Moldova

Moldova,officially theRepublic of Moldova,is alandlockedcountry inEastern Europe, on the northeastern corner of theBalkans.The country spans a total of 33,483 km(12,928 sq mi) and has a population of approximately 2.42 million as of January 2024.Moldova is bordered byRomaniato the west andUkraineto the north, east, and south.Theunrecognised breakaway stateofTransnistrialies across theDniesterriver on the country's eastern border with Ukraine. Moldova is aunitaryparliamentaryrepresentativedemocratic republic with its capital inChișinău, the country's largest city and main cultural and commercial centre.
Most of Moldovan territory was a part of thePrincipality of Moldaviafrom the 14th century until 1812, when it wascededto theRussian Empireby theOttoman Empire(to which Moldavia was avassal state) and became known asBessarabia. In 1856, southern Bessarabia was returned to Moldavia, which three years later united withWallachiato formRomania, but Russian rule was restored over the whole of the region in 1878. During the 1917Russian Revolution, Bessarabia briefly became anautonomous statewithin theRussian Republic. In February 1918, it declared independence and then integrated into Romania later that year following a vote of its assembly. The decision was disputed bySoviet Russia, which in 1924 established, within theUkrainian SSR, a so-calledMoldavian autonomous republicon partially Moldovan-inhabited territories to the east of Bessarabia. In 1940, as a consequence of theMolotov–Ribbentrop Pact, Romania wascompelled to cede Bessarabia and Northern Bukovinato theSoviet Union, leading to the creation of theMoldavian Soviet Socialist Republic(Moldavian SSR).
On 27 August 1991, as thedissolution of the Soviet Unionwas underway, the Moldavian SSRdeclared independenceand took the name Moldova.However, the strip of Moldovan territory on the east bank of the Dniester has been under thede factocontrol of the breakaway government of Transnistria since 1990. Theconstitution of Moldovawas adopted in 1994, and the country became aparliamentary republicwith apresidentashead of stateand aprime ministerashead of government. Under the presidency ofMaia Sandu,elected in 2020on a pro-Western and anti-corruption ticket, Moldova has pursued membership of theEuropean Union, and was granted candidate status in June 2022.Accession talks to the EU began on 13 December 2023.Sandu has also suggested an end toMoldova's constitutional commitment to military neutralityin favour of a closer alliance withNATOand strongly condemnedRussia's invasionof neighbouringUkraine.
Moldova is thesecond poorest country in Europe by GDP per official capitaafter Ukraine and much of its GDP is dominated by theservice sector.It has one of the lowestHuman Development Indexesin Europe, ranking 76th in the world (2022).Moldova ranks 68th in the world on theGlobal Innovation Indexas of 2024.Moldova is a member state of the United Nations, theCouncil of Europe, theWorld Trade Organization, theOrganization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, theGUAM Organization for Democracy and Economic Development, theOrganization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation, and theAssociation Trio.
The nameMoldovais derived from theMoldova River(German:Moldau); the valley of this river served as a political centre at the time of thefoundationof thePrincipality of Moldaviain 1359.The origin of the name of the river remains unclear. According to a legend recounted by Moldavian chroniclersDimitrie CantemirandGrigore Ureche, PrinceDragoșnamed the river after huntingaurochs: following the chase, the prince's exhausted houndMolda (Seva)drowned in the river. The dog's name, given to the river, extended to the principality.
For a short time in the 1990s, at the founding of theCommonwealth of Independent States, the name of the current Republic of Moldova was also spelledMoldavia.After thedissolution of the Soviet Union, the country began to use the Romanian name,Moldova. Officially, the nameRepublic of Moldovais designated by the United Nations.
The history of Moldova spansprehistoric cultures,ancientandmedievalempires, and periods of foreign rule and modernindependence.
Evidence of human habitation dates back 800,000–1.2 million years, with significant developments inagriculture,pottery, and settlement during theNeolithicandBronze Ages. Inantiquity, Moldova's location made it a crossroads for invasions by theScythians,Goths,Huns, and other tribes, followed by periods ofRomanandByzantinecontrol. The medievalPrincipality of Moldaviaemerged in the 1350s, and was the medieval precursor of modern Moldova andRomania. It reached prominence under rulers likeStephen the Greatbefore becoming avassal stateof theOttoman Empirefrom 1538, until the 19th century.
In 1812, followingone of several Russian–Turkish wars, the eastern half of the principality,Bessarabia, was annexed by theRussian Empire, marking the beginning of Russian influence in the region. In 1918, Bessarabia briefly became independent as theMoldavian Democratic Republicand, following the decision of the Parliament (Sfatul Țării), united withRomania. During the Second World War it was occupied by theSoviet Unionwhich reclaimed it from Romania. It joined the Union in 1940 as theMoldavian SSR. During this period, policies ofRussificationand economic transformation deeply influenced the region.
Thedissolution of the USSRin 1991 led todeclared independence, followed by theTransnistria Warin 1992, a conflict that left theTransnistrianregion as a de facto independent state. Moldova continues to navigate a complex relationship between pro-Western and pro-Russian factions. In recent years, it has pursued closer ties with theEuropean Union, submitting a formal membership application in 2022.
In theNovember 2020 presidential election, the pro-European opposition candidateMaia Sanduwas elected as the new president of the republic, becoming the first female elected president of Moldova.In theNovember 2024 presidential election, President Maia Sandu was re-elected with 55% of the vote in the run-off.
The Republic of Moldova is aconstitutional republicwith aunicameralparliamentary systemof government and competitive,multi-party elections. The constitution provides for executive andlegislativebranches as well as an independentjudiciaryand a clearseparation of powers. Thepresidentserves as thehead of state, is elected every four years, and can be re-elected once. Theprime ministerserves as thehead of government, appointed by the president withparliament's support. The head of government in turn assembles acabinet, subject to parliamentary approval. Legislative authority is vested in the unicameralParliament of Moldovawhich has 101 seats and whose members are elected by popular vote onparty listsevery four years. The president's official residence is thePresidential Palace, Chișinău.
After the prime minister and government resigned in 2020 and the president and parliament failed to form a new government, early parliamentary elections were held in July 2021. According toOrganization for Security and Cooperation in Europeobservers, the2021 parliamentary electionswere well-administered and competitive, andfundamental freedomswere largely respected.TheParty of Action and Solidaritywon 63 seats in the 101-seat parliament, enough to form a single-party majority.
The 1994Constitution of Moldovasets the framework for the government of the country. A parliamentary majority of at least two-thirds is required to amend theConstitution of Moldova, which cannot be revised in times of war or national emergency. Amendments to the Constitution affecting the state's sovereignty, independence, or unity can only be made after a majority of voters support the proposal in a referendum. Furthermore, no revision can be made to limit the fundamental rights of people enumerated in the Constitution.The 1994 constitution also establishes anindependentConstitutional Court, composed of six judges (two appointed by the President, two by Parliament, and two by the Supreme Council ofMagistrature), serving six-year terms, during which they are irremovable and not subordinate to any power. The court is invested with the power ofjudicial reviewover allacts of parliament, overpresidential decrees, and overinternational treatiessigned by the country.
The head of state is the President of Moldova, who between 2001 and 2015 was elected by the Moldovan Parliament, requiring the support of three-fifths of the deputies (at least 61 votes). This system was designed to decrease executive authority in favour of the legislature. Nevertheless, theConstitutional Courtruled on 4 March 2016 that this constitutional change adopted in 2000 regarding the presidential election was unconstitutional, thus reverting the election method of the president to atwo-round systemdirect election.
After achieving independence from the Soviet Union, Moldova's foreign policy was designed with a view to establishing relations with other European countries, neutrality, and European Union integration. In May 1995, the country signed theCIS Interparliamentary AssemblyConvention to become a member and was also admitted in July 1995 to theCouncil of Europe.
