Bessarabia

Bessarabia or Bessarabiya (Basarabia in Romanian, Besarabya in Turkish) was the name by which the Imperial Russia designated the eastern part of the principality of Moldavia annexed by Russia in 1812. The remaining Moldavia united with Wallachia in 1859 in what will become the Kingdom of Romania. Bessarabia declared independence from Russia and united with the Kingdom of Romania in 1918 at the end of World War I. USSR annexed Bessarabia in the beginning of WW II (see Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact) and again at the end of WW II and reorganised it as Moldavian SSR, reducing its territory by assigning its southern and northern parts to Ukrainian SSR. In 1991 the Moldavian SSR declared independence from USSR as Republic of Moldova.

Geography

Bessarabia was in the Russian Empire administrative system a region of Central Europe comprising most of current-day Moldova and additional districts that are now in Ukraine. It was bounded by the Dniester river to the north and east, the Prut to the west and the lower Danube river and the Black Sea to the south. It had approximately 17,600 sq mi (45,600 km²). The area has mostly hilly plains with flat steppes, it is very fertile for agriculture, and it also has some lignite deposits and stone quarries. People living in the area grow sugar beets, sunflowers, wheat, maize, tobacco, wine grapes and fruits. They also raise sheep and cattle. Currently, the main industry in the region is agricultural processing.

Related Topics:
Central Europe - Moldova - Ukraine - Dniester - Prut - Danube - Black Sea - Steppes - Sugar beet - Sunflower - Wheat - Maize - Tobacco - Wine grapes - Fruit - Sheep - Cattle

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The region's main cities are Chi?in?u (Kisinev in Russian), the capital of Moldova, Ismail (Izmayil or Izmail in Russian), Tiraspol, Cetatea Alba (Bilhorod-Dnistrovs'kyi in Ukrainian, Belgorod-Dnestrovsky in Russian). Other towns of administrative or historical importance include: Hotin, Lipcani (Lipkany in Russian), Briceni, Soroca (Soroki in Russian), Balti, Orhei, Ungheni, Tighina (Bender in Turkish, Bendery in Russian),Cahul, Reni and Chilia.

Related Topics:
Chi?in?u - Ismail - Izmayil - Izmail - Tiraspol - Cetatea Alba - Bilhorod-Dnistrovs'kyi - Belgorod-Dnestrovsky - Hotin - Lipcani - Lipkany - Briceni - Soroca - Soroki - Balti - Orhei - Ungheni - Tighina - Cahul - Reni - Chilia

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