Cluj County

Relief

The relief is rugged, constituted mostly of hilly units belonging to Someș Plateau and, to a lesser extent, of mountain portions that represent the northeastern part of Apuseni Mountains. Fields are missing on the territory of Cluj County, being replaced, as step of relief, by well-developed terraces and floodplains in the lower sectors of Someșul Mic and Arieș rivers. The hilly area, extended in the central northern and southern part of the county, include several subunits of Someș Plateau (Cluj, Feleacu, Dej hills), among which are individualized numerous depressions (Apahida, Bonțida, Gilău, Dej, Turda, Câmpia Turzii) at the edge of which there are some contact depressions (Huedin and Iara), at the limit of the mountain. The mountain sector, located in southwest, belongs to Apuseni, mountains group of Western Carpathians, represented by sectors of Vlădeasa Massif (peak Vlădeasa – 1,836 m), Gilău Mountains and Muntele Mare, as well as narrow portions of Trascău, Plopiș, Meseș and Bihor mountains. In the eastern part of Cluj County, east of the river alignment Valea Florilor–Maraloiu–Someșul Mic, is located a part of the Hilly Plain of Transylvania, a special unit of relief, with mountainous character, partially overlapped by some gas-condensate domes.

Hydrographic network

The hydrographic network is represented by rivers (Someșul Mic with SW–NE direction, whose catchment area is fully developed on the territory of Cluj County, Crișul Repede and lower Arieș),^[2] natural lakes and ponds (Cătina Popii I and II, Geaca, Țaga, etc.) and lakes of hydropower interest (Beliș-Fântânele, Tarnița and Gilău). In the northeastern part of Cluj County, Someșul Mic joins Someșul Mare, upstream of Dej, forming the Someș, which flows into the Tisza to the west.

The deep waters are less represented and are characterized by high mineralization. Relatively rich mineral springs, with sulphates, calcium and sodium chloride, can be found in Dezmir, Cojocna, Gădălin, Sic, Gherla, Leghia, Someșeni, Turda, etc.^[3]

Climate

Through its location, Cluj County benefits from a moderate continental climate.^[3] In the mountain sector (Vlădeasa Massif and Muntele Mare), the mean annual air temperature is 2 °C, and in the rest of the territory is 6 °C. Annual thermal amplitudes have values between 17 and 19 °C in the mountains and grow at 23–25 °C in hilly areas, plateaus and plains.

Rainfall is distributed unevenly, with minimal amounts in Turda–Câmpia Turzii (about 550 mm) and maximum in Vlădeasa Massif (about 1,400 mm). On average, annual values of rainfall reach 600–650 mm in the Transylvania Plain, 650–700 mm in the Someș Plateau and over 900–1000 mm in mountainous areas.^[3]

Natural resources

Cluj County has rich and varied natural resources. Iron ores came into use in 1962, by exploitations in Căpușu Mic and Băișoara, being conducted over the years a series of geological explorations in Vlaha, Săvădisla and Cacova Ierii. Fossil fuels are represented by brown coal exploited in Ticu–Dâncu–Băgara area and peat, exploited in Călățele–Căpățâna sector. Likewise, there is a gas-condensed dome in Puini in the Transylvanian Plain.

Besides iron ore and mineral fuels, there is a variety of useful minerals and rocks,^[5] including: quartz in Muntele Mare and around Someșu Rece (where can also be found feldspar), dacites and andesites in Vlădeasa Massif and around Morlaca, Bologa, Poieni, Săcuieu, Stolna and Iara, granites in Muntele Mare, limestones and dolomites used to fabricate binders (lime, cement), exploited in Săndulești, Tureni, Surduc, Buru, Poieni, etc., calcareous tuffs of high quality with quarries at Tioc–Cornești, kaolin sands at Popești, Topa, Băgara, Gârbău, etc., salt, with significant reserves at Ocna Dejului, Turda, Cojocna, Sic, Nireș,^[6] gravel pits on Someșul Mic at Gilău, Florești and on lower Arieș.

