Jiu (river)

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
Country	Romania
Counties	Hunedoara Gorj Dolj
Cities	Petroșani (Jiul de Est) Lupeni (Jiul de Vest) Târgu Jiu Craiova
Physical characteristics
Source	Confluence of headwaters Jiul de Vest and Jiul de Est, near Petroșani, Hunedoara
• coordinates	45°22′07″N 23°22′04″E
• elevation	554 m (1,818 ft)
Mouth	Danube
• location	near Bechet, Dolj
• coordinates	43°46′41″N 23°48′48″E
Length	340 km (210 mi)
Basin size	10,080 km2 (3,890 sq mi)
Depth
• maximum	120 m (393 ft) (Craiova)
Discharge
• location	mouth
• average	86 m3/s (3,000 cu ft/s)
Basin features
Progression	Danube→ Black Sea
Tributaries
• left	Jiul de Est, Gilort, Amaradia
• right	Jiul de Vest, Motru

It flows southward through the Romanian counties Hunedoara, Gorj, 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

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

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

• Left: Jiul de Est, Izvor, Polatiștea, Radul, Pârâul Alb, Păiușu, Chițiu, Sadu, Curpenoasa, Tetila, Iazu Topilelor, Hodinău, Amaradia (Gorj), Dâmbova, Cioiana, Gilort, Fratoștița, Cârnești, Răcari, Brădești, Amaradia (Dolj), Preajba, Lumaș, Leu, Gioroc
• Right: Jiul de Vest, Cândețu, Murga Mică, Murga Mare, Dumitra, Cerbănașu, Bratcu, Porcu, Sâmbotin, Cartiu, Pietroasa, Șușița (Gorj), Tismana, Timișeni, Jilț, Ceplea, Șușița (Mehedinți), Motru, Bâlta, Racovița, Argetoaia, Raznic, Tejac, Ulm, Prodila

See also

• Jiu Valley