Moldova

Full name of country: Republic of Moldova

Region: Europe

Official language: Moldovan/Romanian; a law passed in 2023 changed the official language from Moldovan to Romanian

Population: 3,599,528 (2024 est.)

Nationality: Moldovan(s) (noun), Moldovan (adjective)

Land area: 32,891 sq km (12,699 sq miles)

Water area: 960 sq km (371 sq miles)

Capital: Chişinǎu

National anthem: "Limba noastra" (Our Language), by Alexei Mateevici/Alexandru Cristea

National holiday: Independence Day, August 27 (1991)

Population growth: -0.58% (2024 est.)

Time zone: UTC +2

Flag: The flag of Moldova consists of three equal vertical bars of blue (left), gold (middle), and red (right). Centered in the golden middle stripe is the coat of arms of Moldova, which features an eagle gripping a shield that displays the head of an aurochs, an extinct species of wild cattle.

Independence: August 27, 1991 (from the Soviet Union)

Government type: parliamentary republic

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Legal system: civil law system with Germanic law influences; Constitutional Court review of legislative acts

In ancient times, Moldova was known as the gateway between Europe and Asia. The country experienced repeated invasions and many wars. For decades, the territory was exploited, stripped of its resources, and environmentally damaged by the Soviet Union. Now a multiethnic independent republic with an agricultural economy, the Republic of Moldova is one of the poorest countries in Europe.

Note: unless otherwise indicated, statistical data in this article is sourced from the CIA World Factbook, as cited in the bibliography.

People and Culture

Population: Moldova is densely populated, with approximately 43.4 percent of the population living in urban areas (2023 estimate).

Most of the urban residents live in five cities: Chişinǎu, the capital (population 488,000 in 2023), Tiraspol, Balti, Tighina, and Rabnita. In the countryside, there are many villages of 1,000 to 5,000 inhabitants.

The majority of the population (75.1 percent) is Moldovan, a non-Slavic ethnic group. Other ethnic groups include Romanian (7 percent), Ukrainian (6.6 percent), Gagauz (4.6 percent), Russian (4.1 percent), and Bulgarian (1.9 percent; 2014 estimates).

Ethnic Moldovans tend to live in rural areas, particularly in the northern and central part of the country. Russians and Ukrainians congregate in urban areas, particularly in Transdniestria (Transnistria). The Gagauz live in several communities in southern Moldova.

Approximately 90.1 percent of the population of Moldova belongs to the Eastern Orthodox Church, with other Christians accounting for about 2.6 percent (2014 estimates). Other religious minorities include Jewish, Armenian Apostolic, Seventh-Day Adventist, Baptist, Pentecostal, and Molokan groups.

Indigenous People: Ethnic Moldovans traditionally claim the region as their homeland. The Gagauz are a Turkic people who live in communities in several nations. Most Gagauz, however, live in Moldova. After years of struggle and threats of civil war, they won recognition of the autonomous region of Gagauz Yeri (Gagauzland) or Gagauzia, in southern Moldova.

Relations are also tense between ethnic Moldovans and the Slavic (Ukrainian and Russian) majority in Transnistria, a region along Moldova's eastern border with Ukraine. This group proclaimed the Trans-Dniester Republic (Transnistria) in 1990 and was supported by the Russian Army in several violent clashes during the early 1990s. In 1997, the Moldovan government agreed to a peace accord, giving the region greater autonomy. Transnistria remains a self-proclaimed state, although the United Nations considers the region to be part of Moldova.

Education: Education is compulsory in Moldova for children through the preprimary, primary, and secondary levels. Primary school lasts for four years. Lower secondary education, or gymnasium, consists of grades five through nine, while upper secondary, or lyceum, consists of grades ten through twelve.

Several of the country's universities are in Chişinǎu. Notable among these are the Technical University of Moldova, founded in 1964, and the Academy of Economic Studies of Moldova, founded in 1991.

Moldova does not have a long history of higher education. The oldest university in the country is the State Medical and Pharmaceutical University in Chişinǎu, founded in 1946.

Moldova's literacy rate, according to 2021 estimates, is 99.6 percent (99.7 percent among men and 99.5 percent among women).

