Harghita

a district (judeţ) in central Rumania, in the Carpathians. The capital is Miercurea-Ciuc. Harghita has an area of 6,600 sq km. Its population in 1975 was 314,900.

Harghita accounts for 1.1 percent of Rumania’s gross industrial output and 1.2 percent of the country’s gross agricultural output. Copper and iron are mined. The most important industries are lumber and wood products (which account for 23 percent of the district’s industrial output), textiles (21 percent), garments (18 percent), food products (12 percent), and machine building (10.5 percent). Forests cover one-third of the district; meadows and pasture land predominate in the agricultural areas. Crops include barley, wheat, Indian corn, and oats; the chief industrial crop is sugar beets. Apples and plums are cultivated, and potatoes and other vegetables are also grown. In 1976, Harghita had 152,000 head of cattle, 63,000 swine, and 227,000 sheep.