Cahul | |
|---|---|
   From top, left to right:Bogdan Petriceicu Hasdeu State University of Cahul, Saint Michael Cathedral,John III the Terrible Monument | |
 Coat of arms | |
  Cahul Location of Cahul withinMoldova | |
| Coordinates:45°55′0″N28°11′01″E / 45.91667°N 28.18361°E /45.91667; 28.18361 | |
| Country |  Moldova |
| District | Cahul District |
| Founded | 1502 (first official record) |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Nicolae Dandiș (Independent) |
| Area | |
• Total | 33.91 km2 (13.09 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 119 m (390 ft) |
| Population | |
• Total | 30,018 |
| • Density | 12,124/km2 (31,400/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+2 (EET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+3 (EEST) |
| Website | Official website |
Cahul (Romanian pronunciation:[kaˈhul]; also known byalternative names) is a city and municipality[2] in southernMoldova. The city is the administrative center ofCahul District; it also administers one village, Cotihana. As of2014 census, the city has a population of 30,018.
The city of Cahul (Russian:Кагул,romanized: Kagul,Bulgarian:Кахул,romanized: Kahul) is believed to have been inhabited for many centuries, although it has had a number of different names over the years – the nameScheia (Old Romanian for "Bulgarian") was recorded in 1502, and the nameFrumoasa ("Beautiful" in Romanian) was recorded in 1716. The modern name was given to the settlement after theBattle of Kagul, which was fought nearby.
The city's location had made it a frequent battleground for a number of armies, with possession of frequently switching between countries such asPrincipality of Moldavia,Russian Empire,Ottoman Empire.
The city was a part ofMoldavia before 1812, then Russia from 1812 to 1856, then again Moldavia/Romanian Principalities (1856–1878), then Russia again (1878–1918), thenRomania again (1918–1940), then theSoviet Union (1940–1941), then Romania again (1941–1944), the Soviet Union again (1944–1991) and finally Moldova (1991 to the present).
Apart from the battles that have been fought over it, Cahul is also known for its thermalspas and for itsfolk music.
Cahul has ahumid continental-type climate (Köppen climate classification "Dfa" – hot-summer subtype) with four distinct seasons. Average monthly precipitation ranges from about 28 mm (1.1 in) in October to 76 mm (3 in) in June.
| Climate data for Cahul, Moldova (1991–2020, extremes 1947–2021) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 15.4 (59.7) | 20.9 (69.6) | 26.0 (78.8) | 30.6 (87.1) | 37.0 (98.6) | 36.6 (97.9) | 39.4 (102.9) | 39.3 (102.7) | 35.3 (95.5) | 30.8 (87.4) | 24.5 (76.1) | 17.4 (63.3) | 39.4 (102.9) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 1.4 (34.5) | 4.2 (39.6) | 10.0 (50.0) | 16.7 (62.1) | 22.5 (72.5) | 26.4 (79.5) | 28.9 (84.0) | 28.9 (84.0) | 23.2 (73.8) | 16.2 (61.2) | 9.1 (48.4) | 3.0 (37.4) | 15.9 (60.6) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | −1.6 (29.1) | 0.3 (32.5) | 5.0 (41.0) | 11.0 (51.8) | 16.7 (62.1) | 20.7 (69.3) | 23.0 (73.4) | 22.8 (73.0) | 17.4 (63.3) | 11.3 (52.3) | 5.4 (41.7) | 0.0 (32.0) | 11.0 (51.8) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | −4.2 (24.4) | −2.8 (27.0) | 1.1 (34.0) | 6.2 (43.2) | 11.6 (52.9) | 15.6 (60.1) | 17.7 (63.9) | 17.3 (63.1) | 12.5 (54.5) | 7.4 (45.3) | 2.6 (36.7) | −2.5 (27.5) | 6.9 (44.4) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −24.9 (−12.8) | −25.8 (−14.4) | −17.5 (0.5) | −4.6 (23.7) | 1.3 (34.3) | 5.3 (41.5) | 9.0 (48.2) | 5.4 (41.7) | −3.0 (26.6) | −7.1 (19.2) | −15.8 (3.6) | −21.7 (−7.1) | −25.8 (−14.4) |
| Averageprecipitation mm (inches) | 28 (1.1) | 25 (1.0) | 31 (1.2) | 39 (1.5) | 51 (2.0) | 68 (2.7) | 59 (2.3) | 46 (1.8) | 51 (2.0) | 46 (1.8) | 35 (1.4) | 36 (1.4) | 516 (20.3) |
| Average precipitation days(≥ 1.0 mm) | 6 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 69 |
| Averagerelative humidity (%) | 84 | 82 | 75 | 67 | 65 | 66 | 64 | 64 | 67 | 74 | 83 | 86 | 73 |
| Mean monthlysunshine hours | 82 | 111 | 160 | 208 | 273 | 299 | 325 | 304 | 228 | 168 | 91 | 78 | 2,323 |
| Source 1:NOAA[3] | |||||||||||||
