PLOIESTI

also spelled Ploesti city, capital of Prahova judet (county), southeastern Romania. It is situated between the valleys of the Prahova and Teleajen rivers, north of Bucharest. According to legend the city was named after its founder, Father Ploaie, an escapee from Transylvania. The city is first documented in the 16th century as a military camp for the army of Michael the Brave (Mihai Viteazul), but not until the mid-19th century did Ploiesti begin to develop rapidly. In 1856 one of the first oil refineries in the world was opened near Ploiesti, and the city's growth since that time has been directly related to that of the expanding Romanian petroleum industry. Ploiesti is the country's primary petroleum centre, having refineries, storage tanks, oil-field equipment works, and a distillery. While under German occupation during World War II, it was the target of repeated massive bombing raids. At Brazi, south of the city, is a giant petrochemical complex. Also in Ploiesti are textile and food-processing factories. Also a cultural centre, the city has six museums, including the Oil Museum, which traces the development of the Romanian petroleum industry. Pop. (1982 est.) 211,657.