Țăndărei

Țăndărei
Țăndărei town hall
Location in Ialomița County
Țăndărei
Location in Romania
Coordinates: 44°38′33″N 27°39′22″E / 44.64250°N 27.65611°E / 44.64250; 27.65611
CountryRomania
CountyIalomița
Government
  Mayor (20202024) George Cristian Roman (PSD)
Area
113.25 km2 (43.73 sq mi)
Elevation
20 m (70 ft)
Population
 (2021-12-01)
12,761
  Density110/km2 (290/sq mi)
Time zoneEET/EEST (UTC+2/+3)
Postal code
925200
Area code(+40) 02 43
Vehicle reg.IL
Websitewww.primaria-tandarei.ro

Țăndărei (Romanian pronunciation: [t͡səndəˈrej]) is a town in Ialomița County, Muntenia, Romania, with a population of 12,761 as of 2021. The town is located on the Bărăgan Plain, on the left bank of the Ialomița River. It was declared a town in 1968. It is crossed by the national road DN2A, which connects Slobozia with Constanța.

Țăndărei has been called a "Beverley Hills for Gypsy gangsters". The town gained this reputation as many ethnic Roma engaged in criminal activity as well as welfare fraud in the UK, using the money obtained from those activities to build opulent villas.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the town was also in the spotlight of national media and of social media, because the ethnic Roma of the town were accused of bringing the virus from Western Europe and not respecting the anti-COVID measurements implemented by the government.

Historical population
YearPop.±%
1977 10,166    
1992 14,212+39.8%
2002 14,591+2.7%
2011 10,289−29.5%
2021 12,761+24.0%
Source: Census data