©Department of Geography. Valahia University of Targoviste Annals of Valahia University of Targoviste. Geographical Series Tome 13/2013 Issues : 2 107-114 http://fsu.valahia.ro/avutgs/home.html HUMAN SETTLEMENTS ON IALOMIŢA VALLEY Tatiana COSTACHE Vasile Carlova school, Targoviste Abstract The occupations of the first people living on Ialomiţa valley were related to primitive agriculture and cattle raising ,thus surpassing the status of simple reapers .On C. Cantacuzino′s map from 1700 there were about 30 settlements, most of them on Ialomiţa valley. Its importance was highlighted by N. Iorga. It was the key point of the Danube , with its two influences :the conquering North and the civilizing South; the mixture of Dacian , Latin, Slavonic influences as well as Turkish from the XV th to the XVIII th centuries. Keywords: Ialomiţa Valley, human settlements, lasting development, natural resources, economical activities. 1. INTRODUCTION Ialomiţa valley spreads over hill, mountain and field (a specific feature of the whole country) with its unique architecture emphasizing unity in diversity of landscape. Ialomiţa valley with its high originality regarding the rural –urban relationships, is situated in a part of the country which determined its functional feature in relation to its neighbourhood ( picture 1). Picture 1. Ialomiţa valley-geographical position 107 Ialomiţa basin is near Olt basin in the north, Argeş in the west, Siret in the North- East. Ialomiţa Valley is a mixture of Romanian essential features, on one hand, and clear peculiarities, on the other hand .Its identity consist in the joining of several factors: position ,spatial extension, distribution and percentage of three natural divisions. The border is set by several mountain peaks Leaota ,Bucegi,Clabucet,Ciucaş and the under Carpathion hills. In its inferior part ,the border is set, in the south-west ,by the heights of Vlăsia Field and, in the north ,by Istria and Bărăgan Fields .The structural range, a main feature of the area surrounding Ialomiţa basin ,characteristics of the altitude development of the landscape. The landscape is the factor which favors or stops the development of an area and which determines the places, number and display manner of the settlements and types of economic activities .The favorable characteristics of Ialomiţa Valley determined the arrival of inhabitants from the earliest ages as shown by the archaeological discoveries (neolithic, bronze age). 70% of the settlements are situated in the fields, the remaining 60% in the under – Carpathian hills ,only the temporary ,touristic ones in the mountains. The mountainous sections (picture 2) of Ialomiţa basin is made of Leaota, Bucegi, Gârbova, Ciucaş Zăganu mount range and the southern range (Grohodisu and Tătaru) belonging to the external line of Curvature Carpathians. Picture.2. Ialomiţa valley in the Carpathian Passage The Carpathian landscape, characterized by clear altitudinal amplitude (1800-2505 m) determines the leveling of the whole physical geographical display, including the degree of anthropology .An important feature of the Ialomiţa Carpathian landscape lies in the prevalence of summits sloping South ,S-E and S- W. This consists in descending the layers on slopes with high exposure alongside with the climate, hydrological and florist peculiarities. The under Carpathians, which represent 25 % of Ialomiţa basin, vary from 200,300 m. to 800- 900 m. and stand out through their structural morphological complexity (picture 3). 108 Picture.3. Ialomiţa Valley-the unity of under- carpathian hills The fields hold the majority 60% and their belonging to different sub-units of the Romanian Field explains the existence of local contrasts striking in an area marked especially by homogeneity of scenery (picture 4). Picture 4. Ialomiţa Valley in the space of the Romanian Field By its position in the central south east of the country, Ialomiţa basin has a temperate- continental climate ,with differences between the N-W part (lower temperatures and more fall-outs) and the S-E part ( drier with higher temperatures ). The climate characteristics have repercussions on the agriculture and the possibilities to practice it, alongside with seasonal tourism. Not all climate indicators have same importance. The temperature and the fall-outs influence the economic activities unlike other phenomena like the wind , fog and hail ( which lead only to little modification. 