Vrancea () is a county (județ) in Romania, with its seat at Focșani. It is mostly in the historical region of Moldavia but the southern part, below the Milcov River, is in Muntenia.

Demographics

At the 2021 census, the county had a population of 335,312 and a population density of .

  • Romanians – over 98%
  • Romani, others – 2%.

{| class="wikitable"

! Year

! County population

|-

! 1948

| 290,183

|-

! 1956

| 326,532

|-

! 1966

| 351,292

|-

! 1977

| 369,740

|-

! 1992

| 392,651

|-

! 2002

| 387,632

|-

! 2011

| 340,310

|-

! 2021

| 335,312

|}

Geography

thumb|Hills near the [[Milcov (Siret)|Milcov River, which divides Moldavia from Muntenia.]]

Vrancea County covers an area of . A curvedly shaped mountainous area, known in Romanian as the Carpații de Curbură, lies in the western part of the county, at the Southern end of the Eastern Carpathians, with heights over . To the East, the heights decrease into hilly areas and the lower valley of the Siret River.

The main tributary of the Siret, which crosses the county, is the Putna River. A right tributary of the Putna is the Milcov, a river that divides Moldavia from Muntenia.

Seismic hazard

The territory of Vrancea County is the most seismically active zone of Romania, with yearly earthquakes whose focal depths are between and therefore affect wide regions. This region is sometimes called as Europe's "Ring of Fire".

The earthquakes with the epicenter in Vrancea are caused by the movements of the nearby fault blocks. Devastating earthquakes measuring 7 to 8 on the Richter scale have been recorded.

The deadliest were the 1977 Vrancea earthquake, which killed over 1,500 people in Romania and Bulgaria, and the 1940 Vrancea earthquake which killed over 1,000 people. The most powerful was the 1802 Vrancea earthquake with an estimated intensity of 7.9 on the moment magnitude scale, but which killed only 4 people. Other notable earthquakes were the 1738 Vrancea earthquake, the 1838 Vrancea earthquake and the 1986 Vrancea earthquake.

Neighbours

  • Vaslui County and Galați County to the East.
  • Covasna County to the West.
  • Bacău County to the North.
  • Buzău County to the South and Brăila County to the South-East.

Economy

thumb|Vineyards near [[Focșani, the seat of Vrancea County.]]

The county is famous for its wines, being the biggest wine producer in Romania. Over 11% of the county surface is covered with vines. The county's best known wine regions are Panciu – , Odobești – , and Cotești.

In addition, the county's main industries are the following:

  • Foods and beverages;
  • Textiles;
  • Paper manufacturing and furniture making;
  • Mechanical parts and components;
  • Cookware and bakeware production.

Tourism

thumb|The [[Alexander Suvorov|Suvorov monument near Focșani]]

County's main destinations:

  • The city of Focșani;
  • Vrancea Mountains;
  • Soveja resort;
  • Tulnici – Lepșa – Greșu tourist areas;
  • Eternal Fire (Focul viu in Romanian) in Andreiașu;
  • Wine tasting and sales around Panciu, Odobești, and Cotești;
  • The Mausoleum at Mărășești;
  • Putna-Vrancea Natural Park.

Politics

The Vrancea County Council, renewed at the 2024 local elections, consists of 32 councilors, with the following party composition:

{| class="wikitable"

! style="background:#ccc" |    

! style="background:#ccc" | Party

! style="background:#ccc" | Seats

! style="background:#ccc" colspan="13" | Current County Council

|-

|  

| National Liberal Party (PNL)

| style="text-align: right" | 13

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| Social Democratic Party (PSD)

| style="text-align: right" | 13

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| Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR)

| style="text-align: right" | 3

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| United Right Alliance (ADU)

| style="text-align: right" | 3

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|}

Administrative divisions

thumb|[[Focșani]]

thumb|200px|right|Monument to victims of [[World War I in Adjud]]

Vrancea County has 2 municipalities, 3 towns and 68 communes

  • Municipalities
  • Adjud
  • Focșani – county seat; population: 66,719 (as of 2021)
  • Towns
  • Mărășești
  • Odobești
  • Panciu
  • Communes
  • Andreiașu de Jos
  • Bălești
  • Bârsești
  • Biliești
  • Boghești
  • Bolotești
  • Bordești
  • Broșteni
  • Câmpineanca
  • Câmpuri
  • Cârligele
  • Chiojdeni
  • Ciorăști
  • Corbița
  • Cotești
  • Dumbrăveni
  • Dumitrești
  • Fitionești
  • Garoafa
  • Golești
  • Gologanu
  • Gugești
  • Gura Caliței
  • Homocea
  • Jariștea
  • Jitia
  • Măicănești
  • Mera
  • Milcovul
  • Movilița
  • Nănești
  • Năruja
  • Negrilești
  • Nereju
  • Nistorești
  • Obrejița
  • Paltin
  • Păulești
  • Păunești
  • Ploscuțeni
  • Poiana Cristei
  • Popești
  • Pufești
  • Răcoasa
  • Răstoaca
  • Reghiu
  • Ruginești
  • Sihlea
  • Slobozia Bradului
  • Slobozia Ciorăști
  • Soveja
  • Spulber
  • Străoane
  • Suraia
  • Tâmboești
  • Tănăsoaia
  • Tătăranu
  • Tulnici
  • Țifești
  • Urechești
  • Valea Sării
  • Vânători
  • Vârteșcoiu
  • Vidra
  • Vintileasca
  • Vizantea-Livezi
  • Vrâncioaia
  • Vulturu

thumb|The current day borders of the Vrancea County, superimposed on the Romanian counties of 1930

thumb|Communist coat of arms of Vrancea County, [[Socialist Republic of Romania]]

See also

  • Battle of Mărășești

References

  • Portal of Vrancea County
  • Vrancea.com.ro Trecut, prezent și viitor / Past, present and future
  • www.carnivoremari.ro Large carnivore protection in Vrancea county
  • www.carnivoremari.ro/rezervatii Protected areas from the Vrancea mountains
  • Vrancea Online - Vrancea County's start page on the Internet