Galaţi

Galaţi or Galatz, city in eastern Romania, capital of Galaţi County, and a port on the Danube River. An administrative and economic center, the city has petroleum refineries, a large iron and steel plant, and the country's largest shipyard. It is also a principal port of entry for textiles and metal goods. The principal exports are cereal grains and timber. The 17th-century Cathedral Saint George is a landmark. The Dunarea de Jos (Lower Danube) University of Galaţi (founded in 1948, given university status in 1974) and a teacher-training institute are here. Galaţi became an international trading center in the 18th century and was a free port from 1834 to 1883. The city was the seat of the European Danube Navigation Commission from 1856 to 1939. Population (2002) 298,861.