Moldova became a member state of the United Nations theOrganization for Security and Co-operation in Europe(OSCE), theNorth Atlantic Cooperation Council, theWorld Bank, theInternational Monetary Fundand theEuropean Bank for Reconstruction and Developmentin 1992. 1994 saw Moldova become a participant inNATO'sPartnership for Peaceprogramme. Moldova joined theFrancophoniein 1996, theWorld Trade Organizationin 2001, and theInternational Criminal Courtin 2002.
In 2005, Moldova and the European Union established an action plan that sought to improve cooperation between Moldova and the union. At the end of 2005, theEuropean Union Border Assistance Mission to Moldova and Ukraine(EUBAM) was established at the joint request of the presidents of Moldova and Ukraine. EUBAM assists the Moldovan and Ukrainian governments in approximating their border and customs procedures to EU standards and offers support in both countries' fight against cross-border crime.
After the 1990–1992War of Transnistria, Moldova sought a peaceful resolution to the conflict in the Transnistria region by working with Romania, Ukraine, and Russia, calling for international mediation, and co-operating with the OSCE and UN fact-finding and observer missions. Theforeign minister of Moldova,Andrei Stratan, repeatedly stated that the Russian troops stationed in the breakaway region were there against the will of the Moldovan government and called on them to leave "completely and unconditionally".In 2012, asecurity zone incidentresulted in the death of a civilian, raising tensions with Russia.
In September 2010, theEuropean Parliamentapproved a grant of €90 million to Moldova.The money was to supplement US$570 million in International Monetary Fund loans,World Bank and other bilateral support already granted to Moldova. In April 2010, Romania offered Moldova development aid worth of €100 million while the number of scholarships for Moldovan students doubled to 5,000.According to a lending agreement signed in February 2010, Poland provided US$15 million as a component of its support for Moldova in its European integration efforts.The first joint meeting of the Governments of Romania and Moldova, held in March 2012, concluded with several bilateral agreements in various fields.The European orientation "has been the policy of Moldova in recent years and this is the policy that must continue,"Nicolae Timoftitold lawmakers beforehis election in 2012.
On 29 November 2013, at a summit inVilnius, Moldova signed anassociation agreementwith the European Union dedicated to the European Union's 'Eastern Partnership' with ex-Soviet countries.The ex-Romanian PresidentTraian Băsescustated that Romania will make all efforts for Moldova to join the EU as soon as possible. Likewise, Traian Băsescu declared that theunification of Moldova and Romaniais the next national project for Romania, as more than 75% of the population speaks Romanian.
A document written in 2021 by the Russia's FSB's Directorate for Cross-Border Cooperation, titled "Strategic objectives of the Russian Federation in the Republic of Moldova" sets out a 10-year plan to destabilise Moldova, usingenergy blackmail, and political/elite sources in Moldova that are favourable to Russia and the Orthodox Church. Russia denies any such plan.
Religious leaders play a role in shaping foreign policy. Since the fall of the Soviet Union, the Russian Government has frequently used its connections with theRussian Orthodox Churchto block and stymie the integration of former Soviet states like Moldova into the West.
In February 2023, Russia canceled a 2012 decree underpinning Moldova's sovereignty.In May 2023, the Moldovan government announced the immediate suspension of its participation in the  Commonwealth of Independent States and its intentions to ultimately withdraw from the organisation entirely.In July 2023, Moldova passed a legislation removing it from membership in theCIS Interparliamentary Assembly.
On 25 July 2023, the Moldovan government summoned the Russian ambassador Oleg Vasnetsov to Moldova after media reports of alleged spying devices on the rooftop of their embassy in Chişinău.On 26 July 2023, the Moldovan government expelled 45 Russian diplomats and embassy staff due to "hostile actions" intended to destabilise the Republic of Moldova, according to Foreign Minister Nicu Popescu.On 30 July, the Russian embassy announced that it would suspend consular appointments "for technical reasons".
The MoldovanSecurity and Intelligence Service(SIS) also ended all partnership agreements with Russia'sFSBafter sending official notifications to the authorities in Moscow.
Moldova has set 2030 as the target date for EU Accession.
Moldova signed the Association Agreement with the European Union inBrusselson 27 June 2014. The signing came after the accord was drafted in Vilnius in November 2013.
Moldova signed the membership application to join the EU on 3 March 2022.On 23 June 2022, Moldova was officially grantedcandidate statusby EU leaders.The United Nations Development Programme is also providing assistance to Moldova in implementing the necessary reforms for full accession by 2030.The European Union'sHigh Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security PolicyJosep Borrellhas confirmed that the pathway to accession does not depend upon a resolution of theTransnistria conflict.
On 27 June, Moldova signed a comprehensive free trade agreement with theEuropean Free Trade Association.On 28 June 2023, the European Union announced a €1.6 billion support and investment programme for Moldova, as well as confirming reductions in the price of mobile data and voice roaming charges in Moldova by European and Moldovan telecoms operators, as well as Moldova joining the EU's joint gas purchase platform.
Formal accession talks began on 13 December 2023.A referendum on joining the EU is planned for autumn 2024, there will be no voting stations in Transnistria, however residents there will be free to travel into other areas of Moldova to vote, should they wish to.
In Moldova's referendum on joining the EU, a narrow 50.17% voted "yes," with Maia Sandu alleging "unprecedented" outside interference. Sandu received 42% in the simultaneous presidential election, while her rival, Alexandr Stoianoglo, garnered 26%, leading to a run-off on 3 November 2024. The referendum was seen as a test of Moldova's commitment to EU integration, amid claims of vote manipulation by criminal groups.
The European Union created aPartnership Mission in Moldovathrough itsCommon Security and Defence Policyon 24 April 2023. The mission seeks to support the government of Moldova in countering hybrid threats the country faces as a result of the2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine.
A memorandum dated 29 March 2023 stated that the mission aims at "enhancing the resilience of Moldova's security sector in the area of crisis management as well as enhancing resilience to hybrid threats, including cybersecurity, and countering foreign information manipulation and interference".The initial mandate of the mission is expected to be for two years and it will be made up of up to 40 police and customs officers and judicial officials.Estonia,Latvia,Lithuania, Germany,Poland, Sweden, theCzech Republic,Portugal,Romania, andDenmarkhave all voiced support for the mission.
On 2 February 2023 Moldova passed a law introducing criminal penalties forseparatism, including prison terms. The law continues with penalties for financing and inciting separatism, plotting against Moldova, and collecting and stealing information that could harm the country's sovereignty, independence and integrity.
The Moldovan armed forces consists of theGround ForcesandAir Force.
Moldova maintains a standing army of just 6,500 soldiers, and spends just 0.4 percent of its GDP on defence, far behind its regional neighbours.
Moldova accepted all relevant arms control obligations of the former Soviet Union. On 30 October 1992, Moldova ratified theTreaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe, which establishes comprehensive limits on key categories of conventional military equipment and provides for the destruction of weapons in excess of those limits. The country acceded to the provisions of the nuclearNon-Proliferation Treatyin October 1994 in Washington, D.C. It does not have nuclear, biological, chemical or radiological weapons. Moldova joined theNorth Atlantic Treaty Organisation'sPartnership for Peaceon 16 March 1994.
Moldova is committed to a number of international and regional control of arms regulations such as theUN Firearms Protocol,Stability Pact Regional Implementation Plan, the UN Programme of Action (PoA), and theOSCEDocuments on Stockpiles of Conventional Ammunition.Since declaring independence in 1991, Moldova has participated in UN peacekeeping missions inLiberia,Côte d'Ivoire,Sudan, andGeorgia.On 12 November 2014, the US donated to Moldovan Armed Forces 39Humveesand 10 trailers, with a value of US$700,000, to the 22nd Peacekeeping Battalion of the Moldovan National Army to "increase the capability of Moldovan peacekeeping contingents."
Moldova signed a military agreement with Romania to strengthen regional security in 2015. The agreement is part of Moldova's strategy to reform its military and cooperate with its neighbours.
