Leova District

Leova district is located in the south-west of the Republic of Moldova and is part of the South Development Region. Its seat is the town of Leova, set on the left bank of the Prut, the river that here marks the state border with Romania (Vaslui county). The district borders Hîncești district to the north, Cantemir district to the south, Cimișlia district and ATU Gagauzia to the east, and, across the Prut, Romania to the west. Its border position, at the meeting point of the southern vineyards and the Prut floodplain, gives it a distinctive character within the country's administrative landscape.

Geography and relief

The territory, with an area of approximately 765 km², consists of gently undulating plains, dissected by valleys and gullies, with altitudes generally varying between 50 and 230 metres. The main watercourse is the Prut, which forms the western limit, fed by smaller tributaries such as the Lăpușnița, Tigheci, Sărata and Ialpugel. Forests cover about 13% of the territory, woodland vegetation alternating with expanses of steppe, especially towards the south, where the proximity of the Budjak plain makes itself felt. Fertile chernozem soils support intensive agriculture.

Population and economy

According to the 2014 census, the district had around 44,700 inhabitants. The economy is predominantly agricultural: arable land is planted with cereals, while viticulture and fruit growing occupy significant areas, the vineyards being a traditional branch of the area. To these are added agricultural processing enterprises and small industrial units. Besides the town of Leova, a notable urban locality is Iargara, in the south of the district.

History and tourist sites

The district was established, in its first form, in November 1940, and in its present configuration it was reorganised in 2003 from territories that had previously belonged to the districts of Basarabeasca, Cimișlia and Hîncești. Sections of Trajan's Wall are preserved on its territory, a system of ancient fortifications crossing the region from Leova westwards, passing through the villages of the area. The Prut floodplain, with its wetlands and rich bird fauna, is an area of natural and ornithological interest, offering a landscape characteristic of the plains of southern Bessarabia and a setting suited to rural and ecological tourism.