Vegetation

The vegetation is heterogeneous and storeyed due to the prevalence of hilly and mountainous relief. In Cluj County can be met a wide range of plant formations. Sub-alpine floor, present in Vlădeasa Massif and Muntele Mare, is characterized by lawns with midget grasses and juniper bushes. The spruce forests floor, expanded on mountain slopes between 1,000 and 1,600 m, consists predominantly of spruce mixed with fir, and the deciduous forests floor develops on all forms of relief, ranging from 400 to 1,000 m, and consists of sessile forests mixed with beech, hornbeam or elm. On slopes with northern exposure of Luna and Lujerdiu valleys develop compact clusters of sessile, hornbeam, ash and elm forests. In the Hilly Plain of Transylvania appear islands of steppe, alternating with patches of forests.

Fauna

The fauna is adapted to vegetation flooring, but less constant to its limits, due to great mobility; it is rich in species. In forests are present numerous animals of cynegetic interest, including deer, stag, bear, fox, lynx, wild boar, squirrel, and on Someș Valley naturally entered the muskrat. Around artificial lakes live a series of birds (duck, coot, stork), in the Someș Plateau and Transylvanian Plain was colonized the pheasant, and in Turda Gorge area lives the rock eagle. Mountain rivers are populated with trouts, graylings and nases, and in the lower ones with barbel and chub.

Agriculture

Concerning agriculture and silviculture, varying climatic conditions of the area have created a favorable environment for the development of agriculture, this being the second branch, as share and importance, in the economy of the county. An important role in this economic sector holds zootechnics, but crop production has also a significant share. Both the vegetal and animal sectors undergo a period of transition characterized by reduced production from year to year, a situation that requires the adoption of measures to stimulate the recovery of agriculture. The importance of agriculture lies in the existence of the University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine that annually licenses more than 2,000 graduates, specialists in all fields of agriculture.

Tourism

There are several tourist destinations in Cluj County, such as, most notably, its county seat, Cluj-Napoca, the Apuseni Mountains, castles, fortresses, and churches.^[12]

Rail network

At the county level, double railway lines have a share of 70%, being the highest in the Nord-Vest development region, and the degree of electrification is over 50% of existing railway lines.^[13] Regarding the transportation of goods, receiving stations at the county level occupy leading positions at a regional level: Dej, Câmpia Turzii, Turda, Aghireșu, Gherla and Cluj-Napoca. The length of railways that cross the county is 240 km, of which 129 km electrified line.^[13] Through Câmpia Turzii, Cluj-Napoca and Huedin passes CFR Line 300 Bucharest–Oradea that links with the countries of Central and Western Europe. One of the major railway junctions of the country is Dej, being connected with important centers in the northern part of the country on routes: Dej–Baia Mare–Satu Mare, Dej–Beclean–Ilva Mică, Dej–Salva–Sighetu Marmației, Dej–Beclean–Deda.

Road network

In 2010, Cluj County recorded a road network density of 0.4 km of road/km².^[13] This level places Cluj above the national average (0.33 km of road/km²). Cluj County has a dense network of public roads, with a total length of 2,699 km, of which 502 km are national roads.^[13] Out of the total, 698 km are modernized roads, in majority portions of roads of national and international interest. Inland, connections are provided by 2,197 km of county and communal roads, of which 255 km are modernized, and 720 km are covered with light road surfaces. In December 2009 were opened the first 42 km of A3 motorway, between Turda and Cluj West, and in November 2010, another 12 km between Turda and Câmpia Turzii. Were put into use bypasses for Cluj-Napoca, Apahida and Gherla. Likewise, were also modernized several mountain and forest roads.

Cluj- Napoca has a well-developed market for taxi services. There are also several car rental companies.^[14] Alternatively, short- and long-distance carpooling platforms operate in Cluj, such as Uber, Bolt or BlaBlaCar.

Airports

Avram Iancu International Airport, is the second-largest airport in Romania, handling 1,182,047 passengers in 2014.^[15] The airport is located in Someșeni and serves Cluj-Napoca. It operates passenger flights and international cargo flights. The airport has been continuously expanded and modernized. The new terminal built in 2009, with a capacity of 1.5 million passengers per year, is intended for both domestic flights and foreign ones. The terminal has international standard facilities.