Since 2022, the army has begun a process of modernisation, and has been provided with more than €87 million in support for the modernisation of the defence sector and the strengthening of security through theEuropean Peace Facility.In October 2022, Defense Minister Anatolie Nosatii claimed that 90 percent of the country's military equipment is outdated and of Soviet origin, dating back to the 1960s and 1980s.In April 2023, Valeriu Mija, Secretary of State for Defence Policy and National Army Reform in the Defence Ministry, claimed that Moldova needed $275 million to modernise its armed forces, especially in light ofRussia's invasion of Ukraineand the presence of1,500 Russian soldiers in Transnistria.In June 2023, Poland also sent a transport of military equipment worth €8 million (includingdrones, laptops,explosive ordnance disposal equipment, and ultrasound equipment) to theMoldovan policeto increase the country's internal security.Analysts at the Centre for European Policy Analysis have called for further western weapon donations.
Freedom Houseranked Moldova as a "partly free" country with a score of 62/100 in 2023. They summarised their finds as follows: "Moldova has a competitive electoral environment, andfreedoms of assembly,speech, andreligionare mostly protected. Nonetheless,pervasive corruption, links between major political figures and powerful economic interests, and critical deficiencies in the justice sector and the rule of law all continue to hamper democratic governance."According toTransparency International, Moldova'sCorruption Perceptions Indeximproved to 39 points in 2022 from 34 in 2020.Reporters Without Bordersimproved Moldova'sPress Freedom Indexranking from 89th in 2020 to 40th in 2022, while cautioning that "Moldova's media are diverse but extremely polarised, like the country itself, which is marked by political instability and excessive influence by oligarchs."
According toAmnesty International's 2022/23 report, "No visible progress was made in reducing instances of torture and other ill-treatment in detention. Impunity continued for past human rights violations by law enforcement agencies. New "temporary" restrictions on public assemblies were introduced. The rights ofLGBTIpeople were not fully realised, leading to cases of harassment, discrimination and violence. Some refugee reception centres turned away religious and ethnic minority refugees. In the breakaway Transdniestria region, prosecution and imprisonment for peaceful dissent continued."On 18 June 2023, some 500 LGBT activists and supporters held aPride paradein the capital city of Chișinău which for the first time needed no heavy police cordons to protect them from protesters largely linked to the Orthodox church.
According toHuman Rights Reportof theUnited States Department of State, released in 2022, "While authorities investigated reports of human rights abuses and corruption committed by officials, the process was slow and burdensome. During the year, authorities indicted and detained several former high-level officials including former President Igor Dodon, former member of parliament Vladimir Andronachi, Shor Party member of parliament Marina Tauber and former director of Moldovan Railways Anatolie Topala. None of these cases resulted in conviction by a court at year's end. Authorities took some steps to identify, investigate, and prosecute officials for human rights abuses, but progress was slow."
In a meeting with theEuropean Unionin October 2022, EU representatives "welcomed positive developments in Moldova such as the ratification of theIstanbul Conventionon preventing and combating violence against women, the adoption of legislation onhate crime, and the ongoing work to reform the Electoral Code. It encouraged Moldovan authorities to address shortcomings identified by OSCE/ODIHR and theVenice Commissionacross all areas and ensure effective and continuous implementation of human rights legislation."TheOffice for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights' 2016 recommendations on hate crimes were "largely reflected in amendments to the Criminal Code adopted by the Moldovan Parliament and published on 3 June 2022", but the report notes that Moldovan law enforcement officers often fail to record the bias motivations behind hate crimes, and additionally recommended "developing its victim support system to ensure effective access to justice, assistance, and protection services for hate crime victims".In 2021, 8 hate crimes were recorded, 7 of which reached a successful conviction, with one going to prosecution but without a conviction.
Moldova is divided into 32 districts (raioane, singularraion), three municipalities and twoautonomous regions(Gagauziaand theLeft Bank of the Dniester).The final status of Transnistria isdisputed, as the central government does not control that territory. 10 other cities, includingComratandTiraspol, the administrative seats of the two autonomous territories, also havemunicipality status.
Moldova has 66 cities (towns), including 13 with municipality status, and 916 communes. Another 700 villages are too small to have a separate administration and are administratively part of either cities (41 of them) or communes (659). This makes for a total of 1,682 localities in Moldova, two of which are uninhabited.
The largest city in Moldova is Chișinău with a population of approx. 695,400 people. The second largest city is Tiraspol at 129,500, part of theunrecognised breakaway regionofTransnistria, followed by Bălți (146,900) and Bender (91,000).
The Moldovan police force (General Police Inspectorate) reports to theMinistry of Internal Affairs(MAI) and is the primary law enforcement body, responsible for internal security, public order, traffic, and criminal investigations. Several agencies responsible for border management, emergency situations, migration and asylum also report to the ministry. Civilian authorities maintained effective control over the security forces.The Moldovan Police are divided into state and municipal organisations. State police provide law enforcement throughout Moldova while municipal police operate at the localadministrativelevel. National and municipal police forces often collaborate closely for law enforcement purposes. TheSpecial Forces Brigade "Fulger"is a specialised combat-ready police force primarily responsible for tackling organised crime, serious violent crime, and hostage situations. They are subordinate to the General Police Inspectorate and therefore under strict civilian control.
There are also a number of more specialised police institutions including the Police Department of Chisinau Municipality and the General Directorate of Criminal Investigation. TheMoldovan Border Policeare responsible for border security. It was a military branch until 2012 when it was put under the control of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. According toThe Law on Police Use of Force Worldwide,"Moldova does not regulate and restrict the use of firearms by law enforcement officials as international law requires. Police use of a firearm can only be lawful where necessary to confront an imminent threat of death or serious injury or a grave and proximate threat to life."
TheSecurity and Intelligence Service(SIS) is a Moldovan state body specialised in ensuringnational securityby exercising all appropriateintelligenceandcounter-intelligencemeasures, such as: collecting, processing, checking and capitalising the information needed to identify, prevent and counteract any actions that according to law represent an internal or external threat to independence, sovereignty, unity, territorial integrity, constitutional order, democratic development, internal security of the state, society and citizens, the statehood of the Republic of Moldova, the stable functioning of vitally important branches of the national economy, both on the territory of the Republic of Moldova and abroad.
Emergency services in Moldova consist ofemergency medical services,search and rescueunits, and a statefirefighting service. There are two hospitals in the capital city Chișinău, the primary being Medpark International Hospital, and general hospitals inBălți,Briceni,Cahul, andCălărași.Moldova has a universal healthcare system through amandatory health insurancescheme. Casa Mariorei, founded in 2002, is adomestic violence shelterin Chișinău which provides shelter, healthcare, legal advice, and psychosocial support for native Moldovan, immigrant, and refugee women.
Moldova is a landlocked country situated in Eastern Europe, on the northeastern corner of theBalkansin theBlack Sea Basin, between latitudes45°and49° N, and mostly between meridians26°and30° E(a small area lies east of 30°). The country lies to the east of theCarpathian Mountainsand is bordered byRomaniato its west and byUkraineto its north, east, and south. The total length of the national boundaries is 1,389 km, including 939 km with Ukraine and 450 km with Romania. The country is separated from Romania on the west by thePrutriver and on the east from Ukraine by theDniesterriver. The total land area is 33,843.5 km(13,067.0 sq mi), of which 960 km(370 sq mi) is water. The largest part of the country (around 88% of the area) lies in theBessarabiaregion, while a narrow strip in the east is located in theunrecognised breakaway stateofTransnistriaon the eastern bank of the Dniester.
Although the country is technically landlocked, in 1999 Moldova acquired from Ukraine (in exchange for ceding a stretch of contested road in the east of the country) a 0.45 kilometer river frontage to the Danube, on the confluence of theDanubeand Prut rivers. This has transformed the old village ofGiurgiulești(in the extreme south-west of the country) into ariver port,  providing Moldova access tointernational watersvia the Danube and theBlack Sea.The Dniester river, which rises in Ukraine near the city ofDrohobych, passes through Moldova, separating the main territory from its unrecognised breakaway region Transnistria, and empties into the Black Sea in Ukraine. At its closest point, Moldova is separated from theDniester Liman, an estuary of the Black Sea, by only 3 km of Ukrainian territory.