| Source 2: Serviciul Hidrometeorologic de Stat (extremes, relative humidity)[4] | |||||||||||||
According to the2024 census, 22,223 inhabitants lived in Cahul (making it the eighth largest city in Moldova), a decrease compared to the previous census in 2014, when 30,018 inhabitants were registered.[5][6]
| Year | Pop. | ±% |
|---|---|---|
| 1897 | 7,077 | — |
| 1930 | 11,370 | +60.7% |
| 1959 | 16,223 | +42.7% |
| 1970 | 26,249 | +61.8% |
| 1979 | 33,109 | +26.1% |
| 1989 | 42,904 | +29.6% |
| 2004 | 36,805 | −14.2% |
| 2014 | 30,018 | −18.4% |
| 2024 | 22,223 | −26.0% |
As of 1920, the population was estimated to be 12,000. Groups settled in the area includedRomanians,Jews,Germans,Bulgarians, andGreeks.[9]
Cahul is home to theCahul Musical-Drama Theatre, Cahul History Museum, and other public institutions and monuments. Every two years, at the beginning of July, in Cahul takes place an importantfolk music festival, "Nufărul Alb" ("Whitewaterlilies").
Cahul is also adestination asspa andhealth resort. The city and surrounding areas are richest withmineral springs enriched withbromine andiodine. The "Nufărul Alb"Balneotherapy and Well-being Centre consists of hospital, hotel and entertaining spots. Cahul has a tourist information point located at the Piata Horelor.
Cahul is home to theState University of Cahul, opened in 1999 and named after Romanian writer and philologistBogdan Petriceicu Hasdeu. The university is made up of 3 faculties (Philology – History, Law – Public Administration and Business – Computer Science – Mathematics) with around 2,150 students.
The city has the team ofFC Cahul-2005 who play inMoldovan "A" Division. The club has won theDivizia B four times, in2006–07,2012–13,2014–15 and2016–17. In the city plays also the clubFC Speranța Crihana Veche.
Cahul is connected by national roads withChișinău,Giurgiulești,Oancea (Romania) andReni (Ukraine). Cahul is also aborder checkpoint to Romania.
The railway station serves the city and is operated byMoldovan Railways. It provides direct rail connections to Chișinău.
The city is served by theCahul International Airport located 8 km south-east of the city centre. Currently, the airport has no scheduled flights.
Cahul istwinned with:
In Cahul is located one of the two Consulates General ofRomania in Moldova. On 2 November 2009 thePresident of RomaniaTraian Băsescu has signed the decrees on opening of Romanian general consulat in Cahul. "The opening of the Romanian consulates inBălți and Cahul will be beneficial for the Moldovan people, who have encountered economic and time-related problems as they have to travel to the consulate in Chișinău,"Moldova's Foreign MinisterIurie Leancă said, commenting on the Băsescu's decree.[10]
Romania asked the approval for the opening of the consulate as early as in 2006, in order to easy thus the process of granting visas to the Moldovan citizens more easily, after Romania's accession with theEuropean Union on 1 January 2007.[11] Initially, the communist authorities inChişinău gave their approval for the opening of the two consular offices, but they later came with the condition Romania to accept two consular offices of the Republic of Moldova on its territory too, inIaşi andConstanţa. Moreover, the former communist rule in Chişinău conditioned the signing of thesmall border traffic agreement on the signing of the Basic Political Treaty between the two countries and also of the agreement referring to the delimitation of the border.[12][13]
On 28 January 2010, Traian Băsescu visited the future headquarters of the Romanian consulate in Cahul.[14] Speaking about the opening of the two Romanian consulates in Bălți and Cahul, Băsescu said that the consulate in Cahul could be opened in 2–3 weeks.[15]
The consulate has 17 employees:[16] Consul General, two consuls, two main consular officers, six major referers, two drivers, two skilled workers and two guards. The Consul General is Ms. Anca Corfu.[17]
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1 InTransnistria.2 Controlled by the Transnistrian authorities.3 Also a municipality.4 The seat ofDubăsari District is the commune ofCocieri (not a city). | ||
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