The Jiu (Romanian: [ʒiw] ; Hungarian: Zsil [ʒil]; German: Schil or Schiel; Latin: Rabon) is a river in southern Romania.[1][2] It is formed near Petroșani by the confluence of headwaters Jiul de Vest and Jiul de Est.

Jiu
View of the Jiu passing Craiova, Dolj County, Romania
The Jiu in Romania
Location
CountryRomania
Counties
Cities
Physical characteristics
SourceConfluence of headwaters Jiul de Vest and Jiul de Est, near Petroșani, Hunedoara
 • coordinates45°22′07″N 23°22′04″E / 45.36861°N 23.36778°E / 45.36861; 23.36778
 • elevation554 m (1,818 ft)
MouthDanube
 • location
near Bechet, Dolj
 • coordinates
43°46′41″N 23°48′48″E / 43.77806°N 23.81333°E / 43.77806; 23.81333
Length340 km (210 mi)
Basin size10,080 km2 (3,890 sq mi)
Discharge 
 • locationmouth
 • average86 m3/s (3,000 cu ft/s)
Basin features
ProgressionDanubeBlack Sea
Tributaries 
 • leftJiul de Est, Gilort, Amaradia
 • rightJiul de Vest, Motru

It flows southward through the Romanian counties Hunedoara, Gorj, Mehedinți and Dolj before flowing into the Danube near Zăval,[3] a few kilometers upstream from the Bulgarian city of Oryahovo. It is 339 kilometres (211 mi) long, including its source river, Jiul de Vest.[2][4] It has a basin of 10,430 km2 (4,030 sq mi).[2][4][5] Its average discharge at the mouth is 97 m3/s (3,400 cu ft/s).[4]

The upper Jiu Valley, around Petroșani and Lupeni, is Romania's principal coal mining region.

Towns and cities

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The following towns are situated along the Jiu, from source to mouth: Petroșani (Jiul de Est), Lupeni (Jiul de Vest), Bumbești-Jiu, Târgu Jiu, Turceni, Filiași, and Craiova.

 
Border checkpoint between Romania and Austria-Hungary in the Jiu Gorge (c. 1914)

Tributaries

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The following rivers are tributaries of the Jiu (from source to mouth):[2]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Planul național de management. Sinteza planurilor de management la nivel de bazine/spații hidrografice, anexa 7.1" (PDF, 5.1 MB). Administrația Națională Apele Române. 2010. p. 538.
  2. ^ a b c d Atlasul cadastrului apelor din România. Partea 1 (in Romanian). Bucharest: Ministerul Mediului. 1992. pp. 239–255. OCLC 895459847. River code: VII.1
  3. ^ Jiu (jud. Dolj), e-calauza.ro
  4. ^ a b c "Danube River Basin District, Part A - Roof Report" (PDF). ICPDR. April 2004. p. 12.
  5. ^ 2017 Romanian Statistical Yearbook, p. 13