Tulcea (ˈtult͡ʃe̯a) is a county (
judeţA județ is an administrative division in Romania, and was also used for some time in Moldova, before that country switched to raions.Județ translates into English as jurisdiction, but is commonly mistranslated as county .The territory of Romania is divided for administrative purposes into 41...
) of
RomaniaRomania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
, in the historical region
DobrujaDobruja is a historical region shared by Bulgaria and Romania, located between the lower Danube river and the Black Sea, including the Danube Delta, Romanian coast and the northernmost part of the Bulgarian coast...
, with the capital city at
TulceaTulcea is a city in Dobrogea, Romania. It is the administrative center of Tulcea county, and has a population of 92,379 as of 2007. One village, Tudor Vladimirescu, is administered by the city.- History :...
.
Demographics
In 2002, Tulcea County had a population of 256,492. The
population densityPopulation density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 31/km², the lowest among the
counties of RomaniaThe 41 judeţe and the municipality of Bucharest comprise the official administrative divisions of Romania. They also represent the European Union' s NUTS-3 geocode statistical subdivision scheme of Romania.-Overview:...
.
- Romanians
The Romanians are an ethnic group native to Romania, who speak Romanian; they are the majority inhabitants of Romania....
- 90.00%
- Russians
The Russian people are an East Slavic ethnic group native to Russia, speaking the Russian language and primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries....
and Lipovans - 6.37%
- Turks
Turkish people, also known as the "Turks" , are an ethnic group primarily living in Turkey and in the former lands of the Ottoman Empire where Turkish minorities had been established in Bulgaria, Cyprus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Greece, Kosovo, Macedonia, and Romania...
- 1.29%
- Roma - 0.88%
- Greeks
The Greeks, also known as the Hellenes , are a nation and ethnic group native to Greece, Cyprus and neighboring regions. They also form a significant diaspora, with Greek communities established around the world....
- 0.65%
In the
Danube DeltaThe Danube Delta is the second largest river delta in Europe, after the Volga Delta, and is the best preserved on the continent. The greater part of the Danube Delta lies in Romania , while its northern part, on the left bank of the Chilia arm, is situated in Ukraine . The approximate surface is...
there is an important community of
RussiansThe Russian people are an East Slavic ethnic group native to Russia, speaking the Russian language and primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries....
and Lipovans. In the south of the county there are communities of
TurksTurkish people, also known as the "Turks" , are an ethnic group primarily living in Turkey and in the former lands of the Ottoman Empire where Turkish minorities had been established in Bulgaria, Cyprus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Greece, Kosovo, Macedonia, and Romania...
. The region once was a centre of
Islam in RomaniaIslam in Romania is followed by only 0.3 percent of population, but has 700 years of tradition in Northern Dobruja, a region on the Black Sea coast which was part of the Ottoman Empire for almost five centuries . In present-day Romania, most adherents to Islam belong to the Tatar and Turkish ethnic...
.
| Year |
County population |
| 1948 |
192,228 |
| 1956 |
223,719 |
| 1966 |
236,709 |
| 1977 |
254,531 |
| 1992 |
270,997 |
| 2002 |
256,492 |
| Ethnicity |
2002 |
| All |
256,492 |
| Romanian |
230,843 (90%) |
| Lipovan |
16,350 (6.4%) |
| Turkish |
3,334 (1.3%) |
| Roma/Gypsy |
2,272 (0.9%) |
| Greek |
1,680 (0.7%) |
| Ukrainian |
1,279 (0.5%) |
| Tatar |
179 (0.1%) |
| Others |
555 |
Geography
The county has a total area of 8,499 km².
The most spectacular part of Tulcea County is the
Danube DeltaThe Danube Delta is the second largest river delta in Europe, after the Volga Delta, and is the best preserved on the continent. The greater part of the Danube Delta lies in Romania , while its northern part, on the left bank of the Chilia arm, is situated in Ukraine . The approximate surface is...
, which occupies about 1/3 of the entire surface and is located in the North-East side of the county. The Delta has three main branches: the
Sulina branchThe Sulina branch is a distributary of the river Danube, that contributes in forming the Danube Delta.The other two main branches of the Danube are the Chilia branch and the Saint George....
