Oltenia

The Oltenia (Eng. also Oltenia, rum. Oltenia ) is a historical region in Romania and a part of Wallachia. It is called " Oltenia ", because, in contrast to the Great Wallachia is significantly smaller. From the period of Hungarian rule (about 1090-1330 ) the term " Banat of Severin " is handed down. Between 1718 and 1739 it belonged to the Habsburg Empire. Occasionally, the Oltenia as " Banat of Craiova ", " Valachia Cia Alutana " or " Valachia Caesarea " was named.

The landscape is bounded on the east by the river Olt, on the back is the Romanian name of the region. East of Olt river lies the Muntenia. In the south and west Oltenia extends to the Danube and in the north to the Carpathians ( north of it lies Transylvania). To the northwest lies the Banat.

This historic region comprising the Romanian counties:

• Dolj
• Gorj
• Mehedinţi (the largest part, except Orşova west and the municipalities thereof)
• Vâlcea (the largest part, except the municipalities east of the river Olt lie )
• Olt ( only half of the circle, which lies west of the river Olt )

The most important towns in Lesser Wallachia are Craiova (also called its " capital " refers to ), Târgu Jiu, Drobeta Turnu Severin, Râmnicu Vâlcea, Caracal and Calafat.