Beltsy

a city in Moldavian SSR on the Reut River (Dnestr Basin). It is an important industrial and cultural center of northern Moldavia and a rail and highway junction. Its population is 93,000 (1968; 31,000 in 1939). Industry consists of food processing (fats and oils combine, meat combine, plant for grading the size of corn, and wine and brandy factory); machine building and instrument-making (agricultural machinery, electrical engineering, and electric lighting fixtures); and the construction materials industry (reinforced-concrete products and large-paneled home construction). There are also a garment factory and a furniture factory in the city. Bel’tsy has a pedagogical institute, a medical school, and a specialized secondary polytechnic. It also has a Moldavian-Russian music and drama theater and a museum of local lore. Bel’tsy was founded in the 15th century and became a city in 1818.