Tulcea

pelicans in the Danube delta

Tulcea, județ (county), southeastern Romania. It is bounded on the north by Moldova and the eastward-draining Danube River. Near Tulcea city, which is the county capital, the Danube branches into the Sulina and St. George tributaries, which empty into the Black Sea. The Sulina is navigable by seagoing vessels. An area of scientific investigation, the Danube delta in Tulcea county has water lilies, among other flora, and fauna including pelicans and minks. The Măcin Massif, the oldest mountain range in Romania, rises in the western portion of the county, and Lake Razelm lies in the southeast.

Industrial activities in Tulcea and other towns in the county consist mostly of fish canning and barite and granite mining. Reeds are harvested from the Danube delta for use in the manufacture of cellulose and paper, and vineyards are cultivated in the northwest. Gorgova, Mila, and Victoria are fishing villages. The town of Chilia Veche was built on a former Greek settlement dating from the 5th century bc, and the towns of Sulina and Mahmudia were former Roman settlements. A research station and museum, containing exhibits about the reed industry, are found in Maliuc. Highways and a railway connection extend through Tulcea. Area 3,281 square miles (8,499 square km). Pop. (2007 est.) 250,641.