Revision as of 00:45, 16 April 2006 view sourceConstantzeanu (talk | contribs)Extended confirmed users2,980 editsm what's ok and what is not ok is purely subjective. please talk it first with your peers and then we will determine together "what is and what is not ok"← Previous edit | Latest revision as of 04:15, 21 December 2024 view source HeyElliott (talk | contribs)Extended confirmed users118,124 edits MOS:FOREIGNITALICTag: 2017 wikitext editor | ||
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{{Short description|Country in Eastern Europe}} | |||
{{portal}} | |||
{{About|the modern state|the historical principality|Moldavia|other uses|Moldova (disambiguation)}} | |||
{{redirect|Moldova}} | |||
{{pp-move}} | |||
{{Infobox Country| | |||
{{Use British English|date=November 2023}} | |||
native_name = ''Republica Moldova'' | | |||
{{pp-extended|small=yes}} | |||
conventional_long_name = Republic of Moldova | | |||
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2024}} | |||
common_name = Moldova | | |||
{{Infobox country | |||
national_motto = none | | |||
| conventional_long_name = Republic of Moldova | |||
national_anthem = '']''<br>("Our Tongue") | | |||
| common_name = Moldova | |||
<!--The national anthem of Moldova source: http://moldrpcv.tripod.com/id26.html --> | |||
| native_name = {{native name|ro|Republica Moldova}} | |||
image_flag = Moldova_flag_large.gif | | |||
| image_flag = Flag of Moldova.svg | |||
image_coat = Moldova_gerb_large.gif | | |||
| image_coat = Coat of arms of Moldova.svg | |||
image_map = LocationMoldova.png | | |||
| national_anthem = {{lang|ro|]}}<br />"Our language"{{parabr}}{{center|]}} | |||
capital = ] |latd=47|latm=0|latNS=N|longd=28|longm=55|longEW=E| | |||
| image_map = Location Moldova Europe.png | |||
largest_city = ] | | |||
| map_caption = Location of Moldova in Europe (green)<br />and its uncontrolled territory of ] (light green) | |||
official_languages = ]<sup></sup><br>(]) | | |||
| image_map2 = | |||
government_type = ] | | |||
| capital = ] | |||
leader_titles = • ] <br> • ] | | |||
| coordinates = {{Coord|47|0|N|28|55|E|type:city}} | |||
leader_names = ] <br>] | | |||
| largest_city = capital | |||
sovereignty_type = ] | | |||
| languages_type = Official language<br />{{nobold|and national language}} | |||
established_events = • Date | | |||
| languages = ]<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.parlament.md/CadrulLegal/Constitution/tabid/151/language/ro-RO/Default.aspx |title=Constituția Republicii Moldova, articolul 13: ''(1) Limba de stat a Republicii Moldova este limba română, funcționând pe baza grafiei latine.'' (pag.25) |publisher=Parlamentul Republicii Moldova |access-date=5 April 2023 |language=ro |archive-date=5 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230405142436/https://www.parlament.md/CadrulLegal/Constitution/tabid/151/language/ro-RO/Default.aspx |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.presedinte.md/app/webroot/Constitutia_RM/Constitutia_RM_RO.pdf |title=Constituția Republicii Moldova, articolul 13 (1), pag.25 |publisher=Preşedinţia Republicii Moldova |access-date=11 April 2023 |language=ro |archive-date=7 May 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230507121126/https://presedinte.md/app/webroot/Constitutia_RM/Constitutia_RM_RO.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref> | |||
established_dates = From the ]<br>], ] | | |||
| languages2_type = Recognised minority<br />languages<!--Protected and/or co-official (regional) languages--><ref>{{cite web |url=https://deschide.md/ro/stiri/politic/78929/Pre%C8%99edintele-CCM-Constitu%C8%9Bia-nu-confer%C4%83-limbii-ruse-un-statut-deosebit-de-cel-al-altor-limbi-minoritare.htm |title=Președintele CCM: Constituția conferă limbii ruse un statut deosebit de cel al altor limbi minoritare |publisher=Deschide.md |access-date=22 January 2021 |archive-date=29 January 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210129050215/https://deschide.md/ro/stiri/politic/78929/Pre%C8%99edintele-CCM-Constitu%C8%9Bia-nu-confer%C4%83-limbii-ruse-un-statut-deosebit-de-cel-al-altor-limbi-minoritare.htm |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.moldpres.md/news/2021/01/21/21000400 |title=Chişinău, (21.01.2021) Judecătorii constituționali au decis că limba rusă nu va avea statutul de limbă de comunicare interetnică pe teritoriul Republicii Moldova |publisher=Moldpres.md |access-date=22 January 2021 |archive-date=23 January 