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

Eastern Europe Eastern Europe is a subregion of the 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 Russia, wh ...

. 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 , ...

. In part of its course it forms

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, Hungary to the west, Serbia to the southwest, Moldova to the east, a ...

's border with

Moldova Moldova ( , ; ), officially the Republic of Moldova ( ro, Republica Moldova), is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe. It is bordered by Romania to the west and Ukraine to the north, east, and south. The unrecognised state of Transnist ...

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 invas ...

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 slo ...

, in the Carpathian Mountains in

(

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 oblast (region) in western Ukrai ...

). 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 admin ...

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 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 th ...

, 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 pa ...

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 Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, , is a country in Central Europe. Poland is divided into Voivodeships of Poland, sixteen voivodeships and is the fifth most populous member state of the European Union (EU), with over 38 mill ...

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 creatio ...

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

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was List of wars and anthropogenic disasters by death toll, one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, ...

, it served as a border between Romania and the

Russian Empire The Russian Empire was an empire and the final period of the List of Russian monarchs, 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 th ...

. 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 World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...

, 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 List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, ...

. 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 #Names, other names) is a city in the historical region of Bukovina, which is now divided along the Romania–Ukraine border, borders of Romania and Ukraine, including this ...

. The Stânca-Costești Dam, 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 . Sniatyn ...

(

). 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. Hi ...

(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 t ...

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 ...

" 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,

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. I ...

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 ...

, Nepolokivtsi,

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. ...

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,

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 ...

, 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 population ...

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 Rynhach ( uk, Рингач; ro, Rângaci) is a village in Chernivtsi Raion, Chernivtsi Oblast, Ukraine. It belongs to Novoselytsia urban hromada, one of the hromadas of Ukraine. Until 18 July 2020, Rynhach belonged to Novoselytsia Raion. Th ...

, 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 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. I ...

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, Camenca,

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,

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,

Corogea The Corogea is a right tributary of the river Prut in Romania. It discharges into the Prut near Ilișeni Santa Mare is a commune in Botoșani County, Western Moldavia, Romania. It is composed of eight villages: Bădărăi, Berza, Bogdănești, ...

, 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 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 ...

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

, Gârla Boul Bătrân, Copăceana, Belciug,

Elan Elan or Élan may refer to: People *Elan Atias (born 1975), American singer-songwriter *Elán (musician) (born 1983), Mexican singer * Poets of Elan, a group of Ecuadorian poets Fictional characters * Elan (Order of the Stick), a character in th ...

, Horincea, Oancea, Stoeneșa, Brănești, Chineja

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, 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 i ...

'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 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 no ...

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 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, 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 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 Tudo ...

- 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 ...

, leading to the

Kingdom of Greece The Kingdom of Greece ( grc, label=Katharevousa, 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 Constant ...

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 city, capital and List of cities and towns in Greece, largest city of Greece. With a population close to four million, it is also the seventh List ...

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 copie ...

'').

Bridges

* Lipcani-Rădăuți Bridge *

Eiffel Bridge, Ungheni The Eiffel Bridge ( ro, Podul Eiffel) is a bridge over the Prut, River Prut and a Moldova–Romania border crossings, checkpoint between Moldova and Romania. The bridge is located between Ungheni, Moldova and Ungheni, Iași, Ungheni, Romania. ...

* 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 (50-45,0 ...

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 ...

'' 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 floats or shallow- draft boats to support a continuous deck for pedestrian and vehicle travel. The buoyancy of the supports limits the maximum load that they can carry. ...

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 (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 crea ...

{{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