Cahul

Cahul (Romanian pronunciation: [kaˈhul]; also known by other alternative names) is a city and municipality[2] in southern Moldova. The city is the administrative center of Cahul District; it also administers one village, Cotihana. As of 2014 census, the city has had a population of 30,018.

For other uses, see Cahul (disambiguation).

Cahul
City
Independence Square
Coat of arms
Cahul
Location of Cahul within Moldova
Coordinates: 45°55′0″N 28°11′01″E
Country Moldova
DistrictCahul District
Founded1502 (first official record)
Government
 • MayorNicolae Dandiș (Independent)
Area
 • Total33.91 km2 (13.09 sq mi)
Elevation
119 m (390 ft)
Population
 • Total30,018
 • Density1,212,4/km2 (31,400/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+2 (EET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+3 (EEST)
Websitewww.primariacahul.md

Etymology and names

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 name Scheia (Old Romanian for "Bulgarian") was recorded in 1502, and the name Frumoasa ("Beautiful" in Romanian) was recorded in 1716. The modern name was given to the settlement after the Battle of Kagul, which was fought nearby.

History
Cathedral of the Holy Archangel Mihail (1837)

The city's location had made it a frequent battleground for a number of armies, with possession of frequently switching between countries such as Principality of Moldavia, Russian Empire, Ottoman Empire.

The city was a part of the Moldavia before 1812, then Russia from 1812 to 1856, then again Moldavia/Romanian Principalities (1856–1878), then Russia again (1878–1918), then Romania again (1918–1940), then the Soviet Union (1940–1941), then again Romania, 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 thermal spas and for its folk music.

Climate

Cahul has a humid continental-type climate (Köppen climate classification "Dfb" – summer wetter than winter, European 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
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Average high °C (°F) 0.2
(32.4)		 1.8
(35.2)		 7.9
(46.2)		 15.9
(60.6)		 21.6
(70.9)		 25.0
(77.0)		 26.8
(80.2)		 26.5
(79.7)		 22.6
(72.7)		 15.9
(60.6)		 8.5
(47.3)		 2.6
(36.7)		 14.6
(58.3)
Average low °C (°F) −5.7
(21.7)		 −3.7
(25.3)		 −0.2
(31.6)		 5.6
(42.1)		 11.1
(52.0)		 14.5
(58.1)		 16.0
(60.8)		 15.7
(60.3)		 11.9
(53.4)		 6.6
(43.9)		 1.9
(35.4)		 −2.7
(27.1)		 5.9
(42.6)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 36
(1.4)		 39
(1.5)		 33
(1.3)		 41
(1.6)		 56
(2.2)		 76
(3.0)		 66
(2.6)		 56
(2.2)		 48
(1.9)		 28
(1.1)		 38
(1.5)		 40
(1.6)		 557
(21.9)
Average precipitation days 12 13 10 10 11 11 10 8 7 7 11 12 122
Source: World Weather Information Service[3]

Demographics

As of 1920, the population was estimated to be 12,000. Groups settled in the area included Romanians, Jewish, Germans, Bulgarians, and Greeks.[4]

Historical population
YearPop.±%
1930 10,437—    
1959 16,068+54.0%
1970 26,572+65.4%
1979 32,695+23.0%
1989 42,904+31.2%
2004 35,488−17.3%
2014 30,018−15.4%

In 2004 there were 35,488 people living within the city of Cahul (making it the sixth largest city in Moldova) and 1,317 people within Cotihana.[5] Of the 30,018 living in the city according to the 2014 Moldovan Census, 56.1% are Moldovans, 10.7% Russians, 6.8% Ukrainians, 4.9% Bulgarians, 4.4% Romanians and 2.1% ethnic Gagauz.

Culture
Cahul History Museum

Cahul is home to the Cahul 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 important folk music festival, "Nufărul Alb" ("White waterlilies").

Media

Tourism

Cahul is also a destination as spa and health resort. The city and surrounding areas are richest with mineral springs enriched with bromine and iodine. 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.

Education

Cahul is home to the State University of Cahul, opened in 1999 and named after Romanian writer and philologist Bogdan 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.

Transport

Road

Cahul is connected by national roads with Chișinău, Giurgiulești, Oancea (Romania) and Reni (Ukraine). Cahul is also a border checkpoint to Romania.

Rail

The railway station serves the city and is operated by Moldovan Railways. It provides direct rail connections to Chișinău.

Air

The city is served by the Cahul International Airport located 8 km south-east of the city centre. Currently, the airport has no scheduled flights.

Twin towns – sister cities
See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in Moldova

Cahul is twinned with:

Consulates in Cahul

In Cahul is located one of the two Consulates General of Romania in Moldova. On 2 November 2009 the President of Romania Traian Băsescu has signed the decrees on opening of Romanian general consulat in Cahul. "The opening of the Romanian consulates in Bălți 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 Minister Iurie Leancă said, commenting on the Băsescu's decree.[6]

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 the European Union on 1 January 2007.[7] Initially, the communist authorities in Chişinău 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, in Iaşi and Constanţa. Moreover, the former communist rule in Chişinău conditioned the signing of the small 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.[8][9]

On 28 January 2010, Traian Băsescu visited the future headquarters of the Romanian consulate in Cahul.[10] 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.[11]

The consulate has 17 employees:[12] 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.[13]

References
  1. Results of Population and Housing Census in the Republic of Moldova in 2014: "Characteristics - Population (population by communes, religion, citizenship)" (XLS). National Bureau of Statistics of the Republic of Moldova. 2017. Retrieved 1 May 2017.
  2. LEGE Nr. 248 din 03.11.2016 pentru modificarea și completarea Legii nr. 764-XV din 27 decembrie 2001 privind organizarea administrativ-teritorială a Republicii Moldova (in Romanian)
  3. "Weather Information for Cahul". World Weather Information Service. Retrieved 6 January 2008.
  4. Kaba, John (1919). Politico-economic Review of Basarabia. United States: American Relief Administration. p. 16.
  5. 2004 Census – Demographic, national, language and cultural characteristics at National Bureau of Statistics of the Republic of Moldova
  6. Iurie Leanca: We want Romanian consulates in Bălți and Cahul to be opened as soon as possible
  7. Moldova scraps Romania consulates
  8. "Romania opens two new consular offices in Moldova". Archived from the original on 24 February 2012. Retrieved 8 October 2017.
  9. "Moldova will have a consulate in Iasi, while Romania in Cahul". Archived from the original on 27 February 2012. Retrieved 8 October 2017.
  10. President said Bucharest has full respect for Moldova’s independent and territorial integrity and vowed to support the country’s European Union accession efforts
  11. "Romanian visas could be issued without bank account of 500 euros". Archived from the original on 24 February 2012. Retrieved 8 October 2017.
  12. "Consulatele României la Bălţi şi Cahul vor avea 39 de posturi". Archived from the original on 24 February 2012. Retrieved 8 October 2017.
  13. Consul General al României la Cahul
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