| Vâlcea | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| — County — | |||
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| Country | Romania | ||
| Development region | Sud-Vest | ||
| Historic region | Wallachia | ||
| Capital | Râmnicu Vâlcea | ||
| Area | |||
| • Total | 5,765 km2 (2,225.9 sq mi) | ||
| Area rank | 20th | ||
| Population (2004) | |||
| • Total | 413,247 | ||
| • Rank | 26th | ||
| • Density | 71.7/km2 (185.7/sq mi) | ||
| Telephone code | (+40) 250 or (+40) 350[1] | ||
| ISO 3166 code | RO-VL | ||
| Website | County Council Prefecture |
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Vâlcea (also spelt Vîlcea; Romanian pronunciation: [ˈvɨlt͡ʃe̯a]) is a county (judeţ) of Romania, in the historical regions of Oltenia and Muntenia (the regions are separated by the Olt River). Its capital city is Râmnicu Vâlcea.
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In 2004, it had a population of 416,908 and the population density was 71.7/km².
| Year | County population[3] |
|---|---|
| 1948 | 341,590 |
| 1956 | 362,356 |
| 1966 | 368,779 |
| 1977 | 414,241 |
| 1992 | 438,388 |
| 2002 | 413,247 |
| 2004 | 416,908 |
This county has a total area of 5,765 km².
The North side of the county is occupied by the mountains from the Southern Carpathians group - The Făgăraş Mountains in the East with heights over 2200 m, and the Lotru Mountains in the West with heights over 2000 m. They are separated by the Olt River valley - the most accessible passage between Transylvania and Wallachia. Along the Olt River Valley there are smaller groups of mountains, the most spectacular being the Cozia Mountains.
Towards the South, the heights decrease, passing through the sub-carpathian hills to a high plain in the West side of the Romanian Plain.
The main river is the Olt River crossing the county from North to South. Its main affluents are the Lotru River in the North and the Olteţ River in the South.
The city of Râmnicu Vâlcea is the most industrialised in the county, the rest of the county having an agrarian development.
The predominant industries in the county are:
In the West of the county coal and salt are extracted.
The area in the center of the county is well suited for fruit orchards, wines and raising cattle. The South is better suited for growing cereals and vegetables.
More information about Valcea County economy on Valcea Chamber of Commerce and Industry http://www.ccivl.ro
The main tourist destinations are:
Vâlcea County is administered by a County Council, elected in the June 2008 local government elections, and is made up of 32 councillors, headed by Ion Cîlea from the Social Democratic Party as President. The County Council has the following party composition:
| Party | Seats | Current Council | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic Liberal Party | 11 | ||||||||||||
| Social Democratic Party | 11 | ||||||||||||
| National Liberal Party | 10 | ||||||||||||
Vâlcea County has 2 municipalities, 9 towns and 78 communes
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