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Soroca

Coordinates: 48°10′N 28°18′E / 48.167°N 28.300°E / 48.167; 28.300
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(Redirected from Soroki)
For the village in Glodeni District, see Iabloana.

Soroca
Municipality
Soroca Fort and Soroca
Coat of arms of Soroca
Coat of arms
Soroca is located in Moldova
Soroca
Soroca
Coordinates: 48°10′N 28°18′E / 48.167°N 28.300°E / 48.167; 28.300
Country Moldova
CountySoroca
Government
 • MayorLilia Pilipețchi (PSRM)
Area
 • Total11.88 km2 (4.59 sq mi)
Elevation
45 m (148 ft)
Population
 (2014)[1]
 • Total22,196
 • Density1,900/km2 (4,800/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+2 (EET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+3 (EEST)
Postal code
MD-3001
Area code+373 230
WebsiteOfficial website

Soroca is a city and municipality[2] in Moldova, situated on the Dniester River about 160 km (99 mi) north of Chișinău. It is the administrative center of the Soroca District. Before the Holocaust, most of the population was Jewish.

History

[edit]
Zemstva of Soroca, 18th-19th century

It is known for its well-preserved stronghold, established by the Moldavian prince Stephen the Great (Ștefan cel Mare in Romanian) in 1499.[3] 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–Ukrainian 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.[4]

Soroca was known for producing grapes, wheat, maize, and tobacco in 1919.[3]

Demographics

[edit]

According to the 2014 census, the population of Soroca amounted to 22,196 inhabitants (making it the eight largest city in Moldova), a decrease compared to the previous census in 2004, when 28,362 inhabitants were registered. Of these, 10,575 were men and 11,621 were women.[5]

Ethnic composition of Soroca (2014)[6]

  Moldovans* (77.90%)
  Romanians (6.08%)
  Ukrainians (6.64%)
  Russians (5.43%)
  Romani (3.21%)
  Others (0.73%)
Linguistic composition of Soroca (2014)[7]
  Moldovan* (60.65%)
  Romanian (21.03%)
  Russian (12.64%)
  Romani (3.07%)
  Ukrainian (2.34%)
  Other (0.26%)

Footnotes:

* There is an ongoing controversy regarding the ethnic identification of Moldovans and Romanians.

* Moldovan language is one of the two local names for the Romanian language in Moldova. In 2013, the Constitutional Court of Moldova interpreted that Article 13 of the constitution is superseded by the Declaration of Independence,[8] thus giving official status to the name Romanian.[9][10]

The population was estimated at 35,000 in 1919. It consisted mainly of Jews. Romanians, Germans, and Russians also lived in the city.[3] Before the Holocaust, the city had a Jewish population of around 18,000, but there are only 100 today and 20 of them are considered Jewish according to the halakha.[11]

The city has a sizable Romani minority and is popularly known as the "Romani capital of Moldova".[12]

Historical population
YearPop.±%
1897 15,351—    
1930 15,001−2.3%
1959 15,195+1.3%
1970 21,924+44.3%
1979 30,365+38.5%
1989 42,297+39.3%
2004 28,362−32.9%
2014 22,196−21.7%
Source: [13][14]

Mayor

[edit]

The Mayor of Soroca is head of the executive branch of Soroca City Council.[15]

List of mayors of Soroca
Name From Until Party Pool
Mihail Popovschi[16] 2003 2007 PCRM 2003
Victor Său 2007 2011 PNL 2007
Elena Bodnarenco 2011 2015 PCRM 2011
Victor Său 2015 2019 PLDM 2015
Lilia Pilipețchi 2019 Present PSRM 2019

Climate

[edit]