(the only one navigable by large ships) in the middle, the
Chilia branchThe Chilia or Kilia branch is a distributary of the river Danube, that contributes in forming the Danube Delta. It is named after the two towns having this name, located on its two shores: Kilia, on the northern, Ukrainian bank and Chilia Veche on the southern, Romanian bank.The other two main...
in the North (the border with
UkraineUkraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
) and the
Sfântu Gheorghe branchThe Sfântu Gheorghe branch is a distributary of the river Danube, that contributes in forming the Danube Delta.The other two main branches of the Danube are the Chilia branch and the Sulina branch....
(Saint George) in the South.
In the South-East of the county there are two lagoons:
Razelm LakeLake Razelm or Lake Razim is the lake and the group of the lakes on the beach of Black Sea in Romania south of the Danube Delta. It is the largest lake in Romania. It is a complex formed by a few limans and lagoons....
and Sinoe Lake. In the Danube Delta and in the South—in the area between the Sfântu Gheorghe Channel and Razelm Lake—there are countless channels and small lakes. The entire area is included in the
UNESCOThe United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
list of World Heritage Sites and
Biosphere reserveThe Man and the Biosphere Programme of UNESCO was established in 1971 to promote interdisciplinary approaches to management, research and education in ecosystem conservation and sustainable use of natural resources.-Development:...
s.
The Danube River flows around the county in the West and North side. In the West there is the Măcin Branch which flows on the East side of the
Great Brăila IslandThe Great Brăila Island is an island on the Danube river in the Brăila County, Romania. It has on average 60 km length and 20 km width, with a total area of 710 km²...
. From
SmârdanSmârdan is a commune in Tulcea County, Romania. It is composed of a single village, Smârdan....
(on the opposite side from
BrăilaBrăila is a city in Muntenia, eastern Romania, a port on the Danube and the capital of Brăila County, in the close vicinity of Galaţi.According to the 2002 Romanian census there were 216,292 people living within the city of Brăila, making it the 10th most populous city in Romania.-History:A...
) to
PătlăgeancaCeatalchioi is a commune in Tulcea County, Romania. It is composed of four villages: Ceatalchioi, Pătlăgeanca, Plauru and Sălceni....
(close to
TulceaTulcea is a city in Dobrogea, Romania. It is the administrative center of Tulcea county, and has a population of 92,379 as of 2007. One village, Tudor Vladimirescu, is administered by the city.- History :...
), the Danube has only one big flow of water, around which there are an immense number of lakes and small channels.
In the center of the county there is the Casincea Plateau and the
Măcin MountainsThe Măcin Mountains is a mountain range in Tulcea County, Dobrogea, Romania. Part of the Northern Dobruja Massif, they are located between Danube River to the north and west, Taiţa River and Culmea Niculiţelului to the east and Casimcea Plateau to the south...
—the remains of a prehistorical mountains range (more than 400 million years old), with the greatest height at about 400 m.
Neighbours
- Black Sea
The Black Sea is bounded by Europe, Anatolia and the Caucasus and is ultimately connected to the Atlantic Ocean via the Mediterranean and the Aegean seas and various straits. The Bosphorus strait connects it to the Sea of Marmara, and the strait of the Dardanelles connects that sea to the Aegean...
in the East.
- Brăila County
Brăila is a county of Romania, in Muntenia, with the capital city at Brăila.- Demographics :In 2002, Brăila had a population of 373,174 and the population density was 78/km².*Romanians – 98%*Romas, Russians, Lipovans, Aromanians and others....
in the West.
- Galaţi County
Galaţi is a county of Romania, in Moldavia region, with the capital city at Galaţi.-History:Historically Galaţi is part of Moldavia...
in the North-West
- Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
in the North - the Odessa OblastOdesa Oblast, also written as Odessa Oblast , is the southernmost and largest oblast of south-western Ukraine. The administrative center of the oblast is the city of Odessa.-History:...
.
- Constanţa County
Constanța is the name of a county in the Dobruja region of Romania. Its capital city is also named Constanța.-Demographics:In 2002, it had a population of 715,151 and the population density was 101/km². The degree of urbanization is much higher than the Romanian average. In recent years the...
in the South.
Economy
Agriculture and fishing are the main occupations, involving about 48% of the population. Industry is concentrated in the large towns only.
The predominant industries in the county are:
- Food industry.
- Textile industry.
- Ship building industry.
- Metallurgy - aluminium
Aluminium or aluminum is a silvery white member of the boron group of chemical elements. It has the symbol Al, and its atomic number is 13. It is not soluble in water under normal circumstances....
.
- Chemical industry.
