Rîșcani District

Rîșcani district lies in the north of the Republic of Moldova, in the North Development Region. Its seat is the town of Rîșcani. The district is located in the area of the Northern Moldavian Plateau and the northern plain, in a region with a long agricultural tradition, and borders several districts in the north of the country, while also reaching the river Prut to the west.

Geography

With an area of approximately 936 km² and altitudes reaching about 280 metres, the relief is hilly, fragmented by valleys and by the watercourses that cross the northern plain. Fertile chernozem soils favour the growing of cereals and industrial crops, while the Prut floodplain to the west adds to the diversity of the landscape. Population density is about 63 inhabitants/km².

Population and ethnic groups

At the 2014 census the district numbered around 59,200 inhabitants, down from the more than 69,000 recorded in 2004. Its ethnic composition reflects the diversity of northern Moldova: alongside Moldovans/Romanians (the majority, about 73%), there is a significant Ukrainian community (over a fifth of the population), as well as Russian and Roma minorities. Besides Rîșcani, the district also includes the town of Costești.

Economy and sites

The district's economy is predominantly agricultural and agro-industrial, focused on cereals, sugar beet, sunflower and livestock farming, complemented by the processing of agricultural products. At Costești, on the river Prut, lies the Costești–Stânca reservoir, built jointly with Romania, an important hydrotechnical facility that serves electricity generation, flood prevention and recreation and fishing, and is one of the largest reservoirs in the region. The district's heritage includes old churches, manor houses and northern plain landscapes, as well as the Prut floodplain with its rich waterbird fauna, part of the protected natural areas along the river's course. Through its agricultural tradition, its ethnic diversity and the sites of the Prut valley, Rîșcani district is representative of the economic and cultural life of northern Moldova. The district, in its first administrative form, was established in November 1940 and bears the name of its seat locality.