Oțelu Roșu
Oţelu Roşu (formerly Ferdinand; Hungarian: Nándorhegy, German: Ferdinandsberg) is a town in southwestern Caraş-Severin County, Romania, on the Bistra river. It is situated on the national road 68, between Caransebeş (21 km away) and Haţeg.
Geography
Otelu Rosu is located at an altitude of aproximately 300 meters .in Valea Bistrei, valley which delimitates the Poiana Ruscai mountains to the north, and the Tarcu Mountains to the south.To the south of Otelu Rosu, is a sort of large piedmont of the Tarcu Mountains, locally named Gai.Howewer, to the north, the city takes direct contact whith the foothills of the Poiana Ruscai Mountains.Dominant height are the hill of Ferdinand (overlooking the metalworking uzine) and the hill of Chiciura.
Because of its altitude, and location , Otelu Rosu is subjected from a climatical point of view, to western climaticall influences.The altitude, the neighbouring forrests and mountains, assure a mild climat.In the winter, snow may persist as much as two or three months , howewer the temperatures dont drop too low.In the spring months, especially may, due to the melting of the snow in the high areas of the Tarcu Mountains and abundand rains, floods are possible.The most recent flood took place in the year 2000, destroyng several bridges accross the river Bistra.
History
The first signs of human habitation date from the Paleolithic , in form of primitive tools.In the neghbouring areas, sporadic remnants from the Neolithic age have been found. During the wars between dacians and romans, the Bistra Valley was the route used by the emperor Traian in penetrating into the heartland of Dacia. From this time, dates a roman castrum found near the cemetery of Zavoi (ancient Agnaviae), a locality close to Otelu Rosu. In medieval times, in the XV century Otelu Rosu appears under the name of "Bistra", and later whith the hungarian name of Nandorhegy. After the expulsion of turks from Banat by the habsburgs, the area is colonised whith germans.Also, italians are brought in to work in metalworking industry. Later, as Transilvania becames part of Romania the name of Nandorhegy is beeing replaced whith the name Ferdinand. Howewer, after 1947 the Ferdinand name did not please the communist anymore and they changed it to Oţelu Roşu ("[The] Red Steel") in order to underline the importance of the town's metalworking industry.
Population
The population was 12,989 (2000) and 13.128 (1999), in regress.Causes of this demographic regress are to be found in the problems of the metalworking industry, and in the lack of places of work, which makes many young people leave the town and move into regional centers such as Timisoara, etc.
From an ethnicall point of view, the dominant comunities are the romanians, the rroma (in growth), and the hungarians. The german , italian and slovak minority have largely dissapeard due to imigration.
Education
The town has three schools and one highschool.