Surduc

With an area of 71.42 km² (6th among the county communes), Surduc occupies a central-eastern position within Sălaj County, at the contact of four important relief units: Someș Corridor, Șimișna–Gârbou Hills, Almaș–Agrij Depression and Prisnel Peak.[16] The commune is located to the east of the "intracarpathian yoke" (Meseș Mountains–Dumbrava Hill–Prisnel Peak).[16] The Șimișna–Gârbou Hills that make up most of the commune are represented only by their northern termination, which gradually inclines in this direction towards the wide terraced corridor of the Someș, to which the Almaș–Agrij Depression also opens.[16] The corridor is limited to the west by the last extensions of the Prisnel Peak, represented by the Rona Peak (438 m).[16]

The relief is very varied, formed by an association of hilly peaks and valleys between slopes, all resulting from the fragmentation of the northwestern part of the Someș Plateau.[17] In terms of altitude, the relief is between about 200 m in the meadows of Someș and its tributaries and 607 m in Pietrosu Peak, in the southeastern part of the commune.[17]

The hydrographic network is relatively young in age. The territory of the commune is crossed by the middle course of the Someș, as well as three smaller tributaries of it: Valea Cristolțelului (Solonii), Valea Brâglezului (Gârboului) and Valea Almașului. The main hydrological characteristics of the tributaries of the Someș are given by their inclusion in the type of Transylvanian pericarpathian hydrological regime, with large spring waters, almost annual frequency (85–90%) and summer floods.[18] The average density of the river network (taking into account the length of temporary valleys) is 0.39 km/km².[17]

The fragmented plateau relief and the climate allowed the development of a predominantly forest vegetation, in which the Turkey oak and the Hungarian oak predominate. In the distribution of the floristic elements there is a weak vertical zonation, in the sense that the forested surfaces (beech, oak and mixed forests) are interspersed with secondary and derived grasslands or with agricultural lands.[17]

In the forest floor there is a great diversity of animal species, from the evolved ones (mammals) to the smallest invertebrates. Among the larger mammals, some of which are of hunting interest, are: wolves, foxes, deers, badgers, rabbits, etc.[17] Rodent mammals are represented by wood mouses, squirrels and edible dormice.[17] The avifauna is very varied and represented by: tits, jays, blackbirds, nightingales, woodpeckers, orioles, sparrowhawks, kites, crows, ravens, magpies, etc.[17] Among the reptiles are common species such as slowworm, green lizard and common frog.[17] The aquatic fauna is represented, especially in Valea Gârboului, by invertebrates (crustaceans, worms, mollusks, etc.), as well as by small fish.[17]

The commune includes two protected natural sites: the middle course of the Someș (ROSPA0114) and Lozna (ROSCI0314).[18]

Like all of Romania, Surduc exhibits a temperate continental climate. It is characterized by hot summers, with fairly abundant precipitation and relatively cold and wet winters, with frequent snowfalls, rare blizzards, but also heating periods that interrupt the continuity of the snow layer and repeated freeze-thaw cycles. The climate here is classified as Cfb by the Köppen-Geiger system.[19] The temperature here averages 10 °C. With an average of 20.9 °C, August is the warmest month. January is the coldest month, with temperatures averaging –2.0 °C.[19] In a year, the rainfall is 756 mm. The driest month is February. There is 45 mm of precipitation in February. Most of the precipitation here falls in June, averaging 89 mm.[19]

Historically, the chain of villages between Surduc and Ileanda was inhabited mostly by Romanians. As part of the Hungarian Empire, Surduc also saw waves of Hungarian immigrants. By 1910, the Hungarians represented 10% of the Surduc population; at present, their number has dropped to less than 1%. As of 2011, the largest ethnic group is that of the Roma – 211 or 6.1% of the commune's population.[23] In the past, Surduc had a significant Jewish community – almost 3% in the 1930 census. Previously, by 1850, Surduc already had a minyan.[24] A Jewish cemetery was also established here in the 19th century. In May 1944, the Jews were gathered in the Cehei ghetto, then in Șimleu Silvaniei and were deported to Auschwitz on 31 May, 6 and 8 June.

In terms of religion, most of the inhabitants are Orthodox (87%), but there are also minorities of Pentecostals (3.8%), Jehovah's Witnesses (2.8%) and Greek Catholics (2.7%). For 2.1% of the population, religious affiliation is not known.[25] In the commune there are six Orthodox churches (Surduc, Tihău, Brâglez, Cristolțel, Solona and Turbuța), a Greek Catholic church (Tihău), three Pentecostal places of worship (Surduc, Tihău and Solona) and two Baptist places of worship (Surduc and Turbuța).[26]

There are industrial branches represented by some small and medium enterprises:[34]

• civil construction units: 2
• ore extraction and processing unit for the chemical industry: 1
• furniture production unit: 1

Agriculture is based on family-level production and takes place both in open field and vegetable gardens. Vegetable farming takes advantage of an area with a temperate climate and is thus varied and exclusively natural. Predominantly cultivated vegetable species are carrots, parsley, eggplants, onions, tomatoes, etc.[34] Fruit growing and viticulture do not enjoy a controlled exploitation.[34] Animal husbandry is a branch with potential, but unexploited. There are four milk collection/processing points.[34]

Brâglez

• Presentation of Christ Church, built between 1929 and 1930[35]
• Michael's Cave, a small suspended abri which the locals call a cave, with an opening of 40–45 m, a height of 4–4.5 m and just as deep[36]
• House of robbers (Pintea Viteazu Cave), a sandstone bank whose vertical erosion created a 50–60 cm-wide and 3 m-high cave[37]

Surduc

• Jósika Castle
• Crypt of the Jósika family. It was built in 1825 by Miklós Jósika in memory of his father.[38]
• St. John the Baptist Church. It was built between 1911 and 1913 on the site of a towerless wooden church built in 1850.[39]
• Jewish cemetery. The oldest known tomb dates from the 19th century.[40]

Teștioara

• Abris of Poiana Teștiorii
• Tăul Iezer lake complex, with a rich lake vegetation[36]

Tihău

• Roman castra. It is located on the left side of the Someș, on a plateau called Grădiște or Cetate.

Turbuța

• Wooden church. It was built around the 17th–18th centuries.[41]

• 
  Jósika Castle in Surduc
• 
  Orthodox church in Surduc
• 
  Wooden church in Turbuța