The Prut (also spelled in English as Pruth; , uk, Прут) is a long river in

Eastern Europe Eastern Europe is a subregion of the Europe, European continent. As a largely ambiguous term, it has a wide range of geopolitical, geographical, ethnic, cultural, and socio-economic connotations. The vast majority of the region is covered by Russ ...

. It is a left tributary of the

Danube The Danube ( ; ) is a river that was once a long-standing frontier of the Roman Empire and today connects 10 European countries, running through their territories or being a border. Originating in Germany, the Danube flows southeast for , pa ...

. In part of its course it forms

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 Bulgaria to the south, Ukraine to the north, Hungary to the west, S ...

's border with

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 Ukraine to the north, east, and south. The List of states ...

and

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 and northeast. Ukraine covers approximately . Prior to the ongoing Russian inv ...

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 ...

(

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 Kolomyia, formerly known as Kolomea ( ua, Коломия, Kolomyja, ; pl, Kołomyja; german: Kolomea; ro, Colomeea; yi, ), is a city located on the Prut River in Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast (province), in western Ukraine. It serves as the admi ...

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

near Giurgiulești, 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. Between 1918 and 1939, the river was partly in

Poland Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It is divided into 16 administrative provinces called voivodeships, covering an area of . Poland has a population of over 38 million and is the fifth-most populous ...

and partly in

Greater Romania The term Greater Romania ( ro, România Mare) usually refers to the borders of the Kingdom of Romania in the interwar period, achieved after the Great Union. It also refers to a pan-nationalist idea. As a concept, its main goal is the creation ...

(Romanian: ''România Mare''). Prior to

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

, it served as a border between Romania and the

Russian Empire The Russian Empire was an empire and the final period of the Russian monarchy from 1721 to 1917, ruling across large parts of Eurasia. It succeeded the Tsardom of Russia following the Treaty of Nystad, which ended the Great Northern War. ...

. After

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

, the river once again denoted a border, this time between Romania and the

Soviet Union The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, it was nominally a federal union of fifteen national ...

. 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 ...

. 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 ...

(

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

). The lowermost part of the basin is strongly marshy. The average discharge 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 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,

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 Darabani () is a town in Botoșani County, Western Moldavia, Romania, and is the northernmost town in Romania. It administers three villages: Bajura, Eșanca and Lișmănița. The area is a setting for the 2019 Amazon Studios TV series '' Hann ...

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 ...

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 ...

, Leova, 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, Sovytsia, Rokytna, Rynhach, Cherlena, Larga (Briceni),

Vilia Vilia ( el, Βίλια; formerly Eidyllia, Ειδυλλία) is a village and a former municipality of West Attica, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Mandra-Eidyllia, of which it is a municipal unit. It ...

, Lopatnic, 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, Nârnova, Lăpușna, Sărata, Larga (Cantemir) 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, 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, Badu, Bașeu,

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,

Jijia The Jijia () ( uk, Жижія, Zhyzhiya) is a river in Ukraine and the Moldavia region of Romania, a right tributary of the Prut. It rises in Ukraine at an altitude of 410 metres, flows south in Botoșani County through the town of Dorohoi and me ...

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, 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 The Chineja is a right tributary of the river Prut in Romania.Evaluarea hidrologică a ba ...

Historical events

In 1538, the Ottoman army of

Suleiman the Magnificent Suleiman I ( ota, سليمان اول, Süleyman-ı Evvel; tr, I. Süleyman; 6 November 14946 September 1566), commonly known as Suleiman the Magnificent in the West and Suleiman the Lawgiver ( ota, قانونى سلطان سليمان, Ḳ� ...

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 Count Boris Petrovich Sheremetev (russian: Граф Бори́с Петро́вич Шереме́тев, tr. ; – ) was an Imperial Russian diplomat and general field marshal during the Great Northern War. He became the first Russian count in ...

's army on the east bank of the Pruth and allied with

Dimitrie Cantemir Dimitrie or Demetrius Cantemir (, russian: Дмитрий Кантемир; 26 October 1673 – 21 August 1723), also known by other spellings, was a Romanian prince, statesman, and man of letters, regarded as one of the most significant e ...

, 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, Eastern, and Southeastern Europe. It borders Bulgaria to the south, Ukraine to the north, ...

and the river, which was then completely surrounded by the Ottoman army. Negotiations started on 21 July 1711 and the Treaty of the Prut 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 The Battle of Cahul (russian: Сражение при Кагуле, ) occurred on 1 August 1770 (21 July 1770 in Julian Calendar) during the Russo-Turkish War of 1768–1774. It was the decisive and most important land battle of the war and one o ...

on the Prut. In 1821, the Greek Nationalist leader

Alexander Ypsilantis Alexandros Ypsilantis ( el, Αλέξανδρος Υψηλάντης, Aléxandros Ypsilántis, ; ro, Alexandru Ipsilanti; russian: Александр Константинович Ипсиланти, Aleksandr Konstantinovich Ipsilanti; 12 Dece ...

crossed the Prut river at

Sculeni Sculeni ( yi, סקולען, ''Skulen'') is a commune in Ungheni District, Moldova. It is composed of four villages: Blindești, Floreni, Gherman and Sculeni. It is also a border checkpoint to Romania. History The town had an important Jewish ...

, 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 Tudor Vladimirescu (; c. 1780 – ) was a Romanian revolutionary hero, the leader of the Wallachian uprising of 1821 and of the Pandur militia. He is also known as Tudor din Vladimiri (''Tudor from Vladimiri'') or, occasionally, as Domnul Tudor ...

- 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 The Kingdom of Greece ( grc, label=Greek, Βασίλειον τῆς Ἑλλάδος ) was established in 1832 and was the successor state to the First Hellenic Republic. It was internationally recognised by the Treaty of Constantinople, where ...

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

several decades later. In Greek history, Ypsilantis' crossing of the Prut is an important historical event, commemorated in a famous painting displayed at

Athens Athens ( ; el, Αθήνα, Athína ; grc, Ἀθῆναι, Athênai (pl.) ) is both the capital and largest city of Greece. With a population close to four million, it is also the seventh largest city in the European Union. Athens dominates ...

Popular culture

Sydir Vorobkevych: 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 ''The Ukrainian Weekly'' is the oldest English-language newspaper of the Ukrainian diaspora in the United States, and North America. Founded by the Ukrainian National Association, and published continuously since October 6, 1933, archived copies ...

'').

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 Giurgiulești,

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 ''The Illustrated London News'' appeared first on Saturday 14 May 1842, as the world's first illustrated weekly news magazine. Founded by Herbert Ingram, it appeared weekly until 1971, then less frequently thereafter, and ceased publication in ...

'' File:Bundesarchiv B 145 Bild-F016198-0033, Rumänien, Brückenbau über den Pruth.jpg, German engineers building a

pontoon bridge A pontoon bridge (or ponton bridge), also known as a floating bridge, uses float (nautical), floats or shallow-draft (hull), draft boats to support a continuous deck for pedestrian and vehicle travel. The buoyancy of the supports limits the maxi ...

across the Prut River during the advance towards

Uman Uman ( uk, Умань, ; pl, Humań; yi, אומאַן) is a city located in Cherkasy Oblast in central Ukraine, to the east of Vinnytsia. Located in the historical region of the eastern Podolia, the city rests on the banks of the Umanka River ...

, 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 The ''Encyclopedia of Ukraine'' ( uk, Енциклопедія українознавства, translit=Entsyklopediia ukrainoznavstva), published from 1984 to 2001, is a fundamental work of Ukrainian Studies. Development The work was creat ...

{{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