Bacău County () is a county (
județ) of
Romania, in
Western Moldavia, with its capital city at
Bacău
Bacău ( , , ; hu, Bákó; la, Bacovia) is the main city in Bacău County, Romania. At the 2016 national estimation it had a population of 196,883, making it the 12th largest city in Romania. The city is situated in the historical region of ...
. It has one commune,
Ghimeș-Făget, in
Transylvania
Transylvania ( ro, Ardeal or ; hu, Erdély; german: Siebenbürgen) is a historical and cultural region in Central Europe, encompassing central Romania. To the east and south its natural border is the Carpathian Mountains, and to the west the Ap ...
.
Geography
This county has a total area of .
In the western part of the county there are mountains from the
Eastern Carpathian
Divisions of the Carpathians are a categorization of the Carpathian mountains system.
Below is a detailed overview of the major subdivisions and ranges of the Carpathian Mountains. The Carpathians are a "subsystem" of a bigger Alps-Himalaya S ...
group. Here, along the valleys of the
Oituz River
The Oituz ( hu, Ojtoz) is a right tributary of the river Trotuș in Romania. It discharges into the Trotuș in Onești.Trotuș River
The Trotuș ( hu, Tatros) is a river in eastern Romania, a right tributary of the river Siret. It emerges from the Ciuc Mountains in the Eastern Carpathians and joins the Siret in Domnești-Sat near Adjud after passing through Comănești and ...
, there are two important links between
Moldavia and
Transylvania
Transylvania ( ro, Ardeal or ; hu, Erdély; german: Siebenbürgen) is a historical and cultural region in Central Europe, encompassing central Romania. To the east and south its natural border is the Carpathian Mountains, and to the west the Ap ...
. On the East side, the heights decrease and the lowest point can be found on the
Siret River
The Siret or Sireth ( uk, Сірет or Серет, ro, Siret , hu, Szeret, russian: Сирет) is a river that rises from the Carpathians in the Northern Bukovina region of Ukraine, and flows southward into Romania before it joins the Danube ...
valley which crosses the county from North to South down the middle. On the East side there is the
Moldavian Plateau
The Moldavian Plateau ( ro, Podișul Moldovei) is a geographic area of the historical region of Moldavia, spanning nowadays east and northeast of Romania, most of Moldova (except the south), and most of the Chernivtsi Oblast of Ukraine (where it ...
crossed by many small rivers.
Flora and fauna
Bears, wolves, foxes, wild boars, and squirrels inhabit Bacău County's mountains, particularly in its rural
Slănic-Moldova
Slănic-Moldova, formerly Băile Slănic, is a town and a spa resort in Bacău County, Romania
Romania ( ; ro, România ) is a country located at the crossroads of Central, Eastern, and Southeastern Europe. It borders Bulgaria to the s ...
region; the remnants of the local deers are preserved in
Mănăstirea Cașin
Mănăstirea Cașin is a commune in Bacău County, Western Moldavia, Romania. It is composed of four villages: Lupești, Mănăstirea Cașin, Pârvulești, and Scutaru.
The commune is situated in the of the Moldavian Subcarpathians, on the bank ...
.
Neighbours
*
Vaslui County
Vaslui County () is a county (județ) of Romania, in the historical region Western Moldavia, with the seat at Vaslui.
Demographics
In 2011, it had a population of 395,499 and the population density was 74/km².
* Romanians - over 98%
* Roma ...
in the East.
*
Harghita County and
Covasna County in the West.
*
Neamț County
Neamț County () is a county (județ) of Romania, in the historic region of Moldavia, with the county seat at Piatra Neamț. The county takes its name from the Neamț River.
Demographics
Population
In 2011, it had a population of 470,766 ...
in the North.
*
Vrancea County
Vrancea () is a county (județ) in Romania, with its seat at Focșani. It is mostly in the historical region of Moldavia but the southern part, below the Milcov River, is in Muntenia.
Demographics
In 2011, it had a population of 340,310 and a ...
in the South.
Economy
The county of Bacău was one of the most industrialized regions in the communist period and it remained Moldavia's most important industrial center ever since. There are two large
oil refineries at
Onești
Onești (; hu, Ónfalva) is a city in Bacău County, Romania, with a population of 39,172 inhabitants. It is situated in the historical region of Moldavia.
