View source for Bocșa

{{other uses|Bocșa (disambiguation)}}
{{More citations needed|date=March 2013}}
{{Infobox Romanian subdivision
|type               = town
|county             = Caraș-Severin
|population_total   = auto
|map_caption        = Location in Caraș-Severin County
|official_name      = Bocșa
|image_shield       = ROU CS Bocsa CoA.png
|image_map          = Bocsa jud Caras-Severin.png
|image_skyline      = Primaria Bocsa.jpg
|image_caption      = Town Hall
|leader_name        = Patriciu-Mirel Pascu<ref>{{cite web |url=https://prezenta.roaep.ro/locale27062021/romania-pv-final |title=Results of the 2021 local elections |publisher=Central Electoral Bureau |access-date=29 June 2021 |df=dmy-all}}</ref>
|leader_party       = PSD
|term               = 2021&ndash;2024
|coordinates        = {{coord|45|22|29|N|21|42|38|E|region:RO|display=inline,title}}
|elevation          = 159
|elevation_min      =
|elevation_max      =
|area_total         = 122.02
|population_as_of   =
|population_footnotes =
|postal_code        = 325300
|area_code          =
|website            = {{url|http://www.orasulbocsa.ro}}
}}
'''Bocșa''' ({{IPA|ro|ˈbokʃa|-|Ro-Bocșa.ogg}}; {{langx|hu|Boksánbánya}}; {{langx|de|Deutsch-Bokschan, Neuwerk}}) is a town in [[Caraș-Severin County]], in the [[Banat]] region of [[Romania]], with a population of 12,949 in 2021.
== Etymology ==
The name "Bocșa" is believed to originate from the Slavic word "bok," meaning "side" or "hill," which reflects the town's geographical location in a hilly region.<ref name="auto">{{cite web |title=Istoric Bocșa |url=https://orasulbocsa.ro/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/istoricbocsa.pdf |website=Orasul Bocșa |publisher=Primăria Bocșa |access-date=15 August 2024}}</ref>
==Geography==
The town is located in the southwestern part of Romania. The town has a length of {{cvt|20.2|km|mi}} and an area of approximately {{cvt|675.9|ha|acre}}. It is located {{cvt|80|km|mi}} from Timișoara and {{cvt|18|km|mi}} from Reșița.<ref name="auto"/> and is traversed by the [[Roads in Romania|national road]] {{ill|DN58B|ro}}, which connects Reșița to [[Voiteg]], in [[Timiș County]]. Bocșa lies on the banks of the [[Bârzava (Timiș)|Bârzava River]]. To the east lie the [[Western Carpathians|Western Carpathian Mountains]], offering a mountainous environment rich in natural resources, particularly iron, copper, and other non-ferrous minerals.<ref name="auto"/> Directly to the east of Bocșa, the [[Pannonian Basin]] begins, featuring [[Pannonian Steppe|steppe-like]] landscapes.
==History==
Bocșa has a long-standing development dating back to the [[Neolithic]] era. It has seen continuous habitation through the [[Bronze Age]] and [[Iron Age]], and during [[Roman Empire|Roman]] times, it was a site for gold exploitation. First mentioned in a document in 1331, Bocșa has experienced various occupations, including [[Austria-Hungary|Austro-Hungarian]] and [[Ottoman Empire|Ottoman]] rule.<ref name="auto"/> The town has a long tradition of mining, particularly for [[Iron ore|iron]] and [[copper]]. Mining activities date back to the 16th and 17th centuries under [[Ottoman Empire|Turkish rule]], where copper and iron were extracted. During the [[Habsburg Monarchy|Habsburg period]], Austrian miners revitalized the industry, establishing ironworks such as the "Altwerk" in 1719 and "Neuwerk" in 1722. These facilities processed iron ore from local sources, including the nearby [[Semenic|Semenic Mountains]] and [[Lupac]]. The industrial development of Bocșa was further enhanced by the construction of a railway for industrial use in the 19th century and the establishment of a hydroelectric plant in 1896. Over time, the town transitioned to producing agricultural machinery, but mining remained a significant part of its economic history.<ref>{{cite web |title=Geschichte des Bergbaus im Banater Bergland |url=http://www2015.banater-berglanddeutsche.de/home.php?id=a13b2c1de&adm= |website=Banater Berglanddeutsche |access-date=15 August 2024}}</ref> Bocșa also became a cultural and educational hub, with diverse religious institutions due to successive waves of colonization. <ref name="auto"/>
== Demography ==
Within the 2002 census recording 15,041 Romanians, 643 Roma, 596 Hungarians, 432 Germans, 64 Slovaks, 61 Serbs, 28 Ukrainians, and 17 Czechs were living in Bocșa.<ref name="auto"/>
==Natives==
* [[Nicolae Bocșan]] (1947–2016), historian
* [[Vasile Ciocoi]] (born 1976), footballer
* [[Sorin Frunzăverde]] (1960–2019), politician
* [[Ilona Kerekes]] (1926–2023), Hungarian international table tennis player
* [[Constantin Lucaci]] (1923–2014), sculptor
* [[Roco Sandu]] (born 1966), footballer
* [[Sándor Szurmay]] (1860–1945), Hungarian military officer and politician
==Climate==
Bocșa has a [[humid continental climate]] (''Cfb'' in the [[Köppen climate classification]]).
<div style="width:65%;">
{{Weather box
|location = Bocșa
|metric first = yes
|single line = yes
|Jan high C = 3.8
|Feb high C = 5.9
|Mar high C = 11.1
|Apr high C = 16.8
|May high C = 21.3
|Jun high C = 24.6
|Jul high C = 26.6
|Aug high C = 26.9
|Sep high C = 21.7
|Oct high C = 16.6
|Nov high C = 11.2
|Dec high C = 4.9
|year high C =
|Jan mean C = 0.2
|Feb mean C = 1.8
|Mar mean C = 6.3
|Apr mean C = 11.7
|May mean C = 16.3
|Jun mean C = 19.9
|Jul mean C = 21.8
|Aug mean C = 21.9
|Sep mean C = 17
|Oct mean C = 11.7
|Nov mean C = 6.9
|Dec mean C = 1.6
|year mean C =
|Jan low C = -3.1
|Feb low C = -2.1
|Mar low C = 1.3
|Apr low C = 6
|May low C = 10.6
|Jun low C = 14.3
|Jul low C = 16.3
|Aug low C = 16.4
|Sep low C = 12.2
|Oct low C = 7.2
|Nov low C = 3.3
|Dec low C = -1.5
|year low C =
|Jan precipitation mm = 57
|Feb precipitation mm = 56
|Mar precipitation mm = 61
|Apr precipitation mm = 78
|May precipitation mm = 82
|Jun precipitation mm = 101
|Jul precipitation mm = 81
|Aug precipitation mm = 73
|Sep precipitation mm = 74
|Oct precipitation mm = 61
|Nov precipitation mm = 57
|Dec precipitation mm = 66
|year precipitation =
|date=May 2021|source=https://en.climate-data.org/europe/romania/caras-severin/bocsa-10735/}}
</div>
{{Historical populations
|source = Census data
|1966 |16015
|1977 |20731
|1992 |19152
|2002 |19023
|2011 |15842
|2021 |12949
}}
==References==
{{reflist}}
{{commons category|Bocșa}}
{{Caraș-Severin County}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bocsa}}
[[Category:Populated places in Caraș-Severin County]]
[[Category:Localities in Romanian Banat]]
[[Category:Towns in Romania]]
[[Category:Mining communities in Romania]]
{{CaraşSeverin-geo-stub}}