Cahul (Romanian pronunciation: [kaˈhul]; also known by other alternative names) is a city in southern Moldova. The city is the administrative center of Cahul District; it also administers one village, Cotihana. As of 1 January 2009, it has an estimated population of 39,400.
The city of Cahul (Russian: Kagul/Кагул, Bulgarian: Кахул) is believed to have been inhabited for many centuries, although it has had a number of different names over the years – the name Scheia (Old Romanian for "Bulgarian") was recorded in 1502, and the name Frumoasa ("Beautiful" in Romanian) was recorded in 1716. The modern name was given to the settlement after the Battle of Kagul, which was fought nearby.
The city's location had made it a frequent battleground for a number of armies, with possession of frequently switching between countries such as Principality of Moldavia, Russian Empire, Ottoman Empire.
The city was a part of the Moldavia before 1812, then Russia from 1812 to 1856, then again Moldavia/Romanian Principalities (1856–1878), then Russia again (1878–1918), then Romania again (1918–1940), then the Soviet Union (1940–1941), then again Romania, the Soviet Union again (1944–1991) and finally Moldova (1991 to the present).
Cahul is a Moldovan wine region. The southern wine zone of Moldova includes the territories of the Bugeac Plain and Moldova’s south. These regions have similar drought affect, but differ in their soils and climate conditions. The conditions in the southern zone favor the production of red and sweet wines. The most famous wineries here are Comrat, Taraclia, Ciumai, and Trifesti.