Sanislău lies in the western part of the county on the Carei Plain, close to the Hungarian border. It is accessible both by car (on DN19 and DJ 47 from Satu Mare) and train from any of the area's big cities. Ciumeşti, Berea and Viişoara were separated in 2004, therefore the municipality currently only includes Sanislău (3193 inhabitants), Marna Nouă (355 inhabitants) and Horea (less than 200 inhabitants).
45,59% of its total population (3760) is Romanian, 44,47% Hungarian, 7,49% Roma and 1,81% German.
Agriculture dominates its economy and locust forests, used both as a honey plants area and hunting ground, cover large areas. Small industrial and services units also work in the municipality.
Vermeş marsh, a natural reservation that protects rare plants and animals identified in these parts, is part of Sanislău municipality. The marsh is the only place were Galinago gallinago nests have been found.
Sanislău, the municipality center was mentioned in 1306 for the first time. Archeological researches have discovered traces of human activity starting from the Neolithic, but Bronze and Iron Age vestiges have also been discovered.
The Kaplony clan owned the village in the XIVth century and left it to its descendents, the Károlyis in the XVth century. Later the Reszegeis, Báthoris and Bánffys all owned lands in the village. In the second half of the XVIIIth century the biggest landowners, the Károlyis brought Kraut settlers to Sanislău. The camp where Krauts of the region were gathered before being sent off to labor camps in the Soviet Union was in Sanislău. 16 of the village's 188 deportees never returned home.
The Calvinist church dates from the XVth century, its sanctuary and buttresses indicate its initial Gothic style. The church was renovated after the 1834 earthquake and its current tower was added in 1869.
The Saint Michael and Gabriel Archangels Orthodox church was built in 1910.
The Roman Catholic church built in 1824 was rebuilt ten years later after the earthquake. Dedicated initially to Saint George, it was enlarged and renovated in 1970 and was dedicated on the occasion to the Birth of Mother of God.
Sanislău is the birth place of Gavril Lazăr de Purcăreţ, archpriest, member of the Memorandum movement, Gheorghe Bulgăr (1920-2002), philologist and literary historian and Coriolan Coltău (1919-1970), poet, journalist and translator who wrote under the pseudonym Costa Carei.
Horea was established between the two world wars by settlers from the Western Mountains. The Orthodox church was built in 1930 and dedicated to Saint Nicholas Hierarch. In 2006, Horea's bust was unveiled in the village center, its sculptor is Perţa-Cuza Alexandru.
Marna Nouă was established in 1924 as another colony of settlers from Cluj county. Its orthodox church dedicated to Saint Emperors Constantin and Elena was built in 1974.