History

The territory of the county was transferred in 1920 from the Kingdom of Hungary, as successor state to Austria-Hungary, to Romania by the Treaty of Trianon. Thus, Cluj County was the successor to the former Hungarian administrative unit of Kolozs County (Hungarian: Kolozs vármegye). Until the year 1925 it was called Cojocna County (Romanian: Județul Cojocna). In Hungarian, the town of Cojocna is called "Kolozs", so it was a rough equivalent of the prior Hungarian name. Cojocna County's headquarters were in Cluj, but Cluj enjoyed the status of a free city. In 1925, the autonomous status of Cluj was abolished, and the free city was merged with the county of Cojocna, which was renamed Cluj County.

In 1938, King Carol II promulgated a new Constitution, and subsequently he had the administrative division of the Romanian territory changed. 10 ținuturi (approximate translation: "lands") were created (by merging the counties) to be ruled by rezidenți regali (approximate translation: "Royal Residents") - appointed directly by the King - instead of the prefects. Cluj County became part of Ținutul Crișuri.

In 1940, part of the county was transferred back to Hungary with the rest of Northern Transylvania under the Second Vienna Award. The parts of the county that remained under Romanian administration (the south of the county, including Feleacu), were united with Turda County and became Cluj-Turda County. Beginning in 1944, Romanian forces with Soviet assistance recaptured the ceded territory and reintegrated it into Romania. Romanian jurisdiction over the entire county per the Treaty of Trianon was reaffirmed in the Paris Peace Treaties, 1947. The county was disestablished by the communist government of Romania in 1950, and re-established in 1968 when Romania restored the county administrative system.

Administration

As of 1925, the county had an area of 5,079 km² and a population of 352,029 inhabitants, consisted of 226 rural communes (equivalent to today's villages), and one urban commune (the city of Cluj), and was administratively subdivided into twelve districts (plăși):^[23]

1. Plasa Aghireșu, headquartered at Aghireșu
2. Plasa Almaș, headquartered at Hida
3. Plasa Borșa, headquartered at Borșa
4. Plasa Călata, headquartered at Călata
5. Plasa Câmpia, headquartered at Sărmașu
6. Plasa Criș, headquartered at Ciucea
7. Plasa Huedin, headquartered at Huedin
8. Plasa Mociu, headquartered at Mociu
9. Plasa Moților, headquartered at Gilău
10. Plasa Nădășel, headquartered at Baciu
11. Plasa Someș, headquartered at Răscruci
12. Plasa Vlaha, headquartered at Vlaha

The administration and territory of the county were reorganized in 1929, introducing municipalities, towns, communes and villages. The county' capital remained at Cluj (now Cluj-Napoca). The county had nine districts comprising one city (Cluj), one town Huedin, and 232 villages divided into seven other districts:^[24][25]

1. Plasa Aghireșu, headquartered at Aghireșu, containing 28 villages
2. Plasa Borșa, headquartered at Borșa, containing 20 villages
3. Plasa Călata, headquartered at Călata, containing 25 villages
4. Plasa Cluj, headquartered at Apahida, containing 46 villages
5. Plasa Gilău, headquartered at Gilău, containing 24 villages
6. Plasa Hida, headquartered at Hida, containing 37 villages
7. Plasa Huedin, headquartered at Huedin, containing 57 villages
8. Plasa Mociu, headquartered at Mociu, containing 28 villages
9. Plasa Sărmașu, headquartered at Sărmașu, containing 20 villages

Population

According to the census data of 1930, the county's population was 334,991, of which 60.9% were ethnic Romanians, 30.1% Hungarians, 5.1% Jews, 2.3% Romanies, 0.8% Germans, as well as other minorities.^[26] In the religious aspect, the population consisted of 42.7% Greek Catholic, 21.7% Reformed, 19.3% Eastern Orthodox, 8.6% Roman Catholic, 5.3% Jewish, 0.8% Lutheran, and other minorities.^[27] The county's population was spread out among the districts, the most populous of which were: 15.2% of the county's population was in the city of Cluj, 14.2% in Plasa Huedin, 8.8% in Plasa Hida, 8.1% in Plasa Gilău, 7.1% in Plasa Sărmașu, and 6.2% in Plasa Borșa.