Administratively, the villages of Slobozia and Borzești form part of Onești.
Histor ...
and
Dărmănești
Dărmănești (; hu, Dormánfalva) is a town in eastern Romania, in Bacău County, in the valleys of the Trotuș
The Trotuș ( hu, Tatros) is a river in eastern Romania, a right tributary of the river Siret. It emerges from the Ciuc Mountai ...
. Following the collapse of the communist regime, Bacău continued to be the region's most important GDP supplier, but the county became more famous for the controversial figures involved in local economy than for its performance.
The predominant industries in the county are:
* The
chemical and
oil industry.
*
Food industry
The food industry is a complex, global network of diverse businesses that supplies most of the food consumed by the world's population. The food industry today has become highly diversified, with manufacturing ranging from small, traditional, ...
.
* Construction materials industry.
* Wood and paper industry.
* Textile industry.
* Mechanical components industry.
* Aeronautics industry.
In Bacău county there are important reserves of
oil
An oil is any nonpolar chemical substance that is composed primarily of hydrocarbons and is hydrophobic (does not mix with water) & lipophilic (mixes with other oils). Oils are usually flammable and surface active. Most oils are unsaturated ...
and salt. Also coal is exploited.
Tourism
The main tourist destinations in the county are:
* The cities of
Bacău
Bacău ( , , ; hu, Bákó; la, Bacovia) is the main city in Bacău County, Romania. At the 2016 national estimation it had a population of 196,883, making it the 12th largest city in Romania. The city is situated in the historical region of ...
and
Onești
Onești (; hu, Ónfalva) is a city in Bacău County, Romania, with a population of 39,172 inhabitants. It is situated in the historical region of Moldavia.
Administratively, the villages of Slobozia and Borzești form part of Onești.
Histor ...
.
* The resorts:
**
Poiana Sărată
**
Poiana Uzului
**
Slănic-Moldova
Slănic-Moldova, formerly Băile Slănic, is a town and a spa resort in Bacău County, Romania
Romania ( ; ro, România ) is a country located at the crossroads of Central, Eastern, and Southeastern Europe. It borders Bulgaria to the s ...
**
Târgu Ocna
Târgu Ocna (; hu, Aknavásár) is a town in Bacău County, Romania, situated on the left bank of the Trotuș River, an affluent of the Siret, and on a branch railway which crosses the Ghimeș Pass from Moldavia into Transylvania. Târgu Ocna i ...
* The .
Demographics
Some estimates put the total number of
Csángós
The Csángós ( hu, Csángók; ro, Ceangăi) are a Hungarian ethnographic group of Roman Catholic faith living mostly in the Romanian region of Moldavia, especially in Bacău County. The region where the Csángós live in Moldavia is known as ...
at around 70,000 in 1987.
Politics
The Bacău County Council, renewed at the
2020 local elections, consists of 36 counsellors, with the following party composition:
People
*
Gabriela Adameșteanu
*
Vasile Alecsandri
Vasile Alecsandri (; 21 July 182122 August 1890) was a Romanian patriot, poet, dramatist, politician and diplomat. He was one of the key figures during the 1848 revolutions in Moldavia and Wallachia. He fought for the unification of the Rom ...
*
George Bacovia
*
Radu Beligan
*
Nadia Comăneci
*
Loredana Groza
Loredana Groza (born 10 June 1970) or mononymously Loredana is a Romanian singer. She is known for continuously reinventing herself and for approaching numerous music styles throughout her discography, ranging from pop to traditional music and ...
*
Vasile Pârvan
Vasile Pârvan (; 28 September 1882, Perchiu, Huruiești, Bacău County – 26 June 1927, Bucharest) was a Romanian historian and archaeologist.
Biography
Vasile Pârvan came from a modest family, being the first child of the teacher Andrei ...
*
Lucrețiu Pătrășcanu
Lucrețiu Pătrășcanu (; November 4, 1900 – April 17, 1954) was a Romanian communist politician and leading member of the Communist Party of Romania (PCR), also noted for his activities as a lawyer, sociologist and economist. For a while, he ...