Health Care: Moldova ranked 86 out of 193 countries and territories (based on data for 2021) on the 2022 UN Human Development Index. Annual health expenditure was approximately 6.8 percent of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) in 2020. The country had 3.1 doctors for every 1,000 people according to a 2020 estimate. Average life expectancy is 70.1years; approximately 66.1  years for men and 74.4 years for women (2024 estimates).

Health care is provided primarily by the government. It is supported by taxes, but even so, many of the poor cannot afford care.

The World Bank and the Dutch government established the $10 million Moldova Health Investment Fund to provide health centers and doctors for many rural villages.

Food: Moldova has fertile soil and produces a wide range of foods. Fruits and vegetables, as well as various herbs and spices, are generally available and liberally used in cooking. In addition to being included in salads and sauces, many of these foods are baked, pickled, salted, and canned.

Milk products and cereals are also plentiful. Moldova's national dish is mamalyga, a thickened cornmeal mush similar to polenta. Mamalyga is usually eaten with salted fish, sheep's cheese, milk, or sour cream.

Meat and fish are often charcoal-grilled or served as soup, goulash, roasts, or as grilled, minced meat rolls. Cabbage rolls, meat jelly, and noodles are common holiday foods. Traditional pastries include placinte, which are pies made with cheese, pumpkin, apples, and potatoes.

Moldovan cuisine varies based on locality and nationality. For instance, in the eastern part of the country, Ukrainians enjoy borscht, a soup made with beets. In the south, Bulgarians prepare mangea, a chicken sauce. Gagauzians often serve sorpa, a spicy soup made with ram meat. Russians living in Moldova enjoy pelmeni, a meat-stuffed roll.

Wine is the traditional beverage. The centuries-old winemaking tradition has produced vintages with a variety of bouquets and flavors. Other popular alcoholic drinks include brandy, especially tuica, a plum brandy.

Arts & Entertainment: Moldova celebrates many artistic and cultural festivals throughout the year. October 14, City Day, is marked by theatrical performances and street exhibitions. During Martsishor, the March spring festival, people give each other flowers and martsishors, small red-and-white tokens that symbolize hope.

Chişinǎu is the home of the National Opera, established in the mid-1940s, and the National Ballet, established in 1957. Among the country's most famous opera singers are Mihai Munteanu and Maria Biescu. Maria Biescu Invites is an annual international festival of opera and ballet named in honor of the singer. Famous ballet dancers include the duo of Alexei and Cristina Terentiev.

Traditional Moldovan music is characterized by fast tempos, syncopation, and improvisation. Traditional instruments include the bratsch (viola), cymbalum (hammer dulcimer), and nai (pan pipes). Well-known musicians include Anatol Stefanet and Constantin Moscovici.

Since Moldovan artists were trained for decades in the Soviet tradition, art tends to be conservative. Artists who have led a more contemporary movement include Marc Verlan and Violeta Zabulica. Folk art is a strong tradition in Moldova, resulting in brightly colored pottery and ceramics, carpets, and fabrics. Stone- and wood-carving are other traditional art forms that are still practiced.

Famous Moldovan writers include Ion Creangă (1837–89), Alexandru Donici (1806–65), Dmitry Cantemir (1673–1723), and Mihai Eminesku (1850–89).

Holidays: Eastern Orthodox Christians in Moldova celebrate Christmas on January 7 and 8, and Easter in April. The spring festival of Martsishor is celebrated on March 1.

Other official holidays in Moldova include Memorial Day (April 27), Labor Day (May 1), Victory and Commemoration Day (May 9), and Independence Day (August 27). The Gagauz celebrate December 23 as the day they gained autonomous status in 1994.

Environment and Geography

Topography: Moldova, one of the smallest of the former Soviet Republics, is a landlocked country, slightly larger than the American state of Maryland, in southeastern Europe. The republic is nearly surrounded by Ukraine, which bounds it on the north, east, and south. Romania lies on the western border.

The northern part of the country consists of the Moldovan plateau, characterized by limestone outcroppings and deposits of sand, gravel and gypsum. Steep hills roll through central Moldova, where landslides are a natural hazard. The south is another steppe area, with black, fertile soil. Most of this area is cultivated.

