Caracal | |
|---|---|
 The National Theater from Caracal  Iancu Jianu Memorial House  Radu Șerban Cultural Center  WWI Heroes Monument  Military center | |
 Coat of arms | |
 Location in Olt County | |
  Caracal Location in Romania | |
| Coordinates:44°06′45″N24°20′50″E / 44.11250°N 24.34722°E /44.11250; 24.34722 | |
| Country | Romania |
| County | Olt |
| Government | |
| • Mayor(2024–2028) | Ion Doldurea[2] (PSD) |
Area | 69.64 km2 (26.89 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 95 m (312 ft) |
| Population (2021-12-01)[1] | 27,403 |
| • Density | 393.5/km2 (1,019/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+02:00 (EET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+03:00 (EEST) |
| Postal code | 235200 |
| Area code | (+40) 02 49 |
| Vehicle reg. | OT |
| Website | www |
Caracal (Romanian pronunciation:[kaˈrakal]ⓘ) is acity inOlt County,Romania, situated in the historic region ofOltenia, on the plains between the lower reaches of theJiu andOlt rivers. The region's plains are well known for their agricultural specialty in cultivating grains and over the centuries, Caracal has been the trading center for the region's agricultural output. Caracal has a population of 27,403 and is the second largest city in the region.
While 19th century historians thought that the name of Caracal is linked toRoman emperorCaracalla, the current accepted etymology is that city's name is derived from theCuman languagekara kale meaning "Black fortress"[3] (kara, meaning "black", andkal, either from theTurkishkale, or theArabicqal'at, both meaning fortress).
The end of the 19th century and the first half of the 20th century saw Caracal experience significant growth and the region become one of the most important agricultural regions in Romania. Caracal was this region's capital and seat ofRomanați County.World War II and thecommunist regime brought changes to this region and to the city of Caracal. DuringWorld War II aNaziconcentration camp was located near the city.[4] The communist government, which disestablished Romanați County, institutedindustrialization plans and Caracal experienced continued economic growth through the establishment of industrial plants in the textile industry sector.
The town underwent major changes after theNicolae Ceaușescu regime was overthrown by theDecember 1989 Revolution, with many factories collapsing under the pressure of privatisation.
| Year | Pop. | ±% |
|---|---|---|
| 1859 | 5,638 | — |
| 1899 | 12,947 | +129.6% |
| 1912 | 15,048 | +16.2% |
| 1930 | 14,950 | −0.7% |
| 1948 | 17,892 | +19.7% |
| 1956 | 19,082 | +6.7% |
| 1966 | 22,714 | +19.0% |
| 1977 | 30,408 | +33.9% |
| 1992 | 39,130 | +28.7% |
| 2002 | 34,603 | −11.6% |
| 2011 | 30,954 | −10.5% |
| 2021 | 27,403 | −11.5% |
| Source: Census data | ||
Næstved, Denmark
