Harghita County

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Harghita County
Județul Harghita
Hargita megye
County
Jud Harghita.jpg
Flag of Harghita County.gif
Flag
Stema Harghita.svg
Coat of arms
Harghita in Romania.svg
Harghita county, territorial location
CountryFlag of Romania.svg  Romania
Development region1 Centru
Historic region Transylvania
Capital city (Reședință de județ) Miercurea Ciuc
Government
 • TypeCounty Council
 • President of the County Council Barna-Botond Bíró  [ ro ] (RMDSZ)
 • Prefect2 Sándor Petres  [ ro ]
Area
 • Total
6,639 km2 (2,563 sq mi)
 • Rank 13th in Romania
Population
 (2021-12-01) [1]
 • Total
291,950
 • Rank 33rd in Romania
 • Density46/km2 (120/sq mi)
Time zone UTC+2 (EET)
 • Summer (DST) UTC+3 (EEST)
Postal Code
53wxyz3
Area code +40 x66 4
Car Plates HR5
GDPUS$4.450 billion (2025)
GDP per capita US$15,242 (2025)
Website County Council
County Prefecture
1The developing regions of Romania have no administrative role. They were formed just to attract funds from the European Union
2 as of 2007, the Prefect is not a politician, but a public functionary. The Prefect is not allowed to be a member of a political party, and is banned from having any political activity in the first six months after the resignation (or exclusion) from the public functionary corps
3w, x, y, and z are digits that indicate the city, the street, part of the street, or even the building of the address
4x is a digit indicating the operator: 2 for the former national operator, Romtelecom, and 3 for the other ground telephone networks
5used on both the plates of the vehicles that operate only in the county limits (like utility vehicles, ATVs, etc.), and the ones used outside the county

Harghita County (Romanian : Județul Harghita, Romanian pronunciation: [harˈɡita] ⓘ and Hungarian : Hargita megye, pronounced [ˈhɒrɡitɒ] ) is a county ( județ ) in the center of Romania, in eastern Transylvania, with the county seat at Miercurea Ciuc.

Contents

Demographics

2002 census

In 2002, Harghita County had a population of 326,222 [2] and a population density of 52/km2.

2011 census

In 2011, it had a population of 302,432 [4] and a population density of 46/km2.

2021 census

In 2021, it had a population of 291,950, and a population density of 43/km2.


Harghita county has the highest percentage of Hungarians in Romania, just ahead of Covasna county. The Hungarians form the majority of the population in most of the county's municipalities, with Romanians concentrated in the northern and eastern part of the county (particularly Toplița and Bălan), as well as in the enclave of Voșlăbeni.

The Székelys of Harghita are mostly Roman Catholic, with Reformed and Unitarian minorities, while the ethnic Romanians are primarily Orthodox. Catholicism is strongest in the east, in the former Csíkszék, while Protestants are concentrated in the south and west of Odorheiu Secuiesc. By religion, the county is divided roughly as follows:

Historical population
YearPop.±% p.a.
1930250,194—    
1948258,495+0.18%
1956273,964+0.73%
1966282,392+0.30%
1977326,310+1.32%
1992347,637+0.42%
2002326,222−0.63%
2011304,969−0.75%
2021291,950−0.44%

Geography

Harghita County has a total area of 6,639 km2.

Harghita consists primarily of mountains, connected to the Eastern Carpathians, such as the Ciuc and Harghita Mountains; volcanic plateaux, foothills, and the more densely populated river valleys.

The mountains are volcanic in origin, and the region is known for its excellent hot mineral springs. Harghita is known as one of the coldest regions in Romania, although summers can be quite warm.

It is in this county that two of the most important rivers in Romania, the Mureș and the Olt, originate. These rivers' origins, near the villages of Izvoru Mureșului and Sândominic, are only a few miles apart; yet the Mureș flows west to the Tisza, while the Olt flows south to the Danube. In the western part of the county the two Târnava rivers (Târnava Mare and Târnava Mică) flow to the Târnava Plateau, which is part of the Transylvanian Plateau.

Harghita's spectacular natural scenery includes Sfânta Ana Lake, a volcanic crater lake near the town of Băile Tușnad; Lacul Roșu a mountain lake in the northeast near the town of Gheorgheni, and Cheile Bicazului, a dramatic, narrow canyon formed by the Bicaz stream. The county is renowned for its spa resorts and mineral waters.

Neighbours

Economy

The county's main industries:

Tourism

Lacul Rosu Lacul Rosu 092.jpg
Lacul Roșu

The main tourist attractions in Harghita county are

Politics

The Harghita County Council, renewed at the 2024 local elections, consists of 30 councilors, with the following party composition: [6]

   PartySeatsCurrent Council
  Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania (UDMR/RMDSZ)23                       
 Hungarian Alliance Of Transylvania4                       
  Social Democratic Party (PSD)2                       
  National Liberal Party (PNL)2                       

Administrative divisions

Miercurea Ciuc Csikszereda, Segito Maria Gimnazium.jpg
Miercurea Ciuc
Baile Tusnad Tusnadfurdo Csukas to felulnezet.jpg
Băile Tușnad

Harghita County has 4 municipalities, 5 towns and 58 communes

See also

References

  1. ↑ "2021 Romanian census". National Institute of Statistics.
  2. ↑ National Institute of Statistics, "Populația la recensămintele din anii 1948, 1956, 1966, 1977, 1992 și 2002" Archived 22 September 2006 at the Wayback Machine
  3. ↑ National Institute of Statistics, "Populația după etnie" Archived 16 August 2009 at the Wayback Machine ("Population by ethnicity")
  4. ↑ National Institute of Statistics, [ permanent dead link ]
  5. ↑ "Recensamantul Populatiei si Locuintelor 2011: Populația stabilă după etnie – județe, municipii, orașe, comune". Archived from the original on 18 January 2016. Retrieved 12 July 2013.
  6. ↑ "Consiliul Județean Harghita" (in Romanian). Retrieved 9 January 2026.

46°22′N25°48′E / 46.36°N 25.80°E / 46.36; 25.80

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