Satele comunei sunt situate in bazinul hidrografic al vaii Chiesdului, in zona colinara a Piemontului Salajean. Comuna este alcatuita din trei localitati: Chiesd - sat resedinta de comuna situat la 38 km de Zalau, Colonia Sighetu Silvaniei si Sighetu Silvaniei. Teritoriul administrativ al comunei se intinde pe o suprafata de 43,42 km2.
Primele insemnari despre resedinta de comuna dateaza din 1461, cand asezarea este amintita sub numele de Keswesd. Putin mai tarziu, in anul 1466, este atestata documentar localitatea Sighetu Silvaniei, sub denumirea de Zygeth, iar Colonia Sighetu Silvaniei este declarata localitate de sine statatoare doar in anul 1956.
De-a lungul timpului, populatia comunei a suferit numeroase modificari cantitative si structurale, ca urmare a evolutiei economice a comunei. La ultimul recensamant populatia comunei numara 2645 locuitori din care 88,20% sunt romani, 5,6% maghiari si 16,2% sunt rromi.
De-a lungul vremii, economia comunei a fost reprezentata de exploatarile de carbuni si bineinteles, de agricultura. Mica industrie, sustinuta de micii mestesugari, este bine reprezentata in acest areal.
Ca obiective turistice reprezentative pentru comuna Chiesd trebuie amintite aici biserica de lemn "Sfintii Arhangheli" din Chiesd, construita în sec. al XVIII - lea si pictata in anul 1796, biserica ce a fost stramutată din satul Sălăjeni, si biserica de lemn "Sfintii Arhangheli" din Sighetu Silvaniei, construita in anul 1832, ambele fiind declarate monumente de arhitectura.
The villages of the commune are situated in the hydrographic basin of the Chiesd Valley, in the hilly zone of the Salejan Piedmont. The commune has three component villages: Chiesd - the central village situated at 38 kms distance from Zalau city, Colonia Sighetu Silvaniei and Sighetu Silvaniei. Its administrative territory is 43,42 square kms.
The central village was first mentioned in 1461, when its name was Keswesd. A few years later, in 1466 was attested Sighetu Silvaniei under the name Zygeth, while Colonia Sighetu Silvaniei was declared an independent locality only in 1956.
As a result of the economical development of the commune, its population has suffered a lot of quantitative and structural modifications in the course of time. At the last census the population counted 2645 inhabitants of which 88,20% are Romanians, 5,6% Hungarians and 6,2% Roms.
The economy of the commune is represented - besides the agriculture - by the exploitation of coal. Due to the craftsmen the small industry is also present.
The wooden church "Sfintii Arhangheli" in Chiesd, built in the 18th century and painted in 1796, the church which was removed from Salajeni village and the wooden church "Sfintii Arhangheli" in Sighetu Silvaniei built in 1832 are the most important touristical spectacles of the commune.
A 43,42 km2 teruletu kozseg falvai, Szilagykovesd (Chiesd), a kozsegkozpont, 38 km-re Zilahtol, Szilagyszigettelep (Colonia Sighetul Silvaniei) es Szilagysziget (Sighetu Silvaniei) a Kovesdi patak volgyeben fekszenek.
A kozsegkozpontrol tett elso irasos emlites 1461-bol valo, ekkor Keswesd neven szerepel. Szilagyszigetet nehany evvel kesobb, 1466-ban emlitik az okiratok Zygeth neven, mig Szilagyszigettelep csak 1956 ota tekintheto onallo telepulesnek.
A legutobbi nepszamlalasi adatok szerint lakossaga 2645 fo, melybol 88,20% roman, 5,6% magyar és 6,2% roma nemzetisegu.
A kozseg gazdasaganak alapja a szenkitermeles es termeszetesen a mezogazdasag. Emellett pedig a kisipar is teret hodított, szamos mesterember dolgozik ezen a videken.
A kozseg turisztikai latvanyossagai a szilagykovesdi fatemplom, mely a XVIII. szazadban epult, egy templom, amelyet Okorito falubol helyeztek at, es az 1832-ben epult szilagyszigeti fatemplom. Az utobbi ket epuletet muemleknek nyilvanitottak.
