Portrait of the Regions - ROMANIA - VASLUI COUNTY - Geography and history

Portrait of the Regions - ROMANIA - VASLUI COUNTY - Geography and history

VASLUI COUNTY - Geography and history

Vaslui county is located in the southern part of the North-East Region of Romania. The county's area is 5 318 km2, i.e. 2.2% of the Romanian territory. The administrative organisation of the territory, as of 31 December 2000, was the following: 3 municipalities, 1 town, 71 communes and 456 villages. Its neighbours are the counties of Iasi to the north, Bacau, Neamt and Vrancea to the west, Galati to the south, and the Prut river is the international border with the Republic of Moldova to the east. The county's capital city is Vaslui.

The county covers the central-eastern part of the Central Plateau of Moldova, thus being a hilly region with heights between 100 m and 450 m.

From north to south, the county is crossed by the Bârlad river with its many influents - the main development axis of the county. There are also some other rivers that receive the waters in the high zones, including the Tutova river to the west and the Elan river to the east.

The county's climate is dry, with frequent draughty seasons, especially in November and March, when eastern and north-eastern winds are fewer and richer. The annual rainfall average is about 500 mm/m2 - among the lowest of the country.

Waters account for 94 980 ha, representing 1.8% of the county's area. The main running waters are the Prut and Bârlad rivers.

The current configuration of Vaslui county includes an assorted geography of an unspeakable beauty. The ancient and traditional sites located in the Central Plateau of Moldova and the Tutova hills preserve many evidences and testimonies of the millennial existence of the Romanian people inside the Dacian borders.

The first human civilisation on the territory of Vaslui county was attested by many archaeological discoveries, dating even since the Palaeolithic period. Researches revealed 12 Palaeolithic settlements, with tools, weapons and garments specific to the Bronze Age settlements.

By the end of the Bronze Age, the sheep varieties became very popular in this area. The Iron Age featured a development of the Dacian culture, with ceramics since the second and third centuries, proving the degree of workmanship and the skills of indigenous population.

Woods and other forested lands account for 70 499 ha, representing 13.2% of the county's area. Oak and beech are the main species thanks to the climate and good soil. The timber of these woods was used for wooden churches 'specific of this region. The chernozem soil also helps the crops of cereals and orchards.

The economic activity of the county started developing during the second half of the 17th century and mainly in the 18th and 19th centuries.

From the point of view of the natural resources, the county is poor. The main natural resources include the soil (good for agriculture and animal breeding) and construction materials (sand, clay, wood, and chalky stones).

Economy

In 2000, there were 3 076 active companies, more than 97% with private capital. Of the total active companies, by main activity, industry accounted for 14%, while services represented 77%.

The industrial structure of the county is less diversified. The main branches are: metallic constructions, machinery and equipment, chemistry, textiles, garments, food industry, and wood processing. The most important products manufactured in the county are: bearings, textiles, garments, synthetic fibres, and wines.

From ancient times, the geographical position of the county, the geography and the other natural conditions made agriculture the main occupation of the people in this part of the country . In 2000, the agricultural lands accounted for 75.6% (402 205 ha) of the county's area. Of the county's total area of 531 840 ha, the agricultural land (402 205 ha) represents 75.62%. The arable land (283 993 ha) accounts for 70.6% of the county's agricultural land. Pastures and hays represent 24.3% of this area and 5.1% vineyards and orchards, . In 2000, the private sector represented 98.8% of the total agricultural lands.

In 2000, the production of grains was 177.8 thousand tons, as follows: wheat and rye 54.1 thousand tons, corn 112.8 thousand tons and sugar beet 18.7 thousand tons. The production of grapes was 67.9 thousand tons.

At the end of 2000, the cattle totalled 61.9 thousand heads, with 74.6 thousand pigs, 205.2 thousand sheep and goats, and 1,147 thousand poultry.

The current territory of Vaslui county, in particular in the valleys of the Bârlad and Prut rivers, has several important local communication routes ever since. The railway network's length at the end of 2000 measured 250 km with a railway density of 47 km/1000 km2 of territory, as compared to 46.2 km/1000 km2 at a country level.

The public roads measured 2 141 km, including 554 km modernised roads. Of the total public road network, national roads accounted for 379 km, with 331 km modernised roads. The county and communal roads represented 1 762 km, with 223 km modernised roads.

The accommodation capacity of the county as of 31 July 2000 was 850 places, distributed as follows: 421 in hotels, 40 in camps, 16 in pensions, and 373 places in school camps.

Population and social environment

The population of Vaslui county features the socio-demographic characteristics of the Moldova Region: low ethnic and religious minorities, high birth rate and low death rate, and the life expectancy above the national average.

In 2000, the county's population was 466.7 thousand, compared to 462.7 thousand in 1996, undergoing a 0.9% increase.

The population density in 2000 was 87.8 inhabitants per km2, compared to 94.1 on the national level.

The young population (under 25 years) accounted in 2000 for 39.1%, above the national average, but lower than in 1996 (41.2%). The population aged 65 and more represented 13.6% compared to 13.3% at a national level; compared to 1996 (12.7%) this shows the aging of the population.

The average age of the county's population was 35.5, which is 1.7 years under the national average age.

In 2000 the birth rate was 14.6 per 1 000 inhabitants and increased since 1996 (13.3 per 1 000 inhabitants). The overall mortality rate of 11.0 deaths per 1 000 inhabitants, in 2000, determined a positive natural increase of the population of by 6 persons per 1 000 inhabitants. The infant mortality was 21.2 deaths in children under 1 year per 1 000 live births, 14% over the national average.

In 2000, the marriage rate was 5.9 per 1 000 inhabitants (6.4 per 1 000 inhabitants in 1996), and the divorce rate was 1.14 per 1 000 inhabitants (1.45 per 1 000 inhabitants in 1996).

The life expectancy between 1998 and 2000 was 67.9 years for males (over the national average) and 74.2 years for females.

At the end of 1996, the civil active population of Vaslui county was 195.6 thousand, representing 43.5% of the total population, and in 2000 the active population reached 198.2 thousand, accounting for 41.8% of the total population. The activity rate at the end of 2000 was 74.6%, and the employment rate was 63.1%.

The civil employed population was 167.6 thousand in 2000, 5.1% lower than in 1996. Almost 60% of the employed persons worked in agriculture, 19.6% in industry and constructions, and 20.9 in the service sector. Of the total civil employed population, employees accounted for only 37%. The salaries (1 809.7 thousand lei, monthly net) in 2000 were 15.4% under the the national average, and 11.6% under the North-East regional average.

The decrease in the employed population is a consequence of the shrink of activity in various fields, which resulted in higher unemployment.

The unemployment rate, 9.7% in 1996, increased in 2000 and reached 15.4%, thus the county of Vaslui has the fourth highest rate in the country.

The educational infrastructure of the school year 2000/2001 included 372 kindergartens, 424 primary and secondary schools, 17 high-schools, 4 apprentice schools and one post-high-school and vocational unit.

The health system of 2000 employed 540 physicians (13.9% dentists), 56 pharmacists, and 2 041 staff with medium training level. The patients-per-physician ratio was 864, double than the national average and 362 over the North-East regional average. The health units included: 9 hospitals, 3 clinics, 30 medical consultation centres, one health centre, 4 nurseries, 60 pharmacies and more than 250 medical units of various specialisations.

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This text, finalised in March 2004, is based on the information published by INS Romania in the edition 2002 of the publication « Romānia 2000 - Regional Profiles ».