- Construction materials.
Tourism
Tourism is an important activity in the county, the
Danube DeltaThe Danube Delta is the second largest river delta in Europe, after the Volga Delta, and is the best preserved on the continent. The greater part of the Danube Delta lies in Romania , while its northern part, on the left bank of the Chilia arm, is situated in Ukraine . The approximate surface is...
being one of the most visited areas in
RomaniaRomania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
.
The main destinations for tourists are:
- The Danube Delta
The Danube Delta is the second largest river delta in Europe, after the Volga Delta, and is the best preserved on the continent. The greater part of the Danube Delta lies in Romania , while its northern part, on the left bank of the Chilia arm, is situated in Ukraine . The approximate surface is...
- The town of Sulina
Sulina is a town and free port in Tulcea County, Romania, at the mouth of the Sulina branch of the Danube. It is the easternmost point of Romania and of the continental European Union.-History:...
—the last town on the DanubeThe Danube is a river in the Central Europe and the Europe's second longest river after the Volga. It is classified as an international waterway....
.
- The areas around Sfântu Gheorghe
Sfântu Gheorghe is a commune in Tulcea County, Romania. It is located at the end of the southern arm of the Danube near the Black Sea, in the Dobruja region. It is composed of a single village, Sfântu Gheorghe. It has approximately 1000 inhabitants.-Town:...
, MahmudiaMahmudia is a commune in Tulcea County, Romania. It is composed of a single village, Mahmudia. It included the villages of Beştepe, Băltenii de Jos and Băltenii de Sus until 2004, when these were split off to form Beştepe Commune....
, CrişanCrişan may refer to several places in Romania:*Crişan, a commune in Tulcea County*Crişan, a residential district in Satu Mare municipality* Crişan, a village in Crucea Commune, Constanţa County* Crişan, a village in Ribiţa Commune, Hunedoara Countyand to:...
, Caraorman, Chilia VecheChilia Veche is a commune in Tulcea County, Romania, on the Danube Delta . It gave its name to the Chilia branch of the Danube, which separates it from Ukraine...
.
- The city of Tulcea
Tulcea is a city in Dobrogea, Romania. It is the administrative center of Tulcea county, and has a population of 92,379 as of 2007. One village, Tudor Vladimirescu, is administered by the city.- History :...
.
- The Roman fort of Halmyris
Halmyris was a Roman legionary base and naval port for 600 years, located at the mouth of the Danube Delta in Romania.-History:The city is situated, in ancient times on the shore of the Halmyris gulf...
.
Politics
The current president of Tulcea County Board is Victor Tarhon (Democratic Liberal Party).
The Tulcea County Board, elected in the
2008 local government electionsLocal elections were held in Romania on June 1, 2008, with a runoff for mayors on June 15, 2008.On June 1 where elected:* all the villages, communes, cities, and municipal cluncils , and the Sectors Local Councils of Bucharest...
, is made up of 30 councilors, with the following party composition:
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Party |
Seats |
Current County Council |
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Democratic Liberal Party The Democratic Liberal Party is a populist, centre-right party in Romania. It was formed on 15 December 2007, when the Democratic Party merged with the Liberal Democratic Party. From 2004 to 2007, the Democratic Party was part of the governing Justice and Truth Alliance...
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Social Democratic Party The Social Democratic Party is the major social-democratic political party in Romania. It was formed in 1992, after the post-communist National Salvation Front broke apart. It adopted its present name after a merger with a minor social-democratic party in 2001. Since its formation, it has always...
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National Liberal Party The National Liberal Party , abbreviated to PNL, is a centre-right liberal party in Romania. It is the third-largest party in the Romanian Parliament, with 53 seats in the Chamber of Deputies and 22 in the Senate: behind the centre-right Democratic Liberal Party and the centre-left Social...
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Administrative divisions
Tulcea County has 1 municipality, 4 towns and 46 communes
- Municipalities
- Tulcea
Tulcea is a city in Dobrogea, Romania. It is the administrative center of Tulcea county, and has a population of 92,379 as of 2007. One village, Tudor Vladimirescu, is administered by the city.- History :...
- capital city; population: 92,379 (as of 2007)
- Towns
- Babadag
Babadag is a town in Tulcea county, Romania, located on a small lake formed by the Taiţa river, in the densely wooded highlands of northern Dobruja. Its name means "the mountain of the father" in Turkish...
