SATU MARE

judet (county), northwestern Romania. The county is bounded on the north by Ukraine and on the west by Hungary. It consists mostly of rolling hills and is drained northwestward by the Somes River and its tributaries. Satu Mare (q.v.) city is the county capital and has industries that produce metal products, timber and other building materials, and textiles. The towns of Carei, Bixad, and Ardud are timber centres. Karolyi Castle (15th century) and a Baroque-style Roman Catholic church are located in Carei. Bixad is known for its wooden churches and folk art. The ruins of a 16th-century fortress are found in Ardud, and a folk museum is situated in Negresti-Oas, an andesite-mining centre. Pottery with distinctive multicoloured floral motifs is produced in Vama town. Agricultural activities of the area consist of vegetable, orchard, and vineyard cultivation. Tasnad, Livada, Pomi, and Tarna Mare are other towns of the county. Highway and railway connections extend between Satu Mare city and the larger towns in the county. An airport is located near Satu Mare city. Area 1,701 square miles (4,405 square km). Pop. (1990 est.) 418,000. Hungarian Szatmrnmeti, city, capital of Satu Mare judet (county), northwestern Romania, on the northeastern fringe of the Great Hungarian Plain. It lies on the right bank of the Somes River, 8 miles (13 km) from the Hungarian border and 17 miles (27 km) from the Ukrainian border. It was founded by boatmen carrying salt down the Somesul River and served as a market centre. The first historical mention of the town was in 1214, when its fortress was destroyed by the Mongols. The Treaty of Szatmr (1711), which guaranteed religious freedom and liberty for the Hungarians, was signed after their revolt against the Habsburg monarchy. Satu Mare is now an important railway junction with connections to Hungary and Ukraine. The city's manufactures include textiles, machinery, and a variety of consumer products. Pop. (1989 est.) 136,881.