Vâlcele, Covasna

Vâlcele
Olt River near Ariușd
Olt River near Ariușd
Location in Covasna County
Location in Covasna County
Vâlcele is located in Romania
Vâlcele
Vâlcele
Location in Romania
Coordinates: 45°51′10″N 25°40′53″E / 45.85278°N 25.68139°E / 45.85278; 25.68139
CountryRomania
CountyCovasna
Government
 • Mayor (2020–2024) László Kovács[1] (UDMR)
Area
60.76 km2 (23.46 sq mi)
Elevation
600 m (2,000 ft)
Population
 (2021-12-01)[2]
5,559
 • Density91/km2 (240/sq mi)
Time zoneEET/EEST (UTC+2/+3)
Postal code
527175
Area code(+40) 02 67
Vehicle reg.CV
Websiteprimariavalcele.ro

Vâlcele (Hungarian: Előpatak, Hungarian pronunciation: [ˈɛløːpɒtɒk]) is a commune in Covasna County, Transylvania, Romania composed of four villages: Araci (Árapatak, the commune center), Ariușd (Erősd), Hetea (Hetye), and Vâlcele.

Geography[edit]

The commune is located in the south-western part of Covasna County, 17 km (11 mi) from the county seat, Sfântu Gheorghe, on the border with Brașov County. It is situated at an altitude of 600 m (2,000 ft), at the foot of the Baraolt Mountains. The Olt River passes through the southern part of the commune.

Demographics[edit]

Historical population
YearPop.±%
18501,966—    
19202,664+35.5%
19413,033+13.9%
19773,050+0.6%
20023,698+21.2%
20114,475+21.0%
20215,559+24.2%
Source: Census data

Vâlcele has an ethnically mixed population. According to the 2011 census, it had a population of 4,292, of which 48.3% or 2,071 were Roma, 39.4% or 1,689 were Romanians, 9.9% or 427 were Székely Hungarians, and 2.3% or 100 people belonged to other ethnicities. At the 2021 census, the commune had a population of 5,559, of which 58.84% were Roma, 31.59% were Romanians, and 5.05% were Székely Hungarians.[3]

Natives[edit]

  • Romulus Cioflec (1882 – 1955), writer, journalist, and activist
  • Nicolae Colan (1893 – 1967), cleric, a metropolitan bishop of the Romanian Orthodox Church

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Results of the 2020 local elections". Central Electoral Bureau. Retrieved 10 June 2021.
  2. ^ "Populaţia rezidentă după grupa de vârstă, pe județe și municipii, orașe, comune, la 1 decembrie 2021" (XLS). National Institute of Statistics.
  3. ^ "Populația rezidentă după grupa de vârstă, pe județe și municipii, orașe, comune, la 1 decembrie 2021" (in Romanian). INSSE. 31 May 2023.
Panoramic view of Ariușd
Orthodox church in Ariușd
Orthodox church in Vâlcele