GENERAL INFO

     - geographical situation: in the north-west o Romania, at the limit between the Western Carpathians and the Eastern Carpathians, one of the smallest counties of the country, in terms of surface and population;
     - neighbours-to the north-Satu-Mare, to the south-west-Bihor, to the south-east-Cluj;
     - surface-3,864 square km (respectively 1.6% of the country-s territory);
     - population-261,000 inhabitants;
     - towns-ZALAU-county's capital (with 70,000 inhabitants, at the north-west end of the Mesesului Mountains, with an attractive natural scenery and beautiful sights, with a lot of facilities for recreation and relaxation: the narrow pass on the Somes, Barcaul Gorges, Bizusa mineral waters or Boghis thermal waters): Cehu Silvaniei; Jibou; Simleu Silvaniei.
     - relief: it is varied, there can be distinguished four physical geographical areas: the mountain area (in the central south part, it includes Mesesul ridge-with Magura Priei Peak of 997 m and Plopisului Peak, through the north-eastern mountainside with heights of 600-900 m), depression area (in the east part, represented by Almasul Depression, drained by Almasul Valley and Guruslaul Depression on the Somes Valley), hilly area (the largest, but not very high, it is part of Somes Plateau or Somes Platform, with Salajana Platform of 150-300 m, with low hills traversed by the large valleys of the Barcaul, Crasnei and Salaj rivers, but also Silvana Hills), field area (large meadows of the Somes, Barcau, Crasna rivers);
     - climate: it is mild continental, the annual average temperature is between 7.50 C and 90 C, and the rainfall is irregular, the main direction of the wind is from south-west and south-east;
     - watercourses: they are uniformly distributed: the Somes river which is 70 km long in this county, with its tributaries: the Almasul, the Crasna, together with the Agrijul, the Barcaul, the Salajul, the Zalau Valley.

TOURISTIC SIGHTS