Suceava County

Suceava County is a county of Romania. Most of its territory lies in the southern part of the historical region of Bukovina, while the remainder forms part of Western Moldavia proper.
The county seat is the historical town of Suceava (historically known in Old High German as Sedschopff as well) which was the capital of the Principality of Moldavia during the late Middle Ages and then a pivotal, predominantly German-speaking commercial town of the Habsburgs, Austrian Empire, and Austria-Hungary at the border with the Romanian Old Kingdom throughout the late modern period up until 1918, when, after the end of World War I, the town became part of the enlarged Kingdom of Romania.
Suceava County, as part of the historical and geographical region of Bukovina, had been sometimes described as 'Switzerland of the East'. It has also been known as 'Switzerland of Eastern Europe' in the minds of the educated public.
Demographics
In 2011, as per the official census conducted that year, Suceava County had a population of 634,810, with a population density of 74/km2. The proportion of each constituent ethnic group is displayed below as follows, according to how they were officially recorded:
Romanians – 96.14%
Romani – 1.92%
Ukrainians (including Hutsuls and Rusyns) – 0.92%
Lipovans – 0.27%
Germans (namely Bukovina Germans, Zipser Germans/Saxons, and Regat Germans) – 0.11%
West Slavs (i.e. Poles, Slovaks, and Czechs) as well as minor other ethnic groups (including Hungarians or Szekelers, more specifically the Székelys of Bukovina) – 0.5%
Historical population in the 20th and 21st centuries
In the recent past, during the early 20th century, Suceava County used to be more ethnically heterogenous or mixed (due to the ethnic legacy and heritage of the former Austro-Hungarian times when most of the territory of the county was part of the Duchy of Bukovina), with sizeable minority populations of Germans (more specifically Bukovina Germans, including Zipsers), Jews, Ukrainians, Poles, or Hungarians (more specifically Székelys of Bukovina). These minority communities gradually dwindled throughout much of the 20th century.
In addition, small German minority groups/communities existed (and still exist) on the territory of Suceava County which forms part of Western Moldavia as well, more specifically Regat Germans inhabiting the small town of Fălticeni for example.
Nowadays, during the early 21st century, the county is inhabited mostly by Romanians with very few minority ethnic groups, therefore making it very ethnically homogenous. Additionally, the primary language of the majority of the population is Romanian and the main religion is Eastern Orthodoxy represented by the Romanian Orthodox Church.
Geography
Two-thirds of the county lies within the southern part of the historical region of Bukovina, while the rest of it incorporates territories from Western Moldavia proper.
In terms of total area, it covers a surface of , making it thus the second in Romania in this particular regard, just after Timiș County in Banat.
The western side of the county consists of mountains from the Eastern Carpathians group: the Rodna Mountains, the Rarău Mountains, the Giumalău Mountains, and the Ridges of Bukovina, the latter with lower heights.
The county's elevation decreases towards the east, with the lowest height in the Siret River valley. The rivers crossing the county are the Siret River with its tributaries: the Moldova, Suceava, and Bistrița rivers.
Neighbours
The county of Suceava is bordered by the following other territorial units:
Ukraine to the north – Chernivtsi Oblast.
Mureș County, Harghita County, and Neamț County to the south.
Botoșani County and Iași County to the east.
Maramureș County and Bistrița-Năsăud County to the west.
Historical county
In the Kingdom of Romania, between the early 20th century up to the end of the 1940s, the county had a smaller size and population. The contemporary Suceava county is the result of the merger of other smaller former Romanian counties from the historical province of Bukovina that were functional mostly throughout the interwar period (e.g. Rădăuți County or Câmpulung County).
The present-day Suceava County also incorporates part of Baia County. As per the administrative reform of 1938 under King Carol II, the whole counties which divided Bukovina in the Kingdom of Romania were united into a bigger land called Ținutul Suceava. Later, during World War II, Suceava County was part of the Bukovina Governorate of Romania.
As for the historical interwar Suceava County, this administrative unit was located in the northern part of Greater Romania and the southern part of the historical region of Bukovina respectively. Its territory is situated entirely within the borders of the current Suceava County, constituting thus the central-eastern part of the contemporary namesake county. During the interwar period, it was the smallest county of Greater Romania by area, covering .
During communism, Suceava County was at some point dissolved (as were all other counties in Romania as per the law no. 5 from 6 September 1950), then changed into the Suceava Region and then re-organized once again as county starting from 1968.
