"Is there anyone who didn't stop for a while on the Danube shores? All the universal languages have rumoured around here."
MIHAIL SADOVEANU - Dobrudja landscapes
The Danube Delta biosphere reservation was recognized as a humid region of international importance, especially due to its water bird habitat, according to the Ramsar Convention, signed by Romania in 1991. More than half of the entire surface of the Danube Delta was added in 1990 on the International Cultural and Natural Patrimony List, mainly due to the patrimonial value of the biosphere reservation.
The Danube Delta's biosphere reservation occupies within its established boundaries, a 580.000 ha total surface, in addition to the Delta, being included the Razim-Sinoe lacustrian complex, the cost salty waters up to the 20 meters isobaths, the undisturbed part of the Danube holms, lying between Isaccea and Tulcea, the Danube canal between Cotul Pisicii and Cetatea Chiliei, up to the Ukraine border. Within these boundaries, the biosphere reservation is structured as it follows: 18 strictly protected areas laying over more than 50.600 ha, buffer-areas of 223,000 ha, economic areas including human localities, and proper space for the ecological reconstruction of 306,100 ha.
The Danube Delta's biosphere reservation also includes the sites, as well as the Razim-Sinoe lacustrian complex. The landscape of this area, including the potential of the sea beaches in Sulina, Sfantu Gheorghe and Gura Portitei is going to be exploited as well in traveling purpose, even following the rules imposed by the setting-up of the biosphere. Thus, besides the main routes (the Danube branches and a few major canals), quite useful for their connection with human settlements and in order to put to work natural resources and agricultural, forest and fish breeding objectives, within the reservation there will be the recreation areas and the tourist routes for trips. Now and then one of the crucial dilemmas for those living in the Danube Delta was how to protect these settlements from freshets. Another dilemma is, of course, how to ensure the meanings of life helped only by those resources that could be found in this region. Last but not least the natives had to fight against isolation.
The first settlements of the Lippovan Russians (who form the majority of inhabitants in this area) were established on the shore of the Razim-Sinoe lagoon, mainly following fishing activities, finding on the Dobrudja plateau protection from the periodic overflow of the waters.
The most important socio-economical centre in the area is the town of Tulcea , capital of the county (100,000 inhabitants) archaeologically recognized by the remains of the Geto-Dacian camp Aegissus (8th century B.C.).