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{{Other uses}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2023}}
{{Infobox Romanian subdivision
|type               = town
|county             = Tulcea
|official_name      = Babadag
|image_shield       = ROU TL Babadag CoA.png
|image_skyline      = Babadag parc.jpg
|image_caption      = Babadag park
|image_location     = 
|image_map          = Babadag jud Tulcea.png
|map_caption        = Location in Tulcea County
|leader_name        = Georgian Caraman<ref>[https://prezenta.roaep.ro/locale09062024v2/ Local election results 2024]</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://prezenta.roaep.ro/locale27092020/romania-pv-final |title=Results of the 2020 local elections |publisher=Central Electoral Bureau |access-date=15 June 2021 |df=dmy-all}}</ref>
|leader_party       = PNL
|leader_term        = 2024&ndash;2028
|coordinates        = {{coord|44|53|53|N|28|44|31|E|region:RO_type:city(3220)|display=inline,title}}
|elevation          = 40
|elevation_min      = 15
|elevation_max      = 120
|area_total_km2     = 121
|population_as_of   = 
|population_total   = auto
|population_footnotes = 
|postal_code        = 825100
|area_code          = +40 x40
|website            = {{URL|https://primariababadag.ro/}}
}}

'''Babadag''' ({{IPA|ro|babaˈdaɡ|-|Ro-Babadag.ogg}}; {{langx|tr|Babadağ}}, {{abbr|lit.|literally}}&nbsp;"Father Mountain"), formerly known as '''Babatag''',{{sfnp|''EB''|1878}} is a town in [[Tulcea County]], [[Romania]], located on a small lake formed by the river [[Taița]], in the densely wooded highlands of [[Northern Dobruja]]. One of the several tombs of [[Sari Saltik]] is found in town.

The {{ill|Babadag Lake|ro|Lacul Babadag}} is divided only by a strip of marshland from [[Razim Lake]], a broad landlocked sheet of water spilling into the [[Black Sea]].

==History==
[[File:Babadag-19thcentury-BGRod.png|left|thumb|250px|Babadag at the end of the 19th century]]
[[File:View of Babadag 02 (cropped).jpg|left|thumb|250px|Babadag in 2024]]
The name of Babadag is connected with 13th century dervish Baba [[Sari Saltik]], who is said to have led a number of [[Turkoman (ethnonym)|Turkomans]] to Dobruja and to have settled them in this area. The town was first mentioned by [[Ibn Battuta]] under the name '''Baba Saltuk''', as the furthermost outpost of the "Turks" (i.e., the [[Golden Horde]]).<ref>Stănciugel et al., p.44-46</ref>

The town was conquered by [[Bayezid I]], [[list of Ottoman sultans|sultan]] of the [[Ottoman Empire]], in his 1393 Danubian campaign. The construction of a fortress was begun here in 1633 during the reign of [[Murad IV]], but by 1650 only the fortress's foundation walls and towers were standing. In the 17th century, it occasionally served as the winter headquarters for the Grand Vizier of the Ottoman Empire during their wars with [[Russia]].{{sfnp|''EB''|1878}} The town's location near to the [[Black Sea]] made it a target for the Russian navy, the town was bombed by the Russians in 1854 during the [[Crimean War]].{{sfnp|''EB''|1878}} In the mid-19th century, Babadag formed part of the [[sanjak|region]] (''sanjak'') of [[Sanjak of Silistra|Silistra]] within the "Bulgarian Government" ([[Danube Vilayet]]).{{sfnp|''EB''|1878}} Following the [[Russo-Turkish War (1877–1878)|1877–1878 war]] between the Ottoman and Russian empires, Babadag became part of independent Romania.