*
Radu R. Rosetti
*
Tristan Tzara
Tristan Tzara (; ; born Samuel or Samy Rosenstock, also known as S. Samyro; – 25 December 1963) was a Romanian and French avant-garde poet, essayist and performance artist. Also active as a journalist, playwright, literary and art critic, comp ...
Administrative divisions
Bacău County has 3 municipalities, 5 towns and 85 communes
*Municipalities
**
Bacău
Bacău ( , , ; hu, Bákó; la, Bacovia) is the main city in Bacău County, Romania. At the 2016 national estimation it had a population of 196,883, making it the 12th largest city in Romania. The city is situated in the historical region of ...
– capital city; population: 144,307 (as of 2011)
**
Moinești
Moinești (; hu, Mojnest) is a city in Bacău County, Western Moldavia, Romania, with a population of 21,787 . Its name is derived from the Romanian-language word ''moină'', which means "fallow" or "light rain". Moinești once had a large Jewis ...
**
Onești
Onești (; hu, Ónfalva) is a city in Bacău County, Romania, with a population of 39,172 inhabitants. It is situated in the historical region of Moldavia.
Administratively, the villages of Slobozia and Borzești form part of Onești.
Histor ...
*Towns
**
Buhuși
**
Comănești
Comănești (; hu, Kománfalva) is a town in Bacău County, Western Moldavia, Romania, with a population of 19,568 as of 2011. It is situated on the river Trotuș, which flows between the Ciuc and the Tarcău mountains; of the course of the r ...
**
Dărmănești
Dărmănești (; hu, Dormánfalva) is a town in eastern Romania, in Bacău County, in the valleys of the Trotuș
The Trotuș ( hu, Tatros) is a river in eastern Romania, a right tributary of the river Siret. It emerges from the Ciuc Mountai ...
**
Slănic-Moldova
Slănic-Moldova, formerly Băile Slănic, is a town and a spa resort in Bacău County, Romania
Romania ( ; ro, România ) is a country located at the crossroads of Central, Eastern, and Southeastern Europe. It borders Bulgaria to the s ...
**
Târgu Ocna
Târgu Ocna (; hu, Aknavásár) is a town in Bacău County, Romania, situated on the left bank of the Trotuș River, an affluent of the Siret, and on a branch railway which crosses the Ghimeș Pass from Moldavia into Transylvania. Târgu Ocna i ...
*Communes
**
Agăș
**
Ardeoani
**
Asău
**
Balcani
**
Berești-Bistrița
Berești-Bistrița is a commune in Bacău County, Western Moldavia, Romania
Romania ( ; ro, România ) is a country located at the crossroads of Central, Eastern, and Southeastern Europe. It borders Bulgaria to the south, Ukraine to the ...
**
Berești-Tazlău
**
Berzunţi
**
Bârsănești
**
Blăgești
**
Bogdănești
**
Brusturoasa
**
Buciumi
**
Buhoci
**
Cașin
Cașin is a commune in Bacău County, Western Moldavia, Romania
Romania ( ; ro, România ) is a country located at the crossroads of Central, Eastern, and Southeastern Europe. It borders Bulgaria to the south, Ukraine to the north, Hung ...
**
Căiuți
**
Cleja
**
Colonești
**
Corbasca
**
Coțofănești
**
Dămienești
**
Dealu Morii
**
Dofteana
Dofteana ( hu, Doftána) is a commune in Bacău County, Western Moldavia, Romania
Romania ( ; ro, România ) is a country located at the crossroads of Central, Eastern, and Southeastern Europe. It borders Bulgaria to the south, Ukrain ...
**
Faraoani
**
Filipeni
**
Filipești
Filipești is a commune in Bacău County, Western Moldavia, Romania
Romania ( ; ro, România ) is a country located at the crossroads of Central, Eastern, and Southeastern Europe. It borders Bulgaria to the south, Ukraine to the north, ...
**
Găiceana
**
Ghimeș-Făget
**
Gârleni
**
Glăvănești
**
Gioseni
**
Gura Văii
**
Helegiu
**
Hemeiuș
Hemeiuș is a commune in Bacău County, Western Moldavia, Romania. It is composed of three villages: Fântânele, Hemeiuș, and Lilieci.