-
- Isaccea
Isaccea is a small town in Tulcea County, in Dobruja, Romania, on the right bank of the Danube, 35 km north-west of Tulcea. According to the 2002 census, it has a population 5,374....
-
- Măcin
-Location:Măcin is located in the north-western part of the Dobrudja region, in Tulcea County. The city is located at the intersection of the DN22 and DN22D national roads. The DN22 road links it to the Romanian capital, Bucharest and to the cities of Isaccea and Tulcea...
-
- Sulina
Sulina is a town and free port in Tulcea County, Romania, at the mouth of the Sulina branch of the Danube. It is the easternmost point of Romania and of the continental European Union.-History:...
- Communes
- Baia
Baia is a commune in Tulcea County, Romania. It is composed of five villages: Baia, Camena, Caugagia, Ceamurlia de Sus and Panduru....
- Baidaud
- Beştepe
- C. A. Rosetti
C.A. Rosetti is a commune in Tulcea County, Romania. The commune is named for writer C. A. Rosetti. It is composed of five villages: C.A. Rosetti, Cardon, Letea, Periprava and Sfiştofca....
- Carcaliu
Carcaliu is a commune in Tulcea County, Romania. It is composed of a single village, Carcaliu....
- Casimcea
Casimcea is a commune in Tulcea County, Romania. It is composed of seven villages: Casimcea, Cişmeaua Nouă, Corugea, Haidar, Rahman, Războieni and Stânca....
- Ceamurlia de Jos
Ceamurlia de Jos is a commune in the southeast of the Tulcea County of Romania. It has a total population of 2,620 and it has an area of 119,43 km². The Goloviţa Lake is located south of this commune...
- Ceatalchioi
Ceatalchioi is a commune in Tulcea County, Romania. It is composed of four villages: Ceatalchioi, Pătlăgeanca, Plauru and Sălceni....
- Cerna
Cerna is a commune in Tulcea County, Romania. It is composed of four villages: Cerna, General Praporgescu, Mircea Vodă and Traian.Situated in a hilly landscape 55 km from the city of Tulcea and 25 km from Măcin, the village of Cerna had at the 2002 Romanian Census a population of 2,427, and...
- Chilia Veche
Chilia Veche is a commune in Tulcea County, Romania, on the Danube Delta . It gave its name to the Chilia branch of the Danube, which separates it from Ukraine...
- Ciucurova
Ciucurova is a commune in Tulcea County, Romania. It is composed of three villages: Atmagea, Ciucurova and Fântâna Mare....
- Crişan
Crişan may refer to several places in Romania:*Crişan, a commune in Tulcea County*Crişan, a residential district in Satu Mare municipality* Crişan, a village in Crucea Commune, Constanţa County* Crişan, a village in Ribiţa Commune, Hunedoara Countyand to:...
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- Dăeni
Dăeni is a commune in Tulcea County, Romania. It is composed of a single village, Dăeni....
- Dorobanţu
Dorobanţu is a commune in Tulcea County, Romania. It is composed of six villages: Ardealu , Cârjelari, Dorobanţu, Fântâna Oilor and Meşteru....
- Frecăţei
Frecăţei is a commune in Tulcea County, Romania. It is composed of four villages: Cataloi, Frecăţei, Poşta and Teliţa....
- Greci
Greci is a commune in Tulcea County, Romania. It is composed of a single village, Greci....
- Grindu
Grindu is a commune in Tulcea County, Romania. It is composed of a single village, Grindu....
- Hamcearca
Hamcearca is a commune in Tulcea County, Romania. It is composed of four villages: Balabancea, Căprioara, Hamcearca and Nifon....
- Horia
Horia is a commune in Tulcea County, Romania. It is composed of three villages: Cloşca, Floreşti and Horia ....
- I. C. Brătianu
I. C. Brătianu is a commune in Tulcea County, Romania. It is composed of a single village, I. C. Brătianu....
(Zaclău, 23 August)
- Izvoarele
Izvoarele is a commune in Tulcea County, Dobruja, Romania. It is composed of three villages: Alba, Iulia and Izvoarele....
- Jijila
Jijila is a commune in Tulcea County, Romania. It is composed of two villages, Garvăn and Jijila....
- Jurilovca
Jurilovca is a commune in Tulcea county, Dobrudja, Romania. It is composed of three villages: Jurilovca, Vişina and Sălcioara ....
