Brăila County

Brăila County is a place in Romania, located in a region called Muntenia. The main city of the county is called Brăila. Like other counties in Romania, Brăila County has its own local government that helps take care of the people living there. The county is an important part of Romania, contributing to the country's culture, history, and economy.

Demographics

In the year 2021, Brăila County had a population of 281,452 people. About 172,533 lived in towns and cities, while around 108,919 lived in the countryside. The number of people per square kilometer was about 59.1.

Most people in Brăila County are Romanians, making up about 98% of the population. The remaining about 2% include groups such as the Romani, Russians, Lipovans, Aromanians, and a few others.

Year	County population
1948	271,251
1956	297,276
1966	339,954
1977	377,954
1992	392,069
2002	373,174
2011	304,925
2021	281,452

Geography

Brăila County covers an area of 4,766 km². The land is mostly flat, part of the Bărăgan Plain, which is great for growing crops like cereals.

The county is bordered by the Danube River on the east, which creates an island called Great Brăila Island. The Siret River runs along the north, and the Buzău River is to the northwest.

The climate here is temperate-continental, meaning summers are hot and dry, while winters are cold. Temperatures can vary a lot, with very hot summers and very cold winters. Rain usually falls more in the warmer months, but sometimes there isn’t enough rain, which can be hard for crops.

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Landscape in Brăila County in May 2012

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Economy

The main job in Brăila County is farming. Most factories are in the city of Brăila. The most common factories make food, clothes, and parts for machines.

Brăila has a big harbor that used to be the biggest place for storing grain in all of Romania.

Tourism

DN21, a road in Romania, in Brăila County

The main places people like to visit in Brăila County are the city of Brăila and the resort called Lacu Sărat.

Politics

The Brăila County Council was renewed during the local elections in 2020. It has 30 counsellors, and here is the party composition for them:

Party	Seats
Social Democratic Party (PSD)	17
National Liberal Party (PNL)	10
People's Movement Party (PMP)	3

Administrative divisions

Historical county

Historically, Brăila County was found in the southeastern part of Greater Romania, in the northeastern area of the Muntenia region. Its land included parts east and southeast of the Buzău River. It shared borders with Buzău and Râmnicu-Sărat to the west, Covurlui County to the north, Tulcea County to the east, and Constanța and Ialomița to the south.

The county was divided into four districts, called plăși, with each having its own headquarters. Later, one district was replaced by two new ones.

Map of Brăila County as constituted in 1938.

According to records from 1930, the county was home to 219,831 people. Most were Romanians, with small groups of other groups also living there. The majority practiced Eastern Orthodox Christianity.