The Prut (also spelled in English as Pruth; , uk, Прут) is a long river in Eastern Europe. It is a left tributary of the Danube. In part of its course it forms Romania's border with Moldova and Ukraine.

Characteristics

The Prut originates on the eastern slope of Mount

Hoverla Mount Hoverla (Ukrainian and rue, Говерла, Hoverla), at , is the highest mountain in Ukraine and part of the Carpathian Mountains (Ukrainian Carpathians). The mountain is located in the Eastern Beskids, in the Chornohora region. The slope ...

, in the

Carpathian Mountains The Carpathian Mountains or Carpathians () are a range of mountains forming an arc across Central Europe. Roughly long, it is the third-longest European mountain range after the Urals at and the Scandinavian Mountains at . The range stretches ...

in Ukraine (

Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast ( uk, Іва́но-Франкі́вська о́бласть, translit=Ivano-Frankivska oblast), also referred to as Ivano-Frankivshchyna ( uk, Іва́но-Франкі́вщина), is an administrative divisions of Ukrain ...

). At first, the river flows to the north. Near

Yaremche Yaremche ( uk, Яре́мче, translit=Jaremče, pl, Jaremcze or Jaremcza) is a city in Nadvirna Raion, Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast (province) of west Ukraine. The city is located at the altitude of around above mean sea level. Yaremche hosts the ...

it turns to the northeast, and near Kolomyia to the south-east. Having reached the border between Moldova and Romania, it turns even more to the south-east, and then to the south. It eventually joins the Danube near

Giurgiulești Giurgiulești () is a commune in the Cahul District of Moldova. It is also a border crossing point to Romania, located from Galați. Geography The locality is in the southernmost point of Moldova, at the confluence of the river Prut with the ...

, east of

Galați Galați (, , ; also known by other alternative names) is the capital city of Galați County in the historical region of Western Moldavia, in eastern Romania. Galați is a port town on the Danube River. It has been the only port for the most par ...

and west of

Reni Reni may refer to: Places * Reni, Alwar, Alwar district, Rajasthan, India * Reni, Chamoli (also ''Raini''), Chamoli district, Uttarakhand, India, devastated by the 2021 Uttarakhand flood * Reni, Churu, Churu district, Rajasthan, India * Reni, U ...

. Between 1918 and 1939, the river was partly in Poland and partly in Greater Romania (Romanian: ''România Mare''). Prior to World War I, it served as a border between Romania and the Russian Empire. After World War II, the river once again denoted a border, this time between Romania and the Soviet Union. Nowadays, for a length of , it forms the border between Romania and Ukraine, and for , it forms the border between Romania and Moldova. It has a hydrographic basin of 27,540 km², of which are in Romania and in Moldova. The largest city along its banks is

Chernivtsi Chernivtsi ( uk, Чернівці́}, ; ro, Cernăuți, ; see also other names) is a city in the historical region of Bukovina, which is now divided along the borders of Romania and Ukraine, including this city, which is situated on the upp ...

, Ukraine. The

Stânca-Costești Dam The Stânca–Costești Dam ( ro, Barajul Stânca–Costești) is a dam on the Prut River and a checkpoint between Moldova and Romania. The dam is located between Costești (Moldova) and Stânca (Romania). History The basic Romanian-Soviet a ...

, operated jointly by Moldova and Romania, is built on the Prut. There is also a Hydro-Electric Station in

Sniatyn Sniatyn ( uk, Сня́тин, translit=Sniatyn; pl, Śniatyn; ro, Sneatîn, older ; yi, שניאַטין) is a town located in Kolomyia Raion of Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast, in western Ukraine along the Prut river. It is located at around . Sniaty ...

( Ukraine). Ships travel from the river's mouth to the port city of

Leova Leova (russian: Леóва) is a city in Moldova, located 92 km southwest of the national capital, Chișinău. It is the administrative center of Leova District. The city is situated on the east bank of the river Prut bordering Romania. His ...