(Unirea)
- Luncaviţa
Luncaviţa is a commune in Tulcea County, Romania. It is composed of two villages, Luncaviţa and Rachelu. It also included Văcăreni village until 2003, when it was split off to form Văcăreni Commune....
-
- Mahmudia
Mahmudia is a commune in Tulcea County, Romania. It is composed of a single village, Mahmudia. It included the villages of Beştepe, Băltenii de Jos and Băltenii de Sus until 2004, when these were split off to form Beştepe Commune....
- Maliuc
Maliuc is a commune in Tulcea County, Romania. It is composed of four villages: Gorgova, Ilganii de Sus, Maliuc, Partizani and Vulturu....
- Mihai Bravu
Mihai Bravu is a commune in Tulcea County, Romania. It is composed of three villages: Mihai Bravu , Satu Nou and Turda ....
- Mihai Kogălniceanu
Mihail Kogălniceanu is a commune in Tulcea County, Romania. It is composed of three villages: Lăstuni , Mihail Kogălniceanu and Rândunica ....
- Murighiol
Murighiol is a commune in Tulcea County, Dobruja, Romania. It is composed of seven villаges:* Murighiol* Plopul * Colina * Dunavăţu de Jos * Dunavăţu de Sus * Sarinasuf* Uzlina...
(Independenţa)
- Nalbant
Nalbant is a commune in Tulcea County, Romania. It is composed of three villages: Nalbant, Nicolae Bălcescu and Trestenic....
- Niculiţel
Niculiţel is a commune in Tulcea County, Romania. It is composed of a single village, Niculiţel....
- Nufăru
Nufăru is a commune in Tulcea County, Romania, thought to be the short-lived ancient capital of Kievan Rus, Pereyaslavets, and called Prislav until 1968. It is composed of four villages: Ilganii de Jos, Malcoci, Nufăru and Victoria ....
- Ostrov
Ostrov is a commune in Tulcea County, Romania. It is composed of two villages, Ostrov and Piatra....
- Pardina
Pardina is a commune in Tulcea County, Romania. It is composed of a single village, Pardina....
(1 Mai)
- Peceneaga
Peceneaga is a commune in Tulcea County, Romania, on the Danube's east bank. It is composed of a single village, Pardina.According to the 2002 census, the commune has a population 2,051, of which almost all are people of Romanian ethnicity. It was named after the Pechenegs, a semi-nomadic Turkic...
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- Sarichioi
Sarichioi is a commune in Tulcea County, Romania. It is composed of five villages: Enisala, Sabangia, Sarichioi, Zebil and Visterna. Besides the ethnic Romanian majority , the commune is home to a sizable Lipovan community ....
- Sfântu Gheorghe
Sfântu Gheorghe is a commune in Tulcea County, Romania. It is located at the end of the southern arm of the Danube near the Black Sea, in the Dobruja region. It is composed of a single village, Sfântu Gheorghe. It has approximately 1000 inhabitants.-Town:...
- Slava Cercheză
Slava Cercheză is a commune in Tulcea County, Romania. Its name means the Cherkess Slava, in reference to the main group of the village before the Russo-Turkish War...
- Smărdan
Smârdan or may refer to several places in Romania:* Smârdan, a commune in Galaţi County* Smârdan, a commune in Tulcea County* Smârdan, a village in Brădeanu Commune, Buzău County* Smârdan, a village in Suharău Commune, Botoşani County...
- Somova
Somova is a commune in Tulcea County, Romania. It is composed of three villages: Mineri , Parcheş and Somova....
- Stejaru
Stejaru is a commune in Tulcea County, Romania. It is composed of three villages: Mina Altân Tepe, Stejaru and Vasile Alecsandri....
- Topolog
Topolog may refer to:*Topolog, Tulcea, a commune in Tulcea County*Topolog River, a tributary of the Danube*Topolog River, a tributary of the Olt...
- Turcoaia
Turcoaia is a commune in Tulcea County, Romania. It is composed of a single village, Turcoaia....
- Valea Nucarilor
Valea Nucarilor is a commune in Tulcea County, Romania. It is composed of three villages: Aghighiol, Iazurile and Valea Nucarilor ....
- Valea Teilor
Valea Teilor is a commune in Tulcea County, Romania. It is composed of a single village, Valea Teilor....
- Văcăreni
Văcăreni is a commune in Tulcea County, Romania. It is composed of a single village, Văcăreni. This belonged to Luncaviţa Commune until 2003, when it was split off....
External links