Cahul

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Cahul
Municipality
Bogdan Petriceicu Hasdeu State University of Cahul
Saint Michael Cathedral
John III the Terrible Monument
From top, left to right: Bogdan Petriceicu Hasdeu State University of Cahul, Saint Michael Cathedral, John III the Terrible Monument
Coat of arms of Cahul
Coat of arms
Cahul is located in Moldova
Cahul
Cahul
Location of Cahul within Moldova
Coordinates: 45°55′0″N 28°11′01″E / 45.91667°N 28.18361°E / 45.91667; 28.18361
Country Moldova
DistrictCahul District
Founded1502 (first official record)
Government
 • MayorNicolae Dandiș (Independent)
Area
 • Total
33.91 km2 (13.09 sq mi)
Elevation
119 m (390 ft)
Population
 (2014)[1]
 • Total
30,018
 • Density12,124/km2 (31,400/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+2 (EET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+3 (EEST)
WebsiteOfficial website

Cahul (Romanian pronunciation: [kaˈhul]; also known by 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 a population of 30,018.

Etymology and names

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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

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Cathedral of the Holy Archangel Michael (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 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 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 thermal spas and for its folk music.

Climate

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Cahul has a humid 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)
Average precipitation 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
Average relative humidity (%) 84 82 75 67 65 66 64 64 67 74 83 86 73
Mean monthly sunshine 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]

Demographics

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According to the 2024 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]

Ethnic composition of Cahul (2024)
  1. Moldovans[a] (72.2%)
  2. Romanians (5.00%)
  3. Russians (7.80%)
  4. Ukrainians (6.50%)
  5. Bulgarians (5.10%)
  6. Gagauz (2.40%)
  7. Others (1.00%)
Linguistic composition of Cahul (2024)
  1. Moldovan[b] (42.0%)
  2. Romanian (26.4%)
  3. Russian (26.2%)
  4. Ukrainian (2.10%)
  5. Bulgarian (1.90%)
  6. Gagauz (1.00%)
  7. Other (0.30%)
Historical population
YearPop.±%
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%
  1. ^ There is an ongoing controversy regarding the ethnic identification of Moldovans and Romanians.
  2. ^ In March 2023, the Parliament of Moldova passed a law updating all legislative texts and the constitution to refer to the national language as Romanian, effectively rendering the term "Moldovan" obsolete.[7][8]

As of 1920, the population was estimated to be 12,000. Groups settled in the area included Romanians, Jews, Germans, Bulgarians, and Greeks.[9]

Culture

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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

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Tourism

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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

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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.

Sport

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The city has the team of FC Cahul-2005 who play in Moldovan "A" Division. The club has won the Divizia B four times, in 2006–07, 2012–13, 2014–15 and 2016–17. In the city plays also the club FC Speranța Crihana Veche.

Transport

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Road

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

Rail

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

Air

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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

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

Cahul is twinned with:

Consulates in Cahul

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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.[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 the European Union on 1 January 2007.[11] 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.[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]

Notable people

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  • Vika Jigulina (1986-), Moldovan-Romanian record producer, singer, and disc jockey.

References

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  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 Archived 19 February 2019 at the Wayback Machine (in Romanian)
  3. ^ "Cahul Climate Normals 1991–2020". World Meteorological Organization Climatological Standard Normals (1991–2020). National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Archived from the original on 21 August 2023. Retrieved 21 August 2023.
  4. ^ "GHID CLIMATIC al Republicii Moldova" (PDF) (in Romanian). Serviciul Hidrometeorologic de Stat. Archived from the original (PDF) on 18 April 2025. Retrieved 27 March 2025.
  5. ^ "Rezultatele finale ale Recensământului Populației și Locuințelor 2024: Caracteristici etnoculturale ale populației". National Bureau of Statistics of the Republic of Moldova. (in Romanian)
  6. ^ "2014 Moldova Census of Population and Housing". National Bureau of Statistics of the Republic of Moldova. (in Romanian, Russian, and English)
  7. ^ "Chisinau Recognizes Romanian As Official Language". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. 5 December 2013. Archived from the original on 23 September 2016. Retrieved 11 March 2014.
  8. ^ "Moldovan parliament approves law on Romanian language". Reuters. 16 March 2023. Retrieved 11 July 2024.
  9. ^ Kaba, John (1919). Politico-economic Review of Basarabia. United States: American Relief Administration. p. 16.
  10. ^ "Iurie Leanca: We want Romanian consulates in Bălți and Cahul to be opened as soon as possible". Archived from the original on 8 October 2017. Retrieved 8 October 2017.
  11. ^ Moldova scraps Romania consulates
  12. ^ "Romania opens two new consular offices in Moldova". Archived from the original on 24 February 2012. Retrieved 8 October 2017.
  13. ^ "Moldova will have a consulate in Iasi, while Romania in Cahul". Archived from the original on 27 February 2012. Retrieved 8 October 2017.
  14. ^ "President said Bucharest has full respect for Moldova's independent and territorial integrity and vowed to support the country's European Union accession efforts". Archived from the original on 7 May 2021. Retrieved 8 October 2017.
  15. ^ "Romanian visas could be issued without bank account of 500 euros". Archived from the original on 24 February 2012. Retrieved 8 October 2017.
  16. ^ "Consulatele României la Bălţi şi Cahul vor avea 39 de posturi". Archived from the original on 24 February 2012. Retrieved 8 October 2017.
  17. ^ Consul General al României la Cahul
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