While most of the country is hilly, elevations never exceed 430 m (1,410 ft), the highest point being theBălănești Hill. Moldova's hills are part of theMoldavian Plateau, which geologically originate from the Carpathian Mountains. Its subdivisions in Moldova include the Dniester Hills (Northern Moldavian Hills and Dniester Ridge), the Moldavian Plain (Middle Prut Valley andBălți Steppe), and the Central Moldavian Plateau (Ciuluc-Soloneț Hills, Cornești Hills—CodriMassive, "Codri" meaning "forests"—Lower Dniester Hills, Lower Prut Valley, and Tigheci Hills). In the south, the country has a small flatland, theBugeac Plain. The territory of Moldova east of the river Dniester is split between parts of thePodolian Plateau, and parts of theEurasian Steppe. Moldova's exceptionally richChernozemsoil covers around three-quarters of the country's land area.
Moldova's capital and largest city isChișinău, with approximately a third of the country's population residing in its metro area. Chișinău is Moldova's main industrial and commercial centre, and is located in the middle of the country, on the riverBîc, a tributary of theDniester. Moldova's second-largest city isTiraspol, which lies on the eastern bank of the Dniester and is the capital of theunrecognised breakaway regionofTransnistria. The country's third-largest city isBălți, often referred to as the 'northern capital'. It is situated 127 kilometres (79 miles) north of the capital Chișinău, and is located on the riverRăut, a tributary of the Dniester, on a hilly landscape in the Bălți steppe.Comratis the administrative centre of theautonomous regionofGagauzia.
Moldova has a climate which is moderately continental; its proximity to theBlack Sealeads to the climate being mildly cold in the autumn and winter and relatively cool in the spring and summer.
The summers are warm and long, with temperatures averaging about 20 °C (68 °F) and the winters are relatively mild and dry, with January temperatures averaging −4 °C (25 °F). Annual rainfall, which ranges from around 600 mm (24 in) in the north to 400 mm (16 in) in the south, can vary greatly; long dry spells are not unusual. The heaviest rainfall occurs in early summer and again in October; heavy showers and thunderstorms are common. Because of the irregular terrain, heavy summer rains often cause erosion and river silting.
The highest temperature ever recorded in Moldova was 41.5 °C (106.7 °F) on 21 July 2007 inCamenca.The lowest temperature ever recorded was −35.5 °C (−31.9 °F) on 20 January 1963 in Brătușeni, Edineț county.
Phytogeographically, Moldova is split between theEast European Plainand thePontic–Caspian steppeof theCircumboreal Regionwithin theBoreal Kingdom. It is home to three terrestrial ecoregions:Central European mixed forests,East European forest steppe, andPontic steppe.Forests currently cover only 11% of Moldova, though the state is making efforts to increase their range. It had a 2019Forest Landscape Integrity Indexmean score of 2.2/10, ranking it 158th globally out of 172 countries.Game animals, such asred deer,roe deerandwild boarcan be found in these wooded areas.
The environment of Moldova suffered extreme degradation during the Soviet period, when industrial and agricultural development proceeded without regard for environmental protection.Excessive use of pesticides resulted in heavily polluted topsoil, and industries lacked emission controls.Founded in 1990, theEcological Movement of Moldova, a national, non-governmental, nonprofit organisation which is a member of theInternational Union for Conservation of Naturehas been working to restore Moldova's damaged natural environment.The movement is national representative of the Centre "Naturopa" of theCouncil of EuropeandUnited Nations Environment Programmeof the United Nations.
Once possessing a range from theBritish Islesthrough Central Asia over theBering StraitintoAlaskaand Canada'sYukonas well as theNorthwest Territories,saigassurvived in Moldova and Romania into the late 18th century. Deforestation, demographic pressure, as well as excessive hunting eradicated the native saiga herds which iscurrently threatened with extinction. They were considered a characteristic animal ofScythiain antiquity. HistorianStraboreferred to the saigas as thekolos, describing it as "between the deer and ram in size" which (understandably but wrongly) was believed to drink through its nose.
Another animal which was extinct in Moldova since the 18th century until recently was the European Wood Bison orwisent. The species was reintroduced with the arrival of three European bison fromBiałowieża Forestin Poland several days beforeMoldova's Independence Dayon 27 August 2005.Moldova is currently interested in expanding their wisent population, and began talks with Belarus in 2019 regarding a bison exchange programme between the two countries.
The economy of Moldova is anemergingupper-middle income economy, with a highHuman Development Index. Since the country gainedindependencefrom theSoviet Unionin 1992, it has steadily transitioned to amarket economy. According to theWorld Bank, despite a strong economic performance over the past two decades, Moldova remains among the poorest nations in Europe. Growth has remained relatively high since the 1990s, with low levels of unemployment and falling levels of poverty, but a combination of demographic factors, especially anageing populationand significant levels of emigration, and recent regional events, especiallyRussia's invasion of Ukraine, have posed serious economic challenges to the Moldovan economy, particularly due to inflation and rising energy prices. Productivity growth has remained poor, and a significant proportion of the population are reliant on government pensions and social assistance.Due to Moldova's historic reliance upon Russian oil and natural gas, the energy sector has posed a particular challenge to the country's economy.
GDP per capitahas almost doubled from $2,749 (USD) in 2015 to $5,562 in 2022.Following the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdowns, annual GDP growth rebounded to 13.9% in 2021, before Russia's invasion of Ukraine, energy and refugee crises caused growth to collapse to −5.9%. As of 2022, unemployment remains low at 2.3%, but inflation had dramatically increased to 28.7% due to the energy crisis caused by the invasion.In recent years the country has received significant economic assistance from theEuropean Union, IMF, and World Bank, particularly after Russia's invasion of Ukraine. TheIMFpredicts that in 2023 the economy will improve from a 1.5% contraction to a growth of 1.5%.
Moldova remains highly vulnerable to fluctuations inremittancesfrom workers abroad (which constitute 25 percent of GDP), exports to theCommonwealth of Independent States(CIS) andEuropean Union(EU) (88 per cent of total exports), and donor support (about 10 per cent of government spending).The main transmission channels through which adverse exogenous shocks could impact the Moldovan economy are remittances (also due to potentially returning migrants), external trade, and capital flows.
The economy's primary exports are agriculture, apparel, and sports equipments.In 2021, Moldova exported $140 million in wine and is the 21st largest exporter of wine in the world, with wine exports being the country's fifth largest export.With its 300 days of sunshine per year, the climate in Moldova is ideal for agriculture and particularlyvineyards. The wine industry is a major economic sector, representing three percent of Moldova's GDP and eight percent of the country's total exports, according to government data.In 2021, the EU became the main purchaser of Moldovan wines.Information and Communication Technology(ICT) is one of the most promising economic sectors in Moldova, accounting for more than 10 percent of GDP. More than 2,000 students graduate with a degree in computing or a related field per year.IT companies export about 80 percent of their total production to the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, theNetherlands, andRomania.
Moldova is one of the least visited countries in Europe, and tourism consequently plays a relatively minor role in the country's overall economy.Despite the impact ofRussia's invasion of neighbouring Ukraine, Moldova saw more foreign visitors in the first quarter of 2022 than pre-pandemic, going from 31,000 non-resident tourists in 2019 to 36,100 in 2022.This still makes it one of the least-visited countries in Europe, however in recent years a number of Western media outlets have begun to highlight Moldova and its capital cityChișinăuas an attractive tourism destination due to its picturesque natural landscapes, 300 days of sunshine per year, low prices, ancient wine culture, and mix of regional cultural influences.Tourism in Moldova has focused on the country's natural landscapes, historical sites, and historic wine tradition. The government promotes international tourism within the country through its Moldova Travel brand.Moldova is internationally connected by plane viaChișinău International Airport, with direct flights to and from many European destinations, includingAmsterdam Schiphol,Berlin Brandenburg,London Stansted,Paris–Charles de Gaulle,Tel Aviv'sBen Gurion Airport,Rome–Fiumicino Airport,Istanbul Airport, andDubai International Airport. Rail links connect it via direct overnight trains to neighbouringBucharest,Kyiv,Odesa, and formerly Moscow.Moldovan citizens also enjoy visa-free travel across theSchengen Area.
