Cahul County

Județul Cahul
—  County (Județ)  —
Coat of arms
Country	Romania
Historic region	Bessarabia
Capital city (Reședință de județ)	Cahul
Established	1925
Ceased to exist	Administrative and Constitutional Reform in 1938
Government
• Prefect
Area
• Total	4,442 km2 (1,715 sq mi)
Population (1930)
• Total	194,631
Time zone	EET (UTC+2)
• Summer (DST)	EEST (UTC+3)

Cahul County was a county of Bessarabia. In the Middle Ages, its territory belonged to the Fălciu County, but after the annexation of Bessarabia by the Russian Empire in 1812 it became a county by itself.

Before 1940

Two smaller, Codru County and Greceni County were merged into it in 1818. Cahul County was part of the Bessarabia Governorate of the Russian Empire (1812–1856), of the Principality of Moldavia (1856–1859), then or Romania (1859–1878). In 1878, it was again annexed by the Russians, who merged it with the Ismail County. After the Union of Bessarabia with Romania in 1918, the county was again formed.

Neighbours

The county neighboured the counties of Cetatea Albă and Tighina to the east, Lăpușna to the north, County, Tutova and Covurlui to the west, and Ismail to the south.

Administration

The county consisted of five districts (plăṣi):

• Cantemir
• Ion Voevod
• Mihai Viteazul
• Ștefan cel Mare
• Traian

After 1938

After the 1938 Administrative and Constitutional Reform, this county merged with the counties of Brăila, Covurlui, Fălciu, Ismail, Putna, Râmnicu Sărat, Tecuci, Tulcea and Tutova to form Ţinutul Dunării.

After 1940

Subsequent to the Soviet occupation of Bessarabia and Northern Bukovina in 1940, counties were abolished, and smaller raion subdivisions were introduced. After the independence, the Republic of Moldova reintroduced counties in 1998, but cancelled them in 2003. Just before that, a small part, which became known as Taraclia County was split from the Cahul County.

See also

• Cahul District
• Moldavian counties