Located in northern
Moldova, the district borders
Edineț and
Dondușeni to the north,
Drochia and
Sîngerei to the east,
Municipality of Bălți and
Glodeni to the south, and
Romania to the west. The district is located on the
Northern Moldavian Plateau, characterized by gently undulating relief and weak
erosion processes.
Chernozem soils cover the majority of the district. Natural resources include
limestone,
clay,
sand, and
gravel, found near the villages of
Druța,
Corlăteni,
Braniște, and
Șaptebani. The maximum altitude in the district is 280 m, near the village of
Pociumbeni.
Climate The district has a
temperate-
continental climate with an average annual temperature of . The average temperature in July is , while in January it is around . Annual
rainfall ranges from 400 to 550 mm. The average
wind speed is 3–5 m/s.
Fauna The fauna of the district consists of various mammals, birds, reptiles, and other animals. In the forests, there are
wild boars,
deer,
foxes,
rabbits,
badgers, and numerous small
rodents, as well as birds such as
nightingales,
woodpeckers,
hoopoes,
goldfinches, and
jays. Reptiles include the
European green lizard,
water snakes, and
vipers. The district's rivers and lakes are home to
otters,
muskrats,
ducks,
coots,
loons,
geese,
swans, and a variety of fish such as
perch,
bream,
catfish,
carp,
crucian carp, and
gudgeons.
Flora Forests cover about 5.7% of the district's territory, a relatively small area but one that supports a diverse range of plant species. The main trees include
oak,
common oak,
silver linden,
chestnut,
cherry, and others. Common plants found in the area include
fescue,
clover,
sedge,
burdock, and various other species.
Rivers The district's water system is part of the
Black Sea basin. Several rivers flow through the district, including the
Prut (forming the border with
Romania),
Ciuhur,
Camenca, and the
Răut with its tributary, Copăceanca. In 1978, construction was completed on the
Costești–Stânca Hydroelectric Complex (a joint project between the
USSR and Romania), with a capacity of 32 MW. The reservoir serving the hydroelectric station covers an area of 59 km2 and holds about 1.28 billion m3 of water.
Protected areas •
Butești Keys •
Duruitoarea Gorge • Lucăceni Nature Reserve •
Pociumbeni Nature Reserve •
Proscureni Reef •
Șaptebani Nature Reserve • Stânca Nature Reserve •
Văratic Gorge == Administrative subdivisions ==