| Southern Bessarabia Basarabia de Sud | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Territory of Moldavia (1856–1859), United Principalities/Romanian United Principalities/Romania (1859–1878) | |||||||||
| 1856–1878 | |||||||||
 | |||||||||
| Area | |||||||||
• 1859[1] | 8,694 km2 (3,357 sq mi) | ||||||||
• 1878[1] | 8,694 km2 (3,357 sq mi) | ||||||||
| Population | |||||||||
• 1859[2] | 138,521 | ||||||||
• 1878[2] | 163,000 | ||||||||
| • Type | Civil administration | ||||||||
| Historical era | 19th century | ||||||||
• Treaty of Paris (1856) | 30 March 1856 | ||||||||
• Union of Moldavia and Wallachia (United Principalities) | 24 January 1859 (O.S.) (5 February N.S.) | ||||||||
• Treaty of Berlin (1878) | 13 July 1878 | ||||||||
• Russian takeover | 13–18 October 1878 | ||||||||
| Political subdivisions | Counties | ||||||||
| |||||||||
| Today part of |  Moldova Ukraine | ||||||||
Southern Bessarabia or South Bessarabia is a territory of Bessarabia which, as a result of the Crimean War, was returned to the Moldavian Principality in 1856. As a result of the unification of the latter with Wallachia, these lands became part of United Principalities of Moldova and Wallachia.
In 1878, despite opposition from Romania, the Berlin Treaty, which followed the Russo-Turkish War (1877–1878), transferred this region back to the Russian Empire (which reintegrated it into the Bessarabia Governorate).
The transfer of the territory took place in October 1878. From 13 to 18 October, Russia took over Southern Bessarabia while the Romanian officials withdrew.[3] In 1918 Southern Bessarabia yet again became part of the Kingdom of Romania (under the informal name of Bugeac) for the following 22 years (1918-1940) respectively between June 1941 and 1944.
The area of the region was 8,694 km2 (3,357 sq mi) and covered 3 counties:
