MEHEDINTI COUNTY - Geography and history
Located in the south-west of Romania, Mehedinti county has an area of 4 933 km2, representing 2.1% of the country's territory, placing it among the small counties (30th place). Mehedinti county borders Gorj county (to the north and north-east), Dolj county (to the south-east), Serbia, Muntenegru and Bulgaria (to the south), the Danube river (on 192 km), and Caras-Severin county (to the west). The capital city of the county is Drobeta Turnu-Severin, a city on the Danube's board, dating since Trajan the Emperor. The geography is various, comprising all the three types: mountains with a maximum elevation of 1 466 m, plateaus and plains with the maximum elevation of 50 m. Distributed in steps, as an amphitheatre, from north to south, on a level difference of about 1 400 m, the geography proves its great diversity. The plain area is the vastest (34.7%), followed by the hilly area (29.9%), and the mountains representing 26.8% of the county's area.
The county's hydrographical network is made up of the Danube river to which all the other rivers flow: the Cerna, Topolnita, Cosustea, Motru, Blahnita, and Drincea rivers. The county's territory also has a rich network of underground waters, with depths varyingbetween 2 and 40 m, with many springs or underground resources of consistent and therapeutic mineral waters.
Because of its south-western position, Mehedinti county has a temperate-continental climate, with deep Mediterranean influences, favouring rather high average temperatures, tender winters, warm summers, and rich rainfalls. The warm climate favoured the growth of southern plants and trees, as well as the existence of specific animal species and reptiles.
The oldest traces discovered in Mehedinti county date since the end of the Superior Palaeolithic period (about 12 000 years BC), such as the Climente's Cave from Dubova in the Danube's Cazane. Traces of the Neolithic period, Bronze and Iron Ages cultures were discovered at Svinita, Dubova, Ilovat, Hinova, Gârla Mare, Schela Cladovei, Simian etc.
Significant historical relics in Mehedinti county date since the Roman occupation in the Balkan Peninsula, at the end of 1st century BC
Archaeological discoveries at Drobeta represented Roman coins, ceramics, tools and weapons. One of the gateways through which the Romans tried to occupy Dacia in 105 AD, led by Trajan, was the bridge built here by Apollodor of Damascus. Romans built a stone site at Drobeta and in the northern part of the site the civil city of Drobeta was founded. The most significant natural resources present here are the construction materials, as follows: crystalline and red limestone, marls, clay, and granite. Non-ferrous ores are also subsoil resources. Thus, copper ores can be found in the Baia de Arama area, and the Orsova area contains significant quartz, feldspar, and bentonite ores. Mineral therapeutic waters with medical results in rheumatics and internal conditions can be found at the Bala resort and Baia de Arama, Schela Cladovei, Husnicioara. The beauty of the landscape and the scientific importance of certain species of the local flora and fauna led to the creation of several natural reservations.
Economy
In 2000, the county had 3 496 active companies, over 99% with with private capital. By their main activity, industry accounted for 7.9%, while services represented 86.8% of the total. Agricultural activities in 2000 resulted in a grain cereals production of 152.2 thousand tons, wherein: wheat and rye 90.2 thousand tons, barley and two-row barley 4.9 thousand tons and corn 55.3 thousand tons. Livestock consisted of 43.9 thousand cattle, 65.5 thousand pigs and 164.5 thousand sheep and goats.
Besides agriculture, forestry and fishing, as county's economical traditional activities, the industry is also present in the area. The first step for industrial development in Mehedinti county was made by the Austrian shipping company in 1851, when it incorporated a ship repairing workshop at Turnu Severin, the first one in Romania, today an important economic unit, products bearing the SEVERNAV mark being exported to many countries. The Romanian railways workshops were built at the same time with the 1882 railway and were meant for engine and train car repairs.They now have become great car constructors. The food industry started its development in 1856 when the beer factory was founded, and is still present in the county's economy. The light industry was developed by the incorporation of the "Cazanele" weaving mill in Orsova city and of the clothing factory in Turnu Severin and Vânju Mare. In time, beside the traditional sectors, new ones showed up, as follows: the coal mining, the wood processing, the cellulose and paper industry, the rubber processing industry, the metallurgic industry etc. The most important realisation of Mehedinti is represented by the two hydroelectric power plants on the Danube, the Iron Gate 1 and 2, as well as the Chemical Factory "Romag Prad". Due to its geographical position, open to the Danube, Mehedinti county had a rich trade and shipping activity ever since. Posts and telecommunications started their development in 1862, when the first telegraph was installed. The banking and crediting sector began to develop in 1892, enlarging during the latest period. On the board of the Danube, Mehedinti county knew a significant development of the shipping, especially of freight shipping. Road transports are based on a 1 856 km long network, of which national and European roads represent 374 km.
At the end of 2000, Mehedinti county's railway network was 129 km long, wholly electrified with a density of 26.2 km per 1 000 km2 of territory.
The tourist accommodation capacity as of 31 July 2000 was 1 858 places, of which 1 103 places in hotels. Mehedinti county has a remarkable tourist potential. The mountains are worthing sightsee because of the Topolnita Cave, considered to be of a rare underground beauty, the natural bridge and lilac forest of Ponoare.
Population and social environment
Mehedinti county's population as of 1 July 2000 totalled 321 853 inhabitants, 1.7% under the 1996 figure. 156 206 persons were living in the urban area, while 165 647 persons were living in the rural area. The population density in Mehedinti county was 65.2 inhabitants/km2. The county's population average age was 38.5 years, 1.3 years over the country's average. The birth rate in 2000 was 9.5 per 1 000 inhabitants, under the country average. The overall mortality rate was 12.9 per 1 000 inhabitants in 2000, which determined a negative natural growth of 3.4 persons per 1 000 inhabitants. The infant mortality rate was 18.9 deaths of children under 1 year per 1 000 live births, over the country average. Marriage rate in 2000 was 5.4 per 1 000 inhabitants, while the divorce rate was 1.03 per 1 000 inhabitants.
The life expectancy between 1998 and 2000 was 67.5 years for males and 73.7 years for females. Beside the dicrease in the population, another reason of concern is the aging of the population. As of 1 July 1996, population of 60 years and older represented 20.5% of the county's total population, while as of 1 July 2000, it represented 21.6%. This process is more obvious in the rural area, where population of 60 years and older represents 30%.
At the end of 2000, the county's labour force was 189.9 thousand persons, of which 51.4% were males. With an active civil population of 140.9 persons, the labour force activity rate (74.2%) is 2.1 percentage points above the national average. The labour force employment rate (66.5%) was also almost 2 percentage points over the country's level. The employed civil population was 126.3 thousand persons, 4.7% less compared to 1996. More than half of the total employment worked in agriculture (57%). Industry and construction represented 20.1% of the employed civil population, while services 22.9%. Compared to 1996, the employment in agriculture increased by 10.1%, while industry and construction lost 30.8% of the employed by 2000, and services 4.9%. In 2000 the number of the registered unemployed (14.6 thousand) doubled compared to 1996, and the unemployment rate increased from 4.5% in 1996 to 10.3% in 2000.
The educational system was carried out in the 2000/2001 school year by an infrastructure of: 163 kindergartens, 276 primary and secondary schools, 18 high schools, 1 vocational school, one post-high-school educational unit and 1 academic unit.
The healthcare system of the county, still undergoing reforms, included 6 hospitals, 1 clinic, 17 medical consultation centres, 1 healthcare centre, 52 pharmacies, 4 nurseries and other 307 units of various types.
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