In Hungarian, it is known as Arad megye, in Serbian as Арадски округ, and in German as Kreis Arad. The county was named after its administrative center, Arad.
Geography
The county has a total area of 7,754 km², representing 3.6% of national Romanian territory. The terrain of Arad County is divided into two distinct units that cover almost half of the county each. The eastern side of the county has a hilly to low mountainous terrain and on the western side it's a plain zone consisting of the Arad Plain, Low Mures Plain, and The High Vinga Plain. Taking altitude into account we notice that it follows a stepped pattern as it drops as we go from the east to the west of the county from 1489 m to below 100 m. In the east there are the Zarand Mountainsnand the Codru Moma Mountains, all subdivisions of the Apuseni Mountains, a major group of the Western Carpathians.
In terms of climate, the characteristics of Arad county have a typical temperate continental climate with oceanic influences, with a circulation of air masses with a predominantly western ordered direction visible from west to east, with increasing altitude. Average annual temperatures range from 10 °C in the lowlands, the hills and piedmonts 9 °C, 8 °C and 6 °C in the low mountains in the area of greatest height. Average amounts of precipitation fall in values between 565–600 mm annually in the lowlands, 700–800 mm annually in the hills and piedmonts and 800–1200 mm annually in the mountainous area.
Hydrographic network
The hydrographic network is composed of the two main rivers plus their tributaries and channels.
Along with Timiș County it forms one of the most developed regions in Romania. Due to its proximity to the border, it attracts a great number of foreign investments. The agricultural potential is greatly put into value, Arad plains being considered one of the most important cereal and vegetable producing basins. The predominant industries in the county are:
Machine and automotive components.
Food.
Textiles.
Natural resources in Arad, are worthy to be taken into account as there are oil and associated gases, points of extraction in the west of the county, molibden mines in the Săvârșin area, marble quarries at Căprioara and Moneasa, mineral waters at Lipova, Moneasa, Dorobanți, Curtici, Macea and uranium deposits in the NE part of the county.
According to the 1930 census data, the county population was 423,469 inhabitants, 61.0% Romanians, 19.5% Hungarians, 12.3% Germans, 2.8% Slovaks, 2.1% Jews, as well as other minorities. From the religious point of view, 55.8% declared Eastern Orthodox, 26.5% Roman Catholic, 5.5% Reformed, 4.2% Greek Catholic, 3.2% Lutherans, 2.4% Jewish, 1% Baptists, as well as other minorities.
Urban population
In 1930, the county's urban population was 77,181 inhabitants, 39.3% Romanians, 38.8% Hungarians, 9.1% Jews, 7.1% Germans, 1.7% Serbs and Croats, 1.4% Slovaks, as well as other minorities. In the urban area, languages were Hungarian, Romanian, German, Serbian, Yiddish, as well as other minorities. From the religious point of view, the urban population was composed of Roman Catholics, Eastern Orthodox, Jewish, Reformed, Greek Catholics, Lutherans, as well as other minorities.
Industry
The county's capital, Arad, was the location of Romania's first automotive factory. During the 1920s, Astra cars and commercial vehicles were made at Arad. ASTRA Arad manufactured automobiles from 1922 to 1926. The factory had an output of 2 automobiles per working day as of 1922.
