TULCEA COUNTY - Geography and history
Tulcea County is located in the eastern part of the country and has an area of 8 499 km2, representing 3.6% of the national territory - being the 4th county as area. As of 31 December 2000, the administrative organisation of this county's territory was the following: 4 towns and one municipality, 43 communes and 133 villages.
The city of Tulcea is the main city and also the county's capital.
The county's territory belongs to an ancient continental promontory, partially submerged in the meadow and the Danube Delta. The geography includes areas of low elevation of 0-6 m (the altimetric delta and the meadow plains), as well as areas with a higher elevation, between 6 and 467 m (the highest crest is in the Macin Mountains).
The Danube forms a natural boundary, to the north with Ukraine and to the west with Braila County. Off the city of Tulcea, the Danube divides into three branches: Chilia to the north, Sfântul Gheorghe to the south -branches which allow only fluvial transportation - and the Sulina branch in the middle, through which maritime transportation to the ports of Galati and Braila is carried out.
South of Sfântu Gheorghe there is the Razim lagoon, which enters deeply into the county.
Tulcea County was originally the historical area of North Dobroudja. The discoveries from Hamangia and Ceamurlia dating from the Neolithic period attest to the existence of an intense circulation of material and spiritual goods from the south to the Danube's mouths and back.
The Hellenistic colonisation of the Western borders of the Black Sea started in the 7th century BC, and deeply influenced the Gaetic population.
In first century AD, the Roman Empire conquered and administered Dobroudja for several centuries.
During the 12th and 14th centuries, the Genovese merchants, who were interested in trade on the Danube, developed an intense economic activity in this area (Chilia).
In 1485, the territory became a part of the Ottoman Empire and was colonised by Turks and Tartars. The city of Babadag became the most powerful Ottoman city in this area. Dobroudja remained under Ottoman rule until the Independence War (1877-1878) when the north became a Romanian territory and the south became a Bulgarian territory, after the Congress of Berlin in 1878.
In 1856, after the Peace Congress of Paris, which ended the Crimea War, and set out the freedom of circulation on the Danube and the neutrality of the Black Sea, and established the European Commission of the Danube, the Sulina port became free, which led to the opening of the Sulina Branch for maritime transport. The free zone was reopened in 1977, but during the last decade the activity stood still.
In 1990, the Danube Delta was declared a natural environmental and birds' reservation, being placed under UNESCO protection. The sallow forests and the cane are the natural resources of the county.
On the Macin Mountain, a National Park was established for the conservation of rare species of flora and fauna specific to the interference of the Mediterranean, Balkan and Caucasian areas.
The forests of deciduous - oak, beech, ash and cherry provide the local population with wood for fire and constructions , and also with lumber for the furniture industry. The forests of lime unique in this area allow for apiculture.
Economy
In 2000 the county had 3 941 active companies, more than 97% with private capital. Of the total active companies, by their main activity, industry accounted for 7.9%, while services represented 82%.
The agriculture is a traditional activity in Tulcea county together with fishing and rock extraction.
Agricultural lands were extended in 2000 to 363.3 thousand ha (42.7% of the county's area and 2.4% form the agricultural land of the country), from which arable land occupies 290.2 thousand ha (a third of the county's territory). The lack of agricultural equipment (109 ha/tractor, 41st position), the dry climate and the lack of irrigation led to average crop productions/ha under the national average.
The main crops are: corn, wheat, sunflower, vegetables and grapes. In 2000 the cereal crop production was 234.9 thousand tons, of which 80.5 thousand tons wheat and rye, 16.0 thousand tons barley and two-row barley, 134.9 thousand tons corn and 36.3 thousand tons sunflower.
The farming is a traditional activity in the county. At the end of 2000 there were 35.7 thousand cattle, 93.0 thousand pigs, 335.7 thousand sheep and 1 217.8 thousand poultry. Tulcea county is in the 3rd position concerning the number of sheep and in the first position in wool production (5.3% of the country's production).
Tulcea county is second in production of meat products in the country (14.6% of the national production), in the 13th position in meat production and 15th in textiles. The county also produces iron alloys, alumina, and fish cans.
