Babadag
| Babadag | ||
|---|---|---|
| Town | ||
| ||
  Babadag Location of Babadag | ||
| Coordinates: 44°53′53″N 28°44′31″E / 44.89806°N 28.74194°ECoordinates: 44°53′53″N 28°44′31″E / 44.89806°N 28.74194°E | ||
| Country |
 Romania | |
| County | Tulcea County | |
| Status | Town | |
| Government | ||
| • Mayor | Georgian Caraman (National Liberal Party) | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 121 km2 (47 sq mi) | |
| Population (2002) | ||
| • Total | 10,037 | |
| • Density | 82/km2 (210/sq mi) | |
| Time zone | EET (UTC+2) | |
| • Summer (DST) | EEST (UTC+3) | |
| Website | http://www.primaria-babadag.ro/ | |
Babadag (Romanian pronunciation: [babaˈdaɡ]; historical Turkish name: Babadağ) is a town in Tulcea county, Romania, located on a small lake formed by the Taiţa river, in the densely wooded highlands of northern Dobruja. Its name means "the mountain of the father" in Turkish. One of the several tombs of Sari Saltik is found in town.
The Babadag Lake is divided only by a strip of marshland from Razim Lake, a broad landlocked sheet of water spilling into the Black Sea. Babadag used to be a market for wool and mutton.[1]
Demographics
| Historical population | ||
|---|---|---|
| Year | Pop. | ±% |
| 1912 | 4,686 | — |
| 1930 | 4,626 | −1.3% |
| 1948 | 4,022 | −13.1% |
| 1956 | 5,549 | +38.0% |
| 1966 | 7,343 | +32.3% |
| 1977 | 8,564 | +16.6% |
| 1992 | 10,437 | +21.9% |
| 2002 | 10,878 | +4.2% |
| 2011 | 8,940 | −17.8% |
| Source: Census data | ||
In 1900 Babadag population was 3,500,.[1] The 2011 census counted 8,071 inhabitants.
Population distribution:
84.8% were Romanian Orthodox and 14.2% Muslim.
History
The name of Babadag is connected with 13th century dervish Baba Sari Saltik, who is said to have led a number of Turcomans to Dobruja and to have settled them in this area. The town was first mentioned by Ibn Battuta under the name Baba Saltuk, as the furthermost outpost of the Turks.[2]
The town was conquered by Bayezid I, a Sultan of the Ottoman Empire, in his Danubian campaign of 1393. The construction of a fortress was begun here during the reign of Murad IV, but by 1650 only the fortress' foundation walls and towers were standing. In the 17th century, it occasionally served as the winter headquarters for the Grand Vizier of the Turks during their wars with Russia. The town's location near to the Black Sea made it a target for the Russian navy, the town was bombed by the Russians in 1854 during the Crimean War.[1] Following the war between the Ottoman and Russian empires (1877–1878) Babadag became part of an independent Romania.
Military training facility
At Babadag, the Romanian Army operates a military training facility. With a total surface area of 270 km², this is one of the largest and most modern training firing ranges in Europe.
US forces have started to train at Babadag as part of Romania's integration into NATO.[3]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2
Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Babadag". Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. - ↑ Stănciugel et al., p.44-46
- ↑ MEDIAFAX Foto
External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Babadag. |
