With a strong heritage in the production of wearing apparel and leather goods going back six centuries, Satu Mare’s industry is still strongly focused on these sectors. All in all, manufacturing is the county’s top performer, followed by wholesale retail, construction and transportation. Satu Mare is the most north-western county of the North-West region, edging both Hungary and the Ukraine. The county seat of the same name is a cultural and ethnic melting pot dominated demographically by the Romanian (57.7%) and Hungarian (34.5%) populations. Especially since Romania’s joining the EU, the county has attracted significant foreign capital across industries, including local staples such as textiles and furniture manufacturing.