===Military training facility===
At Babadag, the [[Romanian Land Forces|Romanian Army]] operates a [[Military training area|military training facility]]. With a total surface area of {{convert|2700|ha|km2 sqmi|abbr=on}}, the area can accommodate live-fire exercises for infantry and tanks at company level as well as artillery subunits.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://romanialibera.ro/special/poligoane-de-mii-de-hectare-pentru-bazele-sua-21191/|title=Poligoane de mii de hectare pentru bazele SUA|language=ro|work=[[România liberă]]|date=12 August 2005}}</ref> In 2008, [[United States Army]] forces started to train at Babadag as part of [[Romania in NATO|Romania's integration into NATO]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.mediafaxfoto.ro/preview.php?id=3011141 |title=Romania–US Army Training|access-date=2008-07-16 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080718020844/http://www.mediafaxfoto.ro/preview.php?id=3011141 |archive-date=2008-07-18 |url-status=dead }}</ref> In 2022, units of the [[101st Airborne Division]] (that has returned to Europe for the first time since the end [[World War II]]) deployed to the [[Mihail Kogălniceanu Air Base]] have been training at the Babadag base, near the border with [[Ukraine]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://stirileprotv.ro/stiri/actualitate/dupa-78-de-ani-divizia-istorica-101-aeropurtata-a-armatei-sua-a-revenit-in-europa-cum-se-antreneaza-in-romania.html|title=După 78 de ani, Divizia istorică 101 Aeropurtată a Armatei SUA a revenit în Europa. Cum se antrenează în România|first1=Adrian|last1=Crăciunoiu|first2=Ovidiu|last2=Oanță|lang=ro|work=[[Pro TV]]|date=October 24, 2022|access-date=October 29, 2022}}</ref> The facility is subordinated to the [[Cincu Training Center]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://presamil.ro/asalt-in-cincu/|title=Asalt în Cincu|language=ro|author=Bogdan Oproiu|website=presamil.ro|date=2024-07-04}}</ref>

==Demographics==
{{Historical populations
|source = Census data
|1900 |3500
|1912 |4686
|1930 |4626
|1948 |4022
|1956 |5549
|1966 |7343
|1977 |8564
|1992 |10437
|2002 |10878
|2011 |8940
|2021 |9213
}}

In 1900, Babadag's population was 3,500.{{sfnp|''EB''|1911}} The [[2011 Romanian census|2011 census]] counted 8,940 inhabitants; the population distribution was: 6,267 [[Romanians]] (77.64%), 1,248 [[Muslim Romani people|Horahane Roma]] (15.46%),<ref>[http://phdthesis.uaic.ro/PhDThesis/Rusu%20(Moc%C4%83nasu),%20Daniela,%20Mentalities%20and%20social%20changes%20in%20the%20multiethnic%20communities%20of%20the%20Romanian%20post-communism.pdf Mentalities and social changes in the multiethnic communities of the Romanian post-communism] uaic.ro, PhD Thesis</ref> 420 [[Turks of Romania|Turks]] (5.2%), 37 [[Lipovans]] (0.45%), and 98 others. 
84.8% were [[Romanian Orthodox Church|Romanian Orthodox]] and 14.2% [[Islam in Romania|Muslim]]. At the [[2021 Romanian census|2021 census]], Babadag had a population of 9,213; of those, 66.36% were Romanians, 16.23% [[Romani people in Romania|Roma]], and 2.42% Turks.<ref name="RPL2021">{{cite web|url=https://www.recensamantromania.ro/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Tabel-1.03_1.3.1-si-1.03.2.xls|title=Populația rezidentă după grupa de vârstă, pe județe și municipii, orașe, comune, la 1 decembrie 2021|publisher=[[National Institute of Statistics (Romania)|INSSE]]|language=ro|date=31 May 2023}}</ref>

==Economy==
Before the [[World War I|First World War]], Babadag served as the market for [[wool]] and [[Lamb (food)|mutton]] from the [[Dobruja]].{{sfnp|''EB''|1911}}

==Natives==
* [[Aurel Toma]] (1911–1980), professional boxer
* [[Kemal Karpat]] (1924–2019), historian and professor at the [[University of Wisconsin–Madison]]
* [[Nelu Stănescu]] (1957-2004), footballer
* [[Laurențiu Iorga]] (born 1988), footballer

==Gallery==
{{Gallery
|File:RO TL Geamia Ali-Gazi Pașa din Babadag.JPG|The {{ill|Gazi Ali Pasha Mosque|ro|Geamia Ali-Gazi Pașa din Babadag}}
|File:Babadag parc.jpg|Park in Babadag
|File:Babadag northern access road.jpg|Northern access road
|File:Platinum Lynx 16-4, BSRF Marines and Romanian soldiers ofically begin next coalition exercise 160417-M-SF718-012.jpg|[[Black Sea Rotational Force]] Marines and Romanian soldiers at the Babadag Training Area
}}

==Notes==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==References==
* {{cite EB9 |mode=cs2 |wstitle=Babatag  |ref={{harvid|''EB''|1878}} |volume=3 |page=178 }}.
* {{cite EB1911 |mode=cs2 |wstitle=Babadag |ref={{harvid|''EB''|1911}} |volume=3 |page=91 }}.

==External links==
{{Commons category|Babadag}}
* {{Official website|https://primariababadag.ro/}}
{{Tulcea County}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Towns in Romania]]
[[Category:Populated places in Tulcea County]]
[[Category:Localities in Northern Dobruja]]
[[Category:Place names of Turkish origin in Romania]]