Bălţi
| Bălţi | |
| Vasile Alecsandri Square; one of the biggest squares in Europe. | |
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| Flag of Bălţi | Coat of Arms of Bălţi |
| Basisdate | |
|---|---|
| Status | Municipality of Bălţi |
| Communes | Sadovoe, Elizavetovca |
| Mayor | Vasile Panciuc |
| City from | 1421 |
| Population | 137 000(2004) |
| Area: | 71 km² |
| Population density: | 1,748 Iwohner/km² |
| Altitude: | 150 m |
| Postal code: | MD-3100 |
| Prefix: | (+373) 231-X-XX-XX |
| Position | 47° 45'42 N 27° 55'44 E |
| Vehicle registration plate | BL |
| Official website | www.balti.md |
| Location in Moldova | |
Bălţi is the third-largest city of Moldova, and the major city in the north of the country. During the Russian Empire (1812-1917), and later the Soviet era (1940-1990) the name was also spelled Beltsy, from its form in Russian. The city is situated 135 km north of the capital Chişinău, and is located on the small river Răut, an affluent of Dniester (Nistru), among a hilly landscape, that in the Middle Ages was covered with forest, but has since been almost entirely cut down.
