Botosani County, Romania   

GENERAL INFORMATION

The Moldavian region, from the beginnings, was witness to a very active history. Old documents and writings tell us about the active presence of Botosani in some of the key moments for the history of our Romanian nation. Botosani County remains in our national history not only with an important legacy for our past, but with the important contribution that its inhabitants have brought to the national and universal culture.

Situated in the North-East part of Romania , Botosani County has a surface of 4,986 square km, representing 2.1% from the total surface of our country. It is bordered at South by Iasi County , at West by Suceava County and at North and East by Ukraine and the Moldavian Republic .

The administrative and territorial structure of Botosani County is represented by:

- 2 cities: Botosani and Dorohoi,   - 5 towns: Bucecea, Darabani, Flamanzi, Saveni and Stefanesti

- 71 communes: Adaseni, Albesti, Avrameni, Baluseni, Blandesti, Braesti, Broscauti, Calarasi, Concesti, Copalau,  Cordareni, Corlateni, Corni, Cosula, Cotusca, Cristesti, Cristinesti, Curtesti, Dersca, Dangeni, Dimacheni, Dobarceni, Draguseni, Durnesti, Frumusica, George Enescu, Gorbanesti, Havarna, Hanesti, Hiliseu Horia, Hlipiceni, Hudesti, Ibanesti, Leorda, Lozna, Lunca, Manoleasa, Mihai Eminescu, Mihaileni, Mihalaseni, Mileanca, Mitoc, Nicseni, Paltinis, Pomarla, Prajeni, Radauti Prut, Rachiti, Rauseni, Ripiceni, Roma, Romanesti, Santa Mare, Suharau, Sulita, Sendriceni, Stauceni, Stiubieni, Todireni, Trusesti, Tudora, Ungureni, Unteni, Vaculesti, Viisoara, Varfu Campului, Vladeni, Vlasinesti, Vorniceni, Vorona.

The county’s capital is Botosani City . In the Medieval Age, Botosani had a main role as a trading and craftworks centre, being situated at the crossing of roads that once linked the main kings residences from Moldova – Siret, Suceava, Hirlau and Iasi.

At July 1^st, 2005 the County had about 459900 inhabitants.  

At July 1^st, 2007 the County had about 454167 inhabitants, as in the next table:.  

The composition of population (according to RPL/2002), by nationality:  

Geography

Geographically, Botosani is entirely placed on the old “Moldavian Platform”. In the bounds of the county there are 2 relief subdivisions: the Siret Hills, located in the western part and the Moldavian Plain covering ¾ of the county area, including the Botosani - Dorohoi Depression and the Cozancea-Guranda Hills.

The hydrographical network

The hydrographical network covers between 0.43-0.64 km/ square km. The rivers are: the Siret (107 km), the Prut (194 km), the Baseu and the Jijia. At Stinca-Costesti an important water dam was built, one of the biggest water accumulation in the country with a volume of 1.5 billion cubic meters, a surface of 6,000 ha and 70 km long. The Volovat covers 45 km of the county.  The 148 ponds in the county cover an area of 3,600 hectares, Botosani County being the second, after Tulcea County , as far as the water surface is concerned. 

ECONOMY

Natural resources  

The underground resources are represented by very pure sands, unique in Romania by composition and purity, worked at Miorcani (Radauti-Prut commune). Similar deposits can also be found in the Hudesti, Suharau communes and near Bajura village (near Darabani City ). There are gypsum deposits in the East side of Paltinis commune and in Crasnaleuca (Cotusca commune). In Hudesti commune, there are tuff deposits, formed from volcanic cinders. At the Prut River bend, in Crasnaleuca, there are clay deposits. Sulphur deposits can be found in Prajeni commune, in Ursoaia and Teisoara Valley .

Regarding construction rocks there are: limestone (Stefanesti, Hudesti, Vorona, Cosula, Magura-Ibanesti, Tudora), gravel (Dersca), sands (Stincesti, Baisa, Dimacheni), ballast (Hutani, Corni, Tudora, Siret river bed). Peaty deposits can be found in Dersca commune.

Business sector – SME

Small and Medium Enterprises have a very important role in county’s economy, being flexible, receptive to market’s needs, innovative and able to respond to consumers needs. 

The number of economical agents registered at the end of year 2005:

Activities

In the county’s industry, for the last years, was an increase of the textile production sector, especially by practicing exclusively a “lohn” production system.

 You can see industrial turnover evolution in the table below, in percents.

                                                                                                                                           - % -

BUSINESS INFRASTRUCTURE

The Business Incubator was established by the Botosani Local Council, as a result of a European financing program - PHARE 2001 Economical and Social Cohesion, Regional Infrastructure component. The incubator offers business support services: spaces for offices and production facilities for newly created businesses. It offers consultancy and support for businesses from the conception phase to the production and marketing.

The Ecological Industrial Park - According to the Order of the Ministry of Development and Prognosis no. 170/02.06.2003, the association between The Local Council Botosani, S.C. Electrocontact S.A. , S.C. Electrominig S.A. şi S.C. Mecanica S.A. has become The Ecological Industrial Park Botosani.Its main field of activity is industry (it aims to create an industrial activity based on environment protection, with an increased productivity), but offers other secondary services as well (Business Centre, Distribution and Services). The total surface of the Industrial Park is 129,500 square meters, from which 84,265 are old buildings, 20,000 sqm. are new buildings, the rest representing the Commercial Centre.

Services consist of:

- Financial assistance, accountability and auditing

- IT&C services

- Juridical assistance services

- Medical services

- Transportation services