Vâlcea County

Vâlcea County (also spelt Vîlcea; Template:IPA) is a county (județ) that lies in south-central 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%<ref>National Institute of Statistics, "Populația după etnie" Template:Webarchive</ref>
• Roma, others - Template:Circa 2%

Year	County population<ref>National Institute of Statistics, [1]</ref>
1948	341,590 Template:Steady
1956	362,356 Template:Increase
1966	368,779 Template:Increase
1977	414,241 Template:Increase
1992	436,298 Template:Increase
2002	413,247 Template:Decrease
2011	355,320 Template:Decrease
2021	341,861 Template:Decrease

Geography

This county has a total area of Template:Cvt.

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 Template:Cvt, and the Lotru Mountains in the west with heights over Template:Cvt. 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 Template:Ill.

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

• 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 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, vineyards, and raising cattle. The South is better suited for growing cereals and vegetables.

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, renewed at the 2020 Romanian local elections, consists of 32 counsellors, with the following party composition:<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

	Party	Seats	Current County Council
Template:Party color cell	Social Democratic Party (PSD)	16	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	National Liberal Party (PNL)	13	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	Ecologist Party of Romania (PER)	3	Template:Party color cell	Template:Party color cell	Template:Party color cell

Administrative divisions

The Tudor Vladimirescu street in Râmnicu Vâlcea (early 2010)

Drăgășani Wine Museum

Vâlcea County has two municipalities, nine towns and 78 communes as follows:

• Municipalities
  • Râmnicu Vâlcea - county seat town (Template:Langx); population: 93,151 (as of 2022)
  • Drăgășani

• Towns
  • Băbeni
  • Băile Govora
  • Băile Olănești
  • Bălcești
  • Berbești
  • Brezoi
  • Călimănești
  • Horezu
  • Ocnele Mari

• Communes
  • Alunu
  • Amărăști
  • Bărbătești
  • Berislăvești
  • Boișoara
  • Budești
  • Bujoreni
  • Bunești
  • Câineni
  • Cernișoara
  • Copăceni
  • Costești
  • Crețeni
  • Dăești
  • Dănicei
  • Diculești
  • Drăgoești
  • Fârtățești
  • Făurești
  • Frâncești
  • Galicea
  • Ghioroiu
  • Glăvile
  • Golești
  • Grădiștea
  • Gușoeni
  • Ionești
  • Lăcusteni
  • Lădești
  • Laloșu
  • Lăpușata
  • Livezi
  • Lungești
  • Măciuca
  • Mădulari
  • Malaia
  • Măldărești
  • Mateești
  • Mihăești
  • Milcoiu
  • Mitrofani
  • Muereasca
  • Nicolae Bălcescu
  • Olanu
  • Orlești
  • Oteșani
  • Păușești
  • Păușești-Măglași
  • Perișani
  • Pesceana
  • Pietrari
  • Popești
  • Prundeni
  • Racovița
  • Roești
  • Roșiile
  • Runcu
  • Sălătrucel
  • Scundu
  • Sinești
  • Șirineasa
  • Slătioara
  • Stănești
  • Ștefănești
  • Stoenești
  • Stoilești
  • Stroești
  • Șușani
  • Sutești
  • Tetoiu
  • Titești
  • Tomșani
  • Vaideeni
  • Valea Mare
  • Vlădești
  • Voicești
  • Voineasa
  • Zătreni

Historical county

Template:Infobox settlement 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 Argeș 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 (plăși):<ref name=Memoria>Template:Cite web</ref>

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:<ref name=Ist_loc>Template:Cite web</ref>

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.