Măeriște

Măerişte (Hungarian: Krasznahidvég; German: Bruckend) is a commune located in Sălaj County, Romania.

Geography

The commune, with an area of 74.97 km² (7,500 ha), is in the north-west part of the county, in the hydrographic basin of the Crasna River. It is composed of six villages: Criştelec (Kerestelek), Doh (Doh), Giurtelecu Șimleului (Somlyógyőrtelek), Măerişte (located at 43 km from Zalău), Mălădia (Maladé) and Uileacu Şimleului (Somlyóújlak).

Tourism

Among the commune's tourist sites are the Reformed Church, Uileacu Şimleului (a former Benedictine monastery), an architectural monument dated from 1260-1300, as well as other churches.

It is 21 km from the projected Transylvania Motorway.

Population

According to the 2011 Romanian Census, the commune had 3,037 inhabitants. According to the 2002 Romanian Census, the commune population is 3,762, of which 87.78% are Romanians, 11.24% Hungarians, 0.79% Roms, 0.11% Slovakians and 0.08% other nationalities.

Economy

The economy of the commune is mainly agricultural, based on cereal, potato and vegetable growing. In the last few years livestock-breeding has developed.