Suceava County

Suceava County (Romanian pronunciation: [suˈtʃe̯ava]) is a county (Romanian: județ) of Romania. Most of its territory lies in the southern part of the historical region of Bukovina (Romanian: Bucovina), while the remainder forms part of Western Moldavia proper.

Suceava County
Județul Suceava
County
Rarău-Giumalău mountainous range in Suceava County, Bukovina, northeastern Romania
Rarău-Giumalău mountainous range in Suceava County, Bukovina, northeastern Romania
Coat of arms of Suceava County
Coat of arms
Administrative map of Romania with Suceava county highlighted
Coordinates: 47.58°N 25.76°E / 47.58; 25.76
CountryRomania
Development regionNord-Est
Historical regionSouthern Bukovina
SeatSuceava
Government
 • County Council PresidentGheorghe Flutur (PNL)
Area
 • Total8,553 km2 (3,302 sq mi)
 • Rank2nd
Population
 (2021-12-01)[1]
 • Total642,551
 • Rank8th
 • Density75/km2 (190/sq mi)
Telephone code(+40) 230 or (+40) 330[2]
ISO 3166 codeRO-SV
GDP (nominal)US$3.188 billion (2015)
GDP per capitaUS$5,022 (2015)
WebsiteCounty Council
Prefecture

The county seat is the historical town of Suceava (German: Suczawa, also Sotschen or Sutschawa; historically known in Old High German as Sedschopff as well)[3] 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 (Romanian: Vechiul Regat, German: Altreich) 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'.[4][5][6] It has also been known as 'Switzerland of Eastern Europe' in the minds of the educated public.[7]

Demographics
Historical population
YearPop.±%
1948 439,751—    
1956 507,674+15.4%
1966 572,781+12.8%
1977 633,899+10.7%
1992 700,799+10.6%
2002 688,435−1.8%
2011 634,810−7.8%
2022 642,551+1.2%
Source: Official Romanian census data[8][9]

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:[10]

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 (German: Regatsdeutsche) inhabiting the small town of Fălticeni (German: Folitscheni) 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
Most of Suceava County is situated in southern Bukovina, which is represented by the darker area on this map.[lower-alpha 1]
The location of Suceava, the county seat town of Suceava County, in the northeast of Romania.[lower-alpha 2]
Romanian Counties

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 8,553 square kilometres (3,302 sq mi), 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:

Historical county
Județul Suceava
County (Județ)
The Suceava County Prefecture building from the interwar period (now the History Museum in Suceava)
The Suceava County Prefecture building from the interwar period (now the History Museum in Suceava)
Coat of arms of Județul Suceava
Coat of arms
Country Romania
Historic regionBukovina
Capital city (Reședință de județ)Suceava
Established1925
Area
 • Total1,309 km2 (505 sq mi)
Population
 (1930)
 • Total121,327
 • Density93/km2 (240/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+2 (EET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+3 (EEST)

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 1,309 square kilometres (505 sq mi).

  • The coat of arms of Ținutul Suceava (1938–1940)
    The coat of arms of Ținutul Suceava (1938–1940)
  • The communist coat of arms of Suceava County
    The communist coat of arms of Suceava County
  • Alternative contemporary coat of arms of Suceava County
    Alternative contemporary coat of arms of Suceava County

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
Map of Suceava County as constituted in 1938.

As of 1930, the county was administratively subdivided into three districts (plăși):[11]

  1. Plasa Arbore, headquartered at Arbore
  2. Plasa Dragomirna, headquartered at Dragomirna
  3. Plasa Ilișești, headquartered at Ilișești

In 1938, the county was administratively reorganized into the following districts:

  1. Plasa Arbore, headquartered at Solca (containing 15 villages)
  2. Plasa Bosancea, headquartered at Bosancea (including 36 villages)
  3. 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.[12]

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.[13]

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.[12]

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.[13]

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.[14] 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).[15]

Tourism
Arable lands near the town of Suceava (2012)
Medieval Seat Fortress of Suceava (2015)
Typical winter landscape in Suceava County (2012)
Gothic-style 14th century Bogdana Monastery from Rădăuți (2010)

In 2017, Suceava was ranked 3rd in Romania regarding the total tourist accommodation capacity, after Brașov and Constanța counties.[16] Furthermore, one year later in 2018, Suceava County was designated "European destination of excellence" by the European Commission (EC).[17]

The main tourist attractions of the county are:

Politics and local administration

1992–1996

The elected President of the County Council was Constantin Sofroni (FSN).[18] The Suceava County Council, elected at the 1992 local elections, consisted of 45 councillors, with the following party composition:[19]