(southern Moldova). The lowermost part of the basin is strongly marshy. The average

discharge Discharge may refer to Expel or let go * Discharge, the act of firing a gun * Discharge, or termination of employment, the end of an employee's duration with an employer * Military discharge, the release of a member of the armed forces from serv ...

at its

mouth In animal anatomy, the mouth, also known as the oral cavity, or in Latin cavum oris, is the opening through which many animals take in food and issue vocal sounds. It is also the cavity lying at the upper end of the alimentary canal, bounded on ...

is . The average discharge at the city of Leova is . The slope of the river varies from 100 m/km (near the source) to 0.05 m/km (near the mouth). In the upper reaches (to Delyatyn) it has a mountainous character, with a steep right bank, sometimes the cross-sectional profile of the channel has the form of a ridge. Near the city of Yaremche is the waterfall of Probiy.

About the name

The Prut was known in

Antiquity Antiquity or Antiquities may refer to: Historical objects or periods Artifacts *Antiquities, objects or artifacts surviving from ancient cultures Eras Any period before the European Middle Ages (5th to 15th centuries) but still within the histo ...

as the ''Pyretus'' ( grc, Πυρετός, Pyretós), or Scythian ''Porata'' (possibly), ''Hierasus'' ( grc, Ἱέρασος, Hiérasos, label=none) or ''Gerasius''. Herodotus lists the Prut, under the name of Porata or Pyretus, as being among the five rivers flowing through the Scythian country which swell the Danube. In the second volume of the Ottoman-Bulgarian chronicles of Iman "Jagfar Tarihi" (1680) the Prut River is referred to as Burat. And in the Byzantine treatise of

Constantine Porphyrogennetos Constantine VII Porphyrogenitus (; 17 May 905 – 9 November 959) was the fourth Emperor of the Macedonian dynasty of the Byzantine Empire, reigning from 6 June 913 to 9 November 959. He was the son of Emperor Leo VI and his fourth wife, Zoe Kar ...

" On the management of the empire" it is mentioned as the Brut river (Chap. 38) or as Burat (Chapter 42).

Towns

The following towns are situated along the river Prut, from source to mouth:

Vorokhta Vorokhta (, ) is an urban-type settlement located in the Carpathian Mountains on Prut RiverVorokhta
in

Deliatyn Deliatyn ( uk, Деля́тин, ), previously called Diliatyn ( uk, Діля́тин) until October 2, 1989, is an urban-type settlement in Nadvirna Raion (district) of Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast (region) of Ukraine. It is located west of Cherni ...

Lanchyn Lanchyn ( uk, Ланчин, pl, Łanczyn, he, לאנצ'ין, ro, Lanciîn) is an urban-type settlement in Nadvirna Raion in Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast. It hosts the administration of Lanchyn settlement hromada, one of the hromadas of Ukraine. Its ...

, Kolomyia,

Zabolotiv Zabolotiv ( ua, Заболотів, pl, Zabłotów, yi, זאַבלאטאוו ''Zablotov'') is an urban-type settlement in Kolomyia Raion of Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast in Western Ukraine. It hosts the administration of Zabolotiv urban hromada, one o ...

Nepolokivtsi Nepolokivtsi ( uk, Неполоківці, ro, Nepolocăuți) is an urban-type settlement in Chernivtsi Raion, Chernivtsi Oblast, Chernivtsi Raion (raion, district) of Chernivtsi Oblast (oblast, province) in western Ukraine. It hosts the administ ...

Luzhany Luzhany ( uk, Лужани, ro, Lujeni, yi, לוזשאן) is an urban-type settlement in Chernivtsi Raion (district) of Chernivtsi Oblast (province) in western Ukraine. It belongs to Mamaivtsi rural hromada, one of the hromadas of Ukraine. T ...

Novoselytsia Novoselytsia ( ; ro, Noua Suliță ; yi, נאוואסעליץ, Novoselitz) is a city in Chernivtsi Raion, Chernivtsi Oblast (province) of Ukraine. It stands at the northern tip of Bessarabia region, on its border with Bukovina. It hosts the adm ...

, Darabani,

Lipcani Lipcani (; uk, Липкани, russian: Липканы, yi, ליפקאַן ''Lipkon'') is a town in Briceni District, Moldova. It is also a border crossing between Moldova and Romania. Overview Lipcani is located on the banks of the Prut ri ...

Ungheni Ungheni () is a municipality in Moldova. With a population of 35,157, it is the seventh largest town in Moldova and the seat of Ungheni District. There is a bridge across the Prut and a border checkpoint to Romania. There is another border t ...

