Brăila County () is a county (județ) of Romania, in Muntenia, with the capital city at Brăila.
Demographics At the 2021 Romanian census, Brăila County had a population of 281,452 (172,533 people in urban areas and 108,919 people in rural areas.) and the population density was .
Romanians – 98%National Institute of Statistics, "Populația după etnie" Romani, Russians, Lipovans, Aromanians, and others - 2%
Year County populationNational Institute of Statistics, "Populația la recensămintele din anii 1948, 1956, 1966, 1977, 1992 și 2002" 1948 271,251 1956 297,276 1966 339,954 1977 377,954 1992 392,069 2002 373,174 2011 304,925 2021 281,452
Geography This county has a total area of .
All the county lies on a flat plane: the Bărăgan Plain, one of the best areas for growing cereals in Romania.
On the east side there is the Danube, which forms an island – the Great Brăila Island –surrounded by the Măcin channel, Cremenea channel, and Vâlciu channel. On the northern side there is the Siret River and on the north-western side there is the Buzău River.
Climate The climate is temperate-continental, characterized by hot, dry summers and cold winters, often marked by blizzards. The average annual temperature varies between 10.3°C and 10.5°C, with high annual amplitude values recorded, specifically 25.2°C between summer and winter. In Brăila County, the highest temperature ever recorded in the country (to date) was registered on August 10, 1951, at the Ion Sion meteorological station in Bărăgan, reaching 44.5°C. The absolute minimum temperature (-30.0°C) was recorded at the Griviţa meteorological station on January 25, 1942. The maximum amplitude of absolute extreme temperature values in Brăila County is 74.5°C, ranking second in the country after Braşov County, where this amplitude reaches 77.4°C. Annual atmospheric precipitation averages 400–500 mm, with the majority falling during the warm half of the year, often as heavy showers. Generally, the low amount of precipitation and the frequency of drought years (such as 1896, 1908, 1927, 1934, 1938, 1946, 1951, 1968, 1994, 1996) pose serious problems for agricultural crops, requiring water deficits to be compensated through irrigation. The predominant winds blow most frequently from the North (31.5%) and Northeast (18%), with average annual speeds varying between 1.5 and 5.3 m/s. Maximum speeds are recorded during winter, often exceeding 100 km/h (in February 1954, wind speeds reached 125 km/h). The most known winds are the Crivăț (a cold, dry winter wind blowing from the North and Northeast, caused by the Siberian Anticyclone) and the Suhovei (a hot, dry summer wind blowing from the East).
Neighbours
Tulcea County in the east. Buzău County in the west. Galați County and Vrancea County in the north. Ialomița County and Constanța County in the south.
Economy The agriculture is the main occupation in the county. Industry is almost entirely concentrated in the city of Brăila. The predominant industries in the county are: Food industry. Textile industry. Mechanical components industry.
In Brăila there is an important harbour, once the biggest cereal harbour in Romania.
Tourism
The main tourist destinations are: The city of Brăila. The Lacu Sărat resort.
Politics The Brăila County Council, renewed at the 2020 local elections, consists of 30 counsellors, with the following party composition:
Party Seats Current County Council Social Democratic Party (PSD) 17 National Liberal Party (PNL) 10 People's Movement Party (PMP) 3
Administrative divisions
Brăila County has 1 municipality, 3 towns, and 40 communes Municipalities Brăila – capital city; population: 154,686 (as of 2021) Towns Făurei Ianca Însurăței
Communes Bărăganul Berteștii de Jos Bordei Verde Cazasu Chiscani Ciocile Cireșu Dudești Frecăței Galbenu Gemenele Grădiștea Gropeni Jirlău Mărașu Măxineni Mircea Vodă Movila Miresii Racovița Râmnicelu Romanu Roșiori Salcia Tudor Scorțaru Nou Siliștea Stăncuța Surdila-Găiseanca Surdila-Greci Șuțești Tichilești Traian Tudor Vladimirescu Tufești Ulmu Unirea Vădeni Victoria Vișani Viziru Zăvoaia
Historical county
Historically, the county was located in the southeastern part of Greater Romania, in the northeastern part of the Muntenia region. Its territory included the portions of the current county to the east and south-east of the Buzău River. It was bordered on the west by the counties of Buzău and Râmnicu-Sărat, to the north by Covurlui County, to the east by Tulcea County, and to the south by the counties of Constanța and Ialomița.
Administration
The county was originally divided administratively into four districts (plăși):Portretul României Interbelice – Județul Brăila
Plasa Călmățui, with headquarters at Făurei Plasa Ianca, with headquarters at Ianca Plasa Silistraru, with headquarters at Silistraru Plasa Viziru, with headquarters at Viziru
Subsequently, Plasa Călmățui, was abolished and two new districts were established in its place: Plasa I.I.C. Brătianu, with headquarters at Făurei Plasa Vădeni, with headquarters at Vădeni
Population
According to the 1930 census data, the county population was 219,831 inhabitants, ethnically divided as follows: 89.4% Romanians, 3.1% Jews, 2.2% Greeks, 0.7% Hungarians, 0.6% Russians, as well as other minorities.Recensământul general al populației României din 29 decemvrie 1930, Vol. II, pag. 80-81 From the religious point of view, the population was 93.6% Eastern Orthodox, 3.3% Jewish, 1.2% Roman Catholic, as well as other minorities.Recensământul general al populației României din 29 decemvrie 1930, Vol. II, pag. 561
Urban population In 1930, the county's urban population was 68,347 inhabitants, comprising 75.4% Romanians, 9.7% Jews, 6.7% Greeks, 1.7% Hungarians, 1.6% Russians, as well as other minorities. Mother tongues among the urban population were Romanian (82.6%), Greek (5.8%), Yiddish (4.8%), Russian (1.9%), Hungarian (1.5%), as well as other minorities. From the religious point of view, the urban population was composed of 84.4% Eastern Orthodox, 10.4% Jewish, 3.2% Roman Catholic, as well as other minorities.
References