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Alba County

County of Romania From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Alba Countymap

Not to be confused with Scotland.

Alba County (Romanian pronunciation: [ˈalba]) is a county (județ) of Romania located in the historic region of Transylvania. Its capital is Alba Iulia, a city with a population of 63,536.[2]

Quick Facts Județul Alba, Country ...
Alba County
Județul Alba
County
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Oașa Lake and Șureanu Mountains
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Coronation Cathedral
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Alba Iulia Obelisk
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Aiud Citadel
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Râpa Roșie
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Flag
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Coat of arms
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Location of Alba County in Romania
Country Romania
Development region1Centru
Historic regionTransylvania
County seatAlba Iulia
Government
 • TypeCounty Council
 • President of the County CouncilIon Dumitrel [ro] (PNL)
 • Prefect2Nicolae Albu [ro]
Area
 • Total
6,242 km2 (2,410 sq mi)
 • Rank16th in Romania
Population
 (2021-12-01)[1]
 • Total
325,941
 • Rank29th in Romania
 • Density52/km2 (140/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+2 (EET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+3 (EEST)
Postal Code
51wxyz3
Area code+40 x584
Car PlatesAB5
GDPUS$ 6.760 billion (2025)
GDP per capitaUS$ 8,970 (2015)
WebsiteCounty Council
County Prefecture
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Name

"Alba", meaning "white" in Latin and Romanian, is derived from the name of the city of Alba Iulia. In Hungarian, the county is known as Fehér megye (fehér also meaning white), and in German as Kreis Karlsburg.

Geography

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This county has a total area of 6,242 km2 (2,410 sq mi), with mountains occupying about 59% of its surface.

The Apuseni Mountains are in the northwest; the northeastern side of the Parâng Mountains group – the Șureanu and Cindrel mountains – are in the south. In the east there is the Transylvanian Plateau with deep but wide valleys. The three main elements are separated by the Mureș River valley.

The main rivers are the Mureș River and its tributaries, the Târnava, the Sebeș, and the Arieș.

Neighbors

Economy

The predominant industries in the county are:

  • Food industry
  • Textile industry
  • Wood industry
  • Mechanical components
  • Paper and packaging materials industry
  • Chemical industry

The mineral resources exploited in Alba county are metals (gold, silver, copper), salt, and construction materials, including marble and granite.

Tourist attractions

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Gold in quartz, Roșia Montană. Size 4.3 × 2.7 × 1.3 cm.

The main tourist attractions in the county are:

Demographics

According to the 2021 census, the county had a population of 325,941 and the population density was 52.2/km2 (135.2/sq mi).[5]

Ethnic composition of Alba County (2021)

  Romanians (91.36%)
  Romani (4.43%)
  Hungarians (3.91%)
  Germans (Transylvanian Saxons) (0.18%)
  Others (0.11%)
More information Year, County population ...
Year County population[6]
1948 361,062 Steady
1956 370,800 Increase
1966 382,786 Increase
1977 409,634 Increase
1992 414,227 Increase
2002 382,747 Decrease
2011 327,224 Decrease
2021 325,941 Decrease
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Politics

The Alba County Council, renewed at the 2020 local elections, consists of 32 county councillors, with the following party composition:[7]

More information Party, Seats ...
    Party Seats Current County Council
  National Liberal Party (PNL) 19                                      
  Social Democratic Party (PSD) 6                                      
  Save Romania Union (USR) 4                                      
  People's Movement Party (PMP) 3                                      
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Administrative divisions

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Alba Iulia (German: Karlsburg/Weißenburg)
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Blaj
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Sebeș (German: Mühlbach)
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Abrud
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Baia de Arieș

Alba County has 4 municipalities, 7 towns, and 67 communes.

Historical county

Summarize
Perspective
Quick Facts Județul Alba, Country ...
Județul Alba
County (Județ)
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The Alba County Prefecture building of the interwar period, currently the headquarters of the Alba County Schools Inspectorate.
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Coat of arms
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Country Romania
Historic regionTransylvania
Capital city (Reședință de județ)Alba-Iulia
Established1925
Area
 • Total
2,433 km2 (939 sq mi)
Population
 (1930)
 • Total
213,795
 • Density88/km2 (230/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+2 (EET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+3 (EEST)
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Historically, Alba de Jos County was located in the central-western part of Greater Romania, in the southwestern part of Transylvania, with a territory identical with the old Alsó-Fehér County of Hungary. After the administrative unification law in 1925, the name of the county changed to Alba County and the territory was reorganized. It was bordered on the west by Hunedoara County, to the north by Turda County, and to the east by the counties of Sibiu and Târnava-Mică. Its territory included the central part of the current Alba County.

Administration

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Map of Alba County as constituted in 1938.

The county originally consisted of seven districts (plăși):[8]

  1. Plasa Abrud (headquarters at Abrud)
  2. Plasa Aiud (headquarters at Aiud)
  3. Plasa Ighiu (headquarters at Ighiu)
  4. Plasa Ocna Mureș (headquarters at Ocna Mureș)
  5. Plasa Sebeș (headquarters at Sebeș)
  6. Plasa Teiuș (headquarters at Teiuș)
  7. Plasa Vințu de Jos (headquarters at Vințu de Jos)

Subsequently, Plasa Ighiu was abolished and two other districts were established, leaving these:

  1. Plasa Abrud (seven villages, headquarters at Abrud)
  2. Plasa Aiud (thirty-three villages, headquarters at Aiud)
  3. Plasa Alba Iulia (eighteen villages, headquarters at Alba Iulia)
  4. Plasa Ocna Mureș (twenty-one villages, headquarters at Ocna Mureș)
  5. Plasa Sebeș (twenty-one villages, headquarters at Sebeș)
  6. Plasa Teiuș (twenty villages, headquarters at Teiuș)
  7. Plasa Vințu de Jos (thirteen villages, headquarters at Vințu de Jos)
  8. Plasa Zlatna (eighteen villages, headquarters at Zlatna)

There were four towns: Alba Iulia, Abrud, Aiud, and Sebeș.

Population

According to the census data of 1930, the county's population was 212,749, of which 81.5% were Romanians, 11.3% Hungarians, 3.6% Germans, 1.8% Romanies, 1.4% Jews, as well as other minorities. In the religious aspect, the population consisted of 50.1% Eastern Orthodox, 31.6% Greek Catholics, 7.5% Reformed (Calvinists), 3.4% Roman Catholics, 3.3% Evangelical (Lutherans), 1.2% Unitarians, and other minorities.[9]

Urban population

In 1930, the urban population of the county was 33,365, of which 58.8% were Romanians, 23.0% Hungarians, 8.2% Germans, 6.2% Jews, 1.6% Romanies, as well as other minorities. From the religious point of view, the urban population was made up of 38.3% Eastern Orthodox, 21.4% Greek Catholic, 14.7% Reformed (Calvinist), 7.2% Evangelical (Lutheran), 6.5% Jewish, as well as other minorities.[9]

After 1938

After the 1938 Administrative and Constitutional Reform, this county merged with the counties of Ciuc, Odorhei, Sibiu, Târnava Mare, and Târnava Mică to form Ținutul Mureș. The county was re-established in 1940, but dissolved again in 1950. It was re-established in 1968 in its current borders.

People

Notable natives include:

References

External links

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