Sibiu County

 county, draw only border

Sibiu (Romanian pronunciation: [siˈbiw]) is a county (județ) of Romania, in the historical region Transylvania, with the capital city Sibiu.

Name:
In Hungarian, it is known as Szeben megye, and in German as Kreis Hermannstadt. During Austro-Hungarian administration, from 1876 to 1918, there was a county with similar name (Szeben County).

Demographics:
In 2011, it had a population of 375,992 and the population density was 78/km².
At the 2011 census the county has the following population indices:
Urbanisation - 5th most urbanised county in Romania:
City dwellers: 277,574 (or 65.8%)
Village dwelers: 144,150 (or 34.2%)

Traditionally, the biggest minority in the county were Germans, but their numbers have decreased since World War II and especially the Romanian Revolution of 1989.

The south side of the county, closer to the mountains was mainly inhabited by Romanians (Mărginimea Sibiului), and the north side of the country - the Transylvanian Plateau was inhabited evenly by Germans (Transylvanian Saxons) and Romanians, but most Saxon villages are now inhabited by Romanians and a Roma (Gypsy) minority, very few Saxons and Hungarians, mostly elderly. The Roma population, mainly from southern Romania, was placed close to the villages in the Communist period and have since increased their numbers.
Year County population
1948 335,116
1956 Increase 372,687
1966 Increase 414,756
1977 Increase 481,645
1992 Decrease 452,820
2002 Decrease 421,724
2004 Increase 423,535
2007 Increase 424,855
2011 Decrease 375,992

Geography:

This county has a total area of 5,432 km².

In the South side there are the Carpathian Mountains (Southern Carpathians) - Făgăraș Mountains with heights over 2500 m, Lotru and Cindrel which make up to 30% of the county's surface. The Olt River crosses the mountains over to the South of Romania in Sibiu County forming one of the most accessible link between Transylvania and Wallachia. In the North side there is the Transylvanian Plateau.

The most important rivers crossing the county are the Olt in the South with Cibin its main effluent, and the Târnava in the North.

Neighbours:
Brașov County in the East.
Alba County in the West.
Mureș County in the North.
Vâlcea County in the South.
Argeş County in the South-East.ș

Economy:
Sibiu County has one of the most dynamic economies in Romania, and is one of the regions with the highest level of foreign investment.

The predominant industries in the county are:
Machine and automotive components.
Food industry.
Textile industry.
Wood industry.

The biggest natural resource in the county is natural gas, especially in the north side, having one of the largest sources in the country.

In Copșa Mică during the communist period there were two chemical industrial complexes which polluted the environment heavily with carbon black, heavy metals, and other chemical substances. That's why the area is still considered one of the most polluted communities in Europe. Fortunately, after 1989 many of the industrial complexes were shut down and the area is slowly recovering.
Politics

The regional legislature is the County Council. Its president was Martin Bottesch (Democratic Forum of Germans in Romania), from 2004 to 2012.

The Sibiu County Council, elected at the 2016 local government elections, is made up of 33 counselors, with the following party composition:
Party Seats Current County Council
National Liberal Party 13
Social Democratic Party 12
Democratic Forum of Germans 8

Tourism:

The main tourist attractions in the county are:
The city of Sibiu with its medieval fortifications and its historic centre.
The medieval city of Mediaș.
The medieval Saxon fortified churches and villages from Transylvania, some of them being UNESCO World Heritage Sites:
Biertan.
Valea Viilor.
Cisnădie.
Cisnădioara.
Slimnic.
Agnita.
The abbey of Cârța
The Făgăraș Mountains.
The Bâlea Valley and the Transfăgărășan.
The Negoiu Peak.
Păltiniș mountain resort and the Cindrel Mountains.
Ocna Sibiului, Bazna and Miercurea Sibiului Spa towns.
The Mărginimea Sibiului rural area.

People:
Emil Cioran
Octavian Goga

Administrative divisions:
Sibiu
Mediaș
Sibiu County has 2 municipalities, 9 towns and 53 communes

Municipalities:
Mediaș
Sibiu - capital city; population: 137,026 (as of 2011)

Towns:
Agnita
Avrig
Cisnădie
Copșa Mică
Dumbrăveni
Miercurea Sibiului
Ocna Sibiului
Săliște
Tălmaciu

Communes:
Alma
Alțâna
Apoldu de Jos
Arpașu de Jos
Ațel
Axente Sever
Bazna
Bârghiș
Biertan
Blăjel
Boița
Brateiu
Brădeni
Bruiu
Chirpăr
Cârța
Cârțișoara
Cristian
Dârlos
Gura Râului
Hoghilag
Iacobeni
Jina
Laslea
Loamneș
Ludoș
Marpod
Merghindeal
Micăsasa
Mihăileni
Moșna
Nocrich
Orlat
Păuca
Poiana Sibiului
Poplaca
Porumbacu de Jos
Racovița
Rășinari
Râu Sadului
Roșia
Sadu
Slimnic
Șeica Mare
Șeica Mică
Șelimbăr
Șura Mare
Șura Mică
Tilișca
Târnava
Turnu Roșu
Valea Viilor
Vurpăr