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Northern Dobruja (Romanian: Dobrogea; Bulgarian: Северна Добруджа, Severna Dobrudzha) is the part of Dobruja within the borders of Romania. It lies between the lower Danube river and the Black Sea, bordered in the south by Southern Dobruja, which is part of Bulgaria.
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History
Around 600 BC, the Greeks colonized the Black Sea shore and founded numerous fortress: Tomis (today's Constanta), Callatis, Histria, Argamum, Heracleea, Aegysus. After Greek civilization faded, Dobruja became a Roman province. One of the best preserved remnants of this period is the Enisala citadel.
Between the 7th and 14th century, Dobruja was part of the First Bulgarian Empire and the Second Bulgarian Empire.
For a short period in the 14th century, Dobruja became part of the Romanian principality under the rule of King Mircea of Wallachia. However, the territory fell under Ottoman rule from the mid-15th century until 1878, when it was awarded to Romania for its role in the 1877-78 Russo-Turkish War, and as compensation for the transfer of a region partly overlapping the Southern Bessarabia. Under the treaties of San Stefano and Berlin, Romania received Northern Dobruja while the newly restored principality of Bulgaria received the smaller Southern part of the region. After the Second Balkan War in 1913, Romania also annexed the Bulgarian Southern Dobruja, which it ruled until the signing of the 1940 Treaty of Craiova under the pressure of Nazi Germany.
Geography
The territory of Northern Dobruja now forms the counties of Constanța and Tulcea, with a total area of 15,500 km² and a current population of slightly under 900,000.
Cities
Rivers
Lakes
Danube Delta
The Danube Delta consists of numerous lakes. The most important ones are:
Demographics
1According to the 1926–1938 Romanian administrative division (counties of Constanța and Tulcea), which excluded a part of today's Romania (chiefly the communes of Ostrov and Lipnița, now part of Constanța County) and included a part of today's Bulgaria (parts of General Toshevo and Krushari municipalities) 2Only Russians. (Russians and Lipovans counted separately)Symbols
Northern Dobruja is represented by two dolphins in the Coat of arms of Romania.
Starting with 2015, Romania observes Dobruja Day on November 14, marking the 1878 incorporation of Northern Dobruja into the Kingdom of Romania after the Treaty of Berlin.