It is bordered on the east by the counties of Dorohoi and Botoșani, to the north by Rădăuți County, to the west by Câmpulung County, and to the south by Baia County.
Administrative organization
As of 1930, the county was administratively subdivided into three districts (plăși):
Plasa Arbore, headquartered at Arbore
Plasa Dragomirna, headquartered at Dragomirna
Plasa Ilișești, headquartered at Ilișești
In 1938, the county was administratively reorganized into the following districts:
Plasa Arbore, headquartered at Solca (containing 15 villages)
Plasa Bosancea, headquartered at Bosancea (including 36 villages)
Plasa Ilișești, headquartered at Ilișești (including 17 villages)
Population
According to the 1930 census data, the county population was 121,327, ethnically divided among Romanians (79.5%), Germans (primarily Bukovina Germans but also Zipsers) (8.2%), Jews (5.5%), Poles (2.7%), Ukrainians (1.7%), as well as other ethnic minorities.
By language the county was divided among Romanian (76.5%), German (9.4%), Ukrainian (5.5%), Yiddish (4.3%), Polish (2.5%), as well as other languages. From the religious point of view, the population consisted of Eastern Orthodox (80.1%), Roman Catholic (8.4%), Jewish (5.5%), Evangelical Lutheran (3.3%), Greek Catholic (1.4%), as well as other minor religions.
Urban population
The county's urban population consisted of 19,850 inhabitants (17,028 in Suceava and 2,822 in Solca), ethnically divided among Romanians (61.5%), Jews (18.7%), Germans (13.9%), Poles (2.6%), as well as other ethnic minorities.
As a mother tongue in the urban population, Romanian (60.4%) predominated, followed by German (18.7%), Yiddish (13.8%), Ukrainian (3.2%), Polish (2.2%), as well as other minor spoken languages. From the religious point of view, the urban population consisted of 60.6% Eastern Orthodox, 18.8% Jewish, 15.3% Roman Catholic, 2.0% Greek Catholic, 1.7% Evangelical Lutheran, 0.7% Baptist as well as other confessional minorities.
Economy
The predominant industries/economic sectors in the county are as follows:
Lumber – producing the greatest land mass of forests in Romania;
Food and Cooking;
Mechanical components;
Construction materials;
Mining;
Textile and leather;
Tourism.
Suceava occupies the first place among the Romanian cities with the most commercial spaces per inhabitant.
Notable supermarket chains correlated with the aforementioned economic areas: Metro, Carrefour, Auchan, Selgros, Kaufland, and Lidl (some of the biggest supermarket chains in Romania).
In June 2022, it was reported that there are projects worth 1 billion EUR for the Suceava County from the PNRR/Next Generation EU plan by County Council president Gheorghe Flutur, former acting/ad interim president of the National Liberal Party (PNL).
Tourism
In 2017, Suceava was ranked 3rd in Romania regarding the total tourist accommodation capacity, after Brașov and Constanța counties. Furthermore, one year later in 2018, Suceava County was designated "European destination of excellence" by the European Commission (EC).
The main tourist attractions of the county are:
The town of Suceava with its medieval fortifications;
The Painted churches of northern Moldavia and their monasteries:
The Voroneț Monastery;
The Putna Monastery;
The Moldovița Monastery;
The Sucevița Monastery;
The Bogdana Monastery from Rădăuți;
The Humor Monastery;
The Arbore Monastery;
The Probota Monastery;
The Dragomirna Monastery;
The medieval salt mine of Cacica;
Mocăniță narrow-gauge steam train network, built during Austrian times, in the Moldovița commune and other rural parts of the county;
The Vatra Dornei resort;
The cities and towns of Rădăuți, Fălticeni, Câmpulung Moldovenesc, Gura Humorului, and Siret;
The Via Transilvanica long-distance hiking and biking trail, which crosses the county.
