Comuna se afla in partea vestica a Dealurilor Simisna - Garbou, in bazinele hidrografice ale Braglezului si Cristoltelului. Suprafata totala detinuta de comuna este de 44,66 km2. Unitatea administrativa este compusa din patru sate: Cristolt - resedinta de comuna situata la 47 km fata de municipiul Zalau, Muncel, Poiana Ontii, si Valeni.
Dintre satele comunei, Cristoltul este mentionat documentar in anul 1554, sub denumirea de Nagy Kerestolcz. Vechimea locuirii pe aceste meleaguri este sustinuta de descoperirile arheologice din vatra satului Muncel, unde au fost descoperite urmele unei asezari din epoca bronzului. Muncelul este atestat documentar din anul 1557, Valeni din anul 1954 iar pentru Poiana Ontii nu se cunoaste anul atestarii. Dupa structura vetrei, se pare ca localitatea Poiana Ontii a aparut in urma unor roiri repetate, fenomen specific pentru zonele montane.
Populatia comunei numara la ultimul recensamant 1560 locuitori, din care 99,88% romani, 0,06% maghiari si 0,06% rromi.
Economia comunei este una preponderent agrara, cu o buna reprezentare a sectorului zootehnic si a celui de cultura a plantelor. Prezenta celor peste o mie de hectare de padure a facut cunoscuta comuna prin mesterii sai, specializati in prelucrarea lemnului.
Dintre obiectivele turistice ale comunei amintim aici biserica de lemn "Sfintii Arhangheli" din Muncel, monument istoric si de arhitectura ce dateaza din secolul al XVIII-lea, la care se adauga peisajele de basm din hotarele localitatilor Poiana Ontii si Valeni.
The commune is situated in the western part of the Simisna - Garbau Hills, in the hydrographical basins of the Braglez and Cristoltel Rivers, its surface is 44,66 square kms. The administrative territory of the commune consists of four villages: Cristolt - the central village situated at 47 kms distance from Zalau city, Muncel, Poiana Ontii and Valeni.
Cristolt was first mentioned in written documents in 1554 under the name Nagy Kerestolcz. The archeological research carried out on the territory of the commune brought to the surface the remains of a settlement from the bronze age. Muncel was attested in 1557, Valeni in 1954 while in the case of Poiana Ontii we can't tell the year of the attestation. According to the structure of this village, it seems that it has appeared as a result of a repeted swarming, phenomenon peculiar to the mountainous regions.
At the last census the population counted 1560 inhabitants of which 99,88% are Romanians, 0,06.% Hungarians and 0,06% were Roms.
The economy of the commune is mainly an agricultural one, with a well-developed livestock-breeding and cultivation of plants. Over 1000 ha of the total territory of the commune is occupied by forests, thus the conversion of timber is also a prosperous sector of its economy.
The main touristical spectacle of the commune is the wooden church "Sfintii Arhangheli" in Muncel, historical and architectural monument from the 18th century. The anthropical fond is completed by the picturesque scenery of the fields in Poiana Ontii and Valeni.
A kozseg a Csakigorboi dombsag nyugati oldalan, a Braglez es a Cristoltel folyok volgyeben fekszik, teljes terulete 44,66 km2. A kovetkezo falvak tartoznak hozzo: Nagykeresztes (Cristolt) - a kozsegkozpont, 47 km-re talalható Zilahtol, Hegykoz (Muncel), Bezdedmezo (Poiana Ontii) es Szalonnavolgy (Valeni).
Nagykeresztes 1554-ben jelent meg eloszor irasos dokumentumban Nagy Kerestolcz neven. A videk mar osidok ota lakott, ezt bizonyitjak a Hegykoz teruleten vegzett regeszeti kutatasok, amelyek soran egy bronzkori telepules nyomaira bukkantak. Hegykozt 1557-ben emlitik eloszor az okiratok, Szalonnavolgyet 1954-ben, Bezdedmezo elso emlitesenek datumat nem ismerjuk. Az utobbi faluszerkezetebol arra kovetkeztethetunk, hogy a telepules tobb kirajzas eredmenyekeppen jott letre.
A kozseg lakoinak szama az utolso nepszamlalaskor 1560 volt, ebbol 99,88% roman, 0,06% magyar es 0,06% roma nemzetisegu.
Gazdasagara a mezogazdasag, legfokeppen az allattenyesztes es a foldmuveles jellemzo. A kozseghez tartozo tobb mint 1000 hektar erdo lehetove teszi a fakitermelest is.
Turisztikai latvanyossagkent megemlitheto a hegykozi fatemplom, mely a XVIII. szazadban epult es epiteszeti muemlekkent van szamon tartva.