As a major exporter of wine with more than 142 wineries and the largest wine cellar in the world, vineyard tours are offered to tourists across the country. Major sites include theCricovawinery, whose wine cellar stretches more than 120 kilometres (75 miles);Castel Mimi, a 19th-century chateau with vineyards, a museum, art gallery, spa, hotel, and restaurant; andMileștii Mici, which boasts the world's largest collection of wine.As a country with a deep history ofEastern Orthodox Christianity, the country also has more than 50 monasteries and 700 churches.Among the most famous and well-visited are theOld OrheiCave Monastery, carved into a cliff face in the 13th century and still in use today, and the 19th centuryNativity Cathedralin the centre of Chișinău.UNESCOincludes both the Old Orhei Archaeological Landscape, which features evidence of settlements dating back to at least the 12th century, and the typicalChernozemsoil on theBălți Steppeof Moldova (the most arable soil on the planet) on its Tentative List ofWorld Heritage Sites.The capital city ofChișinăuhosts most of the country's national museums, including theNational Museum of Fine Arts,Moldova State University, Brancusi Gallery, theNational Museum of History of Moldovawith over 236,000 exhibits, as well as bustling markets in the north of the city, including the house whereAlexander Pushkinonce resided while in exile from theRussian Tsar, and which has since been turned into a museum. Every year on 3–4 October, the country celebrates National Wine Day, where wine producers open up their wineries to the general public and provide shuttle buses between locations.
With its 300 days of sunshine per year, the climate in Moldova is ideal for agriculture and particularlyvineyards. The wine industry is a major economic sector, representing three percent of Moldova's GDP and eight percent of the country's total exports, according to government data. Moldovan wine is being exported into over 70 states worldwide. Although Moldova is barely larger thanBelgium, the country has 122,000 hectares of vineyards and is among the 20 largest producers in the world, according to a report by theInternational Organisation of Vine and Wine(OIV).
BeforeRussia's invasion of Ukraineand Moldova's pivot towards Europe, a majority of its wine exports went to Russia, but this has now changed: "Russia accounted for only 10 percent of Moldovan wine exports in 2021, down from 80 percent in the early 2000s, according to figures from theMoldovan Ministry of Agriculture."The EU liberalised its market for Moldovan wines and has signed a bilateral free trade deal with Moldova, with the result that in 2021 the country exported more than 120 million litres of wine to European countries, compared to 8.6 million litres to Russia.
Many families have their own recipes andgrape varietiesthat have been passed down through the generations. There are 3 historical wine regions: Valul lui Traian (south west), Stefan Voda (south east) andCodru(centre), destined for the production of wines with protected geographic indication.Mileștii Miciis the home of the largest wine cellar in the world. It stretches for 200 km (120 mi) (though only 55 km (34 mi) is in use) and holds some two million or more bottles of wine.It has retained theGuinness World Recordfor largest wine cellar by number of bottles since 2005.The earliest wines in its collection date to 1969.Mimi Castlein the south east is a winery andarchitectural monument, which was built at the end of the 19th century in the village ofBulboacain the districtAnenii Noi, and is thought to be the first winery in Bessarabia. It has since also become a tourist complex with a museum, art gallery, hotel, spa, and wine tasting rooms.
Moldova is an agrarian-industrial state, with agricultural land occupying 2,499,000 hectares in a total area of 3,384,600 hectares.It is estimated that 1,810,500 of these hectares arearable.It is among the most arable countries in Europe, with the Chernozem soil across theBălți Steppebeing among the most fertile soils anywhere in the world.With more than 300 days of sunshine per year supporting the cultivation of vineyards, Moldova is also one of the largest wine producers in the world. Moldova's agricultural sector benefits from a geographical proximity to large markets, especially theEuropean Union.As of 2021, agriculture made up 12% of Moldova's overall exports and 21% of overall employment.Its most exported foods are maize, wheat, sunflower seeds, grapes, apples, sugar beets, milk, potatoes, barley, plums/sloes, while relevant and important domestic industries include sugar processing, vegetable oil, food processing, and agricultural machinery.Between 2015 and 2022, agricultural production has almost doubled, particularly in vegetable and fruit production.In July 2023, a network of 20seed librariescomprising over 1,000 seeds were created across Moldova with the assistance ofMinistry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic,NGOs, and theUnited Nations Development Programme, with the aim is to improve localagricultural biodiversity,climate resilience, and the capacity of local government and farmers to respond effectively to changing environmental conditions.
Nevertheless, the country's agricultural sector faces serious long-term challenges. Despite having relatively modest per capitagreenhouse gas emissions, and lower than the world average, Moldova is highly vulnerable toclimate changeand related environmental disasters which already cost the country 2.13% of annual GDP.According to Climate-KIC, run by theEuropean Institute of Innovation and Technology, "The same region in Moldova can experience intense droughts and devastating floods in the course of a few months, which is the primary concern of local people when they talk about climate. But the irregular nature of these events made it difficult to sustain long term interest from Moldovan people or to channel money from donors."
The main means of transportation in Moldova are railways 1,138 km (707 mi) and a highway system (12,730 km or 7,910 mi overall, including 10,937 km or 6,796 mi of paved surfaces). Rail links connect it via direct overnight trains to neighbouringBucharest,Kyiv,Odesa, and also Moscow.
TheGiurgiuleștiterminal on theDanubeis compatible with small seagoing vessels. Shipping on the lowerPrutandNistrurivers plays only a modest role in the country's transportation system.
The sole international air gateway of Moldova is theChișinău International Airport. with direct flights to and from many European destinations.
Internet in Moldova is among the fastest and least expensive in the world as of 2023.The country ranks 3rd in the world by gigabit coverage with around 90% of the population having the option to subscribe to agigabit-speedfibre-opticbroadband plan.TheUnited Nations Development Programmehas judged it to have a highly developed digital infrastructure, with 98% 4G coverage of its territory.By July 2022, there were more than 3 million internet users in Moldova, constituting some 76% of the population.Moldova is considering a bid to begin rolling out 5G in 2024, with testing beginning in 2019.Starlinklaunched in Moldova in August 2022.Information and Communication Technology(ICT) is one of the most promising economic sectors in Moldova, accounting for more than 10 percent of GDP. More than 2,000 Moldovan students per year graduate with a degree incomputingor a related field.
TheITU's Global Cybersecurity Index ranks Moldova on the 33rd place in Europe and the 63rd place in the world. The country's joining in 2009 of theConvention on Cybercrimeof theCouncil of Europeand adoption of the National Cyber Security Programme for 2016–2020 have established the legislative parameters for a safer digital environment. Since Russia's invasion of neighbouring Ukraine and their campaign ofcyberwarfareagainst Moldova, the Moldovan government has invested significant money and resources in developing strongercybersecuritypractices and regulations with assistance from the European Union and United States.The European Union has also set up and funded the Moldova Cybersecurity Rapid Assistance Unit to improve the cyber resilience of Moldova's public sector organisations and key critical infrastructure sectors. Moldova has adopted new legislation partially drafted by the unit which will go into effect on 1 January 2025.The country has also passed legislation in order to more closely align with the EU'sGDPRregulations, and is currently mostly compliant.
TheNational Bank of Moldovais responsible for the financial system and has a responsibility to the management and control of all banks in Moldova. It is accountable to theParliament of Moldova.
The most up-to-date and reliable information is available from theNational Bureau of Statistics of the Republic of Moldova's website which is continuously updated on a monthly and yearly basis. The most recentnational censusof Moldova was carried out in2014(not includingTransnistria). The next national census is due to be carried out in 2024.