    Party Seats Current County Council
  National Salvation Front (FSN) 17                                  
  Romanian Democratic Convention (CDR) 13                                  
  Democratic Agrarian Party of Romania (PDAR) 8                                  
  Ecological Movement of Romania (MER)[lower-alpha 3] 2                                  
  National Liberal Party – Youth Wing (PNL-AT) 1                                  
National Ecologist Party (PNE)[lower-alpha 4] 1                                
  Greater Romania Party (PRM) 1                                  
  Romanian Social Democratic Party (PSDR) 1                                  
  Independent (IND) 1                                  

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:[20]

    Party Seats Current County Council
  Romanian Democratic Convention (CDR) 8                
  Social Democratic Union (USD)[lower-alpha 5] 7                
  Party of Social Democracy in Romania (PDSR) 7                
  Democratic Agrarian Party (PDAR) 3                
  Socialist Party of Labour (PSM) 2                
  Greater Romania Party (PRM) 2                
Democratic Pensioners' Party From Romania And Diaspora (PDPRD) 2            
  Civic Alliance Party (PAC) 2            
  National Party of Free Producers in Romania (PNPLR)[lower-alpha 6] 1                
  Ecological Movement of Romania (MER) 1                
  National Drivers' Party (PNAR)[lower-alpha 7] 1                
  Pensioners' Party (PP)[lower-alpha 8] 1                
Socialist Party (PS)[lower-alpha 9] 1              
National Democratic Christian Party (PNDC)[lower-alpha 10] 1              
Romanian Party for the New Society (PRNS)[lower-alpha 11] 1              
  Romanian National Unity Party (PUNR) 1                
  Union of Poles of Romania (UPR) 1                
  Liberal Party '93 (PL '93) 1                
  National Liberal Party-Câmpeanu (PNL-C) 1                
  Movement For European Integration (MIE)[lower-alpha 12] 1                

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:

    Party Seats Current County Council
  Party of Social Democracy in Romania (PDSR)[lower-alpha 13] 16                                
  Greater Romania Party (PRM) 4                                
Alliance for Romania (ApR) 4                        
  Democratic Party (PD) 4                                
  Romanian Democratic Convention (CDR 2000) 4                                
  National Liberal Party (PNL) 3                                
National Christian Democratic Alliance (ANCD)[lower-alpha 14] 2                            
  Romanian Social Democratic Party (PSDR) 2                                
Romanian National Party (PNR) 2                            
  Pensioners' Party in Romania (PPR)[lower-alpha 15] 2                                
  Romanian National Unity Party (PUNR) 2                                

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:

    Party Seats Current County Council
  Social Democratic Party (PSD) 17                                  
  Justice and Truth Alliance (DA)[lower-alpha 16] 14                                  
  Greater Romania Party (PRM) 3                                  
  Humanist Party (PUR) 3                                  

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:

    Party Seats Current County Council
  Democratic Liberal Party (PDL) 18                                    
  Social Democratic Party (PSD) 14                                    
  National Liberal Party (PNL) 4                                    

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:[21]

    Party Seats Current County Council
  Social Liberal Union (USL) 18                                    
  Democratic Liberal Party (PDL) 15                                    
  People's Party – Dan Diaconescu (PP-DD) 3                                    

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:[22]

    Party Seats Current County Council
  National Liberal Party (PNL) 21                                          
  Social Democratic Party (PSD) 16                                          

2020–2024
Political map of Suceava County after the 2020 Romanian local elections by colour of the elected mayor.

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:[23]

    Party Seats Current County Council
  National Liberal Party (PNL) 18                                    
  Social Democratic Party (PSD) 13                                    
  People's Movement Party (PMP) 5                                    

Administrative divisions
Suceava (German: Sedschopff, Sotschen, Suczawa, or Sutschawa)
Câmpulung Moldovenesc (German: Kimpolung)
Gura Humorului (German: Gura Humora)
Rădăuți (German: Radautz)
Vatra Dornei (German: Dorna-Watra)
Siret (German: Sereth)
Fălticeni (German: Foltischeni)
Solca (German: Solka)
Iacobeni (German: Jakobeny)
Cârlibaba (German: Mariensee or Ludwigsdorf)
Pojorâta (German: Pozoritta or Poschoritta)
Ilișești (German: Illischestie)

Suceava County has 5 municipalities, 11 towns, and 98 communes.

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.[25]

Notable natives and residents

Notes
  1. The rest of the territory encompassed by the county is part of Western Moldavia (i.e. the area coloured in yellow).
  2. Due also to its geographic location and historical legacy, Suceava County used to be (and still is to some extent) a county where more ethnicities and cultures live together.
  3. Romanian: Mișcarea Ecologistă din România
  4. Romanian: Partidul Național Ecologist
  5. Electoral alliance consisting of the Democratic Party (PD) and the Romanian Social Democratic Party (PSDR).
  6. Romanian: Partidul Național al Producătorilor Liberi din România
  7. Romanian: Partidul Național al Automobiliștilor din România
  8. Romanian: Partidul Pensionarilor
  9. Romanian: Partidul Socialist
  10. Romanian: Partidul Național Democrat Creștin
  11. Romanian: Partidul Român pentru Noua Societate
  12. Romanian: Mișcarea pentru Integrare Europeană
  13. Subsequently PSD starting from 2001, when it merged with the Romanian Social Democratic Party (PSDR).
  14. Romanian: Alianța Națională Creștin Democrată
  15. Romanian: Partidul Pensionarilor din România
  16. Electoral alliance consisting of the National Liberal Party (PNL) and the Democratic Party (PD). The PNL won 10 mandates whereas the PD won only 4.