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210123203429/https://www.moldpres.md/news/2021/01/21/21000400 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://protv.md/politic/presedintele-cc-domnica-manole-explica-de-ce-a-fost-anulata-legea-cu-privire-la-statutul-special-pentru-limba-rusa-limba-de-stat-a-rm-este-limba-romana-video---2554643.html |title=Președintele CC Domnica Manole, explică de ce a fost anulată legea cu privire la statutul special pentru limbia rusă |publisher=ProTv.md |access-date=22 January 2021 |archive-date=29 January 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210129092300/https://protv.md/politic/presedintele-cc-domnica-manole-explica-de-ce-a-fost-anulata-legea-cu-privire-la-statutul-special-pentru-limba-rusa-limba-de-stat-a-rm-este-limba-romana-video---2554643.html |url-status=live }}</ref> | |||
area = 33,843 | | |||
| languages2 = {{Collapsible list | |||
areami²=13,067 <!-- Do not remove per ] -->| | |||
|titlestyle=background:transparent;text-align:left;font-weight:normal; | |||
area_rank = 135th | | |||
|title= ''See here'' | |||
area_magnitude = 1 E10 | | |||
|] | |||
percent_water = 1.4% | | |||
|] | |||
population_estimate = 4,455,421 | | |||
|] | |||
population_estimate_year = 2005 | | |||
|German | |||
population_estimate_rank = 117th | | |||
|] | |||
population_census = 3,388,071<sup></sup> | | |||
|] | |||
population_census_year = 2004 | | |||
|] | |||
population_density = 131 | | |||
|Russian | |||
population_densitymi² =339<!-- Do not remove per ] --> | | |||
|] | |||
population_density_rank = 56th | | |||
}} | |||
GDP_PPP_year = 2005 | | |||
| ethnic_groups = 75% ]<br /> 7% ]{{efn|name=coeli|There is ] over the self-identification of Moldovans, with some authors considering them ethnic Romanians.}} <br />6.57% ]<br />4.57% ]<br />4.06% ]<br />1.88% ]<br />0.85% other | |||
GDP_PPP = $9.367 billion<!--cia.gov--> | | |||
| ethnic_groups_year = 2014; excl. ] | |||
GDP_PPP_rank = 141st | | |||
| ethnic_groups_ref = <ref name="Recensamant2014">{{Cite web|url=https://statistica.gov.md/ro/recensamantul-populatiei-si-al-locuintelor-2014-122.html|title=Recensamântul Populației si al Locuințelor 2014|website=statistica.gov.md|date=2 August 2013|access-date=30 November 2022|archive-date=2 December 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221202152706/https://statistica.gov.md/ro/recensamantul-populatiei-si-al-locuintelor-2014-122.html|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
GDP_PPP_per_capita = $2,100 | | |||
| religion = {{ublist |item_style=white-space; | |||
GDP_PPP_per_capita_rank = 178th | | |||
|{{Tree list}} | |||
HDI_year = 2005 | | |||
* 91.8% Christianity | |||
HDI = 0.671 | | |||
** 90.1% ] | |||
HDI_rank = 115th | | |||
** 1.7% other ] | |||
HDI_category = <font color="#FFCC00">medium</font> | | |||
{{Tree list/end}} | |||
currency = ] | | |||
| 0.3% ] |5.5% ] |2.4% unspecified}} | |||
currency_code = MDL | | |||
| religion_year = 2014; excl. Transnistria | |||
time_zone = ] | | |||
| religion_ref = <ref name="Recensamant2014"/> | |||
utc_offset = +2 | | |||
| demonym = Moldovan | |||
time_zone_DST = ] | | |||
| government_type = ] | |||
utc_offset_DST = +3 | | |||
| leader_title1 = ] | |||
cctld = ] | | |||
| leader_name1 = ] | |||
calling_code = 373 | | |||
| leader_title2 = ] | |||
<!-- do not edit the official language section, see the discussion page first -->| | |||
| leader_name2 = ] | |||
footnotes =1. {{note|language}} <small>] and ] are also official in the ])</small><br>2. {{note|area}}<small>excluding ]</small> | |||
| leader_title3 = ] | |||
<!-- do not edit the official language section, see the discussion page first -->| | |||
| leader_name3 = ] | |||
| legislature = ] | |||
| sovereignty_type = ] | |||
| established_event1 = ] | |||
| established_date1 = 1346 | |||
| established_event2 = ] | |||
| established_date2 = 1812 | |||
| established_event3 = ] | |||
| established_date3 = 15 December 1917 | |||
| established_event4 = ] ] | |||
| established_date4 = 9 April 1918 | |||
| established_event5 = ] | |||
| established_date5 = 12 October 1924 | |||
| established_event6 = ] | |||
| established_date6 = 2 August 1940 | |||
| established_event7 = ] | |||
| established_date7 = 2 November 1990 | |||
| established_event8 = ] | |||
| established_date8 = 27 August 1991<sup>a</sup> | |||
| established_event9 = ] adopted | |||
| established_date9 = 29 July 1994 | |||
| area_label = Incl. Transnistria | |||
