Deep within Romania lies Ilfov County. It surrounds Bucharest like a protective embrace. Ilfov is not just any county. It’s a place of transformation.
Ilfov County’s story is one of rapid change. Once mainly rural, it blossomed after the fall of Communism. Villages turned into thriving commuter towns. These towns became satellites of Bucharest. Think of Otopeni. It now boasts some of the highest GDP per capita levels in Romania. Ilfov is gentrifying quickly.
The 21st century brought a population boom to Ilfov County. Between 2011 and 2021, it was Romania’s fastest-growing county. In 2021, the census counted 542686 residents. That is a density of 342.82 people per square kilometer. About 40% of Ilfov’s residents commute to work in Bucharest. Many industrial plants have sprung up in Ilfov.
Ilfov County occupies 1584 square kilometers. It sits on the Romanian Plain between the Argeș and Ialomița rivers. The Dâmbovița, Colentina and Gruiu rivers flow through it. You will find lakes here. Lake Cernica. Lake Snagov. Lake Căldărușani. Ilfov shares borders with several counties. Prahova to the north. Ialomița to the east. Călărași to the southeast. Giurgiu to the southwest. Dâmbovița to the west.
While agriculture was its base, Ilfov’s economy is now diverse. Many companies have opened offices, production facilities and warehouses in Ilfov’s villages. This makes Ilfov the most developed county in Romania. Key industries include food and beverages and textiles. Mechanical components. Chemicals. Paper. Furniture. Rubber. Electrical equipment. Transport equipment. Electronics and optical equipment are also important.
Henri Coandă International Airport is in Otopeni. It is Romania’s main aerial transport hub. Main roads and railways from Bucharest run through Ilfov County.
Ilfov is a popular destination for Bucharest residents. They come for weekend getaways and holidays. It has large forests and beautiful lakes. You can visit the Snagov Monastery or the Cernica Monastery. Explore the Mogoșoaia Palace. See the Căldărușani Monastery. The Ghica family palace in Moara Vlăsiei is worth a visit. Do not miss the Știrbei Palace in Buftea.
Ilfov County’s history stretches back to ancient times. Much of it was once covered by Codrii Vlăsiei. This was a thick forest. Dacian settlements existed here. Argedava was the most important. It was on the Argeș River bank in today’s Popești. Argedava was King Burebista’s capital.
The thick forests provided refuge during migrations. They were hard to cross on horseback. Slavs named the forest “the Forests of the Vlachs”.
The Ilfov River gave the county its name. The name first appeared in a donation act from 1482. Voivode Vlad Călugărul gifted it to Snagov Monastery. Early documents called it Elhov. The name has Slavic roots meaning a river flowing through an alder forest.
Ilfov County has eight towns and 32 communes. Popești-Leordeni is the largest settlement. Voluntari. Chiajna. Bragadiru. Pantelimon. Buftea. Otopeni are other large settlements. Ilfov’s population is growing. Many see its settlements as suburbs of Bucharest. These attract upper-class families.
Buftea is known for MediaPro Pictures film studios. Otopeni transformed under the communist regime. Four-story blocks replaced semidetached houses.
Before 1972, Ilfov County was much larger. Parts were added to neighboring counties. It is now the smallest county. From 1981 to 1997, it was called “Sectorul Agricol Ilfov”. It was under Bucharest’s administration. In 1997, it became a county again. Bucharest was designated as its capital.
Ilfov County stands as a testament to Romania’s dynamic evolution. From ancient forests to modern suburbs, it’s a region of constant change and growth.