Argeș County

Demographics

At the 2021 census, the county had a population of 569,932 and the population density was 83.1/km2 (215.1/sq mi). At the 2011 census, it had a population of 612,431 and the population density was 89.2/km2 (231.2/sq mi).

Romanians – 97%

Roma (Gypsies) and other ethnic groups – 3%

Geography

This county has a total area of 6,862 km2 (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 best-known monasteries in Romania is located

The Câmpulung – Rucăr area

The Făgăraș Mountains – the Transfăgărășan

The Leaota Mountains

The Poienari Castle

The Cotmeana monastery

The town of Ștefănești, including Vila Florica.

Politics

The Argeș County Council, renewed at the 2024 local elections, consists of 34 counselors, with the following party composition:

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

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.

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.