Moldova has an estimated population of approx. 2,423,300 as of 1 January 2024.Moldova is relatively urbanised, with 43.4% of Moldovans living in urban areas as of 2022and an urbanisation rate of 0.09%.About one-third of the Moldovan population live in the capital cityChișinău'smetropolitan area. As of 2022, the country's population density is 82.8 inhabitants per 1 km, and average life expectancy was 71.5 years (67.2 for males, and 75.7 for females).There are 100 women per 90 men in Moldova, and employed women have significantly higher levels of education, though women continued to earn 13.6% less than men on average.The number of elderly people (60 years and over) per 100 inhabitants in Moldova has increased year-on-year.The national language isRomanian, aRomance language, though approximately 15% of the Moldovan population also speak Russian as of 2014.
The country has been suffering from long-term population decline due to high levels ofemigration(in 2022, 43,000 more people left the country than came) as well as low fertility rates. According toBalkan Insight, the population has fallen by almost 33% since 1990, and by 2035 the total population may be half what it was in 1990.Since 2018, the number of deaths has exceeded the levels of live-births, though the gap has been reduced since 2021. As of 2022, the average number of children per women of childbearing age was 1.69, well below thereplacement rateof 2.1, as compared to 1.78 in 2019. The total number of deaths fell by 20.5% in 2022 compared to 2019. Unemployment has remained low at about 3% in 2022.
According to the2014 national census, ethnicMoldovansmade up approx. 75% of the country's population, whileRomanians(7%),Ukrainians(6.57%),Gagauzians(4.57%), andRussians(4.06%) made up the most substantial ethnic minorities. Smaller populations includeBulgarians(1.88%),Romani(0.34%),Belarusians(0.10%), Jews (0.06%), andPoles(0.05%).
As of March 2023, the onlyofficial languageof Moldova is Romanian, and all references to the Moldovan language in theconstitutionand legal bills have been amended to refer to Romanian.The 2014 Moldovan census for the first time collected information about the languages spoken by residents in Moldova. There is acontroversyabout whether or notMoldovanandRomanianshould be considered distinct languages, and the Moldovan government rejects any distinction, however the census allowed for respondents to respond with their preferred label. The results wereMoldovan(54.6%),Romanian(24.0%), Russian (14.5%),Ukrainian(2.7%),Gagauz(2.7%),Bulgarian(1.7%), and Other (0.5%).
Emigration is a mass phenomenon in Moldova and has a major impact on the country'sdemographicsand economy. It is estimated that more than between 1.2 and 2 million Moldovan citizens (over 25% of the population) are living and working abroad.The Moldovan economy is still heavily reliant on their remittance payments. Moldovans are found across theBalkanregion, Western Europe, and North America. Among the most notable Moldovandiasporapopulations are: 285,000 inRomania(2020), 258,600 inUkraine(2002) 156,400 in Russia (2010), 188,923 in Italy (2019), 122,000 in Germany (2022), 26,300 in France (2019), and 20,470 in Canada (2021).
Current trends indicate that the population of Moldova will continue to fall with emigration remaining both chronic and higher than immigration or natural birth rates. In 2020, net emigration fell to a low of 7,000, but by 2022, 43,000 more people left the country than came, though this is slightly down from net emigration of 45,000 in 2021.Russia's invasionof neighbouring Ukraine and the economic impact on Moldova may have been a key contributing factor in the rise from 2020 to 2022. However, there are indications that the invasion of Ukraine and the country's moves towardsaccession to the European Unionmay have led to a rise in the number of Moldovan emigrants returning to their country of birth, seeking to help the country join the EU.The Moldovan diaspora also had significant influence on recent Moldovan elections, voting overwhelmingly forMaia Sanduas president in2020and for herParty of Action and Solidarityin the2021 parliamentary election.
Moldova's constitution provides for freedom of religion and complete separation of church and state, though the constitution cites the "exceptional importance" ofEastern Orthodox Christianity.Discriminationon the basis of religious affiliation is illegal, andincitement to religious and ethnic hatredwas made illegal in May 2022.Religion in Moldova is dominated by theEastern Orthodoxbranch of Christianity. According to the 2014 Moldovan census, 90% of the country reported to be of the Eastern Orthodox Christian faith.Of this number, approx. 80–90% of Orthodox Moldovans belong to the Moldovan Orthodox Church (formally known asMetropolis of Chișinău and All Moldova) which is subordinate to theRussian Orthodox Church, and has played a powerful role in deepening Russia's influence in Moldova.The remaining 10–20% of Orthodox Moldovans belong to theMetropolis of Bessarabia, which is subordinate to theRomanian Orthodox Church.
Of the non-Orthodox population of Moldova, theUnited States Department of Stateestimates that as of 2022, approx. 7% identify with no religion;Baptists,Jehovah's Witnesses, andPentecostalsnumber between 15,000 and 30,000 each; theJewish Community of the Republic of Moldovaorganisation estimates the Jewish population to be approx. 20,000; and the Islamic League of Moldova (an NGO recognised by theMoldovan Ministry of Justicein 2011 as representingMoldovan Muslims) estimates the number of Muslims to be approx. 15,000–17,000.There are sixsynagoguesinChișinău, one inOrhei, one inSoroca, and one inTiraspol, and one mosque inChișinău. The remaining less than 5% of the Moldovan population areSeventh-day Adventists,Evangelical Christians,Roman Catholics,Lutherans, andatheists.TheTransnistrian authoritiesestimate that 80% of the population belong to the Moldovan Orthodox Church.
Moldova providesuniversal healthcarethrough amandatory health insurancescheme. According to the most recent 2022 official data, per 10,000 inhabitants there are 48.4 doctors and 91 units of average medical staff.Approx. 53% of those aged 16 and over in urban areas described their own health as 'good' or 'very good', compared to approx. 33% of people of the same age in rural areas.The country has 86 hospitals, 1,524pharmaciesand branches, 12,600 physicians, 23,687paramedicalpersonnel, and 17,293hospital beds. Moldova spends 6% of its annual GDP on health care, up from 4.9% in 2019.
As of 2022 the average life expectancy was 71.5 years (67.2 for males, and 75.7 for females), slightly lower than comparable countries such asAlbania,Bulgaria,Latvia, and Ukraine. The number of elderly people (aged 60 years and over) per 100 inhabitants in Moldova has increased year-on-year. Thetotal fertility rateper woman in 2022 was 1.69, a fall from 1.78 in 2019, and below the replacement rate of 2.1. There were 10.6live birthsper 1,000 inhabitants in 2022, a drop from 12.2 in 2019, and 14.2 deaths per 1,000 inhabitants, an increase from 13.7 in 2019 but a significant fall from 17.5 in 2019.Infant mortalityper 1,000 live-births was 9.0, a slight increase on 8.7 in 2020.
The overall number of deaths in 2022 fell by 20.5% compared to 2021.According to the National Agency for Public Health, the major causes of death in 2022 werediseases of the circulatory system(58%),cancerous tumours(15.8%),diseases of the digestive tract(7.5%), external causes (4.8%), and other causes (13.9%).More specifically, the leading causes of death in 2019 wereIschaemic heart disease, strokes,hypertensive heart disease,cirrhosisof the liver, and trachea, bronchus, and lung cancers.
On 19 December 2016, the Moldovan parliament approved raising the retirement age to 63 yearsfrom the current level of 57 for women and 62 for men, a reform that is part of a 3-year-old assistance programme agreed with theInternational Monetary Fund. The retirement age will be lifted gradually by a few months every year until it is fully in effect in 2028.
As of the academic year 2022/23, Moldova had 1,218 primary and secondary schools, 90 vocational schools, and 21 higher education institutions, as well as 12privatehigher education institutions.There were a total of 437,000 pupils and students. As of 2015,Romaniaallocates 5,000 scholarships in high schools and universities for Moldovan students.Likewise, more than half of preschool children in Moldova benefit from Romania funded programme to renovate and equipkindergartens.Almost all the population is literate: theliteracy rateof the population aged 15 and over is estimated at 99.6%.