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

Climate data for Soroca (1991–2020)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 0.0
(32.0) 		2.1
(35.8) 		8.3
(46.9) 		16.3
(61.3) 		22.0
(71.6) 		25.6
(78.1) 		27.5
(81.5) 		27.4
(81.3) 		21.5
(70.7) 		14.5
(58.1) 		7.0
(44.6) 		1.4
(34.5) 		14.5
(58.1)
Daily mean °C (°F) −2.9
(26.8) 		−1.4
(29.5) 		3.5
(38.3) 		10.4
(50.7) 		16.0
(60.8) 		19.6
(67.3) 		21.3
(70.3) 		20.8
(69.4) 		15.6
(60.1) 		9.5
(49.1) 		3.8
(38.8) 		−1.3
(29.7) 		9.6
(49.3)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) −5.3
(22.5) 		−4.3
(24.3) 		−0.5
(31.1) 		5.0
(41.0) 		10.2
(50.4) 		14.0
(57.2) 		15.5
(59.9) 		14.7
(58.5) 		10.2
(50.4) 		5.3
(41.5) 		1.1
(34.0) 		−3.7
(25.3) 		5.2
(41.4)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 30
(1.2) 		28
(1.1) 		31
(1.2) 		39
(1.5) 		56
(2.2) 		67
(2.6) 		80
(3.1) 		50
(2.0) 		54
(2.1) 		38
(1.5) 		40
(1.6) 		28
(1.1) 		542
(21.3)
Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm) 6 6 6 7 8 7 8 6 6 5 6 6 76
Source: NOAA[17]

Media

[edit]

Natives

[edit]
See also: Category:People from Soroca and Category:People from Soroca District
[edit]

International relations

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

Twin towns – Sister cities

[edit]

Soroca is twinned with:

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Results of Population and Housing Census in the Republic of Moldova in 2014: "Characteristics - Population (population by communes, religion, citizenship)" (XLS). National Bureau of Statistics of the Republic of Moldova. 2017. Retrieved 1 May 2017.
  2. ^ 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)
  3. ^ a b c Kaba, John (1919). Politico-economic Review of Basarabia. United States: American Relief Administration. pp. 13–14.
  4. ^ Tourist towns of Moldova Archived 22 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine
  5. ^ "2014 Moldova Census of Population and Housing". National Bureau of Statistics of the Republic of Moldova. (in Romanian, Russian, and English)
  6. ^ "2014 Moldova Census of Population and Housing". National Bureau of Statistics of the Republic of Moldova. (in Romanian, Russian, and English)
  7. ^ "2014 Moldova Census of Population and Housing". National Bureau of Statistics of the Republic of Moldova. (in Romanian, Russian, and English)
  8. ^ "Hotărâre Nr. 36 din 05.12.2013 privind interpretarea articolului 13 alin. (1) din Constituție în corelație cu Preambulul Constituției și Declarația de Independență a Republicii Moldova (Sesizările nr. 8b/2013 și 41b/2013)" (in Romanian). Constitutional Court of Moldova. Archived from the original on 5 March 2016. Retrieved 20 December 2013. 124. ... Prin urmare, Curtea consideră că prevederea conținută în Declarația de Independență referitoare la limba română ca limbă de stat a Republicii Moldova prevalează asupra prevederii referitoare la limba moldovenească conținute în articolul 13 al Constituției. [124. ... Therefore, the Court considers that the provision contained in the Declaration of Independence regarding the Romanian language as the state language of the Republic of Moldova prevails over the provision regarding the Moldovan language contained in Article 13 of the Constitution.]
  9. ^ "Moldovan court rules official language is 'Romanian', replacing Soviet-flavored 'Moldovan'". Fox News. Associated Press. 5 December 2013. Archived from the original on 9 December 2013. Retrieved 7 December 2013.
  10. ^ "Chisinau Recognizes Romanian As Official Language". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. 5 December 2013. Archived from the original on 23 September 2016. Retrieved 11 March 2014.
  11. ^ "Moldovan Jews struggle to maintain their historic community amid poverty, anti-Semitism". Jewish Telegraphic Agency. 20 June 2012. Retrieved 9 January 2014.
  12. ^ Steve Kokker, Cathryn Kemp (2004) "Romania and Moldova" (a travel guide), ISBN 1-74104-149-X p.322
  13. ^ "Demoscope Weekly - Annex. Statistical indicators reference". demoscope.ru.
  14. ^ "Cities of Moldova". pop-stat.mashke.org.
  15. ^ "Loading". primsoroca.md.
  16. ^ "Ce se întâmplă la Soroca?".
  17. ^ "Soroca Climate Normals 1991–2020". World Meteorological Organization Climatological Standard Normals (1991–2020). National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Archived from the original on 21 August 2023. Retrieved 21 August 2023.
  18. ^ Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, „Nici tu ploaie ca lumea, nici tu limpezirea apelor în domeniul politicii”
  19. ^ Reporter european Archived 22 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine

Further reading

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[edit]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Soroca.
Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Soroca.
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