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 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}}