Rîbnița
Rîbnița | |||
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Rîbnița's skyline as view from over the Dniester river | |||
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Rîbnița | |||
Coordinates: 47°46′N 29°0′E / 47.767°N 29.000°E | |||
Country |
De jure internationally recognised as part of Moldova De facto administered by the unrecognised Transnistria | ||
Founded | 1628 | ||
Government | |||
• Head of the State Administration of the Rybnitsa Raion and the Rybnitsa City | Alla Demyanova[1] | ||
Population (2014) | |||
• Total | 47,949 | ||
Time zone | EET (UTC+2) | ||
Climate | Dfb |
Rîbnița (Romanian pronunciation: [ˈrɨbnit͡sa]; also spelled Râbnița; Moldovan Cyrillic and Russian: Ры́бница, Rybnica; Ukrainian: Ри́бниця, Rybnyća; Yiddish: ריבניץ, Ribnitz; Polish: Rybnica) is a city in Moldova, under the administration of the breakaway government of Transnistria. According to the 2004 Census in Transnistria, it has a population of 53,648. Rîbnița is situated in the northern half of Transnistria, on the left bank of the Dniester, and separated from the river by a concrete dam. The city is the seat of the Rîbnița District.
History
Kingdom of Poland 1628-1672
Ottoman Empire 1672-1699
Kingdom of Poland 1699-1793
Russian Empire 1793-1917
Russian Republic 1917
Ukrainian People's Republic 1917-1919
Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic 1919-1924
Moldavian Autonomous Oblast 1924
Moldavian Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic 1924-1940
Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic 1940-1941
Transnistria Governorate 1941-1944
Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic 1944-1991
Moldova/ Transnistria 1991-present
Rîbnița was founded in 1628 as a Ruthenian village Rybnytsia, its name meaning "fishery" (from рꙑба, "fish"). As early as 1657, Rîbnița was mentioned in documents as an important town, at the time part of the Kingdom of Poland. Strong Western European influences can be seen in this formerly Polish town. In 1793, Rîbnița passed from Poland to Russia. On March 17, 1944, during World War II, the Nazis executed almost 400 prisoners, Soviet citizens at Rîbnița.
Economy
Rîbnița is home to Transnistria's largest[2][3] company, a steel plant which produces more than $500 million worth of exports a year and traditionally has accounted for between 40% to 50% of Transnistria's GDP. Other industries are also present in Rîbnița, including the oldest sugar plant in Transnistria (founded in 1898), an alcohol distillery, and a cement factory. The city has a large railway station and a river port, as well as a supermarket, "Sheriff".
People and culture
Central Rîbnița has tall buildings and an active city life. There is a popular park near the town reservoir, and many historical and architectural monuments in the town and its surrounding areas. The main street in the town is Victory Street.
Demographics
In 1970, Rîbnița had a population of 32,400 people, in 1989 it had a population of 61,352. According to the 2004 Census in Transnistria, the city had 53,648 inhabitants,[4] including 11,263 Moldovans (Romanians), 24,898 Ukrainians, 11,738 Russians, 480 Poles, 328 Belarusians, 220 Bulgarians, 166 Jews, 106 Germans, 96 Gagauzians, 71 Armenians, 38 Roma, and 4245 others and non-declared.
Religion
Rîbnița has three places of worship located right next to each other: a Catholic church, an Orthodox church, and a synagogue.
Sport
FC Iskra-Stal Rîbnița is the city's professional football club, playing in the top Moldovan football league, the Divizia Naţională.
Notable people
- Eugenia Halus
- Rabbi Chaim Zanvl Abramowitz, the Ribnitzer Rebbe
- Yevgeny Shevchuk, President of Transnistria
International relations
Twin towns — Sister cities
Rîbnița is twinned with:
References
- Notes
External links
- Official site of the city
- (Polish) Rybnica (Rîbnița) in the Geographical Dictionary of the Kingdom of Poland (1889)
- City portal
- Map of Rîbnița
Coordinates: 47°46′N 29°0′E / 47.767°N 29.000°E