Politics and local administration
1992–1996
The elected President of the County Council was Constantin Sofroni (FSN). The Suceava County Council, elected at the 1992 local elections, consisted of 45 councillors, with the following party composition:
1996–2000
The elected President of the County Council was Gavril Mârza (PDSR). The Suceava County Council, elected at the 1996 local elections, consisted of 45 councillors, with the following party composition:
2000–2004
The elected President of the County Council was Gavril Mârza (PDSR). The Suceava County Council, elected at the 2000 local elections, consisted of 45 councillors, with the following party composition:
2004–2008
The elected President of the County Council was Gavril Mârza (PSD). The Suceava County Council, elected at the 2004 local elections, consisted of 37 councillors, with the following party composition:
2008–2012
The elected President of the County Council was Gheorghe Flutur (PDL). The Suceava County Council, elected at the 2008 local elections, consisted of 36 councillors, with the following party composition:
2012–2016
The elected President of the County Council was Cătălin Nechifor (PSD/USL). The Suceava County Council, elected at the 2012 local elections, consisted of 36 councillors, with the following party composition:
2016–2020
The elected President of the County Council was Gheorghe Flutur (PNL). The Suceava County Council, elected at the 2016 local elections, consisted of 37 councillors, with the following party composition:
2020–2024
The elected President of the County Council is Gheorghe Flutur (PNL). The Suceava County Council, renewed at the 2020 local elections, consists of 36 county councillors, with the following party composition:
Administrative divisions
Suceava County has 5 municipalities, 11 towns, and 98 communes.
Municipalities
Câmpulung Moldovenesc
Fălticeni
Rădăuți
Suceava – county seat; population within town limits: 124,161 (as of 2018)
Vatra Dornei
Towns
Broșteni
Cajvana
Dolhasca
Frasin
Gura Humorului
Liteni
Milișăuți
Salcea
Siret
Solca
Vicovu de Sus
Communes
Adâncata
Arbore
Baia
Bălăceana
Bălcăuți
Berchișești
Bilca
Bogdănești
Boroaia
Bosanci
Botoșana
Breaza
Brodina
Bunești
Burla
Cacica
Calafindești
Capu Câmpului
Cârlibaba
Ciocănești
Ciprian Porumbescu
Comănești
Cornu Luncii
Coșna
Crucea
Dărmănești
Dolhești
Dorna-Arini
Dorna Candrenilor
Dornești
Drăgoiești
Drăgușeni
Dumbrăveni
Fântâna Mare
Fântânele
Forăști
Frătăuții Noi
Frătăuții Vechi
Frumosu
Fundu Moldovei
Gălănești
Grămești
Grănicești
Hănțești
Hârtop
Horodnic de Jos
Horodnic de Sus
Horodniceni
Iacobeni
Iaslovăț
Ilișești
Ipotești
Izvoarele Sucevei
Mălini
Mănăstirea Humorului
Marginea
Mitocu Dragomirnei
Moara
Moldova-Sulița
Moldovița
Mușenița
Ostra
Păltinoasa
Panaci
Pârteștii de Jos
Pătrăuți
Poiana Stampei
Poieni-Solca
Pojorâta
Preutești
Putna
Rădășeni
Râșca
Sadova
Șaru Dornei
Satu Mare
Șcheia
Șerbăuți
Siminicea
Slatina
Straja
Stroiești
Stulpicani
Sucevița
Todirești
Udești
Ulma
Vadu Moldovei
Valea Moldovei
Vama
Vatra Moldoviței
Verești
Vicovu de Jos
Voitinel
Volovăț
Vulturești
Zamostea
Zvoriștea
Villages
Probota
Solonețu Nou
2010 floods
During June 2010, Gheorghe Flutur, at that time (as now) the president of Suceava County Council, stated in a Mediafax interview that his county was one of the worst hit in the country. In the morning of June 29, relief work was coordinated to deal with the flooding that killed 21 people and caused hundreds to be evacuated from their homes.
Gallery
Notable natives and residents
Anca Parghel – Romanian-Romani musician and jazz singer
Matei Vișniec – Romanian-French playwright
Nichita Danilov – Lipovan poet
Iulian Vesper – Romanian poet and writer
Nicolae Labiș – Romanian poet
Grigore Vasiliu Birlic – Romanian actor
Ion G. Sbiera – Romanian folklorist
Ion Costist – Romanian 16th century Roman Catholic monk
Liviu Giosan – Romanian-American marine geologist
Elisabeta Lipă – Romanian Olympic rower
Dorin Goian – Romanian football player
Constantin Schumacher – Romanian-German footballer
Józef Weber – German Roman Catholic archbishop
Elisabeth Axmann – German writer
Otto Babiasch – German Olympic boxer
Lothar Würzel – German linguist, journalist, and politician
George Ostafi – German abstract painter
Hugo Weczerka – German historian and academician
Anton Keschmann – German politician in the Imperial Austrian Parliament
Olha Kobylianska – Ukrainian-German writer
Ludwig Adolf Staufe-Simiginowicz – Ukrainian-German writer and educator
George Löwendal – Russian-Danish painter
Notes
References
External links
Bukovina
Counties of Romania
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