Timișoara metropolitan area

The Timișoara metropolitan area is a metropolitan area in Timiș County, which includes Timișoara and 14 surrounding communes. It was legally established in 2008 as an inter-community development association and is a member of the Federation of Metropolitan Areas and Urban Agglomerations in Romania (FZMAUR).[2]

Timișoara metropolitan area
Zona metropolitană Timișoara
Location of Timișoara metropolitan area
CountryRomania
Development regionWest
CountyTimiș
Component LAUsCities: Timișoara
Communes: Becicherecu Mic, Bucovăț, Dudeștii Noi, Dumbrăvița, Ghiroda, Giarmata, Giroc, Moșnița Nouă, Orțișoara, Pișchia, Remetea Mare, Săcălaz, Sânmihaiu Român, Șag
Established2008
Area
 • Metro
1,079.54 km2 (416.81 sq mi)
Population
 (2021 census)[1]
 • Metropolitan area367,430
 • Density341/km2 (880/sq mi)
Websiteadi-pct.ro

History

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The first attempts to create a metropolitan area appeared in 1999–2000, when Timișoara and six peri-urban communes in the first ring surrounding the city (Dumbrăvița, Ghiroda, Giroc, Moșnița Nouă, Săcălaz and Sânmihaiu Român) entered into a local partnership.[3] The result of this partnership was the elaboration of a medium- and long-term "strategic concept of economic and social development".[4] In 2004, by a decision of the Timiș County Council, the first Metropolitan Consultative Council was established.[3]

The delimitation of the area of influence was approved by HCL no. 387/2008.[5]

Geography

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The total area on which the Timișoara metropolitan area extends is 1,079.54 km2 – of which 129.27 km2 represent the administrative territory of Timișoara, and 950.27 km2 the area of influence of the city – occupying about 3.4% of the West development region and about 12.5% of Timiș County.[6]

Administration

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The Timișoara metropolitan area is administered by the Timișoara Growth Pole Intercommunity Development Association, led by a General Assembly, a Board of Directors and a General Manager.[6] The General Assembly is the supreme governing body, composed of all members of the Association. The president of the Association is the mayor of Timișoara.[6] The total number of representatives in the General Assembly is 31 members.[6] The Board of Directors is the executive governing body of the Association, composed of the president of the Association and two members appointed by the General Assembly for a period of two years.[6]

Subdivisions

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The Timișoara metropolitan area includes an urban center (Timișoara) and its area of influence, i.e. 14 communes (Becicherecu Mic, Bucovăț, Dudeștii Noi, Dumbrăvița, Ghiroda, Giarmata, Giroc, Moșnița Nouă, Orțișoara, Pișchia, Remetea Mare, Săcălaz, Sânmihaiu Român and Șag)[6] with 35 villages.[7]

Name Population (2018 est.)[8] Area (km2)[9] Density (/km2)
Timișoara 330,209 129.27 2,554
Becicherecu Mic 3,207 46.65 69
Bucovăț 1,894 32.52 58
Dudeștii Noi 3,509 53.93 65
Dumbrăvița 10,984 18.99 578
Ghiroda 7,188 34.13 211
Giarmata 7,469 71.51 104
Giroc 14,037 52.77 266
Moșnița Nouă 9,095 68.87 132
Orțișoara 4,655 145.63 32
Pișchia 3,165 123.61 26
Remetea Mare 2,639 72.89 36
Săcălaz 9,314 119.49 78
Sânmihaiu Român 7,685 75.26 102
Șag 3,631 34.02 107
Total 418,681 1,079.54 388

Given the accentuated polarization of the area and the continuous expansion of Timișoara and its suburbs, it was proposed to extend the metropolitan area with the following subdivisions:

Demographics

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Population census
Year2002 2011 2021
Pop.368,102387,604367,430
±%—    +5.3%−5.2%
Source: [1][10]

According to the 2021 census, the population of the 15 administrative units totals 367,430 people, of whom 250,849 live in Timișoara.[1]

According to the 2011 census, the resident population of the Timișoara metropolitan area was 387,604, 5.3% higher than previously reported in the 2002 census.[3] The population of the metropolitan area represents 21.2% of the population of the West development region and 56.26% of the population of Timiș County.[3] The majority of the population (82.38%) lives in Timișoara (319,279) and only 17.62% in the area of influence (68,325), given that the area of Timișoara represents about 12% of the area of the metropolitan area.[3] The population growth was more pronounced in the peri-urban countryside than in Timișoara, the share of the city in the total population of the area decreasing by almost 4% between 2002–2011.[3] In its extended area of influence, defined as the area that can be reached within a 60-minute drive from the city proper, live about 950,000 people.[11]

