This county has a total area of 5,765 km2 (2,226 sq mi).
The North side of the county is occupied by the mountains from theSouthern Carpathians group: theFăgăraș Mountains in the east with heights over 2,200 m (7,200 ft), and theLotru Mountains in the west with heights over 2,000 m (6,600 ft). They are separated by theOlt River valley — the most accessible passage betweenTransylvania andMuntenia. Along the Olt River valley there are smaller groups of mountains, the most spectacular being theCozia Mountains [ro].
Towards the South, the heights decrease, passing through the sub-carpathian hills to a high plain in the West side of theWallachian Plain.
The main river is theOlt River crossing the county from North to South. Its main affluents are theLotru River in the North and theOlteț River in the South.
In the West of the countycoal andsalt are extracted.
The area in the center of the county is well suited for fruit orchards,vineyards, and raising cattle. The South is better suited for growing cereals and vegetables.
Historically, the county was located in the southwestern part ofGreater Romania, in the northeast part of the historical region ofOltenia. Its capital wasRâmnicu Vâlcea. The interwar county territory comprised a large part of the current Vâlcea County; however the territories situated to the east of the Olt River in the current county were not part of the historical county.
The county was bordered to the north bySibiu County, to the east by the counties ofArgeș andOlt, to the south byRomanați County, and to the west by the counties ofDolj andGorj.
According to the 1930 census data, the county population was 246,713 inhabitants, ethnically divided as follows: 97.4% Romanians, 1.6% Romanies, 0.2% Germans, 0.2% Hungarians, 0.2% Jews, as well as other minorities. From the religious point of view, the population was 99.0% Eastern Orthodox, 0.4% Roman Catholic, 0.2% Jewish, as well as other minorities.
In 1930, the county's urban population was 31,909 inhabitants, comprising 94.8% Romanians, 1.3% Romanies, 1.0% Germans, 0.8% Jews, 0.7% Hungarians, as well as other minorities. From the religious point of view, the urban population was composed of 96.4% Eastern Orthodox, 1.4% Roman Catholic, 0.8% Jewish, 0.7% Lutheran, 0.3% Greek Catholic, as well as other minorities.
.PNG)
