Covasna County - Geography and history
Situated in the Carpathians arch, with a central position towards the country's boundaries, Covasna County has an area of 3 710 km2, representing 1.6% of the national territory. The Covasna County borders Vrancea and Bacau Counties to the east, Buzau County to the south-east, Brasov County to the south-west and west, Harghita County to the north. As of 31 December 2000 the administrative organisation of county's territory was the following: 2 municipalities and 3 towns, 34 communes and 122 villages. The county's capital city is Sfântul-Gheorghe.
County territory consists of two forms of geography completely different from the point of view of its geological constituency, of the geographical appearance. The central zone represents the north-west golf of the big inter-Carpathians basin of tectonic origin - Bârsa Country. The mountains exclusively belong to pleated and tectonic chain of the Carpathian arch, except the northern edge, where there are massifs of volcanic mountains. At the northern-west and southern-east extremities of the perimeter there are another two basins of tectonic-erosive origin: Baraolt basin and Întorsura Buzaului basin.
Located in the central zone of the country, inside the Carpathian arch, the territory of Covasna County belongs, from a climatic point of view, to the Transylvania plateau. The intra-mountainous geographic position of the depressions and valleys places the county in the category of depression zones in the East of Transylvania. The average annual temperature in the high zones is 10C and 7.60C in the depressions, which is 30C below the national average.
The County has a rich hydrographical network of rivers. From hydrographical point of view, all the rivers belong to two first type basins (whose collectors are Danube's direct influents) - Olt and Siret.
The oldest evidences of human living in this County belong to medium Palaeolithic (7 000 - 8 000 BC), from Bradut.
Cris Culture and linear ceramic culture are known as belonging to the early Neolithic period, known due to the discoveries from Anghelus, Petriceni. Among the Neolithic cultures on Covasna territory, the Cucuteni - Ariusd culture stands out because of the large area and the extraordinary qualities of the ceramics.
At the beginning of the second iron age, on the Dacian territory were settled tribe unions in which was included also the Gaeto-Dacian population from the Covasna County territory.
At Ghelinta and Surcea there were discovered numerous Dacian gold ornaments.
During the Roman occupation, the passes were defeated by the military camps built at Olteni, Bretcu, Comandau and Borosneu Mare. Besides military camps, civilian settlements are also documented during the Roman occupation.
Beginning with the 16th century, the commercial relationships intensify on these territories favoured by the fact that these territories were crossed by the commercial roads that linked Transylvania with Moldova and Walachia.
Among the resources, lignite is the most abundant. Other resources include mineral water deposits, shale, sandstone, lime stone, clay, andesite, sand, gravel, infusorial earth and fire clay. Deciduous and coniferous tree wood is used in the furniture industry.
Taking into account the scientific importance and the rarity of some species of plants and geological formations, these were declared natural monuments and natural reservations. They are: The Birch Grove from la Reci, the Ozunca Bai eutrophic swamp, the Valley of Turia, the Puciosu Mountain with the sulphurous of Turia, mineral water springs, also a turf moor, carbon dioxide springs complex with gas emanations and swamp vegetation of Valea Iadului - Turia.
Economy
The changes in the industrial production reflect the trend towards the development of some traditional branches in County's industry, such as wood operation and procession, taking place in the whole mountainous zone of the county, textile and garments industry, with ancient tradition, thinking of the later development of the crafts along the history. The textile garments produced in the County's companies are very famous nationally and abroad due to their quality and synchronisation with the international trend of fashion. The food and beverage industry, a traditional branch that appeared at the beginning as a craft, (milling and spirit) and developed in time, focuses on the processing of local raw materials - agricultural products and mineral waters. Presently, the units representing the food industry of the County are those of milk, meat, bakery procession starch, spirit, tobacco, and mineral water bottling.
Located in the Transylvanian side of the Carpathians, the Covasna County territory looks, regarding the geography, like a low land, which through water fragmentised Piedmonts gradually climbs towards mountain peaks surrounding it from 3 sides. In a relatively small area, the agricultural production is oriented towards animal breeding in the forrested areas. Sfântu Gheorghe and Târgu Secuiesc depressions are used for cereal, leguminous, technical plants and potatoe cultures. Agricultural land is 186 416 ha, representing 50.3% of the total land of the County (370 980 ha). The arable land represents 46.3% of the agricultural land, pastures 34.9%, and hays 18.1%. In 2000 the cereal production was 76.4 thousand tons, 0.2 tone leguminous and 314.8 thousand tons potatoes.
At the end of 2000 the livestock included 44.4 thousand cattle, 87.7 thousand pigs, 141.1 thousand sheep and goats and 333 thousand poultry.
In Covasna County the forest area per inhabitant is 0.7%, "the green gold" being one of the main ressources which determine the social and economic development. The woods and other lands with forestry vegetation cover 166.3 thousand ha, Covasna County presents a rich potential for hunting and fishing.
The access ways to the County generally follow the rivers' courses, the whole road and railway network assures a good connection of the town-capital with all the villages as well as a good communication with the surrounding counties (Brasov, Buzau, Vrancea, Harghita and Bacau).
In 2000, the road network totalled 835 km, of which 217 km were modernised roads and 329 km simple roads. The railways are 115 km length, of which 46 km were electrified.
Because of its beautiful landscape, numerous mineral waters and moffetes as well as of the existence of some art and architectural historical monuments, Covasna County has a valuable tourist potential. The accommodation capacity was, as of 31 July 2000, 3 541 places, of which 2 740 places were in hotels and motels.
Population and social environment
As of 1 July 2000 Covasna County population was 230 537 inhabitants, which is 1% of the country's population. The distribution of the population on the County's territory is influenced by historical, social, economical and natural factors, which determined a density increase from 41.1 inhabitants per km2 in 1930, to 46.5 inhabitants per km2 in 1956 and to 62.5 inhabitants per km2 in 1996.
Because of the decrease in the number of population, in 2000 could be observed a slight decrease of the population density, to 62.1 inhabitants per km2.
The sex structure is ballanced, so that from the total of 230 537 inhabitants 49.2% represent male and 50.8% female.
The average age of population in 2000 was 36.1 years, compared to 37.2 years in the whole country.
The birth rate in 2000 was 11.6 live births per 1 000 inhabitants, compared to 10.7 in 1996.
The overall mortality rate was 10.4 deaths per 1 000 inhabitants in 2000 (11.9 in 1996).
The infant mortality was 13.8 deaths of children under 1 year per 1 000 live births in 2000, compared to 13.3 per 1 000 live births in 1996.
The marriage rate was in 2000 de 5.2 per 1 000 inhabitants (6.3 in 1996), and the divorce rate was 1.29 per 1 000 inhabitants (1.69 in 1996).
The life expectancy between 1998 and 2000 was 67.8 years for male and 75.4 years for female, over national average, for both male and female.
At the end of 2000, the county's labour forces were 142.0 thousand persons. The activity rate was 71.4%.
From the total active population of 101.4 thousand persons at the end of 2000, the civilian employed population is 90.1 thousand (88.9%). From the total employed population, 39.3% are employed in agriculture, 28.2% in industry and in construction and 32.5% in services.
The number of registered unemployed at the end of 2000 was 11.3 thousand, of which 45.2% were female. The unemployment rate at the same date was 11.2% comparedy to the national average which was 10.5%.
In 2000 the education was provided in 167 kindergartens, 154 primary and secondary schools, 20 secondary educational units.
The sanitary network, with 318 units, included 7 hospitals, 2 clinics, 7 medical consultation centres, 40 pharmacies.
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