Hîncești District

The Hîncești district lies in the central-western part of the Republic of Moldova, about 35 km from the capital Chișinău, and forms part of the Centre Development Region. Its seat is the municipality of Hîncești. The district borders Nisporeni and Strășeni to the north, Ialoveni to the east, Cimișlia and Leova to the south, and to the west, across the Prut, the Romanian counties of Iași and Vaslui. It is one of the largest and most populated districts in the country.

Geography

The territory extends across the Codri area and the hills of western Moldova, with extensive beech and oak forests and a wide floodplain along the Prut. The district covers approximately 1,472 km², representing about 4.6% of the surface of the Republic of Moldova, and the population, according to 2024 data, was about 103,784 inhabitants, which places it among the country's leading districts by number of inhabitants, with a density of approximately 70 inhabitants per km². The ethnic composition is mostly Moldovan/Romanian, with Ukrainian and Russian minorities.

Economy

The district's economy is predominantly agricultural. Cereals, sunflower, grapevines, tobacco, vegetables and fruit trees are cultivated, and viticulture and winemaking have a long tradition. The Codri forests provide timber resources, and the agri-food processing industry completes the economy. The national roads linking the centre of the country with Romania and with the south cross the district.

History

The district was established on 11 November 1940 under the name of Cotovschi district, with its centre at Cotovscoe, a name given in honour of the military commander Grigory Kotovsky, a native of the area. The town regained its historical name of Hîncești in 1991, and between 1999 and 2003 the district formed part of Lăpușna County. The settlement is documented from the medieval period, as an old settlement of the Principality of Moldavia in the Codri region.

What to see

At Hîncești stands the Manuc Bei manor, a remarkable 19th-century architectural ensemble built by the family of the well-known merchant and diplomat of Armenian origin Manuc Bei, today restored and turned into a museum complex. The Codri forests, the village churches and the winemaking traditions complete the district's heritage. Through its agricultural vocation, its vineyards and its historical heritage, the Hîncești district remains one of the most representative territories of central Moldova.