References
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Suceava County.
  1. "Populaţia rezidentă după grupa de vârstă, pe județe și municipii, orașe, comune, la 1 decembrie 2021" (XLS). National Institute of Statistics.
  2. The number used depends on the numbering system employed by the phone companies on the market.
  3. Johann Schiltberger. Hans Schiltbergers Reisebuch Tübingen, Litterarischer Verein in Stuttgart, 1885, p. 111
  4. Sophie A. Welsch (March 1986). "The Bukovina-Germans During the Habsburg Period: Settlement, Ethnic Interaction, Contributions" (PDF). Retrieved 6 October 2021.
  5. Gaëlle Fisher (20 November 2018). "Looking Forwards through the Past: Bukovina's "Return to Europe" after 1989–1991". Lean Library. 33: 196–217. doi:10.1177/0888325418780479. S2CID 149895103. Retrieved 6 October 2021.
  6. David Rechter (16 October 2008). "Geography is destiny: Region, nation and empire in Habsburg Jewish Bukovina". Journal of Modern Jewish Studies. 7 (3): 325–337. doi:10.1080/14725880802405027. S2CID 142797383. Retrieved 6 October 2021.
  7. "Ștefan cel Mare" University of Suceava (USV). "Bucovina. Past, present and perspectives". "Ștefan cel Mare" University of Suceava (USV). Retrieved 26 September 2022.
  8. National Institute of Statistics, "Populația la recensămintele din anii 1948, 1956, 1966, 1977, 1992 și 2002"
  9. "Rezultate definitive: Caracteristici demografice" (in Romanian). INSSE. 2022. Retrieved 12 July 2023.
  10. National Institute of Statistics, "Populația după etnie" Archived 2009-08-16 at the Wayback Machine
  11. Portretul României Interbelice – Județul Suceava
  12. Recensământul general al populației României din 29 decemvrie 1930, Vol. II, pag. 434–437
  13. Recensământul general al populației României din 29 decemvrie 1930, Vol. II, pag. 738–739
  14. Sandrinio Neagu (4 May 2018). "Suceava pe primul loc la nivel național în privința spațiilor comerciale". Monitorul de Suceava (in Romanian). Retrieved 23 October 2020.
  15. Monica Bonea (10 June 2022). "Gheorghe Flutur: Proiecte de un miliard de euro din PNRR pentru Suceava". Digi24.ro (in Romanian). Retrieved 11 June 2022.
  16. "Județul Suceava pe locul trei ca număr de structuri de primire turistică după Brașov și Constanța (in Romanian)". News Bucovina. Retrieved 22 March 2020.
  17. Dan Coman. "Flutur a primit, la Bruxelles, premiul "Suceava, destinație europeană de excelență" (in Romanian)". Radio România Internațional. Retrieved 22 March 2020.
  18. Dan Coman (26 April 2017). "Consiliul Judeţean Suceava a împlinit 25 de ani de la înfiinţare". Monitorul de Suceava (in Romanian). Retrieved 12 October 2022.
  19. Biroul Electoral Central (BEC) (10 August 1992). "Comunicat din 9 februarie 1992 cu privire la rezultatul alegerilor locale din România, care au avut loc la data de 9 februarie 1992". Monitorul Oficial nr. 191 din 10 august 1992 (in Romanian). Retrieved 12 October 2022.
  20. "Alegeri locale 1996, Voturi pe județul Suceava". Autoritatea Electorală Permanentă (in Romanian). Retrieved 9 October 2022.
  21. "Voturi pe județul SUCEAVA". Alegeri locale 2012 (in Romanian). Autoritatea Electorală Permanentă. Retrieved 6 October 2022.
  22. "Mandate de CJ pe județe și competitori" (in Romanian). Biroul Electoral Central. 10 June 2016. Retrieved 16 June 2016.
  23. "Rezultatele finale ale alegerilor locale din 2020" (Json) (in Romanian). Autoritatea Electorală Permanentă. Retrieved 2020-11-02.
  24. "HARTĂ INTERACTIVĂ – Câți mai suntem în România? Populația în fiecare județ și în fiecare municipiu din țară" (in Romanian). INSSE. 6 May 2019. Retrieved 6 May 2019.
  25. "Romania floods kill 21- Hindustan Times". Archived from the original on 2010-07-03. Retrieved 2010-07-11.
  26. "Fundația Löwendal" (in Romanian).
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