Princess Sophie of Albania died in Fântânele village in 1936.
Natives
* Walter Adolph
Walter Adolph ( ...
**
Huruiești
**
Horgești
**
Izvoru Berheciului
**
Itești
**
Letea Veche
Letea Veche is a commune in Bacău County, Western Moldavia, Romania
Romania ( ; ro, România ) is a country located at the crossroads of Central, Eastern, and Southeastern Europe. It borders Bulgaria to the south, Ukraine to the north, ...
**
Lipova
**
Livezi
**
Luizi-Călugăra
**
Măgirești
**
Măgura
**
Mănăstirea Cașin
Mănăstirea Cașin is a commune in Bacău County, Western Moldavia, Romania. It is composed of four villages: Lupești, Mănăstirea Cașin, Pârvulești, and Scutaru.
The commune is situated in the of the Moldavian Subcarpathians, on the bank ...
**
Mărgineni
**
Motoșeni
**
Negri
**
Nicolae Bălcescu
Nicolae Bălcescu () (29 June 181929 November 1852) was a Romanian Wallachian soldier, historian, journalist, and leader of the 1848 Wallachian Revolution.
Early life
Born in Bucharest to a family of low-ranking nobility, he used his mother ...
**
Odobești
**
Oituz
**
Oncești
**
Orbeni
**
Palanca
**
Parava
**
Pâncești
**
Parincea
**
Pârgărești
**
Pârjol
**
Plopana
**
Podu Turcului
**
Poduri
Poduri is a commune in Bacău County, Western Moldavia, Romania. It is composed of seven villages: Bucșești, Cernu, Cornet, Negreni, Poduri, Prohozești and Valea Șoșii.
The Poduri archeological site of the late Neolithic Cucuteni-Trypillia ...
**
Prăjești
**
Racova
Racova is a commune in Bacău County, Western Moldavia, Romania
Romania ( ; ro, România ) is a country located at the crossroads of Central, Eastern, and Southeastern Europe. It borders Bulgaria to the south, Ukraine to the north, Hung ...
**
Răcăciuni
Răcăciuni ( hu, Rekecsin) is a commune in Bacău County, Western Moldavia, Romania. It is composed of six villages: Ciucani, Fundu Răcăciuni, Gheorghe Doja, Gâșteni, Răcăciuni and Răstoaca.
The commune is located in the south-central pa ...
**
Răchitoasa
**
Roșiori
**
Sascut
Sascut is a commune in Bacău County, Western Moldavia, Romania
Romania ( ; ro, România ) is a country located at the crossroads of Central, Eastern, and Southeastern Europe. It borders Bulgaria to the south, Ukraine to the north, Hung ...
**
Sănduleni
**
Sărata
**
Săucești
**
Scorțeni
**
Secuieni
**
Solonț
**
Stănișești
**
Strugari
**
Ștefan cel Mare
Stephen III of Moldavia, most commonly known as Stephen the Great ( ro, Ștefan cel Mare; ; died on 2 July 1504), was Voivode (or Prince) of Moldavia from 1457 to 1504. He was the son of and co-ruler with Bogdan II, who was murdered in 1451 ...
**
Tamași
**
Tătărăști
Tătărăști is a commune in Bacău County, Western Moldavia, Romania
Romania ( ; ro, România ) is a country located at the crossroads of Central, Eastern, and Southeastern Europe. It borders Bulgaria to the south, Ukraine to the nor ...
**
Târgu Trotuș
Târgu Trotuș ( hu, Tatros) is a commune in Bacău County, Western Moldavia, Romania. It is composed of three villages: Târgu Trotuș, Tuta (''Diószeg'') and Viișoara (''Viszóra'').
At the 2002 census, 99.9% of inhabitants were ethnic Roman ...
**
Traian
**
Ungureni
**
Urechești
**
Valea Seacă
**
Vultureni
**
Zemeș
Zemeș is a commune in Bacău County, Western Moldavia, Romania
Romania ( ; ro, România ) is a country located at the crossroads of Central, Eastern, and Southeastern Europe. It borders Bulgaria to the south, Ukraine to the north, Hung ...