The main higher education institutions in Moldova are theMoldova State University(est. 1946) and theAcademy of Sciences of Moldova(est. 1961), both of which are located inChișinău. TheAcademy of Economic Studies of Moldova(est. 1991) has featured on theTimes Higher Education World University Rankingsand has educated a number of national leaders including currentPresident of MoldovaMaia Sanduand leader of the oppositionIgor Dodon.Other important universities include theIon Creangă State Pedagogical University of Chișinău(est. 1940),Nicolae Testemițanu State University of Medicine and Pharmacy(est. 1945), and theTechnical University of Moldova(est. 1964). Women account for 59.1% of students in higher education, and 70.1% of all foreign students indoctoral programmesin Moldova. 32.3% of employed women in Moldova have received higher education, compared to 24.5% of men, and 16.9% specialised secondary education compared to 11.3% of men.
Since independence, Moldova characterised by a substantial range of profound regional differences across its internationally recognised territory. Sinceindependence, the country has struggled with issues of national identity, geopolitical strategy, and alliances, often torn betweenRomaniaand theEuropean Unionto the west and theRussian Federationto the east. Most notably, in eastern Moldova is the unrecognised breakaway state ofTransnistria, which lies on the eastern bank of theDniesterriver and bordersUkraine, which has pursued close diplomatic, military, and economic ties with Russiasince 1992, with more than a thousand Russian soldiers stationed in the region. This has proved particularly difficult followingRussia's invasion of Ukrainein 2022, as Transnistria's position on Ukraine's south-western flank and its hosting of more than a thousand Russian soldiers poses a potential threat to Ukraine's war efforts. The European Union'sHigh Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security PolicyJosep Borrellhas confirmed that the pathway to accession does not depend upon a resolution of theTransnistria conflict.There is further the issue of theautonomous territorial unitofGagauzia. TheGagauz peopleare aTurkic-speakingpeople spread between southern Moldova and the south-west of Ukraine. While their exact origin is considered obscure, they have a strong sense of ethnic identity distinct from that of Moldova, Romania, and Ukraine, with adistinctive languageand cultural traditions. They are nevertheless a heavilyRussifiedgroup.Support for integration with Romania and the European Union is substantially lower among Gagauzians than among the broader Moldovan population. In 2014, shortly before the Republic of Moldova signed its EU Association Agreement, nearly 99 per cent of Gagauzians voted in a referendum "to reject closer links with Europe in favour of joining the Russian-led Eurasian Economic Union."In 2015, "just over half of Gagauzians voted for the Russian-backed socialist candidateIrina Vlakhas governor."Gagauzia continues to represent a serious challenge both to Moldova's territorial sovereignty and political stability due to Russia's systemic involvement in the region, especially by backing pro-Russian local parties and leadership candidates.TheEuropean Centre for Minority Issueshas also highlighted the role of supposedly-neutral NGO groups in Gagauzia as a new front in Russia'shybrid-waragainst both Moldova and Ukraine.The region's current local leader,Evghenia Guțul, in July 2023 thanked the fugitive MoldovanoligarchIlan Shor, leader of the outlawed Moldovan pro-Russian oppositionȘor Party, for his personal and financial support and his "willingness to do what it takes so that we may fulfil our election promises", and expressed a desire for deeper diplomatic ties with Russia.
There is alsosubstantial controversyover ethnic and linguistic identity in Moldova concerning whether theMoldovan languageandMoldovan peopleconstitute separate linguistic and ethnic groups to theRomanian languageand Romanian people. The possibility of theunification of Moldova and Romaniahas remained a popular topic in both countries since Moldova's independence in 1991. Romania and Moldova enjoy exceptionally strongdiplomatic relations. Romania supports Moldova's rapid accession to the European Union, provides vast economic assistance to Moldova's struggling economy, and provided up to 90% of Moldova's energy needs via discounted capped prices as Moldova sought to reduce its reliance on Russian oil and natural gas.Relations have strengthened further since Russia's invasion of Ukraine.Up to 74% of the Romanian public and more than 40% of the Moldovan public would support Moldova being integrated into Romania in one form or another, though most in either country believe that 'now is not the right time'.A 2022 survey during theRussian invasion of Ukraineindicated that only 11% of Romania's population supports an immediate union, while over 42% think it is not the moment.
Moldova's cultural tradition has been influenced primarily by theRomanian originsof its majority population, the roots of which go back to the second century AD, the period ofRomancolonisation inDacia.Located geographically at the crossroads ofLatin,Slavicand other cultures, Moldova has enriched its own culture adopting and maintaining traditions of neighbouring regions and of other influential sources.The largest ethnic group, which had come to identify itself widely as "Moldovan" by the 14th century, played a significant role in the shaping ofclassical Romanian culture. The culture has been also influenced by theByzantineculture, the neighbouring Magyar and Slavic populations, and later by the Ottoman Turks. A strong Western European influence in Moldovan literature and arts was prevalent in the 19th century. During the periods 1812–1917 and 1944–89, Moldovans were influenced by Russian and Soviet administrative control as well and by ethnic Russian immigration.
The country's cultural heritage was marked by numerous churches and monasteries built by the Moldavian rulerStephen the Greatin the 15th century, by the works of the later renaissance MetropolitansVarlaamandDosoftei, and those of scholars such asGrigore Ureche,Miron Costin,Nicolae Milescu,Dimitrie CantemirandIon Neculce. In the 19th century, Moldavians from the territories of the medieval Principality ofMoldavia, divided intoBessarabia,Bukovina, andWestern Moldavia(after 1859, Romania), made a significant contribution to the formation of the modern Romanian culture. Among these were many Bessarabians, such asAlexandru Donici,Alexandru Hâjdeu,Bogdan Petriceicu Hasdeu,Constantin Stamati,Constantin Stamati-Ciurea,Costache Negruzzi,Alecu Russo,Constantin Stere.
Mihai Eminescu, a lateRomanticpoet, andIon Creangă, a writer, are the most influentialRomanian languageartists, considered national writers both in Romania and Moldova.
Moldova's fertile soil (chernozem) produces plentifulgrapes,fruits, vegetables,grains, meat, and milk products, all of which have found their uses in the national cuisine. The fertile black soil combined with the use of traditional agricultural methods permits the growth of a wide range of foods in Moldova. Moldovan cuisine is similar to neighbouringRomania,Ukraine, andPoland, and the regions share many traditional dishes, often with regional variations. Moldovan cuisine has historically been particularly influenced by elements ofRussian,Turkish, andUkrainian cuisine. Main dishes often include beef, pork,potatoes,cabbage, and a variety ofcereals. Popular alcoholic beverages aredivin(Moldovanbrandy), beer, andwine—for which the country is known due to its high-quality offerings.
There are several traditional Moldovan dishes.Plăcinteare stuffed and deep-fried pastries with fillings such as soft cheese (oftenUrdă), cabbage, potatoes, apples, sour cherries and others, both sweet and savoury.Sarmaleis a typical Moldovan dish usually consisting of cabbage leaves stuffed with rice, peppers, carrots, meat, and baked in oil. Regional variations can also be found in other former parts of theOttoman Empire.Mămăligă, a kind ofporridgemade from yellow maize flour, is another staple.  It is popular in other countries aspolentaand is often served withsheep's cheeseandsour cream. Another traditional dish, plachyndy, is a kind of flatbread often made withkefirorbuttermilk, wrapped around herbs, and pan-fried in oil.Zeamă is a thin chicken soup, typically consisting of homemade chicken broth prepared with a smaller whole chicken, water, thin homemade egg noodles (tăiței de casă), and a variety of finely chopped vegetables and herbs.Brynzais asoftsheep/goat cheesewith a crumbly texture and tangy taste, mostly produced and popular inSlovakia, Romania, and Moldova, and often used in salads, pies, and dumplings.
