Brașov County (Romanian pronunciation:[braˈʃov]^ⓘ) is a county (județ) ofTransylvania, Romania. Its capital city isBrașov. The county incorporates within its boundaries most of the Medieval "lands" (țări)Burzenland andFăgăraș.

Brașov County Județul Brașov
County
Administrative map
Seal
Location of Brașov County in Romania
Coordinates:45°47′N25°17′E / 45.79°N 25.28°E /45.79; 25.28
Country	Romania
Development region1	Centru
Historic region	Transylvania
Capital city (Reședință de județ)	Brașov
Government
• Type	County Council
• President of the County Council	Adrian Veștea (PNL)
• Prefect2	Mihai-Cătălin Văsii [ro]
Area
• Total	5,363 km2 (2,071 sq mi)
• Rank	25th in Romania
Population  (2021-12-01)[1]
• Total	546,615
• Rank	13th in Romania
• Density	100/km2 (260/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+2 (EET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+3 (EEST)
Postal Code	50wxyz3
Area code	+40 x684
Car Plates	BV5
GDP nominal	US$ 14.070 billion (2025)
GDPper capita	US$ 25,740 (2025)
Website	County Council County Prefecture
1The developing regions of Romania have no administrative role. They were formed just to attract funds from theEuropean Union 2 as of 2007, the Prefect is not a politician, but a public functionary. He (or she) is not allowed to be a member of a political party, and is banned to have any political activity in the first six months after the resignation (or exclusion) from the public functionary corps 3w, x, y, and z are digits that indicate the city, the street, part of the street, or even the building of the address 4x is a digit indicating the operator: 2 for the former national operator,Romtelecom, and 3 for the other ground telephone networks 5used on both the plates of the vehicles that operate only in the county limits (like utility vehicles,ATVs, etc.), and the ones used outside the county

InHungarian, it is known asBrassó megye, and inGerman asKreis Kronstadt. UnderAustria-Hungary, a county with an identical name (Brassó County,Romanian:Comitatul Brașov) was created in 1876, covering a smaller area.

At the2011 census, the county had a population of 549,217 and thepopulation density was102.4/km² (265.2/sq mi).^[2]

• Romanians – 87.4%
• Hungarians – 7.77%
• Romas – 3.5%
• Germans (Transylvanian Saxons) – 0.65%

At the2021 census, Brașov County had a population of 546,615 and the population density was101.9/km² (264.0/sq mi).^[2]

• Romanians – 88.33%
• Hungarians – 5,98%
• Romas – 4.98%
• Germans (Transylvanian Saxons) – 0.40%

Traditionally, the Romanian population was concentrated in the west and southwest of the county, the Hungarians in the east part of the county, and the Germans in the north and around Brașov city.

The county has a total area of 5,363 km² (2,071 sq mi).

The south side comprises theCarpathian Mountains (Southern Carpathians andEastern Carpathians), with theFăgăraș Mountains, theBucegi Mountains, thePiatra Mare Mountains, thePiatra Craiului Mountains, and thePostăvarul Massif. In the east, there is theBrașov Depression [ro], and in the west, there is theOlt River valley. Between them, there are thePerșani Mountains. The north and west sides of the county are crossed by the Olt River.

In the southern and central part of Brașov County lies theBurzenland, bordered approximately byApața in the north,Bran in the southwest andPrejmer in the east, withBrașov roughly in the center. To the west liesȚara Făgărașului, bordered to the north by the Olt and to the south by the Făgăraș Mountains; its main city isFăgăraș.

• Covasna County in the east.
• Sibiu County in the west.
• Mureș County andHarghita County in the north.
• Argeș County,Dâmbovița County, andPrahova County in the south.
• Buzău County in the southeast.

Brașov County is one of the most prosperous regions of Romania and has a tradition of industry. DuringWorld War II,IAR 80 and towards the end of the war,Bf 109, fighter aircraft were built in Brașov. During thecommunist period the county was heavily industrialized, which left it with some very large industrial complexes. Some of them managed to survive and adapt to the capitalist type market economy, but some did not, leading to a high rate of unemployment. Due to new investments, mainly foreign, the economy managed to partially recover.^{[citation needed]}

The predominant industries in the county are:

• Mechanical and automotive industry.
• Chemical industry.
• Construction materials.
• Food industry.

AroundVictoria there were big chemical complexes that polluted the region.^{[citation needed]}

Brașov County contains some of the most attractive tourist destinations in Romania.^{[citation needed]}

The main tourist attractions in the county are:

• The city ofBrașov.
• Bran Castle also known asDracula's Castle
• Poiana Brașov mountain resort.
• Predeal mountain resort.
• Bran with itscastle often – inaccurately – referred to asDracula's castle.
• TheFăgăraș Mountains.
• Piatra Craiului Mountains.
• The medieval fortresses ofFăgăraș andRâșnov.
• TheFortified churches from the Saxon villages in theBurzenland area.
• TheVia Transilvanica long-distance hiking and biking trail, which crosses the county.

The Brașov County Council, renewed at the2020 Romanian local elections, consists of 34 counsellors, with the following party composition:^[4]

Brașov County has four municipalities, six towns and 48 communes:

• Municipalities
  • Brașov – county seat; 253,200 (as of 2011)
  • Codlea
  • Făgăraș
  • Săcele

Historically, the county was located in the central part ofGreater Romania, in the southeastern part ofTransylvania. Its capital wasBrașov. Its territory included the part of the old region ofȚara Bârsei. The county's territory was enlarged as a result of the administrative reform of 1925. Its territory covered the eastern part of today's Braşov County and the south of today'sCovasna County.