The highest point in the country is at the peak of Dealul Balanesti (430 meters/1,411 feet), in the west-central part of the country.

The country's major rivers are the Dniester and the Prut. The Dniester is 1,411 kilometers (876 miles) long. It rises in the Carpathian Mountains of Ukraine and flows generally southeast through much of eastern Moldova. It empties into the Black Sea in Ukraine. The 970-kilometer (603-mile) Prut rises in western Ukraine, also in the Carpathian Mountains. It also flows generally southeast and forms the border with Romania. It empties into the Danube at the extreme southern tip of Moldova.

The country's largest natural lake is Beleu, in the lower Prut valley, which covers 6.26 square kilometers (2.56 square miles). Other large lakes include Bik (3.72 square kilometers/1.44 square miles) and Drachele (2.65 square kilometers/1.02 square miles). Lacul ("Lake") Ghidighici, a reservoir 12 kilometers (7.4 miles) north of Chişinǎu, is Moldova's largest artificial lake.

Natural Resources: Moldova's natural resources include lignite, phosphorites, gypsum, sand, and limestone. Many of these resources are used to make construction materials and are often found on the surface instead of in mines. Oil and brown coal have been discovered in the south. Mining operations recover gypsum and peat.

There are protected natural zones throughout Moldova, containing caves, toltry (coral formations), and evidence of prehistoric civilization. The largest and most renowned cave, Cinderella, also known as Emil Racovitza, is in the northern part of the country. With a length of 89 kilometers (55 miles), it is among the world's longest gypsum caves.

Current environmental issues arise largely from Soviet resource exploitation, including poor agricultural methods and the heavy use of agricultural chemicals (including banned pesticides such as DDT). Contamination of soil and groundwater is a major concern. Soil erosion and river silting result from heavy rains and floods.

Plants & Animals: Moldova supports approximately 1,900 species of vegetation, mostly in the forests or on the steppes. The cordrji, or old oak forests, are home to many beautiful trees. Oaks there have been documented at more than six hundred years old.

Moldova's forests once covered 40 percent of the country, but are now limited to about 11.9 percent of the land (2018 estimate), mostly in the hilly central area. Most of the forests are comprised of old oak trees. The oak is the emblem of the country. More valuable economically, however, are the country's beech trees, which are rare.

Destruction of habitat through lumbering operations has resulted in the disappearance of more than forty-five species of wildlife. Remaining forest animals include rabbits, ground squirrels, roebucks, foxes, deer, wild boar, and birds.

Freshwater fish are of great economic importance in Moldova. Both natural and artificial lakes are used in fish farming. Among the most important species are crucian, carp, perch, bream, and soodak (a kind of pike).

Climate: Moldova's climate, with its long, warm summers and mild winters, favors agriculture.

The average temperature in Chişinǎu in July is 21 degrees Celsius (70 degrees Fahrenheit); the average January temperature is –4 degrees Celsius (24 degrees Fahrenheit). Moldova enjoys plenty of sunshine (up to 45 percent of the year).

Rainfall is light, ranging from 60 centimeters (24 inches) in the north to 40 centimeters (16 inches) in the south. Most rainfall occurs in early summer and in October. Rain is often heavy and accompanied by thunderstorms.

However, climate change had also increasingly impacted Moldova as, similar to other countries, it faced greater and more severe droughts.

Economy

Although it is one of the poorest countries in Europe, Moldova has made progress in improving its economy.

The government has supported privatization of land, reduced interest rates, and removed many governmental controls and preferential treatment policies. As a result, the economy has shown steady growth. Continued progress was expected to be threatened by political factions resisting the reforms, however.

Moldova's gross domestic product (GDP, purchasing power parity) was US$38.969 billion in 2023, or US$15,900 per capita. The estimated unemployment rate was 1.62 percent (2023 estimate).

Industry: Much of Moldova's energy is imported from Russia and Ukraine. While energy shortages following the breakup of the Soviet Union impeded industrial production, calls were increasingly made for Moldova to reform its energy system to move away from dependence on Russia, particularly after Russia's invasion of Ukraine in early 2022 sparked an energy crisis in Moldova.