At the end of 2000, the railway transport was provided on 71 km of normal simple non-electric lines. The road network measured 1 183 km of public roads, with 295 km of modernised national roads. The Tulcea airport operates at present only for charter flights. The Danube and its three branches provide with naval transport. Tulcea county is supplied with natural gas for the thermal heat network and household utilities only in 2 rural settlements with a distribution network of 35 km.
A number of 68 localities - less than half - are connected to the public network of water supply and 14 localities have public sewerage network, but there are no treatment stations for wastewater.
Scientific research covers ecology and environmental protection in collaboration with international organisations, which also support the research by endowment and training.
The Danube Delta is the attraction point for entertainment tourism, itinerary and scientific tourism. The tourist circuit includes the Roman, Italian and Byzantine citadels of Troesmis, Arrubium, Dinogetia, Noviodonum, Halmyris, Arganum, Enisala, and the monasteries of Niculitel, Celic and Saon.
The total tourist accommodation capacity of the county, as of 31 July 2000, was 2 837 places, as follows: 978 places in hotels, 372 places in motels, 64 places in villas, 50 places in chalets, 38 places in baithouses, 136 places in pensions, 300 places in camping areas, 106 places in bungalows and 793 places in student camps. The tourism is reorganised on a new basis. In the Danube Delta, at Uzlina, there is a tourist complex of hotels, pensions, which provide a comfort of 3-4 stars, and in the Delta's localities there are tourist pensions, holiday houses and private boats. Floating hotels of 4 stars provide with high quality holidays, with hunting and fishing.
Population and social environment
The county's population, as of 1 July 2000, was 262 692, which is 1.6% less compared to 1 July 1996. In 2000, the population density was 30.9 inhabitants per km2, compared to the 94.1 national average; the urbanisation degree was 48.6%.
The young population (0-24 years) had in 2000 a share of 35.7%, over the national average, but lower than in 1996 (38.1%). The population of 65 years and over had a share of 11.6%, compared to the 13.3% national average; compared to 1996 (10.3%) we note an aging of the population.
The average age of the Tulcea county's population was 36.1 years, 1.1 years under the the national average.
The birth rate in 2000 was 10.2 per 1 000 inhabitants, an increase compared to 1996 (9.7 per 1 000 inhabitants), but under the national average. The overall mortality rate of 11.8 deaths per 1 000 inhabitants in 2000 determined a negative natural growth of 1.6 persons per 1 000 inhabitants. The infant mortality rate was 17.0 deaths of children under 1 year, per 1 000 live births in 2000, lower compared to the national average (18.6 per 1 000 live births).
In 2000, the marriage rate was 6.3 per 1 000 inhabitants (6.2 per 1 000 inhabitants in 1996) and the divorce rate was 1.36 per 1 000 inhabitants (1.45 per 1 000 inhabitants in 1996).
The life expectancy between 1998 and 2000 was 64.7 years for males and 72.1 years for females, under the national average for both males and females.
The county's labour force, at the end of 2000, was 164.4 thousand persons. The activity rate of labour force of 64.1% (higher for females - 66.7%), is situated 8.0 percentage points under the national rate.
The employment rate was quite low (56.8%), compared to the national average (64.6%) and even to the employment rate at the level of the South-East Region (60.8%).
The civil employed population, 93.3 thousand persons at the end of 2000, was 14.5% lower compared to 1996. Of the total employed civil population, 50.1% worked in agriculture, 23% in industry and constructions and 26.9% in services. The employees had a share of 51.3% in the employed civil population. Females represent 51.7% of the total number of employees and 50.9% of the employed civil population.
At the end of 2000, there were 12 thousand unemployed persons (47.7% females). The unemployment rate of 11.4% (12% for males; 10.7% for females), in 2000, was constantly over the national average.
The educational system had in the school year 2000/2001 an institutional infrastructure including schools of all degrees: 145 kindergartens, 134 primary and secondary schools, 17 high-schools, 2 apprentice schools, and 4 postgraduate schools.
In 2000, the healthcare system used specialised personnel that included 366 doctors (6.6% dentists), 53 pharmacists, and 1 418 persons with a medium medical training level. Of the total number, 58 doctors and 24 dentists worked in the private sector. The healthcare system includes 4 hospitals, 14 medical consultation centres, 2 health centres, 3 nurseries, 63 pharmacies and other specialised units.
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