BUCHAREST-ILFOV REGION

Demo-geographic characteristics

The Bucharest-Ilfov region is composed of the Municipality of Bucharest – capital of Romania – Ilfov County, is located in the southern part of the country, in the central side of the Câmpia Româna region. The total surface of the Bucharest-Ilfov is of 1,821 km², out of which 13.1% represents the administrative territory of the Municipality of Bucharest and 86.9% of Ilfov County. The two entities which compose the region are also the smallest territorial and administrative units of Romania from the perspective of the surface.

The region’s population which was in 2005 of 2,208,368 inhabitants 2005, is distributed in inverse proportion with the size of the two administrative entities. The Municipality of Bucharest is the area that has the highest level of concentration, having a population of 1,924,959 inhabitants, representing approximately 87% of the region’s population, more than16% of the country’s urban population, namely approximately 9% of the total population of Romania having a density of 8,100 inhabitants/km².

The population of Ilfov county of 283,409 inhabitants represents only 13% of the total of the region, being included in the category of small counties of the country with a density of approximately 180 inhabitants/km².
Fully overlapping several units of the Câmpia Româna area, the region has a relatively monotonous natural landscape, where the predominant element is represented by the valleys created by the rivers that pass through the region, numerous natural and artificial lakes. The network of localities of the Bucharest-Ilfov region is composed of 9 cities, 32 communes and 91 villages.

Regional economy

As it has happened in many countries in the central and east European area, the capital of Romania has had a growth rate which was faster than the one of the other regions of the country, it adapted in the fastest manner to the economic and social changes of the transition and it attracted the highest level of direct foreign changes. The region has all the industrial branches and Bucharest-Ilfov represents the main industrial cluster in the country, yet the labor force reoriented itself in a huge manner during the last years, towards services, and at present it has the highest contribution to the region’s economy. Here we can find sectors that have had a big growth level like the constructions and real estate sectors and the retail, distribution and management activities have also registered fast evolutions

Transportation infrastructure

The Bucharest-Ilfov Region, by means of the Municipality of Bucharest, the most important national and international road-railway-air transportation node is characterized through a high degree of accessibility, being located on the two European corridors: European Priority Axis no. 7 (Nadlac-ConstanTa) and European Priority Axies Giurgiu-Albita, that shall be build in the following period as well as in the vicinity of the Danube (European Priority Axis No. 18).

The air accessibility is ensured by the two international airports: "Henri Coanda" (Otopeni) the biggest international airport in Romania (70% of the total passenger air transportation in Romania) and "Aurel Vlaicu" (Baneasa).

The public passenger transportation has a big and complex network and it is being carried out with buses (46.2% of the total number of transportation means), tramways (20.3%), trolleybuses (10.5%), subway (22.9%). It ensures a high level of mobility of the labor force, partially from the metropolitan area, buses and tramways being those that transport the highest number of passengers.

Educational infrastructure

The Bucharest-Ilfov represents the most important educational center in Romania. In 2005 it has 252 kindergarten, 370 school facilities for pre-university education and 34 higher education institutions. Amongst the 34 higher education institutions, the Bucharest -Ilfov region has the most developed university environment in Romania and it concentrates the highest number of students registered within the highest education system in the Romanian regions.

Health infrastructure

Life expectancy has the highest level in the country – 73.84 years. In 2005, Bucharest had 52 hospitals (2.7 hospitals for 100,000 inhabitants on a surface of 238 ha), while Ilfov County had 6 hospitals (2.1 hospitals for 100,000 inhabitants for a surface of 158,300 ha).