Avand o suprafata de 94,70 km2, teritoriul administrativ al comunei Balan se intinde in Depresiunea Almas - Agrij, pe valea larga a Almasului, si in Dealurile Simisna-Garbou.
Cu exceptia localitatii Galpaia, celelalte localitati componente ale comunei sunt situate de-a lungul raului Almas. Comuna Balan are in componenta urmatoarele localitati: Balan - sat resedinta de comuna situat la o distanta de 40 km fata de municipiul Zalau, Chechis, Chendrea, Galpaia, si Galgau Almasului.
Cu excepția satului Galgaul Almasului, atestat documentar in anul 1560, toate celelalte sate sunt atestate documentar in secolul al XIV-lea (Balan - 1399, Chechis- 1350, Chendrea-1350, Galpaia- 1350).
Populatia comunei numara la ultimul recensamant 4136 locuitori, din care 99,25% romani, 0,19% maghiari si 0,48% rromi.
Agricultura este principala ramura economica ce caracterizeaza comuna. Balanul este cunoscut ca un important bazin pomicol si viticol al judetului, cu o suprafata cultivata de peste 350 ha.
Pe teritoriul comunei exista cateva obiective turistice de mare valoare; astfel comuna Balan poate fi considerata, pe buna dreptate, un areal de convergenta turistica.
Gradina Zmeilor din Galgau Almasului, rezervatie naturala de importanta nationala, este principalul obiectiv turistic al comunei. Formata printr-o serie de prabusiri in pachete de conglomerate si gresii miocene, rezervatia cuprinde un ansamblu geomorfologic cu elemente bizare, coloane verticale, ciuperci, pietre oscilante etc., modelate de-a lungul timpului de factorii exogeni si botezate dupa expresivitatea formelor pe care le imbraca in Eva, Fata Catanii, Zmeul si Zmeoaica, Mosul, Degetelul, etc.
Bisericile de lemn, cu valoare de patrimoniu, sunt alte obiective turistice importante ce nu trebuie sa lipseasca din itinerariile turistilor care viziteaza aceasta comuna. Balanul este strajuit de trei biserici de lemn ("Adormirea Maicii Domnului" -1762, "Sfintii Arhangheli"-1695 si "Adormirea Maicii Domnului" din deal - sec. al XIX-lea), monumente de arhitectura si arta traditionala, care se alatura si fac cinste fondului construit al intregii comune.
Manastirea Balan poate reprezenta cheia dezvoltarii si intensificarii turismului ecumenic, forma de turism aflata in faza incipienta pe aceste meleaguri.
The surface of 94,70 square kms belonging to the territory of the commune is situated in the Almas - Agrij Basin, in the large valley of the Almas River and in the Simisna - Garbou Hills.
With the exception of Galpaia, the other component villages are situated along the Almas River. The commune has the following component villages: Balan - the central village, it is placed at 40 kms distance from Zalau city, Chechis, Chendrea, Galpaia, and Galgaul Almasului.
Galgaul Almasului was first attested in documents only in 1560, while the other villages were first mentioned during the 14th century (Balan - 1399, Chechis - 1350, Chendrea - 1350, Galpaia - 1350).
The commune's total population counts, according to the last census, 4136 inhabitants of which 99,25% are Romanians, 0,19% Hungarians, 0,48% Roms and 0,08% are other nationalities.
Agriculture is the main economic branch of the commune, Balan has become known for its fruit-bearing areas and vineyards which occupy more than 350 ha territory.
The most important touristic attraction of the commune is the natural reservation named The Garden of Dragons (Gradina Zmeilor) in Galgau Almasului. It has come into being as a result of the repeated falling of the conglomerations and the Miocene sandstone. It is a great area for the ones who are interested in geomorphology because it contains a large number of strange elements, vertical columns, swinging stones etc. These were modeled in the course of time by the exogenous factors and they were named after their shapes, thus we can find Eve, The Dragon, The Old Man, The Foxglove, etc.
The commune has three wooden churches ("Adormirea Maicii Domnului" - 1762, "Sfintii Arhangheli" - 1695 and "Adormirea Maicii Domnului" - 19th century), all are monuments of architecture and of traditional art. The Balan monastery should become a key for the improvement of the ecumenical tourism, a domain which is in an elementary phase in this region.
A kozseg teljes felulete 94,70 km2, az Almas-Egregy medenceben, az Almas szeles volgyeben es a Csakigorboi dombsagon fekszik.
Galponya kivetelevel a falvak az Almas folyo menten huzodnak. A kozseg a kovetkezo falvakbol all: Almasbalashaza (Bălan) - a kozsegkozpont, Zilahtol 40 km-re talalhato, Kettosmezo (Chechis), Kendermezo (Chendrea), Galponya (Galpaia) es Almasgalgo (Galgaul Almasului).
Almasgalgot 1560-ban emlitik eloszor irasban, a tobbi falut pedig mar a XIV. szazadban (Almasbalashazat 1399-ben, Kettosmezot, Kendermezot es Galponyat 1350-ben).
A kozseg lakossaga az utolso nepszamlalaskor 4136 fo volt, ebbol 99,25.% roman, 0,19% magyar es 0,48% roma nemzetisegu.
A kozseg gazdasaga elsosorban mezogazdasagi jellegu. Gyumolcs- es szolotermeszteserol valt ismertte, ez tobb mint 350 hektar terulet muveleset jelenti.
Az almasgalgoi termeszetvedelmi rezervatum, a "Sarkanykert", a kozseg legfontosabb turisztikai latvanyossaga, amely konglomeratumok es a miocen kori homokko tobbszori beomlasa kovetkezteben jott letre. A geomorfologia kutatoi szamara nagyszeru terepet jelent kulonleges elemeivel, oszlopaival, gomba alaku, lengo koveivel, melyeket az exogen tenyezok formaltak. Nevuket - pl. Eva, Oregember, Gyuszuvirag - formajukrol kaptak.
A fatemplomok es az almasbalashazi kolostor megtekintese sem hianyozhat az ide latogato turista programjaból. Almasbalashaza harom fatemplommal is buszkelkedhet, a legregebbi 1695-ben epult, a masodik 1762-ben, mig a legujabb a XIX. szazadban.