, Cantemir and

Cahul Cahul (; also known by other alternative names) is a city and municipality 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 populatio ...

Tributaries

The following rivers are tributaries to the river Prut (source to mouth): Left: Turka,

Chorniava The Chorniava is a long left tributary of the river Prut in western Ukraine Ukraine ( uk, Україна, Ukraïna, ) is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the second-largest European country after Russia, which it borders to the east a ...

, Sovytsia, Rokytna, Rynhach, Cherlena,

Larga (Briceni) Larga may refer to several places in Romania: * Larga ( hu, Lárga), a village in Dofteana Commune, Bacău County * Larga, a village in Samarinești Commune, Gorj County * Larga, a village in Suciu de Sus Commune, Maramureș County * Larga (''Lárg ...

, Vilia,

Lopatnic Lopatnic is a village in Edineț District, Moldova Moldova ( , ; ), officially the Republic of Moldova ( ro, Republica Moldova), is a Landlocked country, landlocked country in Eastern Europe. It is bordered by Romania to the west and Ukrain ...

, Racovăț,

Ciuhur The Ciuhur is a left tributary of the river Prut in northwestern Moldova.Evaluarea hidrolo ...

Camenca Camenca ( ro, Camenca , Moldovan Cyrillic: Каменка; russian: Каменка, Kamenka; uk, Кам'янка, Kamyanka) is a town in Transnistria, a breakaway republic internationally recognized as part of Moldova. It is composed of the town ...

Delia Delia is a feminine given name, either taken from an epithet of the Greek moon goddess Artemis, or else representing a short form of '' Adelia'', '' Bedelia'', ''Cordelia'' or '' Odelia''. Meanings and origins According to records for the 1901 ...

, Nârnova, Lăpușna, Sărata,

Larga (Cantemir) Larga may refer to several places in Romania: * Larga ( hu, Lárga), a village in Dofteana Commune, Bacău County * Larga, a village in Samarinești Commune, Gorj County * Larga, a village in Suciu de Sus Commune, Maramureș County * Larga (''Lárg ...

Right: Pistynka, Rybnytsia,

Cheremosh The Cheremosh River (, , ) is a river in western Ukraine, right-bank tributary of the river Prut. Description It is formed by confluence of two upper streams of the river ''Bilyi Cheremosh'' (White Cheremosh) and ''Chornyi Cheremosh'' (Black Che ...

, Derelui,

Hertsa Hertsa or Hertza ( ; ro, Herța ) is a city located in Chernivtsi Raion, Chernivtsi Oblast in western Ukraine. It hosts the administration of Hertsa urban hromada, one of the hromadas of Ukraine, and has a population of The town is locate ...

, Poiana, Cornești,

Isnovăț The Isnovăț is a right tributary of the river Prut in Romania. It flows into the Prut in Rădăuți-Prut Rădăuți-Prut is a commune in Botoșani County, Western Moldavia, Romania, composed of three villages: Miorcani, Rădăuți-Prut and Red ...

, Rădăuți,

Ghireni The Ghireni is a right tributary of the river Prut in Romania. It discharges into the Prut in Mitoc, Botoșani, Mitoc, on the border with Moldova.

Volovăț Volovăț (german: Wollowetz) is a commune located in Suceava County, Bukovina, northeastern Romania. It is composed of a single village, namely Volovăț, and also included Burla village until 2004, when it was split off to form a separate co ...

, Badu,

Bașeu The Bașeu is a right tributary of the river Prut in Romania. It discharges into the Prut near Ștefănești, on the border with Moldova.Corogea The Corogea is a right tributary of the river Prut in Romania. It discharges into the Prut near Ilișeni, on the border with Moldova. Its length is and its basin size is . References

Rivers of Romania Rivers of Botoșani County Tributari ...

, Berza Veche, Râioasa, Soloneț,

Cerchezoaia The Cerchezoaia is a right tributary of the river Prut in Romania Romania ( ; ro, România ) is a country located at the crossroads of Central Europe, Central, Eastern Europe, Eastern, and Southeast Europe, Southeastern Europe. It borders ...

, Jijia,

Bohotin The Bohotin is a right tributary of the river Prut in Romania. It flows into the Prut in Gura Bohotin, near Gorban Gorban is a commune in Iași County, Western Moldavia, Romania Romania ( ; ro, România ) is a country located at the ...

