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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Bihor County

Bihor is a county (judet) of Romania, in Crisana, with capital city at Oradea.

Demographics
In 2002, Bihor had a population of 600,223 and the population density was 79.56/km². 48.6% of its population lives in urban areas, lower than the Romanian average.

• Romanians - 67.40%
• Hungarians - 25.91%
• Roma - 5.00%
• Slovaks - 1.22%
• Germans - 0.19%
• Christian - 99.6% :
• Orthodox - 59.7%
• Catholic - 11.5% (Roman-Catholic - 9.2%; Greek-Catholic - 2.3%)
• Protestant - 28.4% (Reformed - 15.3%; Pentecostal - 5.7%; Baptist - 3.7%;
• Adventist - 2.9%; Lutheran - 0.6%; Christian Church and Churches of Christ - 0.2%)
• Atheist - 0.3%
• Jewish - 0.03% and Muslim - 0.03%
  

Year County population
1948 536,323
1956 574,488
1966 586,460
1977 633,094
1992 638,863
2002 600,246

Geography
This county has a total area of 7,544 km².

In the East side of the County there are the Apuseni Mountains with heights up to 1800 m. The heights decrease westwards, passing through the hills an ending in the Romanian Western Plain - the eastern side of the Pannonian plain.

The county is mainly the Cris hydrographic basine with the rivers Crisul Repede, Crisul Negru and Barcau the main rivers.

Neighbours

• Salaj County, Cluj County and Alba County in the East.
• Hungary in the West - Hajdú-Bihar County.
• Satu Mare County in the North.
• Arad County in the South.

Economy
Bihor is one of the wealthiest counties in Romania, with a GDP per capita well above the national average. Recently, the economy has been driven by a number of construction projects. Bihor has the lowest unemployment rate in Romania and among the lowest in Europe, with only 2.4% unemployment, compared to Romania's average of 5.1%. In 2003, 25.1% of the population lived below the national poverty line, a figure which is improving and is set to reach 20% in 2005.

The predominant industries in the county are:

• Textile industry.
• Food and beverages industry.
• Mechanical components industry.
• Metallurgy.
  

In the west side of the county there are mines for extracting coal and bauxite. Also crude oil is being extracted

Tourist attractions
The main tourist destinations are:

• The city of Oradea.
• The Apuseni Mountains:
  - The Stâna de Vale Resort and the Iada valley.
  - The Caves around Padis and on the Sighistel River Valley.
  - The Bear's Cave.
• Baile Felix Resort.

Administrative divisions
The county has 4 municipalities, 6 towns and 90 communes.

Municipalities

• Oradea
• Beius
• Marghita
• Salonta

Towns

• Alesd
• Nucet
• Sacueni
• Stei
• Valea lui Mihai
• Vascau

Communes

• Abram
• Abramut
• Astileu
• Auseu
• Avram Iancu
• Balc
• Batar
• Biharia
• Boianu Mare
• Borod
• Bors
• Bratca
• Brusturi
• Budureasa
• Buduslau
• Bulz
• Buntesti
• Cabesti
• Câmpani
• Capâlna
• Carpinet
• Cefa
• Ceica
• Cetariu
• Cherechiu
• Chislaz
• Ciuhoi
• Ciumeghiu
• Cociuba Mare
• Copacel
• Cristioru de Jos
• Curatele
• Curtuiseni
• Derna
• Diosig
• Dobresti
• Draganesti
• Dragesti
• Finis
• Gepiu
• Girisu de Cris
• Hidiselu de Sus
• Holod
• Husasau de Tinca
• Ineu
• Lazareni
• Lazuri de Beius
• Lugasu de Jos
• Lunca
• Madaras
• Magesti
• Nojorid
• Olcea
• Osorhei
• Paleu
• Pietroasa
• Pocola
• Pomezeu
• Popesti
• Rabagani
• Remetea
• Rieni
• Rosia
• Rosiori
• Sâmbata
• Sânicolau Român
• Sânmartin
• Sântandrei
• Sârbi
• Sacadat
• Salacea
• Salard
• Spinus
• Suplacu de Barcau
• Simian
• Sinteu
• Soimi
• Suncuius
• Tarcaia
• Tamaseu
• Tarcea
• Tauteu
• Tileagd
• Tinca
• Tulca
• Tetchea
• Uileacu de Beius
• Vadu Crisului
• Vârciorog
• Viisoara