Politics
Bacău became famous after electing
Ilie Ilașcu of the
Greater Romania Party
The Greater Romania Party ( ro, Partidul România Mare, PRM) is a Romanian nationalist political party. Founded in May 1991 by Eugen Barbu and Corneliu Vadim Tudor, it was led by the latter from that point until his death in September 2015. Th ...
as their Senator, while he was held in prison in
Transnistria
Transnistria, officially the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic (PMR), is an unrecognised breakaway state that is internationally recognised as a part of Moldova. Transnistria controls most of the narrow strip of land between the Dniester riv ...
.
Historical county
Between the world wars, Bacău County had a different territorial extent. The county was located in the east central part of
Greater Romania, in the center of
Moldavia. Its territory included the central part of the current Bacău County. It bordered on the west with the counties of
Trei Scaune and
Ciuc, in the north with
Neamț and
Roman, in the east with the counties of
Tutova and
Tecuci
Tecuci () is a city in Galați County, Romania, in the historical region of Western Moldavia. It is situated among wooded hills, on the right bank of the Bârlad River, and at the junction of railways from Galați, Bârlad, and Mărășești ...
, and in the south with the county of
Putna.
Administration
The county was originally divided into five districts (''
plăși''):
[Portretul României Interbelice - Județul Bacău]
/ref>
#Plasa Bistrița
(; german: link=no, Bistritz, archaic , Transylvanian Saxon: , hu, Beszterce) is the capital city of Bistrița-Năsăud County, in northern Transylvania, Romania. It is situated on the Bistrița River. The city has a population of approxima ...
#Plasa Muntele, headquartered in Muntele
#Plasa Oituz, headquartered in Oituz
#Plasa Siret
Siret (; german: Sereth; hu, Szeretvásár; uk, Серет, Seret; yi, סערעט, Seret) is a town, municipality and former Latin bishopric in Suceava County, northeastern Romania. It is situated in the historical region of Bukovina. Siret is ...
, headquartered in Siret
Siret (; german: Sereth; hu, Szeretvásár; uk, Серет, Seret; yi, סערעט, Seret) is a town, municipality and former Latin bishopric in Suceava County, northeastern Romania. It is situated in the historical region of Bukovina. Siret is ...
#Plasa Tazlău, headquartered in Tazlău
Subsequently, two more districts were established:
- Plasa
Răcăciuni
Răcăciuni ( hu, Rekecsin) is a commune in Bacău County, Western Moldavia, Romania. It is composed of six villages: Ciucani, Fundu Răcăciuni, Gheorghe Doja, Gâșteni, Răcăciuni and Răstoaca.
The commune is located in the south-central pa ...
, headquartered in Răcăciuni
Răcăciuni ( hu, Rekecsin) is a commune in Bacău County, Western Moldavia, Romania. It is composed of six villages: Ciucani, Fundu Răcăciuni, Gheorghe Doja, Gâșteni, Răcăciuni and Răstoaca.
The commune is located in the south-central pa ...
- Plasa Traian, headquartered in Traian
Population
According to the 1930 census data, the county population was 260,781, comprising 88.6% Romanians, 5.3% Jews, 3.3% Hungarians, as well as other minorities.[Recensământul general al populației României din 29 decemvrie 1930, Vol. II, pag. 30] From the religious point of view, 75.8% were Eastern Orthodox, 18.1% Roman Catholics, 5.5% Jewish, as well as other minorities.[Recensământul general al populației României din 29 decemvrie 1930, Vol. II, pag. 536-541]
Urban population
In 1930, the county's urban population was 50,342, of which 70.1% were Romanians, 23.9% were Jews, 2.2% were Hungarians, as well as other minorities. From a religious point of view, the urban population consisted of 64.9% Eastern Orthodox, 24.4% Jewish, 9.3% Roman Catholic, as well as other minorities.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bacau County
Counties of Romania
1879 establishments in Romania
1938 disestablishments in Romania
States and territories disestablished in 1938
States and territories established in 1879
1940 establishments in Romania
1950 disestablishments in Romania
States and territories established in 1940
States and territories disestablished in 1950
1968 establishments in Romania
States and territories established in 1968