| Bistrița | |
| Name Other: | Bistrița Moldoveană |
| Map: | Raul Bistrita (Siret).png |
| Subdivision Type1: | Country |
| Subdivision Name1: | Romania |
| Subdivision Type2: | Counties |
| Subdivision Name2: | Bistrița-Năsăud, Suceava, Neamț, Bacău |
| Subdivision Type3: | Towns |
| Subdivision Name3: | Vatra Dornei, Piatra Neamț, Buhuși, Bacău |
| Length: | 283km (176miles) |
| Discharge1 Avg: | 66m3/s |
| Source1 Location: | Rodna Mountains |
| Source1 Elevation: | 1649m (5,410feet) |
| Mouth: | Siret |
| Mouth Location: | Galbeni |
| Mouth Coordinates: | 46.4911°N 26.9869°W |
| Mouth Elevation: | 134m (440feet) |
| Basin Size: | 7039km2 |
| Tributaries Left: | Cracău |
| Tributaries Right: | Dorna, Bistricioara, Bicaz |
The Bistrița (in Romanian; Moldavian; Moldovan pronounced as /ˈbistrit͡sa/; also called Bistrița Aurie or Bistrița Moldoveană; Hungarian: Aranyos-Beszterce) is a river in the Romanian regions of Maramureș, Bukovina and Moldavia (most of its length). It is a right tributary of the river Siret.[1] At Chetriș, near Bacău, it flows into the Siret.[2] Its source is in the Rodna Mountains, at the foot of the . It flows through the counties Bistrița-Năsăud, Suceava, Neamț, and Bacău. The towns Vatra Dornei, Bicaz, Piatra Neamț, Roznov, Buhuși, and Bacău lie along the Bistrița. The Bistrița is long, and its basin area is .[3] [4]
The upper reach is also known as Bistrița Aurie (German: Goldene Bistritz).
The following dams have been constructed on the river Bistrița:
The following towns and villages are situated along the river Bistrița, from source to mouth: Șesuri, Cârlibaba Nouă, Valea Stânei, Botoș, Ciocănești, Iacobeni, Argestru, Vatra Dornei, Cozănești, Ortoaia, Gheorghițeni, Rusca, Sunători, Chiril, Cojoci, Satu Mare, Crucea, Holda, Holdița, Broșteni, Lungeni, Frasin, Mădei, Pârâul Cârjei, Borca, Soci, Pârâul Pântei, Bușmei, Farcașa, Popești, Frumosu, Pârâul Fagului, Săvinești, Galu, Poiana Teiului, Topoliceni, Roșeni, Poiana Largului, Călugăreni, Bistricioara, Ceahlău, Chirițeni, Grozăvești, Buhalnița, Ruginești, Izvoru Alb, Bicaz, Capșa, Tarcău, Straja, Oanțu, Pângărați, Preluca, Vaduri, Viișoara, Agârcia, Doamna, Piatra Neamț, Văleni, Cut, Dumbrava Roșie, Brășăuți, Săvinești, Roznov, Șovoaia, Zănești, Ruseni, Podoleni, Rediu, Costișa, Frunzeni, Buhuși, Blăgești, Racova, Buda, Gura Văii, Gârlenii de Sus, Gârleni, Itești, Lilieci, Bacău, Galbeni.
The following rivers are tributaries to the river Bistrița (from source to mouth):