CETATEA ALBA, a town of Rumania (Akkerman, in old Slav, Byelgorod, i.e., white town) in lat. 46° 12' N., long. 3o° 19' E., on the right bank of the estuary (liman) of the Dniester, 12m. from the Black sea. The town stands on the site of the ancient Milesian colony of Tyras. Centuries later it was rebuilt by the Genoese and named Mauro Castro. The Turks captured it in 1484. In 1770, 1774 and 18o6 the Russians captured it, but each time returned it to the Turks. In 1826 a treaty was concluded here between Russia and the Porte, when Russia secured consid erable advantages : the terms of the treaty were not observed and war broke out in 1828. In 1881 it was definitely annexed to Russia, but in March 1918, when Bessarabia was united with Rumania, Cetatea Alba became a Rumanian town. The harbour is too shal low to admit large vessels, but there is a trade in wine, salt, fish, wool and tallow, though this has been hampered recently by the separation from Russia; the proximity to the Russian town of Odessa was formerly its greatest asset. The salt is obtained from the saline lakes (limans) in the neighbourhood. The town and its suburbs contain beautiful gardens and vineyards. It is surrounded by ramparts and commanded by a citadel. Pop. 33,495.