ILFOV COUNTY - Geography and history
The county is located in the south-eastern part of Romania, in the central-eastern part of the Walachian Plain. It covers an area of 1 583 km2, being the smallest county of the country. It is surrounded by the following counties: Prahova (to the north), Ialomita and Calarasi (to the east), Giurgiu (to the south) and Dâmbovita (to the west). Its territory included, as of 31 December 2000, 2 towns (Buftea and Otopeni), 37 communes and 103 villages. The county's capital city is Bucharest.
The county is exclusively located in a plain area, with an elevation between 50 and 120 m, belonging (totally or partially) to the subunits of the Vlasiei Plain (parts of the Snagov, Movilita, and Câlnau plains and all of Bucharest Plain) with large inter-rivers (48 km), hills, valleys and lakes.
The climate is temperate-continental of an excessive trait, with hot and dry summers and cold winters marked by the cold continental air from the east and arctic air from the north, and strong winds that spread the snow.
In the past, the region used to be covered by the Vlasiei Forest, afterwards it turned into the Vlasiei Plain, which is now crossed by the Ialomita, Arges, Sabar, and Dâmbovita rivers. As well, there are several smaller rivers that originate within this county (Pasarea, Mostistea, Ilfov, Câlnau, Cociovalistea, Slotea, Cocioc, Vlasia etc.).
The oldest signs of human presence within the current borders of the county go back to the Neolithic period, with the archaeological discoveries at Cernica, Glina and Vidra. The Roman conquest (101-102, 105-106) and then the occupation (106-271/275) of Dacia influenced the region. Further invasions and occupations in the 3rd and 4th centuries determined the life of the dwellers, yet without removing them from the area.
Remains of human settlements were found in the village of Fundeni (Dobroiesti) as old as of the sixth century.
In the Middle Age, the documents mention the settlements of Snagov, in relation with the monastery of Snagov, built in the 14th century by voivode Mircea the Older.
In all the older administrative forms, the city of Bucharest, located in the middle of Ilfov county, was part of this county. Upon the last administrative and territorial modification dated 17 February 1968, Bucharest was declared a municipality and became an independent, county-like, structure, outside the limits of Ilfov county.
The current territory of Ilfov is only a part of the former county, with deep roots in the 15th century. In time and especially in the second half of the 20th century, the county underwent several territorial alterations and eventually reached an area of 1 583 km2 (0.67% of country's land area), as compared to 5 176 km2 in 1937 and 8 225 km2 in 1972 (with 2 municipalities, 2 towns, 125 communes and 418 villages). On 23 January 1981, the county was an independent sector, called the Agricultural Sector of Ilfov (with the city of Buftea, 26 communes and 73 villages).
In 1996, in accordance with Law 24 dated 12 April, the name was changed into llfov County and, through the application of Law 50 dated 10 April 1997, it became a county.
Economy
The county's economy is strongly influenced by its geographic position as it currently surrounds the capital city of Romania.
Despite the old name of "agricultural sector" and even if 67% of its total area is arable land (1 068.5 km2), Ilfov is a county with a well developed industry. Some localities in the close vicinity of Bucharest turned into "industrial satellites" of the capital.
In 2000, the number of the active companies was 3 438 as compared to 2 586 in 1996. Most of them are of micro type (0-9 employees) - 3 024 companies, and 3 367 are private companies.
The industry manufactures a broad range of goods: tyres and rubber items (SC Danubiana S.A. in Popesti Leordeni, SC Arteca S.A. in Jilava), batteries and lead accumulators (SC Acumulatorul S.A. in Pantelimon), meters and control devices (Otopeni), concrete prefabs, bricks and ceramic blocks, ceramic plates and tiles (Chitila, Chiajna, and Bragadiru), furniture (Voluntari, and Chitila), medicines (Voluntari, and Mogosoaia), footwear (Jilava, and Dobroiesti), combined forage (Buftea, Peris, and Voluntari), medical equipment (Voluntari, Otopeni, and Magurele), wall and floor tiles (Chitila), toys (Buftea).
Food, tobacco and beverage industries account for the most important economic activity of the county (SC Angst Ro, SC Gourmet Prod, SC Heidi Chocolats, Ro-Star, SC Star Foods, SC Arslan Prodimpex, Fulger SA, Dumalex Prod, and Philip Morris Romania).
The county is the first in Romania for some goods (in 2000): 3rd place for converter copper and meat products, 6th place for footwear, 7th place for meat products and 7th for socks and stockings.
The agricultural land as of 31 December 2000 was 113.1 thousand ha, as follows: arable land 106.9 thousand ha, pastures and hays 2.4 thousand ha, vineyards and orchards 3.8 thousand ha. The woods and other forested lands occupied 25.3 thousand ha.
In 2000 the production of grains was 87.9 thousand tons of which wheat and rye 56.8 thousand tons, barley 15.0 thousand tons, and corn 15.4 thousand tons. The cattle totalled 21.9 thousand, pigs 131.3 thousand, sheep and goats 20.7 thousand, and poultry 1 303 thousand, at the end of 2000.
The total production of wheat and rye in 2000 was 56.8 thousand tons as compared to 17.8 thousand tons in 1996. The total vegetable production of 2000 was 84.7 thousand tons. The county ranked the 12th regarding the average production of wheat and rye, and 10th for barley; it was the first for cow and ox milk, and the 10th for eggs.
The communication routes of the county are in close relation with those of Bucharest, as all railways and major roads that come to or from Bucharest, are crossing the county. The railway length in 2000 was the same as in 1996, i.e. 182 km.
The county's land is crossed by several national roads. In 2000, the public roads totalled 755 km. Of the total public roads, 128 km were national roads and 627 km were county and communal roads. The county's territory includes the biggest airport of the country (the Otopeni International Airport), which provides with flights to many cities on all continents.
Population and social environment
As of 1 July 2000, the county's population was 275 482 (141 311 females). As the county is the most rural county of the country, the population in the urban area is only 7%. The overall density is 174.0 inhabitant/km2 (340.6 inhabitants/km2 in urban areas and 167.8 inhabitants/km2 in rural areas).
The average age was 37.9 years in 2000, under the national average (37.2).
The 2000 birth rate was 9.8 live births per 1 000 inhabitants, increasing from 1996 (8.9), but still under the national rate.
The mortality rate in 2000 was 11.9 deaths per 1 000 inhabitants, decreasing from 1996, and the infant mortality rate was 14.4 per 1 000 live births, under the national average.
In 2000, the marriage rate was 6.0 marriages per 1 000 inhabitants (6.4 in 1996), while the divorce rate was 0.54 divorces per 1 000 inhabitants (0.44 in 1996).
The life expectancy between 1998 and 2000 was 66.2 years for males and 74.4 years for females
The aging process resulted in the shrinking of the labour force from 166.9 thousand persons at the end of 1999 to 161.9 thousand at the end of 2000 (-3%). But the employed population is increasing: according to the labour force balance, total employed civilian population increased from 101.0 thousand at the end of 1999 to 105.2 thousand at the end of 2000 (4.2%).
The unemployment rate increased from 4.5% in 1997 to 6.2% in 2000. In 2000, of total number of unemployed, 46.5% were females, and, by professional categories, 67.6% were workers.
In 2000, the county had 124 primary and secondary schools (including the institutions for the disabled), 12 high schools (with vocational, post-high-school and technical sections).
The 2000 health system totalled 5 hospitals with 1 724 beds, 145 state-owned medical cabinets (individual, associated, grouped and civilian companies), and 12 private medical cabinets, 34 pharmacies, 8 drugstores, and 55 dentist clinics.
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