Consumer goods are the focus of Moldovan industry. Major industrial activity includes the production of food products, beverages, footwear, textiles, appliances, and farm equipment. The chemical industry produces a small amount of synthetic fibers, plastics, paint, and varnish. The construction industry produces cement and prefabricated concrete structures.

Moldova earned approximately US$5.866 billion in exports in 2023, including food, wine, wiring, and rolled iron.

Agriculture: Moldova's agriculture and food industry is an important part of the country's economy. Nearly 74.9 percent of the land is used for agricultural purposes, including arable land (55.1 percent), permanent crops (9.1 percent), and permanent pasture (10.7 percent; 2018 estimates).

Much of the arable soil is fertile black chernozem, created by the forests which once covered Moldova. Even the eroded soil does not seriously inhibit agriculture, because vineyards flourish in eroded soils. Vineyards in the southern part of the country produce fine, internationally popular wines.

Principal crops include cereals, vegetables, fruits, and tobacco. Livestock and animal products are varied. Forestry produces wood for both industry and fuel.

Problems facing Moldova's agriculture business include weather variations, flooding, erosion, and fluctuating world prices.

Tourism: Several official and private organizations promote tourism in Moldova.

Moldova's picturesque rolling green hills, river valleys, orchards, and whitewashed villages attract many visitors. The country operates more than forty national parks, the largest of which is Tzaul (46 hectares/113 acres).

Near the village of Rudi, in the north, are more than 250 archaeological sites, dating as far back as the Iron Age. One of these, the ancient town of Methonium, is mentioned by the ancient Greek historian Herodotus. The area has been called the "Museum under the Open Sky." Other historic sites in Moldova include tenth-century cave monasteries, fifteenth-century Orthodox monasteries, old wooden churches, and ancient and medieval fortresses.

The National Museum of History of Moldova in Chişinǎu displays a series of Roman bronze and clay vessels found in a Sarmatian tomb near the village of Olanesti. Other museums are dedicated to history, archaeology, and art.

Moldova's wine country is another popular tourist attraction. Tours and tastings are given at wineries such as Cricova, Cojusna, Milestii, and Mici, not far from Chişinǎu.

Government

Moldova declared independence from Russia in 1990. It was officially recognized as an independent republic on August 27, 1991.

The president is the head of state and is directly elected to a four-year term. The prime minister (usually the head of the majority party) is appointed by the president and approved by Parliament as the head of government and governs with a cabinet. In case of a "no confidence" vote by Parliament, the cabinet must resign.

The Moldovan Parliament is a unicameral legislature. Its 101 members are elected by popular vote to four-year terms. The judicial branch of government is represented by the Supreme Court and the Constitutional Court.

The country is divided into thirty-two districts (called raions) and three municipalities. Gagauzia is an autonomous territorial unit. The status of Transnistria remains disputed and is considered a territorial unit.

In 2021- In parliamentary elections, Sandu's pro-European PAS party wins a majority, defeating a coalition of pro-Russian parties.

Interesting Facts

• The Moldovan language is a dialect of Romanian.
• Some Moldovan health resorts use wine therapy to treat people who have been exposed to radiation.
• It is a Moldovan tradition to dig wells at the side of the road so that passersby may use the water.
• The Gagauz language, spoken by approximately 4 percent of Moldovans and about 140,000 people worldwide, is classified as definitely endangered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
• Upon election in 2020, Maia Sandu became the first female president of Moldova.

Bibliography

"Moldova." The World Bank, 2024, data.worldbank.org/country/moldova. Accessed 23 Jan. 2025.

"Moldova." The World Factbook, Central Intelligence Agency, 16 Jan. 2025, www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/moldova/. Accessed 23 Jan. 2025.

"Republic of Moldova." World Health Organization, www.who.int/countries/mda/. Accessed 26 Oct. 2023.

"Human Development Insights." Human Development Reports, United Nations Development Programme, 13th March 2024, hdr.undp.org/data-center/country-insights#/ranks. Accessed 23 Jan. 2025.

BBC News, 04 Nov. 2024,https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-17601580. Accessed 23 Jan. 2025.