The Hunedoara County is one of the members of the Network of the Three Seas Regions.
Hunedoara County is located in the central-western part of Romania. It borders the counties: Arad, Alba, Vâlcea, Gorj, Caraş-Severin and Timiş.
Climate: it is temperate continental, humid and cool, influenced by the high altitudes. Average annual temperatures vary between -2°C in the mountains and 10°C in Lunca Mureşului, and the average precipitation falls within the range of 540-600 mm/sq.m.
Hunedoara County is crossed by Pan-European Corridor 4 (the European road E68 – DN7 and the railway) which connects the west of Romania and Bucharest. At Simeria (near Deva-the county seat) there is the most important railway junction in the area. The road network totals 1,798 km.
It has the highest degree of urbanization in Romania (75%), ranking 2nd in the country, after the capital Bucharest; it contains numerous natural and historical monuments (the most important being the Retezat National Park, the Grădiştea Muncelului – Cioclovina Natural Park, the Dinosaur Geopark of Tara Haţegului, the Corvinilor Castle, as well as the ruins of the 2 capitals of ancient Dacia: Sarmizegetusa Regia and Ulpia Traiana Sarmizegetusa, from this point of view constituting a strong tourist attraction.
Natural resources: The gold-silver ores of the Apuseni Mountains have been exploited since the time of the Romans, who also exploited the thermal waters from Geoagiu and Călan. The extraction of non-ferrous ores covers a wide area, from Brad to Deva. In the Poiana Ruscăi Mountains, the extraction of iron ores and the steel industry developed (in Hunedoara and Călan). Coal deposits are exploited in Valea Jiului, a significant part of which is coking coal.
Industry: the most important branches are the extractive industry, the processing industry and the production of electricity, heat, gas and water. Other important branches are the production of parts and wiring for motor vehicles (SEWS and DRAXLMAIER), the production of bicycles (DHS Deva), the wood processing industry, the food industry.
Agriculture: The agricultural area is approx. 280,350 ha, depending on the quality of the soil and the shape of the relief, is divided into categories of use as follows: arable land, pastures, hayfields, vineyards and wine nurseries, orchards and fruit nurseries.
Due to the specific soil and climate conditions, agriculture is oriented towards the production of cereals and fodder base.
The main agricultural products obtained are: grain cereals (wheat, barley and sorghum, rye, oats), grain corn, potatoes, sugar beets, vegetables, fruits. Cattle, pigs, sheep, goats and birds account for most of the livestock.
The main objectives and development directions:
– improving the infrastructure in terms of communication paths;
– tourism development;
– complex water management;
– the creation of a conurbation consisting of Deva, Hunedoara and Simeria through a land development plan.