| area_km2 = 33,843<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://moldova.md/ro/content/geografie|title=Republica Moldova – Geografie|website=Moldova.md|date=26 August 2016|access-date=23 June 2021|archive-date=24 June 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210624210341/https://moldova.md/ro/content/geografie|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
| area_rank = 135th <!-- Area rank should match ] --> | |||
| area_sq_mi = 13,067 <!-- Do not remove per ] --> | |||
| area_label2 = Excl. Transnistria | |||
| area_data2 = {{convert|30,334|km2|abbr=on}}{{efn|The '']'' area, accepted by the Moldovan government and the ] authorities for ], is 3,509.6 square kilometers.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.citypopulation.de/en/moldova/transnistria/admin/|title=MOLDOVA: Transnistria (Pridnestrovie)|website=Citypopulation.de|access-date=23 June 2021|archive-date=25 March 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210325212647/https://www.citypopulation.de/en/moldova/transnistria/admin/|url-status=live}}</ref> The ''de facto'' area administered by Transnistria is 3,653 square kilometers, while the area claimed by Transnistria is 4,163 square kilometers.}} | |||
| percent_water = 1.4 (incl. Transnistria) | |||
| population_estimate = 2,423,300<ref>{{cite web |url=https://statistica.gov.md/index.php/ro/numarul-populatiei-cu-resedinta-obisnuita-pe-sexe-si-grupe-9578_60448.html |title=Numărul populației cu reședință obișnuită, pe sexe şi grupe de vârstă, în profil teritorial la 1 Ianuarie 2023 |date=8 June 2023 |language=ro |publisher=Biroul Național de Statistică al Republicii Moldova (BNS) |access-date=9 June 2023 |archive-date=9 June 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230609093011/https://statistica.gov.md/index.php/ro/numarul-populatiei-cu-resedinta-obisnuita-pe-sexe-si-grupe-9578_60448.html |url-status=live }}</ref>{{efn|name=data1|Excludes data for ].}} | |||
| population_estimate_year = January 2024 | |||
| population_census = 2,804,801<ref name="Recensamant2014"/>{{efn|name=data1|Excludes data for ].}} | |||
| population_census_year = 2014 | |||
| population_estimate_rank = 140th | |||
| population_density_km2 = 82.8 | |||
| population_density_sq_mi = 234 <!-- Do not remove per ] --> | |||
| GDP_PPP = {{increase}} $45.407 billion<ref name="IMFWEO.MD">{{cite web |url=https://www.imf.org/en/Publications/WEO/weo-database/2024/October/weo-report?c=921,&s=NGDPD,PPPGDP,NGDPDPC,PPPPC,&sy=2022&ey=2029&ssm=0&scsm=1&scc=0&ssd=1&ssc=0&sic=0&sort=country&ds=.&br=1 |title=World Economic Outlook Database, October 2024 Edition. (Moldova) |publisher=] |website=www.imf.org |date=22 October 2024 |access-date=9 November 2024}}</ref>{{efn|name=data1|Excludes data for ].}} | |||
| GDP_PPP_year = 2024 | |||
| GDP_PPP_rank = 136th | |||
| GDP_PPP_per_capita = {{increase}} $18,524<ref name="IMFWEO.MD" /> | |||
| GDP_PPP_per_capita_rank = 91st | |||
| GDP_nominal = {{increase}} $18.062 billion<ref name="IMFWEO.MD" />{{efn|name=data1|Excludes data for ].}} | |||
| GDP_nominal_year = 2024 | |||
| GDP_nominal_rank = 130th | |||
| GDP_nominal_per_capita = {{increase}} $7,368<ref name="IMFWEO.MD" /> | |||
| GDP_nominal_per_capita_rank = 92nd | |||
| Gini = 25.7 <!-- number only --> | |||
| Gini_year = 2021 | |||
| Gini_change = decrease <!-- increase/decrease/steady --> | |||
| Gini_ref = <ref>{{cite web|url=https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SI.POV.GINI?locations=MD |title=Gini index – Moldova |publisher=]|website=data.worldbank.org|access-date=23 September 2024 }}</ref> | |||
| HDI = 0.763 <!-- number only --> | |||
| HDI_year = 2022<!-- Please use the year to which the data refers, not the publication year --> | |||
| HDI_change = decrease <!-- increase/decrease/steady --> | |||
| HDI_ref = <ref name="HDI">{{cite web|url=https://hdr.undp.org/system/files/documents/global-report-document/hdr2021-22pdf_1.pdf|title=Human Development Report 2021/2022|language=en|publisher=]|date=8 September 2022|access-date=8 September 2022|archive-date=8 September 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220908114232/http://hdr.undp.org/system/files/documents/global-report-document/hdr2021-22pdf_1.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
| HDI_rank = 86th | |||
| currency = ] | |||
| currency_code = MDL | |||
| time_zone = ] | |||
| utc_offset = +2 | |||
| utc_offset_DST = +3 | |||
| time_zone_DST = ] | |||
| drives_on = right | |||
| calling_code = ] | |||
| cctld = ] | |||
| official_website = {{Official URL}} | |||
