Ploieşti (older spelling: Ploeşti) is a city in Prahova county in the Wallachia region of Romania, 56 km (35 miles) northwest of Bucharest, with a population of about 250,000. It is located at coordinates 44 57N 26 01E.

The city was founded in 1596 during the reign of Mihai Viteazul (Michael the Brave).

In the mid-19th century, this region became one of the most important mineral oil extraction and refinery sites in the world. The Republic of Ploiesti, a short-lived anti-monarchic revolt occurred in Ploieşti in 1870.

It was badly damaged by an earthquake in 1940 but became the main source of oil for Nazi Germany during World War II, when Romania was allied to Germany. Because of its distance from Allied airfields, it escaped being attacked until Allied advances put it in range in 1943. The United States Air Force mounted Operation Tidal Wave on August 1, 1943, attacking the refineries with a force of 177 B-24 Liberator bombers. Although this did inflict heavy damage on the ground, it came at a high cost to the attacking force and much of the damage was soon repaired. The Allies were finally able to mount sustained attacks from April 1944 by utilising captured airbases in Italy, and the city was captured by Soviet troops in August 1944.

Following the war, the new Communist regime nationalised the oil industry, which had largely been privately owned, and made massive investments in the oil and petroleum industry in a bid to modernise and repair the war damage.

After the Romanian Revolution of 1989, Ploieşti's economy grew rapidly due to major investments by foreign companies including Lukoil, Unilever, Coca-Cola, Interbrew and British American Tobacco. It is also a developed textile manufacturing center. Although oil production is now much lower, there is still a flourishing oil processing industry. The refineries are linked by pipelines to the capital Bucharest, the Black Sea port of Constanţa and the Danube port of Giurgiu.

Ploieşti natives

• Paul Constantinescu , composer - born on June 30, 1909.
• Leonard Doroftei, boxer
• Take Ionescu, politician, Prime Minister of Romania
• Cristi Minculescu, musician
• Nichita Stănescu, poet
• Ion N. Petrovici, neurologist

External links

• Ploiesti.ro: official site of the city
• Pagina Orasului Ploiesti (only in Romanian)