# Argeș County

Argeș County (Romanian pronunciation: ) is a county (județ) of Romania, in Muntenia, with the county seat at Pitești.

## Demographics

At the 2021 census, the county had a population of 569,932 and the population density was 83.1/km$^2$ (215.1/sq mi). At the 2011 census, it had a population of 612,431 and the population density was 89.2/km$^2$ (231.2/sq mi).
* Romanians – 97%
* Roma (Gypsies) and other ethnic groups – 3%
| Year | County population |
| 1948 | 448,964 |
| 1956 | 483,741 |
| 1966 | 529,833 |
| 1977 | 631,918 |
| 1992 | 680,574 |
| 2002 | 652,625 |
| 2011 | 612,431 |
| 2021 | 569,932 |

## Geography

This county has a total area of 6,862 km$^2$ (2,649 sq mi). The landforms can be split into 3 distinctive parts. In the north side there are the mountains, from the Southern Carpathians group – the Făgăraș Mountains with Moldoveanu Peak (2,544 m), Negoiu Peak (2,535 m) and Vânătoarea lui Buteanu peak (2,508 m) towering the region, and in the North-East part the Leaotă Mountains. Between them there is a pass towards Brașov, the Rucăr–Bran Pass. The heights decrease, and in the center there are the sub-carpathian hills, with heights around 800 m (2,600 ft), crossed with very deep valleys. In the south there is the northern part of the Wallachian Plain.
The main river that crosses the county is the Argeș River in which almost all the other rivers coming from the mountains flow. In the south the main rivers are the Vedea River and the Teleorman River.

### Neighbours

* Dâmbovița County in the east.
* Vâlcea County and Olt County in the west.
* Sibiu County and Brașov County in the north.
* Teleorman County in the south.

## Economy

The county is one of the most industrialized counties in Romania. There is one oil refinery and two automobile plants at Mioveni – the Dacia Renault car plant, and at Câmpulung the ARO plant.
The predominant industries in the county are:
* Automotive
* Chemical
* Electrical equipment
* Home appliances
* Food
* Textiles
* Construction materials
Oil is being extracted in the center and in the south. Also there are a few coal mines and close to Mioveni there is a nuclear research and production facility making nuclear fuels for the Cernavodă Nuclear Electric Power Plant. On the Argeș River there are a great number of hydroelectric power plants, the most impressive being the Vidraru power plant and dam.
The hillsides are well suited for wines and fruit orchards, and the south is suited for cereal crops.

## Tourism

The main tourist destinations are:
* The city of Pitești
* The city of Curtea de Argeș, where one of the most well known monasteries in Romania is located
* The Câmpulung – Rucăr area
* The Făgăraș Mountains – the Transfăgărășan
* The Leaota Mountains
* The Poienari Castle
* The Cotmeana monastery.

## Politics

The Argeș County Council, renewed at the 2020 local elections, consists of 34 counsellors, with the following party composition:
| Party | Seats |
| Social Democratic Party (PSD) | 17 |
| National Liberal Party (PNL) | 11 |
| Save Romania Union (USR) | 4 |
| PRO Romania (PRO) | 2 |

## Administrative divisions

Argeș County has 3 cities, 4 towns, and 95 communes:
* Municipalities
** Câmpulung
** Curtea de Argeș
** Pitești – county seat; population: 141,275 (as of 2021)
* Towns
** Costești
** Mioveni
** Ștefănești
** Topoloveni
* Communes
** Albeștii de Argeș
** Albeștii de Muscel
** Albota
** Aninoasa
** Arefu
** Băbana
** Băiculești
** Bălilești
** Bârla
** Bascov
** Beleți-Negrești
** Berevoești
** Bogați
** Boteni
** Boțești
** Bradu
** Brăduleț
** Budeasa
** Bughea de Jos
** Bughea de Sus
** Buzoești
** Căldăraru
** Călinești
** Căteasca
** Cepari
** Cetățeni
** Cicănești
** Ciofrângeni
** Ciomăgești
** Cocu
** Corbeni
** Corbi
** Coșești
** Cotmeana
** Cuca
** Dâmbovicioara
** Dârmanești
** Davidești
** Dobrești
** Domnești
** Drăganu
** Dragoslavele
** Godeni
** Hârsești
** Hârtiești
** Izvoru
** Leordeni
** Lerești
** Lunca Corbului
** Mălureni
** Mărăcineni
** Merișani
** Micești
** Mihăești
** Mioarele
** Miroși
** Morărești
** Moșoaia
** Mozăceni
** Mușătești
** Negrași
** Nucșoara
** Oarja
** Pietroșani
** Poiana Lacului
** Poienarii de Argeș
** Poienarii de Muscel
** Popești
** Priboieni
** Râca
** Rătești
** Recea
** Rociu
** Rucăr
** Sălătrucu
** Săpata
** Schitu Golești
** Slobozia
** Stâlpeni
** Ștefan cel Mare
** Stoenești
** Stolnici
** Șuici
** Suseni
** Teiu
** Tigveni
** Țițești
** Uda
** Ungheni
** Valea Danului
** Valea Iașului
** Valea Mare-Pravăț
** Vedea
** Vlădești
** Vulturești

## Historical county

The county was located in the central-southern part of the Greater Romania, in the western part of the historic Muntenia region. Its territory comprised a large part of the current county, and a piece of the western part of the present Vâlcea County. It was bordered on the west by the counties of Olt and Vâlcea, to the north by the counties Făgăraș and Sibiu, to the east by the counties Muscel and Dâmbovița, and to the south by the counties Teleorman and Vlașca.

### Administration

The county was originally (to 1925) divided administratively into five districts (plăși):
* Plasa Argeș, headquartered at Curtea de Argeș
* Plasa Dâmbovnic, headquartered at Rociu
* Plasa Oltul, headquartered at Jiblea Veche
* Plasa Teleorman, headquartered at Costești
* Plasa Uda, headquartered at Uda
Subsequently, Plasa Uda was divided into two districts, and some territory was transferred from Plasa Oltul:
* Plasa Cuca, headquartered at Cuca, which town was formerly in Plasa Oltul
* Plasa Pitești, headquartered at Pitești

### Population

According to the 1930 census data, the county population was 257,378 inhabitants, out of which 97.6% were ethnic Romanians. From the religious point of view, the population was 99.1% Eastern Orthodox, 0.3% Roman Catholic, 0.3% Jewish, as well as other minorities.

#### Urban population

In 1930, the county's urban population was 26,341 inhabitants, comprising 90.4% Romanians, 2.2% Jews, 2.0% Hungarians, 1.7% Romanies, 1.1% Germans, as well as other minorities. From the religious point of view, the urban population was composed of 93.0% Eastern Orthodox, 2.4% Roman Catholic, 2.4% Jewish, 0.7% Reformed, 0.7% Lutheran, as well as other minorities.