109 Ialomiţa river, adjancent to Argeş, Olt and Buzău, and its confluents finish the series of southern rivers. It springs from the southern slope of Bucegi mountains (about 2390 m altitude) under Obârşia Rock and it flows into the Danube. Picture 5. Ialomiţa hydrographical basin – water types The population of Ialomiţa Valley forms a constituent part of the Romanian geographical environment ) scenery ,unique in terms of time passing and space distribution ,as a product and as an active factor. Getting to know the geographical peculiarities of the differentiation of the inhabitants leads to differentiation between the human landscape and the natural one, as a millenary human achievement. The most important trait of the inhabiting process in the fact that this area represents an inseparable constituent of the ancient dacian abode. The valleys of the rivers don' t provide everywhere equal possibilities of settlement ,economic activities base don local resources. Thus, what' s special ,is the alternation of displays and discontinuities regarding the living and circulation conditions ,generating similarities and differences because of some influences that entail rythem,variety and volume differences. Ialomiţa Valley hasn't rejected but it mostly attracted inhabitants. The display of the population has known a phenomenon of oscilation , which was determined by a series of social, political, economic and geographical factors. The striking element of the geographical scenery is represented by the human settlements .The process of humanizing the Ialomiţa Valley has begun with the first human settlements set along the valley /river at the forests ' edges in the mountainous areas and around the water. The process was a dynamic and progressive one, the inhabitants fully profiting by all the resources. Next to the natural and technological conditions, an important role in defining the geographical peculiarities of the area, was played by the economic preoccupations of the inhabitants. The settlements which were initially set only on river banks and around forests have spread at crossroads and later closer to roads and railways. Each settlement had a particular function in accordance to the economic activities undertaken there .There are settlements where the main function is cattle raising ,industry ,tourism, woods economy but there also settlements with complementary functions such as culture, trade and 110 administration. The economic activities usually blend, cattle raising blends with industries and so on, the profile becoming double. The main function in depressions remains the agriculture. The human settlements are grouped in rural and urban ones, situated in four counties: Dâmboviţa, Ialomiţa, Ilfov and Prahova. (picture 6). Ilfov Prahova 7% 10% Dâmboviţa 54% Ialomiţa 29% Dâmboviţa Ialomiţa Prahova Ilfov Picture 6. The percentage of The settlements in the counties The urban settlements located on Ialomiţa stream are small and middle towns (fig. 7). - small towns: Căzăneşti (3506 inhabitants), Fierbinţi Târg ( 4760 inhabitants ), Fieni (6105 inhabitants), Amara (7863 inhabitants), Pucioasa (11826 inhabitants), Ţăndărei(12508 inhabitants), Urziceni (17611 inhabitants). - middle towns: Slobozia (52317 inhabitants), Târgovişte (89930 inhabitants). There are seven small towns and only two middle towns. 100000 89930 90000 80000 70000 60000 52317 50000 40000 30000 17611 20000 11826 12508 4760 6105 7863 10000 3506 0 Fieni Amara Ţăndărei Urziceni Slobozia Căzăneşti Pucioasa Tîrgovişte Fierbinţi Târg Picture.7. Demographic size of the urban settlements The rural settlements situated in the communes on Ialomiţa Valley are mostly of medium size 66 rural settlements (Picture 8 ). 111 40 38 34 35 30 28 25 22 20 15 10 5 0 0 aşezări rurale aşezări rurale de aşezări rurale de şezări rurale aşezări rurale mici marime medie marime medie mari foarte mari inferioară superioară Picture.8. Demographic size of the rural settlements They are grouped in parishes spread over the four counties. a. Dâmboviţa county 1. Moroieni - commune and constituent villages Lunca, Pucheni, Glod, Muscel,Dobreşti; 2. Pietroşiţa - commune and constituent villages Pietroşiţa, Dealu-Frumos; 3. Buciumeni - commune and constituent villages Buciumeni, Dealu Mare, Valea Leurzii; 4. Moţăieni - commune and constituent villages Moţăieni şi Cucuteni; 5. Brăneşti - commune and constituent villages Brăneşti, Priboiu; 6. Doiceşti – commune ; 7. Şotânga - commune and constituent villages Şotânga, Teiş; 8. Aninoasa - commune and constituent villages Aninoasa,Viforâta, Săteni, cătunul Valea Sasului; 9. Răzvad - commune and constituent villages Răzvad, Valea Voievozilor, Gorgota; 10. Ulmi - commune and constituent villages Ulmi, Matraca, Viişoara, Dumbrava, Colanu, Udreşti, Nisipuri, Dimoiu; 11. Gura Ocniţei - commune and constituent villages Adînca, Săcuieni, Ochiuri; 12. Comişani - commune and constituent villages Comişani, Lazuri; 13. Bucşani - commune and constituent villages Bucşani, Hăbeni, Racoviţa, Răţoaia; 14. Băleni - commune and constituent villages Băleni Români, Băleni Sârbi; 15. Dobra