, Moșna,

Pruteț The Pruteț is a right tributary of the river Prut in Romania Romania ( ; ro, România ) is a country located at the crossroads of Central Europe, Central, Eastern Europe, Eastern, and Southeast Europe, Southeastern Europe. It borders Bul ...

, Gârla Boul Bătrân, Copăceana, Belciug, Elan,

Horincea The Horincea is a right tributary of the river Prut in Romania. It flows into the Prut in Suceveni, Rogojeni. Its length is and its basin size is . References

Rivers of Romania Rivers of Galați County Rivers of Vaslui County Tributaries ...

, Oancea, Stoeneșa, Brănești, Chineja

Historical events

In 1538, the Ottoman army of Suleiman the Magnificent crossed Prut during the campaign of Karaboğdan. During the

Russo-Turkish War of 1710–1711 The Russo-Ottoman War of 1710—1711, also known as the Pruth River Campaign, was a brief military conflict between the Tsardom of Russia and the Ottoman Empire. The main battle took place during 18-22 July 1711 in the basin of the Pruth riv ...

, on 19 July 1711 Russian forces initially divided among

Peter the Great Peter I ( – ), most commonly known as Peter the Great,) or Pyotr Alekséyevich ( rus, Пётр Алексе́евич, p=ˈpʲɵtr ɐlʲɪˈksʲejɪvʲɪtɕ, , group=pron was a Russian monarch who ruled the Tsardom of Russia from t ...

's army on the west bank and Boris Sheremetev's army on the east bank of the Pruth and allied with Dimitrie Cantemir, the ruler of Moldova, met with the Ottoman army led by

Grand Vizier Grand vizier ( fa, وزيرِ اعظم, vazîr-i aʾzam; ota, صدر اعظم, sadr-ı aʾzam; tr, sadrazam) was the title of the effective head of government of many sovereign states in the Islamic world. The office of Grand Vizier was first ...

Baltaci Mehmed Pasha. The Turks and Crimean Tatars attacked first against Sheremetev, who then retreated to the other side to join Peter the Great. Afterwards the Russian army set up a defensive camp between

Stănilești Stănilești is a commune in Vaslui County, Western Moldavia, Romania Romania ( ; ro, România ) is a country located at the crossroads of Central Europe, Central, Eastern Europe, Eastern, and Southeast Europe, Southeastern Europe. It bor ...

and the river, which was then completely surrounded by the Ottoman army. Negotiations started on 21 July 1711 and the

Treaty of the Prut The Treaty of the Pruth was signed on the banks of the river Prut between the Ottoman Empire and the Tsardom of Russia on 23 July 1711 ending the Russo-Turkish War of 1710–1711. The treaty was a political victory for the Ottoman Empire. The ...

was signed on 23 July 1711. After this treaty, Dimitrie Cantemir had to go in exile at Moscow. This treaty means the end of local dynasties of kings and inauguration of Greek rulers from the Fanar Quarter of Istanbul (

Phanariote Phanariots, Phanariotes, or Fanariots ( el, Φαναριώτες, ro, Fanarioți, tr, Fenerliler) were members of prominent Greek families in Phanar (Φανάρι, modern ''Fener''), the chief Greek quarter of Constantinople where the Ecumeni ...

s). During the Russo-Turkish War of 1768-74, on 1 August 1700, Russian forces led by Field Marshal Pytor Rumyantsev defeated a larger Ottoman army led by Grand Vizier Ivazzade Halil Pasha in the Battle of Kagul on the Prut. In 1821, the Greek Nationalist leader Alexander Ypsilantis crossed the Prut river at Sculeni, with the intention of touching off a rebellion in the

Danubian Principalities The Danubian Principalities ( ro, Principatele Dunărene, sr, Дунавске кнежевине, translit=Dunavske kneževine) was a conventional name given to the Principalities of Moldavia and Wallachia, which emerged in the early 14th ce ...

