G. B. TOFAN1 1 Babeş-Bolyai University, Faculty of Geography, 400006, Cluj-Napoca, Romania, e-mail: george.tofan@ubbcluj.ro
ABSTRACT. – Geodemographic Characteristics of Mureş Defile. This study begins with a short introduction regarding the exact limits of this area, which extends on a 38 km stretch between Vâgani (component of the Town of Topliţa) and Bistra Mureşului (component of Deda), in order to have a unitary perspective on this area, situated on the contact line between the volcanic massifs of Căliman (to the north) and Gurghiu (to the south). As required for every study concerning geodemographic characteristics, an analysis of the evolution of the number of inhabitants was presented, followed by complex issues on population quality (structure) (gender, age, habitat, proffesions, ethnic groups and religions), with interpretations, and graphical and cartographical representations for more than a century and a half (1850-2011). Alongside defining the concrete limits (east and west), the study brings another novel element, which is establishing the surface area for the entire area (26.17 km2), together with the four compartments (Vâgani-Ciobotani, Stânceni, Lunca Bradului and Răstoliţa), numbers which allowed for more thorough calculations, in terms of population territorial distribution.
Keywords: small depressions,defile, population quality, Mureş.