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Harghita County
Facts
Development region:	Centru
Historic region:	Transylvania
Capital city:	Miercurea-Ciuc
Population:  • As of 2002:  • Population density:	326,222 52/km²
Area:	6,639 km²
Codes:  • Car numbers  • ISO 3166-2:RO	HR RO-HR
Telephone code:	(+40) x66 (1)
Web:	County Council Prefecture
1. x is 2 or 3 depending on the numbering system employed by the phone companies on the market.

Harghita (IPA: [har.'gi.ta]; Romanian: Judeţul Harghita; Hungarian: Hargita megye) is a county (judeţ) in the center of Romania, in eastern Transylvania, with the county seat at Miercurea-Ciuc.

Contents 1 Demographics 2 Geography 2.1 Neighbours 3 Economy 4 Tourism 5 Politics 6 Administrative divisions 6.1 Municipalities 6.2 Towns 6.3 Communes 7 References

In 2002, it had a population of 326,222^[1] and a population density of 52/km².

• Hungarians- 84.6% (or 276,038)^[2]
• Romanians - 14.1% (or 45,870)
• Roma - 1.2% (or 3,835), and others.

Harghita county has the highest percentage of Hungarians in Romania, just ahead of Covasna county. The primary Hungarian group, the Székely (Szeklers, Secui in Romanian), form the majority of the population in most of the county's municipalities, with Romanians concentrated in a few enclaves, such as Topliţa.

The Székely are mostly Roman Catholic, while Romanians are primarily Orthodox, and the other Hungarian groups are Reformed and Unitarian. By religion, the county is divided roughly as follows:

• Roman Catholic (65%)
• Orthodox (13%)
• Reformed (13%)
• Unitarian (7%)
• Other (2%)

Demographic evolution

Harghita County has a total area of 6,639 km².

Harghita consists primarily of mountains, connected to the Eastern Carpathians, such as the Ciuc and Harghita Mountains; volcanic plateaux, foothills, and the more densely populated river valleys.

The mountains are volcanic in origin, and the region is known for its excellent hot mineral springs. Harghita is known as one of the coldest regions in Romania, although summers can be quite warm.

It is in this county that two of the most important rivers in Romania, the Mureş and the Olt, originate. These rivers' origins, near the villages of Izvoru Mureşului and Sândominic, are only a few miles apart; yet the Mureş flows west to the Tisza, while the Olt flows south to the Danube. In the western part of the county the two Târnava rivers (Târnava Mare and Târnava Mică) flow to the Târnava Plateau, which is part of the Transylvania Plateau.

Harghita's many spectacular natural scenery include Sfanta Ana Lake, a volcanic crater lake near the town of Băile Tuşnad; Lacu Roşu a mountain lake in the northeast near the town of Gheorgheni, and Cheile Bicazului, a dramatic, narrow canyon formed by the Bicaz stream. The county is renowned for its spa resorts and mineral waters.

• Neamţ County and Bacău County to the East.
• Mureş County to the West.
• Suceava County to the North.
• Braşov County and Covasna County to the South.

The county's main industries:

• Wood industry – up to 30%;
• Foods and beverages industry;
• Textile and leather processing;
• Mechanical components.

The main tourist attractions in Harghita county are

• The cities of Miercurea Ciuc, Odorheiu Secuiesc, Gheorgheni, Topliţa.
• The mountain resorts of
  • Băile Tuşnad
  • Borsec
  • Lacu Roşu
  • Izvorul Mureşului
  • Harghita Băi

The Harghita County Assembly has 31 members:

Political Party	Number of Seats
Democratic Union of Hungarians in Romania	22
People's Action	3
Social Democratic Party	3
Democratic Party	2
Independent	1

The county has 4 municipalities, 5 towns, and 58 communes.

• Miercurea Ciuc – county seat; population: 42,029
• Gheorgheni
• Odorheiu Secuiesc
• Topliţa

• Băile Tuşnad
• Bălan
• Borsec
• Cristuru Secuiesc
• Vlăhiţa

Atid Avrămeşti Bilbor Brădeşti Căpâlniţa Cârţa Ciceu Ciucsângeorgiu Ciumani Corbu Corund Cozmeni Dăneşti Dârjiu Dealu

Ditrău Feliceni Frumoasa Gălăutaş Joseni Lăzarea Leliceni Lueta Lunca de Jos Lunca de Sus Lupeni Mădăraş Mărtiniş Mereşti Mihăileni

Mugeni Ocland Păuleni-Ciuc Plăieşii de Jos Porumbenii Praid Racu Remetea Săcel Sâncrăieni Sândominic Sânmartin Sânsimion Sântimbru Sărmaş

Satu Mare Secuieni Siculeni Şimoneşti Subcetate Suseni Tomeşti Tulgheş Tuşnad Ulieş Vărşag Voşlăbeni Zetea

v • d • e Municipalities and Towns of Harghita County (alphabetical order by locality)
Băile Tuşnad • Bălan • Borsec • Cristuru Secuiesc • Gheorgheni • Miercurea-Ciuc • Odorheiu Secuiesc • Topliţa • Vlăhiţa

v • d • e Communes of Harghita County (alphabetical order by commune)

Atid • Avrămeşti • Bilbor • Brădeşti • Căpâlniţa • Cârţa • Ciceu • Ciucsângeorgiu • Ciumani • Corbu • Corund • Cozmeni • Dăneşti • Dârjiu • Dealu • Ditrău • Feliceni • Frumoasa • Gălăutaş • Joseni • Lăzarea • Leliceni • Lueta • Lunca de Jos • Lunca de Sus • Lupeni • Mădăraş • Mărtiniş • Mereşti • Mihăileni • Mugeni • Ocland • Păuleni-Ciuc • Plăieşii de Jos • Porumbenii • Praid • Racu • Remetea • Săcel • Sâncrăieni • Sândominic • Sânmartin • Sânsimion • Sântimbru • Sărmaş • Satu Mare • Secuieni • Siculeni • Şimoneşti • Subcetate • Suseni • Tomeşti • Tulgheş • Tuşnad • Ulieş • Vărşag • Voşlăbeni • Zetea

v • d • e Counties of Romania
Alba • Arad • Argeş • Bacău • Bihor • Bistriţa-Năsăud • Botoşani • Braşov • Brăila • Buzău • Caraş-Severin • Călăraşi • Cluj • Constanţa • Covasna • Dâmboviţa • Dolj • Galaţi • Giurgiu • Gorj • Harghita • Hunedoara • Ialomiţa • Iaşi • Ilfov • Maramureş • Mehedinţi • Mureş • Neamţ • Olt • Prahova • Satu Mare • Sălaj • Sibiu • Suceava • Teleorman • Timiş • Tulcea • Vaslui • Vâlcea • Vrancea