. Though the

Wallachian uprising The uprising of 1821 was a social and political rebellion in Wallachia, which was at the time a tributary state of the Ottoman Empire. It originated as a movement against the Phanariote administration, with backing from the more conservative bo ...

ultimately failed - due especially to irreconcilable differences between Ypsilantis and his Wallachian ally Tudor Vladimirescu - it did touch off the

Greek War of Independence The Greek War of Independence, also known as the Greek Revolution or the Greek Revolution of 1821, was a successful war of independence by Greek revolutionaries against the Ottoman Empire between 1821 and 1829. The Greeks were later assisted by ...

, leading to the Kingdom of Greece gaining independence ten years later. In the Principalities it led to the end of the aforementioned Greek Phanariote rule, and indirectly to increasing self-government and eventually to the independence of Romania several decades later. In Greek history, Ypsilantis' crossing of the Prut is an important historical event, commemorated in a famous painting displayed at Athens.

Popular culture

Sydir Vorobkevych Sydir Vorobkevych (, ) (1836–1903) was a Ukrainian composer, writer, Eastern Orthodox priest, teacher, artist, and newspaper editor of Bukovina. He used following pen-names: Danylo Mlaka, Demko Makoviychuk, Morozenko, Semen Khrin, Isydor Vo ...

: Within that Prut Valley (Над Прутом у лузі).The Ukrainian Weekly 1933-02.pdf
Within that Prut Valley a cabin rests close
In which lives a lassie—a beautiful rose:
Her eyes like the bright stars that lighten the sky;
When you see them, laddie, you'll pause with a sigh. Within that Prut Valley the moon does not shine,
'Tis only a lover has come to his shrine.
A sweet conversation in murmur now goes
While dreamy old river just quietly flows. Within that Prut Valley the flowers are plucked
And wreathes for the wedding with myrtle are tucked;
Inside of the cabin play fiddles and bass
While friends sing together: To their Happiness!
Translated by Waldimir Semenyna (13 October 1933, '' Ukrainian Weekly'').

Bridges

Lipcani-Rădăuți Bridge The Lipcani-Rădăuți Bridge ( ro, Podul Lipcani-Rădăuţi) is a road bridge over Prut and a checkpoint between Moldova and Romania. History The Rădăuți-Lipcani bridge was built up in 1937 and blasted up in 1941 by retreating Red Army, duri ...

Eiffel Bridge, Ungheni The Eiffel Bridge ( ro, Podul Eiffel) is a bridge over the River Prut and a checkpoint between Moldova and Romania. The bridge is located between Ungheni, Moldova and Ungheni, Romania. History On a Russian diplomatic agent, Ivan Aleksee ...

* Costești-Stânca * Fălciu-Cantemir * Oancea-Cahul * Galați-Giurgiulești

Gallery

File:Skelia sphinx.JPG, Skelia sphinx File:Pruth Giurgiulesti.JPG, Prut near

Cahul District Cahul () is a district ( ro, raion) in the south of Moldova, with the administrative center at Cahul. As of January 2014 estimates, Cahul District had a population of 124,700. History The district has been inhabited since the Stone Age (50-45,00 ...

File:01898 Brücke über den Pruth (Prut) bei Jaremcze (Jaremze) von Karl Jeczmieniowski.jpg, Bridge over the Prut at

. Drawing by Karl Jeczmieniowski, 1893 File:Banks of the Pruth, the boundary between the Russian territory and Moldavia.jpg, Banks of the Prut in an 1876 edition of '' The Illustrated London News'' File:Bundesarchiv B 145 Bild-F016198-0033, Rumänien, Brückenbau über den Pruth.jpg, German engineers building a pontoon bridge across the Prut River during the advance towards Uman, 1941 File:Prut at its beginning.jpg, Prut at its beginning File:Prut River im. 1499.jpg, Prut River between Dămideni (Romania) and

Balatina Balatina is a commune in Glodeni District, Moldova Moldova ( , ; ), officially the Republic of Moldova ( ro, Republica Moldova), is a Landlocked country, landlocked country in Eastern Europe. It is bordered by Romania to the west and Ukrai ...

(Moldova)

References

External links

*
Prut River
at the Encyclopedia of Ukraine {{DEFAULTSORT:Prut River International rivers of Europe Moldova–Romania border Ramsar sites in Ukraine Rivers of Botoșani County Rivers of Chernivtsi Oblast Rivers of Galați County Rivers of Iași County Rivers of Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast Rivers of Moldova Rivers of Romania Rivers of Vaslui County Romania–Russian Empire border