For the village in Glodeni District, see Iabloana.
Soroca
Municipality
CountySoroca
MayorLilia Pilipețchi (PSRM)
Area total11.88 km²
Elevation45 m
Population as of2024
Population total21,135
Time zoneEET (UTC+2)
Time zone (DST)EEST (UTC+3)
Coordinates48°10′N 28°18′E
Postal codeMD-3001
Area code+373 230
WebsiteOfficial website

Soroca is a city and municipality[1] in northern Moldova, situated on the Dniester River about 160 km (99 mi) north of Chișinău. It is the administrative center of the Soroca District.

History

It is known for its well-preserved stronghold, established by the Moldavian prince Stephen the Great (Ștefan cel Mare in Romanian) in 1499.[2] The origins of the name Soroca are not fully known. Soroca (сорока) is the East Slavic word for magpie. Its location is only a few kilometers from the Moldova–Ukraine border.

The original wooden fort, which defended a ford over the Dniester, was an important link in the chain of fortifications which comprised four forts (e.g., Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi, then known as Akkerman, and Khotyn) on the Dniester, two forts on the Danube, and three forts on the north borders of medieval Moldavia. Between 1543 and 1546, under the rule of Peter IV Rareș, the fort was rebuilt in stone as a perfect circle with five bastions situated at equal distances.

During the Great Turkish War, John III Sobieski's forces successfully defended the fort against the Ottomans. It was of vital military importance during the Pruth River Campaign of Peter the Great in 1711. The stronghold was sacked by the Russians in the Austro-Russian–Turkish War (1735–39). The Soroca Fort is an important attraction in Soroca, having preserved cultures and kept the old Soroca to the present day.

The locality was greatly extended in the 19th century, during a period of relative prosperity. Soroca became a regional center featuring large squares, modernized streets, hospitals, grammar schools and conventionalized churches. During the Soviet period, the city became an important industrial center for northern Moldova.[3],"

Soroca was known for producing grapes, wheat, maize, and tobacco in 1919.[2]

The overwhelming majority of the town's sizeable Jewish populated was killed in the Holocaust during World War II, both before and after the deportation of the Jews to Transnistria.[4]

Climate

The climate in Soroca is a warm-summer subtype (Köppen: Dfb) of the humid continental climate.

Demographics

According to the 2024 census, 21,135 inhabitants lived in Soroca (making it the tenth largest city in Moldova), a decrease compared to the previous census in 2014, when 22,196 inhabitants were registered.[5][6]

Historical population
YearPop.±%
18677,758—
18829,225+18.9%
189715,351+66.4%
193015,001−2.3%
195915,195+1.3%
197021,924+44.3%
197930,365+38.5%
198942,297+39.3%
200428,362−32.9%
201422,196−21.7%
202421,135−4.8%

[7][8][9]

The population was estimated at 35,000 in 1919. It consisted mainly of Jews. Romanians, Germans, and Russians also lived in the city.[2] Before the Holocaust, Soroca had a Jewish population of around 18,000, but there are only around 40 Jews living there today.

The city has a sizable Romani minority and is popularly known as the "Romani capital of Moldova".[10]

Mayor

The Mayor of Soroca is head of the executive branch of Soroca City Council.[11]

List of mayors of Soroca
NameFromUntilPartyPool
Mihail Popovschi[12]20032007PCRM2003
Victor Său20072011PNL2007
Elena Bodnarenco20112015PCRM2011
Victor Său20152019PLDM2015
Lilia Pilipețchi2019PresentPSRM2019

Media

Natives

See also: and

International relations

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

Twin towns – Sister cities

Soroca is twinned with:

See also

References

  1. ^ 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)
  2. ^ Kaba, John (1919). Politico-economic Review of Basarabia. United States: American Relief Administration. pp. 13–14.
  3. ^ Tourist towns of Moldova Archived 22 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine
  4. ^ Wolf Moskovich, "Soroca", in The YIVO Encyclopedia of Jews in Eastern Europe", at https://encyclopedia.yivo.org/article/942.
  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, English)
  7. ^ Słownik geograficzny Królestwa Polskiego i innych krajów słowiańskich, Tom XI (in Polish). Warszawa. 1890. p. 83.
  8. ^ "Demoscope Weekly - Annex. Statistical indicators reference.". demoscope.ru
  9. ^ "Cities of Moldova". pop-stat.mashke.org
  10. ^ Steve Kokker, Cathryn Kemp (2004) "Romania and Moldova" (a travel guide), ISBN 1-74104-149-X p.322
  11. ^ "Loading". primsoroca.md
  12. ^ "Ce se întâmplă la Soroca?"
  13. ^ Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, „Nici tu ploaie ca lumea, nici tu limpezirea apelor în domeniul politicii”
  14. ^ Reporter european Archived 22 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine

Further reading