Alba County

Alba County is a county (județ) of Romania located in the historic region of Transylvania. Its capital is Alba Iulia, a city with a population of 63,536.
Name
"Alba", meaning "white" in Latin and Romanian, is derived from the name of the city of Alba Iulia. In Hungarian, the county is known as Fehér megye (fehér also meaning white), and in German as Kreis Karlsburg.
Geography
This county has a total area of , with mountains occupying about 59% of its surface.
The Apuseni Mountains are in the northwest; the northeastern side of the Parâng Mountains group – the Șureanu and Cindrel mountains – are in the south. In the east there is the Transylvanian Plateau with deep but wide valleys. The three main elements are separated by the Mureș River valley.
The main rivers are the Mureș River and its tributaries, the Târnava, the Sebeș, and the Arieș.
Neighbors
Sibiu County and Mureș County to the east.
Bihor County and Arad County to the west.
Cluj County to the north.
Hunedoara County to the southwest.
Vâlcea County to the south.
Economy
The predominant industries in the county are:
Food industry
Textile industry
Wood industry
Mechanical components
Paper and packaging materials industry
Chemical industry
The mineral resources exploited in Alba county are metals (gold, silver, copper), salt, and construction materials, including marble and granite.
Tourist attractions
The main tourist attractions in the county are:
The city of Alba Iulia
The Apuseni Mountains
Scărișoara karst complex
Maidens' Fair on the
The Dealul cu melci ("Snail Hill") west of Vidra
Barren Detunata and Shaggy Detunata (Detunatele)
The Câlnic Citadel and the castle of Gârbova
The towns and churches of Sebeș and Aiud
The Ocna Mureș resort
The Țara Moților ethnographical area. Situated in the Apuseni Mountains, Țara Moților is a region with strong and distinct Romanian traditions.
Roșia Montană Mining Cultural Landscape - Mining began 2000 years ago on Mt. Kirnik (Cârnic), with well-preserved Roman galleries. A Canadian company attempted an open-pit mine, but abandoned the project around 2007. Roșia Montană is a famous locality among mineral collectors for fine native gold specimens.
The Via Transilvanica hiking and biking trail
Demographics
According to the 2021 census, the county had a population of 325,941 and the population density was .
Politics
The Alba County Council, renewed at the 2020 local elections, consists of 32 county councillors, with the following party composition:
Administrative divisions
Alba County has 4 municipalities, 7 towns, and 67 communes.
Municipalities:
Aiud
Alba Iulia – county seat; pop. 58,761 (as of 2011)
Blaj
Sebeș
Towns:
Abrud
Baia de Arieș
Câmpeni
Cugir
Ocna Mureș
Teiuș
Zlatna
Communes:
Albac
Almașu Mare
Arieșeni
Avram Iancu
Berghin
Bistra
Blandiana
Bucerdea Grânoasă
Bucium
Câlnic
Cenade
Cergău
Ceru-Băcăinți
Cetatea de Baltă
Ciugud
Ciuruleasa
Crăciunelu de Jos
Cricău
Cut
Daia Româna
Doștat
Fărău
Galda de Jos
Gârbova
Gârda de Sus
Hopârta
Horea
Ighiu
Întregalde
Jidvei
Livezile
Lopadea Nouă
Lunca Mureşului
Lupșa
Meteș
Mihalț
Mirăslău
Mogoș
Noșlac
Ocoliș
Ohaba
Pianu
Poiana Vadului
Ponor
Poșaga
Rădești
Râmeț
Rimetea
Roșia de Secaș
Roșia Montană
Sălciua
Săliștea
Sâncel
Sântimbru
Săsciori
Scărișoara
Șibot
Sohodol
Șona
Șpring
Stremț
Șugag
Unirea
Vadu Moților
Valea Lungă
Vidra
Vințu de Jos
Historical county
Historically, Alba de Jos County was located in the central-western part of Greater Romania, in the southwestern part of Transylvania, with a territory identical with the old Alsó-Fehér County of Hungary. After the administrative unification law in 1925, the name of the county changed to Alba County and the territory was reorganized. It was bordered on the west by Hunedoara County, to the north by Turda County, and to the east by the counties of Sibiu and Târnava-Mică. Its territory included the central part of the current Alba County.
Administration
The county originally consisted of seven districts (plăși):
Plasa Abrud (headquarters at Abrud)
Plasa Aiud (headquarters at Aiud)
Plasa Ighiu (headquarters at Ighiu)
Plasa Ocna Mureș (headquarters at Ocna Mureș)
Plasa Sebeș (headquarters at Sebeș)
Plasa Teiuș (headquarters at Teiuș)
Plasa Vințu de Jos (headquarters at Vințu de Jos)
Subsequently, Plasa Ighiu was abolished and two other districts were established, leaving these:
Plasa Abrud (seven villages, headquarters at Abrud)
Plasa Aiud (thirty-three villages, headquarters at Aiud)
Plasa Alba Iulia (eighteen villages, headquarters at Alba Iulia)
Plasa Ocna Mureș (twenty-one villages, headquarters at Ocna Mureș)
Plasa Sebeș (twenty-one villages, headquarters at Sebeș)
Plasa Teiuș (twenty villages, headquarters at Teiuș)
Plasa Vințu de Jos (thirteen villages, headquarters at Vințu de Jos)
Plasa Zlatna (eighteen villages, headquarters at Zlatna)
There were four towns: Alba Iulia, Abrud, Aiud, and Sebeș.
Population
According to the census data of 1930, the county's population was 212,749, of which 81.5% were Romanians, 11.3% Hungarians, 3.6% Germans, 1.8% Romanies, 1.4% Jews, as well as other minorities. In the religious aspect, the population consisted of 50.1% Eastern Orthodox, 31.6% Greek Catholics, 7.5% Reformed (Calvinists), 3.4% Roman Catholics, 3.3% Evangelical (Lutherans), 1.2% Unitarians, and other minorities.
Urban population
In 1930, the urban population of the county was 33,365, of which 58.8% were Romanians, 23.0% Hungarians, 8.2% Germans, 6.2% Jews, 1.6% Romanies, as well as other minorities. From the religious point of view, the urban population was made up of 38.3% Eastern Orthodox, 21.4% Greek Catholic, 14.7% Reformed (Calvinist), 7.2% Evangelical (Lutheran), 6.5% Jewish, as well as other minorities.
After 1938
After the 1938 Administrative and Constitutional Reform, this county merged with the counties of Ciuc, Odorhei, Sibiu, Târnava Mare, and Târnava Micǎ to form Ținutul Mureș. The county was re-established in 1940, but dissolved again in 1950. It was re-established in 1968 in its current borders.
People
Notable natives include:
Ion Agârbiceanu
Lucian Blaga
Avram Iancu
Sofronie of Cioara
Ioan Suciu
References
External links
Alba County on memoria.ro
Counties of Romania
Geography of Transylvania
1925 establishments in Romania
1938 disestablishments in Romania
States and territories disestablished in 1938
States and territories established in 1925
1940 establishments in Romania
1950 disestablishments in Romania
1968 establishments in Romania
States and territories established in 1940
States and territories disestablished in 1950
States and territories established in 1968