VASLUI

judet (county), eastern Romania, occupying an area of 2,046 sq mi (5,300 sq km), bounded on the east by Moldova. The terrain consists of rolling hills. The Elan, Brlad, and Tutova rivers drain the county. Vaslui (q.v.) city is the county capital. Building materials, timber, wood products, and foodstuffs are manufactured in Vaslui, Husi, and Falciu. Brlad is a machinery- and textile-production centre that was the residence of the princes of Moldavia during the 14th century. The town is known for its state theatre, museum of history and science, and 17th-century churches. Agricultural activities of Vaslui county include livestock raising and cereal and vineyard cultivation. Negresti, Stefan cel Mare, and Dragomiresti are other towns. Highway and railway connections, usually parallelling river courses, extend between the county's major towns. Pop. (1990 est.) 472,000. town, seat of Vaslui judet (county), northeastern Romania, on the Brlad River. Near Vaslui, in 1475, Stephen (Stefan) the Great, with 40,000 troops, defeated a Turkish army three times as large. He also built the St John the Baptist church in 1490 and the prince's residence. The town is a trading centre; tiles and bricks are made from local clay soils, and a factory processes edible oils and stock feed. A railway connection and highways extend through the town. Pop. (1989 est.) 73,666.