Borscht, a sour Eastern European soup made from beetroots, meat stock, and vegetables, is also popular and commonly served in Moldova. As with other parts of the region,pierogi(known aschiroștein Moldova) are another traditional staple and are often stuffed with a soft cheese in Moldova. The dough is made withwheat flourand is boiled in salted water, pan-fried in oil, or baked in the oven.Medovik, a cake of Russian origin (and called Tort Smetanik in Moldova) is a popular layered cake withhoneyandsmetana(sour cream) orcondensed milk.
Total recorded adult alcohol consumption is approximately evenly split between spirits, beer, and wine. Notably, Moldova has among the highest alcohol consumption per capita in world, at 15.2 litres (4.0 US gal) of pure alcohol imbibed in 2016.This has fallen somewhat in recent years, but it remains a serious ongoing health concern.
Most retail businesses close on New Year's Day andIndependence Day, but remain open on all other holidays. Christmas is celebrated either on 7 January, the traditional date inOld CalendaristsEastern Orthodox Churches, or on 25 December, with both dates being recognised as public holidays.
On 1 March featuresmărțișorgifting, which is a tradition that females are gifted with a type of talisman that is given for good luck.
Among Moldova's most prominent composers areGavriil Musicescu,Ștefan NeagaandEugen Doga.
In the field of pop music, Moldova has produced the bandO-Zone, who came to prominence in 2003, with their hit song "Dragostea Din Tei", which topped multiple notable single charts. Moldova has been participating in theEurovision Song Contestsince 2005. Another popular band from Moldova isZdob și Zdubthat represented the country in the2005 Eurovision Song Contest, finishing sixth, also in 2021, with a similar result.
In May 2007,Natalia Barburepresented Moldova in Helsinki at theEurovision Song Contest 2007with her entry "Fight". Natalia squeezed into the final by a very small margin. She took tenth place with 109 points.
ThenZdob și Zdubagain represented Moldova in the2011 Eurovision Song Contestfinishing 12th.
The bandSunStroke ProjectwithOlia Tirarepresented the country in the2010 Eurovision Song Contestwith their hit song "Run Away". Their performance gained international notoriety as aninternet memedue to the pelvic thrusting and dancing of Sergey Stepanov, the band saxophonist. He has been dubbed "Epic Sax Guy". SunStroke Project featured again in the 2017 Eurovision entry "Hey Mama" which got third place.
In 2015 a new musical project by the name ofCarla's Dreamshas risen in popularity around Moldova.Carla's Dreamsreached the top charts in multiple countries in Europe with the release of their song "Sub Pielea Mea" in 2016. The song received a lot of airplay and reached number one place on the charts in Moldova as well as Russia. The group is still active and released their latest album in 2017. The theme of the musical group is "Anonymous" as they perform with painted faces, hoodies and sunglasses. The identity of the group members is still unknown.
Among most prominent classical musicians in Moldova areMaria Bieșu, one of the leading world's sopranos and the winner of the Japan International Competition; pianistMark Zeltser, winner of the USSR National Competition,Long-Thibaud-Crespin Competitionin Paris and Busoni Competition in Bolzano, Italy.
The right tofreedom of speechandright to informationare guaranteed by theMoldovan constitution.Reporters Without Bordersimproved Moldova'sPress Freedom Indexranking to 28th in 2023 from 89th in 2020, partly due to government legal reforms which made it easier for journalists to access official information.However, they cautioned that "Moldova's media are diverse but extremely polarised, like the country itself, which is marked by political instability and excessive influence by oligarchs." Moldova's media are divided into pro-Russian and pro-Western camps and on party political lines.Oligarchs and political leaders strongly influence their editorial stances.
Television remains the most popular and trusted medium, while online social media is exerting increasing influence. Most privateFM radio networksrebroadcast output from Russian and Romanian stations.The firstpublicly funded national radio broadcaster,Radio Moldova, has been broadcasting since 1939 from the capital city, Chişinău.Radio Free Europe/Radio Libertyis also widely available. Moldova's state-owned national radio-TV broadcaster isTeleradio-Moldova(TRM), which broadcasts the TV channelMoldova 1.
There were 3 million internet users by July 2022, approximately 76% of the population, and digital infrastructure is well-developed, with 98%4Gcoverage of territory. There are a number of daily and weekly newspapers published in Moldova, among the most popular beingTimpul de dimineațăandMoldova Suverană,but print media has an overall small audience in Moldova.Independent mediaare struggling to ensure financial sustainability in the face of diminishing advertisement revenues due to inflation, economic stagnation and uncertainty caused by Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
In 2022, the government removed the broadcasting licenses from six television stations for broadcastingpro-Russian propagandaand disinformation aboutRussia's invasion of Ukrainein violation of the country's Audiovisual Services Code.The government stated that this was done in order to "prevent the risk of disinformation or attempts to manipulate public opinion".All six were either owned or affiliated withIlan Șhor, a fugitive pro-Russian politician and businessman who fled to Israel in 2019 after being convicted of fraud and money-laundering and sentenced to 15 years in prisonin absentia.In October 2023 Orizont TV, ITV, Prime, Publika TV, Canal 2 and Canal 3 were also banned for undermining the local elections as well as blocking a number of Russian media outlets which includes the news agencies TASS and Interfax.
Thecinema of Moldovadeveloped in the 1960s during the Soviet period, nurturing a small but lively film industry.Following the collapse of the Soviet Union and Moldova's independence, the country's economic stagnation and poverty has hampered the Moldovan film industry.Nevertheless, some films have seen some international success. Perhaps best-known areLăutarii(1972), written and directed by Moldovan film-makerEmil Loteanu, andWedding in Bessarabia(2009), which was co-produced by Romania, Moldova, and Luxembourg. In recent years Moldovan cinema has gained greater international attention.Carbon(2022), directed by Ion Borş, received positive acclaim by magazines such as Variety.It was the winner of theTransilvania International Film Festival's Audience Award.For the 37th edition of theFribourg International Film Festival, Moldova was featured in its 'New Territory' section, which celebrates little-known film-making cultures.In July 2022, theUnited Nations Development Programmeannounced that it would be using state-of-the-art equipment to transfer more than 1,600 films from theMoldova-Filmarchive for posterity andcultural preservation. The United States assisted by equipping in 2021 adigitisationlaboratory to restore and preserve its archive feature and documentary films, representing an important part of Moldova's historical, cultural, and artistic heritage, and many of the films were broadcast on national TV with Romanian subtitles.
Association football is the most popular team sport in Moldova. The governing body is theMoldovan Football Federation, which belongs toUEFA. TheMoldova national football teamplayed its first match in 1994, but never qualified to theUEFA European Championship. The most successful football club isSheriff Tiraspol, the first and only Moldovan club to qualify for the group stage of theChampions Leagueand theEuropa League. Other winners of theMoldovan National DivisionincludeZimbru Chișinău,Dacia Chișinău,FC TiraspolandMilsami Orhei.
Trîntă(a form ofwrestling) is the national sport in Moldova.Rugby unionis popular as well. More than 10,000 supporters turn out for home internationals. Since 2004, playing numbers at all levels have more than doubled to 3,200. Despite the hardships and deprivations the national team are ranked 34th in the world.The most prestigiouscycling raceis theMoldova President's Cup, which was first run in 2004. In chess, the Republic of Moldova has several international masters, among which can be mentionedViorel Iordăchescu,Dmitry Svetushkin, andViorel Bologan.
Radu Albotis one of the most successful Moldovan tennis players, withATPsingles (2019 Delray Beach Open) and doubles (2015 Istanbul Open) titles.
Athletes from Moldova have won European medals inathletics,biathlon,football, and gymnastics; world medals inarchery, judo, swimming, andtaekwondo; as well as Olympic medals inboxing,canoeing,shooting,weightlifting, andwrestling. Moldova made its Olympic debut at the1994 Winter Olympicsin Lillehammer. Olympic medalists includeSergei Mureiko,Oleg Moldovan,Vitalie Grușac,Veaceslav Gojan, andSerghei Tarnovschi.Nicolae Juravschirepresented the Soviet Union at the1988 Seoul Games, winning two medals.
47°N29°E﻿ / ﻿47°N 29°E﻿ /47; 29