| Olt County | |
| Native Name: | Județul Olt |
| Native Name Lang: | ro |
| Settlement Type: | County |
| Map Alt: | Administrative map of Romania with Olt county highlighted |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: | Romania |
| Subdivision Type1: | Development region |
| Subdivision Name1: | Sud-Vest |
| Subdivision Type2: | Historical region |
| Subdivision Name2: | Wallachia |
| Seat Type: | Capital |
| Seat: | Slatina |
| Leader Party: | PSD |
| Leader Title: | President of the County Board |
| Leader Title1: | Prefect |
| Unit Pref: | Metric |
| Area Total Km2: | 5,498 |
| Area Rank: | 22nd |
| Population Density Km2: | auto |
| Population Rank: | 19th |
| Area Code Type: | Telephone code |
| Area Code: | (+40) 249 or (+40) 349[1] |
| Iso Code: | RO-OT |
| Website: | County Council Prefecture |
| Blank1 Name: | GDP (nominal) |
| Blank1 Info: | US$ 2.158 billion (2015) |
| Blank2 Name: | GDP per capita |
| Blank2 Info: | US$ 5,194 (2015) |
Olt County (in Romanian; Moldavian; Moldovan pronounced as /olt/) is a county (județ) of Romania on the border with Bulgaria, in the historical regions of Oltenia and Muntenia (the regions are separated by the Olt river). The capital city is Slatina.
On 24 August 2017, the Olt County Council decided to hold a name referendum on 15 October 2017 for the proposal to change the county name to "Olt-Romanați".[2] The referendum was eventually held on 6 and 7 October 2018.[3] The vote was nullified, as turnout was 27.19%, below the required threshold of 30%; therefore, the Olt County retains its current name.[4]
In 2011, the county had a population of 415,530 and the population density was .
| Year | County population[6] | |
|---|---|---|
| 1948 | 442,442 | |
| 1956 | 458,982 | |
| 1966 | 476,513 | |
| 1977 | 518,804 | |
| 1992 | 520,966 | |
| 2002 | 489,274 | |
| 2011 | 415,530 | |
| 2021 | 383,280 |
The county is a mainly rural one, with over 60% of the population living in villages.
The county lies in a flat area on the western part of the Romanian Plain. It is crossed by rivers from north to south, including the Olt River which gave the county its name. The Danube forms a wide valley in the south, with many ponds and small channels, which are occasionally flooded.
The predominant industries in the county are:
Agriculture is the main occupation in the county - over 58% of the population having agriculture as their main occupation. Both extensive agriculture, and small-scale, vegetables and fruits, are practiced. The area is well suited for irrigation.
The main destinations for tourists are:
The Olt County Council, renewed at the 2020 local elections, consists of 32 counsellors, with the following party composition:[7]
| Party | Seats | Current County Council | ||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Social Democratic Party (PSD) | 21 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| National Liberal Party (PNL) | 11 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Olt County has 2 municipalities, 6 towns and 104 communes:
| Official Name: | Județul Olt |
| Settlement Type: | County (Județ) |
| Subdivision Type2: | Historic region |
| Subdivision Type3: | Capital city (Reședință de județ) |
| Established Title: | Established |
| Established Title2: | Ceased to exist |
| Area Total Km2: | 2863 |
| Population As Of: | 1930 |
| Population Total: | 183595 |
| Population Density Km2: | auto |
| Utc Offset: | +2 |
| Utc Offset Dst: | +3 |
Historically, the county was located in the southern part of Greater Romania, in the western part of the historical region of Muntenia, around and in the south of Bucharest. The county included the north-eastern part of the current Olt county, the south-western part of the present Argeș County and the north-western part of the present Teleorman County. During the interwar years, it was bordered to the north by Argeș County, to the east by the counties of Argeş and Teleorman, to the south by Teleorman County, and in the west by the counties of Romanați and Vâlcea.
The county originally was divided into three administrative districts (plăși):[8]
Subsequently, the county established an additional district:
According to the 1930 census data, the county population was 183,595 inhabitants, ethnically divided as follows: 98.2% Romanians, 1.2% Romanies, as well as other minorities. From the religious point of view, the population was 99.5% Eastern Orthodox, 0.2% Roman Catholic, 0.1% Jewish, as well as other minorities.
In 1930, the county's urban population was 11,243 inhabitants, comprising 92.5% Romanians, 2.5% Hungarians, 1.5% Jews, 0.8% Germans, as well as other minorities. From the religious point of view, the urban population was composed of 94.1% Eastern Orthodox, 2.3% Roman Catholic, 1.6% Jewish, 0.9% Reformed, 0.6% Lutheran, as well as other minorities.