Hargitha (Romania)

Hargitha

Harghita county lies on the Plateau of Transylvania, in the central area of the Eastern Carpathians. The relief is predominantly mountainous; they take up 60% of the territory of the county. The Szekler population, who settled here in the 12-13^th centuries, had the task of defending the eastern borders, and either willingly or being forced to, they achieved their aim. From the point of view of the area, Harghita county is thought of as a medium sized county and with an area of 6,639 km², it is Romania's thirteenth county. Compared to the area, the density of the population is very low: 49,1 people/km². The ethnic structure according to the Census 14,06% of the population is ethnically Romanian, 84,61% Hungarian, and 1,18% Roma (Tzigane).

The especially picturesque natural surroundings, with elements that are unique in the country, offer important possibilities of development for tourism and can contribute in a considerable way to the improvement of the county's standard of living. Lately, the domain of tourism has started to develop.

Facts about Hargitha

The stable population of Harghita county in 2002 was 326,222 people, with 22,113 people, i.e. 6,3% less than in 1992. The decrease in the number of population on the one hand is due to the negative trend in the rate of births, and on the other hand to the great number of emigrants.

Unemployment rate: 7,2 % (in May 2005), 9,992 unemployed people.

In 2001 the county had a total of 588 educational units, out of which 288 kindergartens, 260 primary and lower secondary schools and 37 high schools. The number of toddlers was of 13,386, secondary school students 50,792, and 739 university students.
There are 3 colleges in the county and the Sapientia Hungarian Science University from Transylvania, in Miercurea Ciuc.

Government

The Government ensures the fulfilment of the country' s domestic and foreign policies and provides general management of public administration. Public administration in territorial administrative units is grounded on the principles of local autonomy and decentralization of public services.  The Government secures the implementation of the domestic and foreign policy of the country and exercises the general management of public administration, after Parliament expresses its confidence in it by the majority vote of the Deputies and Senators. The Government is politically responsible for its entire activity only to Parliament. Local councils and mayors, elected by direct vote, are the public administration authorities in communes and towns. The county council is the public administration authority that co-ordinates the activities of all commune and town councils in the county. The Government appoints a prefect at the head of each county and of Bucharest municipality. The basic constitutional principles of public administration are local autonomy and decentralization of public services. Local autonomy in communes and towns is implemented by the local Councils and the Mayors. The public administration authority in charge of coordinating the activities of communal and town Councils is the County Council. The communal and town Councils, the County Councils and the Mayors are elected by universal, direct and secret vote. In every county the Government appoints a Perfect.

Economy

Starting from the existing human and material resources, the economy of the county is extremely varied and complex, with real possibilities of development. In the economic profile of the county the most important elements are the ones belonging to the silviculture and wood processing, agriculture and food industry as well as light industry.  Commerce and services, though in small percentage, are dynamic branches, and the majority of trade and services belong to private companies.

Health System

In Romania the yearly public health expenditure is about 3% of the GDP. Harghita county has four municipal hospitals  Miercurea Ciuc, Odorheiu Secuiesc, Gheorgheni and Toplita with a total number of 1887 beds. There is also a psychiatry hospital in Tulghesi.  Within the natural movement of the population there can be seen a gap between the reduced level of birth rate of 10,19 %_o  and a higher level of mortality rate 11,7  10,81 %_o which determines a negative natural growth (-0,62), a phenomenon which has been persisting in the last years. The last census showed a decrease of the population.   

In Harghita county the life expectancy is 67,61 years for men and 76,03 years for women. The child mortality in 2004 showed a value higher with 13,73 %_o  , than the values in the last three years. The general mortality was of 10,81%.

Hargitha County Council

According to paragraph no. 121 of the Romanian Constitution and to the regulation of Law no. 215/2001, regarding Local Public Administration, Harghita County Council is the authority of county public administration, responsible for the coordination of the local council’s activities (municipalities, towns and villages) from Harghita county, in order to fulfil the public services of county interest.
Through its competences and tasks, established by law, the County Council is responsible for the public administration activity on the county’s territory, based on the principles of local autonomy, decentralization of public services, legality and citizen’s consultation regarding local problems of main interest. The president of the County Council is Mr. Levente Bunta.