Romania is divided into forty-one counties (judete), as well as the municipality of Bucharest (Bucuresti), which is its own administrative unit. Each county is administered by a county council (consiliu judetean), responsible for local affairs, as well as a prefect, who is appointed by the central government but cannot be a member of any political party. In alphabetical order, the counties are:

Alongside the county structure, Romania is also divided into eight development regions, which correspond to NUTS-II divisions in the European Union, but which have no administrative capacity and are instead used for co-ordinating regional development projects and statistical purposes. The country is further subdivided into 2686 communes, which are rural localities, and 265 towns. Communes and towns have their own local councils and are headed by a mayor (primar). Larger and more urbanised towns gain the status of municipality, which gives them greater administrative power over local affairs.

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Bacau County

Bacau is a county (judet) of Romania, in Moldavia, with its capital city at Bacau.

Demographics
In 2002, it had a population of 706,623 and the population density was 113/km².

The ethnic breakdown was as follows:

• Romanians - over 90%
• Hungarians/Csángós - 0.7%
• Romas.
  

According to the 2002 census the Csángó (Romanian: Ceangai) Hungarians number 5,100 people (0.7%). Some estimates put the total number of Csángós at around 70,000.

Year County population
1948 414,996
1956 507,937
1966 598,321
1977 667,791
1992 737,512
2002 706,623

Geography
This county has a total area of 6,621 km².

The West side of the county are mountains from the Eastern Carpathian group. Here, along the valleys of the Oituz River and Trotus River there are two important links between Moldavia and Transylvania. To the East side, the heights decrease and the lowest point can be found on the Siret River valley which crosses the county from North to South in the middle. On the East side there is the Moldavian Plateau crossed by many small rivers.

Neighbours

• Vaslui County in the East.
• Harghita County and Covasna County in the West.
• Neamt County in the North.
• Vrancea County in the South.

Economy
The county of Bacau was one of the most industrialized regions in the communist period and it remained Moldavia's most important industrial center ever since. There are two large oil refineries at Onesti and Darmanesti. Following the collapse of the communist regime, Bacau continued to be the region's most important GDP supplier, but the county became more famous for the controversial figures involved in local economy than for its performance.

The predominant industries in the county are:

• The chemical and oil industry.
• Food industry.
• Construction materials industry.
• Wood and paper industry.
• Textile industry.
• Mechanical components industry.
• Aeronautics industry.
  

In Bacau county there are important reserves of oil and salt. Also coal is exploited

Tourist attractions
The main tourist destinations are:

• The cities of Bacau and Onesti.
• The resorts:
  - Slanic Moldova
  - Poiana Sarata
  - Târgu Ocna
  - Poiana Uzului
• The Nemira Mountains.

People

• Tristan Tzara
• Nadia Comaneci
• Vasile Alecsandri
• George Bacovia
• Radu Beligan
• Alexandru Piru
• Ion Rotaru
• Gabriela Adamesteanu
• Gabriela Vrânceanu-Firea
• Cristina Popescu
• Raluca Belciu

Administrative divisions
TThe county has 3 municipalities, 5 towns and 80 communes.

Municipalities

• Bacau
• Onesti
• Moinesti

Towns

• Comanesti
• Buhusi
• Darmanesti
• Târgu Ocna
• Slanic Moldova

Communes

• Agas
• Ardeoani
• Asau
• Balcani
• Beresti-Bistrita
• Beresti-Tazlau
• Berzunti
• Bârsanesti
• Blagesti
• Bogdanesti
• Brusturoasa
• Buhoci
• Casin
• Caiuti
• Cleja
• Colonesti
• Corbasca
• Cotofanesti
• Damienesti
• Dealu Morii
• Dofteana
• Faraoani
• Filipeni
• Filipesti
• Gaiceana
• Ghimes-Faget
• Gârleni
• Glavanesti
• Gura Vaii
• Helegiu
• Hemeius
• Huruiesti
• Horgesti
• Izvoru Berheciului
• Letea Veche
• Lipova
• Livezi
• Luizi-Calugara
• Magiresti
• Magura
• Manastirea Casin
• Margineni
• Motoseni
• Negri
• Nicolae Balcescu
• Oituz
• Oncesti
• Orbeni
• Palanca
• Parava
• Pâncesti
• Parincea
• Pârgaresti
• Pârjol
• Plopana
• Podu Turcului
• Poduri
• Racova
• Racaciuni
• Rachitoasa
• Rosiori
• Sascut
• Sanduleni
• Saucesti
• Scorteni
• Secuieni
• Solont
• Stanisesti
• Strugari
• Stefan cel Mare
• Tamasi
• Tatarasti
• Târgu Trotus
• Traian
• Ungureni
• Urechesti
• Valea Seaca
• Vultureni
• Zemes

Politics
Bacau became famous after electing Ilie Ilascu of the Greater Romania Party as their Senator, while he was held in prison in Transnistria.