația după etnie" Template:Webarchive ("Population by ethnicity")</ref>
Romanians – 14.06% (or 45,870)
Romani – 1.18% (or 3,835)
Others – 0.14%

2011 census

In 2011, it had a population of 302,432<ref>National Institute of Statistics, [1]Template:Dead link</ref> and a population density of 46/km².

Hungarians – 85.21% (or 257,707)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Romanians – 12.96% (or 39,196)
Romani
Others – 1.76% (or 5,326).

2021 census

In 2021, it had a population of 291,950, and a population density of 43/km².

Hungarians – 85.67% (or 232,157)
Romanians – 12.41% (or 33,634)
Romani - 1.82% (or 4,928)
Others – 0.1% (or 282).

Harghita county has the highest percentage of Hungarians in Romania, just ahead of Covasna county. The Hungarians form the majority of the population in most of the county's municipalities, with Romanians concentrated in the northern and eastern part of the county (particularly Toplița and Bălan), as well as in the enclave of Voșlăbeni.

The Székelys of Harghita are mostly Roman Catholic, with Reformed and Unitarian minorities, while the ethnic Romanians are primarily Orthodox. Catholicism is strongest in the east, in the former Csíkszék, while Protestants are concentrated in the south and west of Odorheiu Secuiesc. By religion, the county is divided roughly as follows:

Roman Catholic (65%)
Orthodox (13%)
Reformed (13%)
Unitarian (7%)
Other (2%)

Template:Historical populations

Geography

Harghita County has a total area of 6,639 km².

Harghita consists primarily of mountains, connected to the Eastern Carpathians, such as the Ciuc and Harghita Mountains; volcanic plateaux, foothills, and the more densely populated river valleys.

The mountains are volcanic in origin, and the region is known for its excellent hot mineral springs. Harghita is known as one of the coldest regions in Romania, although summers can be quite warm.

It is in this county that two of the most important rivers in Romania, the Mureș and the Olt, originate. These rivers' origins, near the villages of Izvoru Mureșului and Sândominic, are only a few miles apart; yet the Mureș flows west to the Tisza, while the Olt flows south to the Danube. In the western part of the county the two Târnava rivers (Târnava Mare and Târnava Mică) flow to the Târnava Plateau, which is part of the Transylvanian Plateau.

Harghita's spectacular natural scenery includes Sfânta Ana Lake, a volcanic crater lake near the town of Băile Tușnad; Lacul Roșu a mountain lake in the northeast near the town of Gheorgheni, and Cheile Bicazului, a dramatic, narrow canyon formed by the Bicaz stream. The county is renowned for its spa resorts and mineral waters.

Neighbours

Template:Romanian counties map

Neamț County and Bacău County to the East.
Mureș County to the West.
Suceava County to the North.
Brașov County and Covasna County to the South.

Economy

The county's main industries:

Wood industry – up to 30%;
Foods and beverages industry;
Textile and leather processing;
Mechanical components.

Tourism

The main tourist attractions in Harghita county are

The cities of Miercurea Ciuc, Odorheiu Secuiesc, Gheorgheni, Toplița.
The mountain resorts of
Lake Sfânta Ana (crater lake)
The Via Transilvanica long-distance hiking and biking trail, which crosses the county

Politics

The Harghita County Council, renewed at the 2020 local elections, consists of 30 counsellors, with the following party composition:<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

	Party	Seats	Current Council
Template:Party color cell	Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania (UDMR/RMDSZ)	19	Template:Party color cell	Template:Party color cell	Template:Party color cell	Template:Party color cell	Template:Party color cell	Template:Party color cell	Template:Party color cell	Template:Party color cell	Template:Party color cell	Template:Party color cell	Template:Party color cell	Template:Party color cell	Template:Party color cell	Template:Party color cell	Template:Party color cell	Template:Party color cell	Template:Party color cell	Template:Party color cell	Template:Party color cell
Template:Party color cell	Hungarian Alliance Of Transylvania	4	Template:Party color cell	Template:Party color cell	Template:Party color cell	Template:Party color cell
Template:Party color cell	Social Democratic Party (PSD)	3	Template:Party color cell	Template:Party color cell	Template:Party color cell
Template:Party color cell	National Liberal Party (PNL)	2	Template:Party color cell	Template:Party color cell
Template:Party color cell	Party Of Free People	2	Template:Party color cell	Template:Party color cell