It was bordered on the west by the counties ofFăgăraș andMuscel, to the north byTrei Scaune County, to the east byBuzău County, and to the south by the counties ofPrahova andDâmbovița.

Prior toWorld War I, the territory of the county belonged toAustria-Hungary and was identical with theBrassó County of theKingdom of Hungary. After theHungarian–Romanian War of 1918–1919, the territory of Brașov County came under the administration of theKingdom of Romania; it was formally transferred to Romania from Hungary as the successor state to Austria-Hungary in 1920 under theTreaty of Trianon.

In 1938,King Carol II promulgated a newConstitution, and subsequently, he had the administrative division of the Romanian territory changed.10ținuturi (approximate translation: "lands") were created (by merging the counties) to be ruled byrezidenți regali (approximate translation: "Royal Residents") - appointed directly by the King - instead of theprefects. Brașov County became part ofȚinutul Argeș.

In 1940, part of the county was transferred back to Hungary with the rest ofNorthern Transylvania under theSecond Vienna Award. In September 1944, Romanian forces with Soviet assistance recaptured the ceded territory and reintegrated it into Romania. Romanian jurisdiction over the entire county per the Treaty of Trianon was reaffirmed in theParis Peace Treaties, 1947. The county was disestablished by thecommunist government of Romania in 1950, when it was incorporated in the largerStalin Region, renamed Brașov Region in 1960. Brașov County was re-established in 1968 when Romania restored the county administrative system.

Until the administrative reform of 1925, Brașov County was divided into three administrative districts (plăși), 23 rural communes, and one urban commune (Brașov).

After 1925, the area of the county was similarly divided into three districts:^[5]

1. Plasa Bran, headquartered atBran.
2. Plasa Buzăul Ardelean, headquartered atÎntorsura Buzăului.
3. Plasa Săcele (previously named Plasa Brașov), headquartered atPrejmer.

Plasa Bran included the following settlements:Bran,Codlea,Cristian,Fundata,Ghimbav,Hălchiu,Holbav,Măgura,Moieciul de Jos,Moieciul de Sus,Peștera,Poiana Mărului,Predeal,Râșnov,Satu Nou,Șimon,Sohodol,Șirnea,Tohanu Nou,Tohanu Vechi,Țânțari,Vlădeni,Vulcan, andZărnești.

Plasa Buzăul Ardelean included the following settlements:Barcani,Budila,Dobârlău,Întorsura Buzăului,Mărcuș,Sărămaș,Sita Buzăului,Teliu, andVama Buzăului.

Plasa Săcele included the following settlements:Apața,Baciu,Bod,Cernatu,Crizbav,Feldioara,Hărman,Măieruș,Prejmer,Purcăreni,Rotbav,Satulung,Sânpetru,Tărlungeni,Turcheș, andZizin.

As a mountain county, agriculture was poorly developed in Brașov. Much of the county's agricultural land was devoted to potatoes, and orchards were planted in hilly areas. Livestock breeding (predominantly cattle and pigs) was an important activity.

Such industry as there was in the county was concentrated in the city of Brașov. In 1925, it had production centers in the chemical, metallurgical, construction, food, textile, machine, pharmaceutical and light industries. Surrounding areas excelled in the metallurgy, extractive, construction, food, textile, and light industries. The city of Brașov was also the main outlet of the county for local products.

Among the natural richness of the county were Zizin's mineral waters, containing sodium bicarbonate, iron, iodine, and carbonic acid. Lignite was exploited at Prejmer, andbituminous coal at Vulcan and Cristian.

In 1925, there was a state high school (lyceum) for boys and another one for girls, four religious high schools for boys, a gymnasium, six secondary schools, four commercial schools, a normal school for educators, a school of arts and crafts and a school of state for commercial and industrial apprentices. The number of state primary schools was 19 and the religious was 53 (of which, in the Romanian language: 17 Orthodox and 3 Roman Catholic; in the German language: 2 Roman Catholic and 18 Lutheran; in the Hungarian language: 2 Reformed and 10 Lutheran; and one Jewish school)

The census of 1920 reported 101,953 inhabitants (about 68/km² (180/sq mi)), of which 36,138 were ethnic Romanians, 33,584 Hungarians, 30,281 Germans, 1,560 Jews, and 390 of other nationalities.

According to the census data of 1930, the county's population was 168,125, of which 49.9% were Romanians, 26.6% Hungarians, 19.8% Germans, as well as other minorities.^[6] In the religious aspect, the population consisted of 48.8% Eastern Orthodox, 27.8% Lutheran, 9.9% Roman Catholic, 6% Reformed, 2.4% Greek Catholic, 1.7% Jewish, as well as other minorities.^[7]

In 1930, the urban population of the county was 59,232, of which 39.3% were Hungarians, 32.7% Romanians, 22.0% Germans, 3.8% Jews, as well as other minorities. As a mother tongue in the urban population, Hungarian was 42.2%, followed by Romanian (32.7%), German (22.4%), Yiddish (0.9%) as well as other minorities. From the religious point of view, the urban population was made up of 30.0% Eastern Orthodox, 22.3% Roman Catholic, 22.0% Evangelical (Lutheran), 13.9% Reformed (Calvinist), 4.4% Jewish, 3.5% Greek Catholic, 3.2% Unitarian, as well as other minorities.