Network of localities and population at the 2002 and 2011 censuses[3]
City/Commune Locality 2002 2011 ±% p.a.
Timișoara 317,660 319,279 +0.5%
Timișoara 317,660 319,279
Becicherecu Mic 2,417 2,853 +18.0%
Becicherecu Mic 2,417 2,853
Bucovăț 1,410 1,601 +13.5%
Bucovăț 1,150 1,318
Bazoșu Nou 260 283
Dudeștii Noi 2,395 3,179 +32.7%
Dudeștii Noi 2,395 3,179
Dumbrăvița 2,693 7,522 +179.3%
Dumbrăvița 2,693 7,522
Ghiroda 4,907 6,200 +26.4%
Ghiroda 3,499 4,605
Giarmata-Vii 1,408 1,595
Giarmata 5,407 6,502 +20.3%
Giarmata 4,405 5,210
Cerneteaz 1,002 1,292
Giroc 4,295 8,388 +95.3%
Giroc 2,291 5,652
Chișoda 2,004 2,736
Moșnița Nouă 4,298 6,203 +44.3%
Moșnița Nouă 1,450 2,833
Moșnița Veche 1,370 1,590
Urseni 1,151 1,315
Albina 279 386
Rudicica 48 79
Orțișoara 4,080 4,190 +2.7%
Orțișoara 2,256 2,289
Călacea 674 723
Seceani 595 590
Cornești 555 588
Pișchia 3,006 3,051 +1.5%
Pișchia 1,127 1,116
Bencecu de Sus 870 844
Murani 582 646
Bencecu de Jos 386 396
Sălciua Nouă 41 49
Remetea Mare 2,111 2,302 +9.0%
Remetea Mare 1,286 1,495
Ianova 825 807
Săcălaz 6,273 7,204 +14.8%
Săcălaz 3,758 4,596
Beregsău Mare 1,704 1,747
Beregsău Mic 811 861
Sânmihaiu Român 4,396 6,121 +39.2%
Sânmihaiu Român 1,788 2,805
Utvin 1,875 2,451
Sânmihaiu German 733 865
Șag 2,754 3,009 +9.3%
Șag 2,754 3,009

Economy

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Timișoara polarizes over 80% of the county's turnover and over 30% of the region's.[3]

The city's economic profile, largely based on manufacturing, has encouraged the expansion of urban mass toward the larger metropolitan area. If between 1992–2012 Timișoara expanded by 13%, the metropolitan area expanded by about 18%. Some of the peri-urban localities have undergone a dramatic process of transformation. For example, during this period, Dumbrăvița expanded by 138%. Other localities expanded by 20%, 30% or 50%.[11]

The area of influence has a mixed functional profile, generally dominated by the service sector.[7] The villages in the immediate vicinity of the city – Ghiroda, Remetea Mare, Giroc – crossed or delimited by major roads (E70) and the villages in the vicinity of well-defined industrial areas of the city (Sânmihaiu Român) have micro-industrial areas, the industrial units located here having significant shares in the turnover of the locality (over 40%, even over 50% in the case of Giroc).[7] In general, agriculture plays a minor role in the functional profile of the area of influence.[7]

References

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  1. ^ a b c "Population at 2021 Census" (in Romanian). INSSE. 31 May 2023.
  2. ^ Bălteanu, Dan; Dumitrașcu, Monica; Geacu, Sorin; Mitrică, Bianca; Sima, Mihaela, eds. (2016). "Dezvoltarea urbană și ariile metropolitane". România. Natură și societate. Editura Academiei Române. pp. 250–291. ISBN 978-973-27-2695-2.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h "Caracterizarea generală a polului de creștere Timișoara" (PDF). Strategia Integrată de Dezvoltare 2015-2020. Primăria municipiului Timișoara.
  4. ^ Popescu, Ruxandra Irina (2008). "The Role of Great Cities in Romania for the Metropolitan Development". Transylvanian Review of Administrative Sciences (22E): 149–170. ISSN 2247-8310.
  5. ^ "Hotărârea 387/30.09.2008 privind aprobarea delimitării zonei de influență a polului național de creștere Timișoara". Timișoara HCL.
  6. ^ a b c d e f "Zona metropolitană Timișoara" (PDF). Asociația de Dezvoltare Intercomunitară Polul de Creștere Timișoara.
  7. ^ a b c d "Profilul spațial" (PDF). Strategia Integrată de Dezvoltare 2015-2020. Primăria municipiului Timișoara.
  8. ^ "Populația după domiciliu la 1 ianuarie 2018". Institutul Național de Statistică.
  9. ^ "Studiu de potențial privind dezvoltarea la nivelul municipiilor Timișoara și Arad" (PDF). Ministerul Investițiilor și Proiectelor Europene. pp. 8–9.
  10. ^ "Population at 20 October 2011" (in Romanian). INSSE. 5 July 2013.
  11. ^ a b "Polii de creștere – Faza următoare" (PDF). The World Bank. pp. 203–216.