Cerna (Megleno Romanian: Cerna) is a commune in Tulcea County, Northern Dobruja, Romania. It is composed of four villages: Cerna (Bulgarian: Черна), General Praporgescu, Mircea Vodă (historical name: Acpunar), and Traian. The commune is inhabited by a large number of Megleno-Romanians.

Cerna
The Priopcea Pass near Cerna village
The Priopcea Pass near Cerna village
Location in Tulcea County
Location in Tulcea County
Cerna is located in Romania
Cerna
Cerna
Location in Romania
Coordinates: 45°05′N 28°19′E / 45.083°N 28.317°E / 45.083; 28.317
CountryRomania
CountyTulcea
SubdivisionsCerna, General Praporgescu, Mircea Vodă, Traian
Government
 • Mayor (2020–2024) Petre Șopu[1] (PSD)
Area
221.65 km2 (85.58 sq mi)
Population
 (2021-12-01)[2]
3,051
 • Density14/km2 (36/sq mi)
Time zoneEET/EEST (UTC+2/+3)
Vehicle reg.TL
Websitewww.primariacerna.ro

Demographics

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Situated in a hilly landscape 55 km (34 mi) from the city of Tulcea and 25 km (16 mi) from Măcin, the village of Cerna had at the 2002 Romanian census a population of 2,427, and together with three smaller villages the population of the entire commune was 4,227.[citation needed] Estimates of the number of Megleno-Romanians in this village vary from 1,200 to 2,000, and they form the ethnic majority of it.[3]

In 1940, according to the stipulations of the Treaty of Craiova, the Bulgarian population from Cerna was resettled to Southern Dobruja, mainly to the village of Turcsmil, which was renamed Nova Cherna (New Cerna) in the memory of their former place of origin.[citation needed] They were replaced by the current Megleno-Romanian local population.[3] The Megleno-Romanian Dumitru Ciotti was mayor of the commune of Cerna from 1941 to 1942.[4]

Notable natives

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  • Panait Cerna (1881–1913), poet, philosopher, literary critic, and translator

References

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  1. ^ "Results of the 2020 local elections". Central Electoral Bureau. Retrieved 15 June 2021.
  2. ^ "Populaţia rezidentă după grupa de vârstă, pe județe și municipii, orașe, comune, la 1 decembrie 2021" (XLS). National Institute of Statistics.
  3. ^ a b Țîrcomnicu, Emil (2014). "Historical aspects regarding the Megleno-Romanian groups in Greece, the FY Republic of Macedonia, Turkey and Romania" (PDF). Memoria Ethnologica. 14 (52–53): 12–29.
  4. ^ Bercin-Drăghicescu, Adina; Dorin, Lozovanu; Virgil, Coman (2012). Aromâni, meglenoromâni, istroromâni: aspecte identitare și culturale (in Romanian). Editura Universității din București. ISBN 9786061601486.