Cluj-Napoca

Cluj-Napoca, or simply Cluj, is the second-most populous city in Romania and the seat of Cluj County in the northwestern part of the country. Geographically, it is roughly equidistant from Bucharest, Budapest and Belgrade. Located in the Someșul Mic river valley, the city is considered the unofficial capital of the historical province of Transylvania. For some decades prior to the Austro-Hungarian Compromise of 1867, it was the official capital of the Grand Principality of Transylvania.

As of 2021, 286,598 inhabitants lived within the city limits. The Cluj-Napoca metropolitan area had a population of 411,379 people, while the population of the peri-urban area exceeded 420,000 residents. The new metropolitan government of Cluj-Napoca became operational in December 2008.