Centru | |
---|---|
Region | |
Country | Romania |
Development Agency HQ | Alba Iulia |
Largest city | Brașov |
Area | |
• Total | 34,082 km2 (13,159 sq mi) |
Population (2011) | |
• Total | 2,360,805 |
Ethnic groups | |
• Romanians | 64.3% |
• Hungarians | 30.9% |
• Roma | 4.7% |
• Germans | 0.4% |
Time zone | EET (UTC+2) |
• Summer (DST) | EEST (UTC+3) |
NUTS code | RO12 |
GDP per capita (PPS) | €14,200 (2014) |
Website | http://www.adrcentru.ro/ |
Centru (Centre) is a development region in Romania. As other development regions, it does not have any administrative powers, its main function being to co-ordinate regional development projects and manage funds from the European Union.
Centru is situated in the center of Romania, within the greater curvature of the Carpathian Mountains, on the upper and middle courses of Mureș and Olt, being crossed by the 25th meridian east and the 46th parallel north. With an area of 34,082 km², accounting for 14.3% of the Romanian territory, Centru ranks 5th among the eight development regions. Due to its geographical position, it borders every other development region except București - Ilfov, registering approximately equal distances from its central zone to the border crossing points.
The Centru region is made up of six counties: Alba, Brașov, Covasna, Harghita, Mureș and Sibiu.
Lacking proper plains, the relief of Centru Region includes significant parts of the three branches of the Romanian Carpathians (almost half the area of the region), hilly area of the Transylvanian Plateau and depression area of contact between the hills and the mountains.
The hydrographic network is rich, consisting of upper and middle courses of Mureș and Olt and their tributaries. Natural lakes are diverse as genesis, the most notable being the glacial lakes in the Făgăraș Mountains, Sfânta Ana volcanic lake in Harghita Mountains, Red Lake, lake formed by damming the natural course of the Bicaz River and Ursu Lake. The most important artificial lakes are the dam lakes on Olt and Sebeș rivers, salt lakes in former salt mines at Ocna Sibiului and the Transylvanian Plain fishponds.