Nereju
Commune in Vrancea, Romania
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Nereju is a commune located in Vrancea County, Romania. It is composed of five villages: Brădăcești, Chiricani (or Chiricari), Nereju, Nereju Mic, and Sahastru.
Nereju | |
|---|---|
Orthodox church in Nereju | |
 Location in Vrancea County | |
  Nereju Location in Romania | |
| Coordinates: 45°43′N 26°43′E | |
| Country | Romania |
| County | Vrancea |
| Government | |
| • Mayor (2024–2028) | Radu Teodor Beteringhe[1] (PSD) |
Area | 183.8 km2 (71.0 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 589 m (1,932 ft) |
| Population (2021-12-01)[2] | 4,240 |
| • Density | 23.1/km2 (59.7/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+02:00 (EET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+03:00 (EEST) |
| Postal code | 627225 |
| Area code | +(40) 237 |
| Vehicle reg. | VN |
| Website | www |
Nereju, Nereju Mic, and Brădăcești lie along the Zăbala River, while Chiricani and Sahastru are situated on the surrounding hills and valleys.
History
2020 Earthquake
On January 31, 2020, a magnitude 4.8 earthquake struck 5 kilometers WNW of the town. The official time of the earthquake was 01:26:47 (UTC).[3]
Economy
Main economic activities are in the wood industry (the surrounding hills are rich in coniferous forests), mountainous ecological agriculture, mountainous tourism, folk arts and traditions.
Tourism
Main touristic sights are:
- Lacul Negru – a natural lake, with an area of 1 ha (2.5 acres), depth 10 m (33 ft), and situated at an altitude of 1,350 m (4,430 ft)
- Mountainous areas Dealul Negru (Black Hill) and Lapoș, at an altitude of 1,400 m (4,600 ft)
- Căldările Zăbalei (Zăbala's Buckets) – a protected area, along the Zăbala River's course
Chipărușul is a local artistic group which features pre-Christian rituals involving masks and other folkloric elements.
The DJ205D road was improved in 2016; the county seat Focșani is some 75 km (47 mi) distant along this route.
| Year | Pop. | ±% |
|---|---|---|
| 2002 | 4,228 | — |
| 2011 | 4,187 | −1.0% |
| 2021 | 4,240 | +1.3% |
| Source: Census data | ||
Natives
- Ion Macovei (1885–1950), engineer
