Arad County

Arad County, western Romania, is bounded on the west by Hungary. The Mures and Crişul Alb rivers flow westward through the county, while the Western Carpathians, including the Zărand and Codru-Moma ranges, lie in the eastern portion. Settlements are found in the lowlands and intermontane valleys. Cereal growing, livestock raising, and vineyard and fruit cultivation are the main agricultural activities. Clover, alfalfa, and onions are other crops.

Arad County (Romanian pronunciation: [aˈrad] ) is an administrative division (județ) of Romania roughly translated into county in the western part of the country on the border with Hungary, mostly in the region of Crișana and few villages in Banat. The administrative center of the county lies in the city of Arad. The Arad County is part of the Danube–Criș–Mureș–Tisa Euroregion.

Name

In Hungarian, it is known as Arad megye, in Serbian as Арадски округ, and in German as Kreis Arad. The county was named after its administrative center, Arad.

Geography

The county has a total area of 7,754 km² (2,994 sq mi), representing 3.6% of national Romanian territory. The terrain of Arad County is divided into two distinct units that cover almost half of the county each. The eastern side of the county has a hilly to low mountainous terrain (Dealurile Lipovei, Munții Zărandului, Munții Codru Moma) and on the western side it's a plain zone consisting of the Arad Plain, Low Mures Plain, and The High Vinga Plain. Taking altitude into account we notice that it follows a stepped pattern as it drops as we go from the east to the west of the county from 1489 m to below 100 m. In the east there are the Zarand Mountains and the Codru Moma Mountains, all subdivisions of the Apuseni Mountains, a major group of the Western Carpathians.

Neighbours

Alba County and Hunedoara County to the East.
Hungary to the West - Békés and Csongrád Counties.
Bihor County to the North.
Timiș County to the South.

Climate and precipitation

In terms of climate, the characteristics of Arad county have a typical temperate continental climate with oceanic influences, with a circulation of air masses with a predominantly western ordered direction visible from west to east, with increasing altitude. Average annual temperatures range from 10 °C in the lowlands, the hills and piedmonts 9 °C, 8 °C and 6 °C in the low mountains in the area of greatest height. Average amounts of precipitation is between 565 and 600 mm (22.2 and 23.6 in) annually in the lowlands, 700 and 800 mm (28 and 31 in) annually in the hills and piedmonts and 800 and 1,200 mm (31 and 47 in) annually in the mountainous area.

Hydrographic network

The hydrographic network is composed of the two main rivers plus their tributaries and channels.

Mureș - Corbeasca, Troaș, Bârzava, Milova, Cladova
Crișul Alb - Hălmăgel, Valea de la Lazuri, Tăcășele, Cremenoasa, Zimbru, Valea Deznei, Valea Monesei, Tălagiu, Honțisor, Chisindia, Cigher

Lakes, ponds and channels

Tauț, Seleuș, Cermei, Rovine, Matca (Ghioroc) Lakes and Gypsy Pond
Matca, Canalul Morilor, Canalul Morilor, Ier, Criș Channels

Economy

Along with Timiș County it forms one of the most developed regions in Romania. Due to its proximity to the border, it attracts a great number of foreign investments. The agricultural potential is greatly put into value, Arad plains being considered one of the most important cereal and vegetable producing basins.

The predominant industries in the county are:

Machine and automotive components
Food
Textiles

Natural resources in Arad, are worthy to be taken into account as there are oil and associated gases, points of extraction in the west of the county, molibden mines in the Săvârșin area, marble quarries at Căprioara and Moneasa, mineral waters at Lipova, Moneasa, Dorobanți, Curtici, Macea and uranium deposits in the NE part of the county.

Tourism

The main tourist destinations are:

The city of Arad;
The Mureș Natural Floodplain Park;
Bezdin Monastery;
Hodoș-Bodrog Monastery (est. 1177);
Lipova resort and city;
Șoimoș, Dezna, and Șiria stone citadels;
Moneasa resort;
The areas around Săvârșin, Petriș, Macea, and Pecica.

Demographics

According to the 2021 census, the county had a population of 410,143 and the population density was 52.9/km² (137.0/sq mi).

Politics

The Arad County Council, renewed at the 2020 local elections, consists of 32 counsellors, with the following party composition:

Administrative divisions

Arad County has 1 municipality, 9 towns and 68 communes with approximately 180 villages.

Municipalities

Arad - capital city; population: 172,827 (as of 2002)

Towns

Communes

Historical county

Administration

In 1930, the county was divided into nine districts (plăși):

Plasa Aradul-Nou (comprising 22 villages)
Plasa Chișineu-Criș (comprising 19 villages)
Plasa Hălmagiu (comprising 45 villages)
Plasa Ineu (comprising 15 villages)
Plasa Pecica (comprising 12 villages)
Plasa Sfânta Ana (comprising 13 villages)
Plasa Sebiș (comprising 37 villages)
Plasa Șiria (comprising 11 villages)
Plasa Radna (comprising 36 villages)

Subsequently, a tenth district was established having been carved out of Plasa Ineu:

Plasa Târnova (comprising 16 villages)

Administration was re-organized in 1947, comprising 13 districts:

Plasa Aradul-Nou
Plasa Chișineu-Criș
Plasa Curtici
Plasa Gurahonț
Plasa Hălmagiu
Plasa Ineu
Plasa Pecica
Plasa Radna
Plasa Săvârșin
Plasa Sebiș
Plasa Sfânta Ana
Plasa Șiria
Plasa Târnova

Population

According to the 1930 census data, the county population was 423,469 inhabitants, 61.0% Romanians, 19.5% Hungarians, 12.3% Germans (Banat Swabians), 2.8% Slovaks, 2.1% Jews, as well as other minorities. From the religious point of view, 55.8% declared Eastern Orthodox, 26.5% Roman Catholic, 5.5% Reformed, 4.2% Greek Catholic, 3.2% Lutherans, 2.4% Jewish, 1% Baptists, as well as other minorities.

Urban population

In 1930, the county's urban population was 77,181 inhabitants, 39.3% Romanians, 38.8% Hungarians, 9.1% Jews, 7.1% Germans (Banat Swabians), 1.7% Serbs and Croats, 1.4% Slovaks, as well as other minorities. In the urban area, languages were Hungarian (53.3%), Romanian (37.0%), German (6.0%), Serbian (1.4%), Yiddish (0.9%), as well as other minorities. From the religious point of view, the urban population was composed of Roman Catholics (38.5%), Eastern Orthodox (33.8%), Jewish (10.1%), Reformed (9.9%), Greek Catholics (4.0%), Lutherans (2.6%), as well as other minorities.

Industry

The county's capital, Arad, was the location of Romania's first automotive factory. During the 1920s, Astra cars and commercial vehicles were made at Arad. ASTRA Arad manufactured automobiles from 1922 to 1926. The factory had an output of 2 automobiles per working day as of 1922.