TERRITORY COVERED BY THE LDS
Geographical Areas Benefiting from the Local Development Strategy
Every corner of our region holds the potential for sustainable and balanced development!
TERRITORIAL STRUCTURE OF LAG NOrth East – ȚARA MARAMUREȘULUI
e encompass 11 administrative-territorial units (ATUs) within the historical Maramureș region, totaling 64,159 inhabitants. This area includes both communes and towns, each playing a vital role in sustainable local development.
Through our projects, we aim to support each community in leveraging its resources, promoting balanced development, and actively contributing to the implementation of the Integrated Local Development Strategy.
TERRITORIAL COMPOSITION
- BISTRA – 3.716 inhabitants, covering an area of 128.37 km²
- BOGDAN VODĂ – 2.619 inhabitants, covering an area of 34.29 km²
- LEORDINA – 2.307 inhabitants, covering an area of 29.72 km²
- MOISEI – 9.317 inhabitants, covering an area of 118.32 km²
- POIENILE DE SUB MUNTE – 9.291 inhabitants, covering an area of 289.68 km²
- REPEDEA – 4.679 inhabitants, covering an area of 117.18 km²
- RUSCOVA – 5.373inhabitants, covering an area of 40.87 km²
- VIȘEU DE JOS – 5.212 inhabitants, covering an area of 55.91 km²
- SĂCEL – 3.142 inhabitants, covering an area of 83.22 km²
- ORAȘ DRAGOMIREȘTI – 3.154 inhabitants, covering an area of 100.97 km²
- ORAȘ VIȘEU DE SUS – 15.349 inhabitants, covering an area of 441.61 km²
TERRITORY
The territory is located in the northwestern part of Romania, in the eastern area of historic Maramureș, bordering Ukraine. It belongs to the mountainous zone. The covered territory is coherent and homogeneous, consisting of 11 physically connected administrative units (UATs). All are part of Maramureș County, with 2 being third-rank towns and the rest fourth-rank communes. There are also 2 local tourist resorts. The territory occupies 22% of the county’s area and accounts for 14.18% of the county’s population.
POSITIONING
The territory holds a peripheral position within the country, with over 80 km of border with Ukraine—more than 77 km along the mountain ridges and 3 km of natural border along the Tisa River. This peripheral location offers resilience against rapid and frequent changes of major influencing factors through conservatism and preservation of traditional customs (folklore, popular architecture, traditional clothing, mountain economy, and transhumance gastronomy). A unique characteristic of the geographic and strategic homogeneity is given by the old traditional organizations. The communes historically did not include mountain villages or hamlets, specific pastoral zones related to sheep transhumance—an organization now found only in Bistra Commune.
STRATEGIC ASPECTS
Key strategic elements include:
- Peripheral positioning (resilient to rapid influences), yet historically the geographical center of Europe and the former Romania–Poland–Czechia triple border.
- Historical territorial administration: “Plase” (e.g., Plasa Vișeu, Plasa Iza), mountain hamlets, and summer pastoral zones.
- A diverse population mix typical of border regions, including Hutsuls (Ukrainians), Zipser Germans, and others, each with distinct cultures, cuisines, traditional attire, and religions, coexisting harmoniously for centuries. This diversity contributes to the national and international brand “Maramureș” and the regional/local brand “Historical Maramureș.”