| footnote_a = Date of proclamation. Independence subsequently finalized with the ] in December 1991. | |||
}} | }} | ||
'''Moldova''',{{efn|{{IPAc-en|audio=en-us-Moldova.ogg|m|ɒ|l|ˈ|d|oʊ|v|ə}} {{Respell|mol|DOH|və}}, {{small|sometimes }}{{IPAc-en|UK|ˈ|m|ɒ|l|d|ə|v|ə}} {{Respell|MOL|də|və}};{{refn|{{Cite encyclopedia |url=http://www.lexico.com/definition/Moldova |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200322182040/https://www.lexico.com/definition/moldova |url-status=dead |archive-date=22 March 2020 |title=Moldova |dictionary=] UK English Dictionary |publisher=]}} }}{{refn|{{Dictionary.com|access-date=30 January 2016|Moldova}}}}{{refn|The Free Dictionary: }} {{IPA|ro|molˈdova}}}} officially the '''Republic of Moldova''',{{efn|{{langx|ro|Republica Moldova}}}} is a ] country in ], on the northeastern corner of the ].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/moldova/|title=The World Factbook — Central Intelligence Agency|website=Cia.gov|language=en|access-date=14 December 2017|archive-date=5 January 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210105015457/https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/moldova/|url-status=live}}</ref> The country spans a total of {{convert|33,483|km2|sqmi|abbr=on}} and has a population of approximately 2.42 million as of January 2024.<ref>{{Cite news |date=3 April 2012 |title=Moldova country profile |language=en-GB |work=] |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-17601580 |access-date=6 July 2023 |archive-date=7 July 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230707173359/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-17601580 |url-status=live }}</ref> Moldova is bordered by ] to the west and ] to the north, east, and south.<ref name="CIA_World_Factbook_Moldova">{{cite web |url=https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/moldova/ |title=Moldova |work=] |access-date=2 September 2015 |archive-date=5 January 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210105015457/https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/moldova/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The ] of ] lies across the ] river on the country's eastern border with Ukraine. Moldova is a ] ] ] democratic republic with its capital in ], the country's largest city and main cultural and commercial centre. | |||
The '''Republic of Moldova''' (conventional long form, conventional short form: '''Moldova''', local official long form: ''Republica Moldova'') is a ] country in ], located between ] to the west and ] to the east. Historically part of the ], it was annexed by the ] in 1812 and reunited with other Romanian lands in ] in 1918. After changing hands during the ] and its final annexation by the ] it was known as the ] during ]-] and finally declared its independence on ] ]. | |||
<!-- do not edit the official history section, see the discussion page first --> | |||
Most of Moldovan territory was a part of the ] from the 14th century until 1812, when it was ] to the ] by the ] (to which Moldavia was a ]) and became known as ]. In 1856, southern Bessarabia was returned to Moldavia, which three years later united with ] to form ], but Russian rule was restored over the whole of the region in 1878. During the 1917 ], Bessarabia briefly became an ] within the ]. In February 1918, it declared independence and then integrated into Romania later that year following a vote of its assembly. The decision was disputed by ], which in 1924 established, within the ], a so-called ] on partially Moldovan-inhabited territories to the east of Bessarabia. In 1940, as a consequence of the ], Romania was ] to the ], leading to the creation of the ] (Moldavian SSR). | |||
The Republic of Moldova is a member state of the ], ], ], ], ], ] and others.<!-- to continue :) WHO, IMO, IAEA, --> | |||
On 27 August 1991, as the ] was underway, the Moldavian SSR ] and took the name Moldova.<ref name="natura2000">{{cite web |url=http://www.natura2000oltenita-chiciu.ro/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Moldova-Pitoreasca-Picturesque-Moldavia-pdf-Vladimir-Toncea.pdf |title="Wine Road" in Republic of Moldova |access-date=18 May 2019 |archive-date=18 May 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190518103311/http://www.natura2000oltenita-chiciu.ro/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Moldova-Pitoreasca-Picturesque-Moldavia-pdf-Vladimir-Toncea.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref> However, the strip of Moldovan territory on the east bank of the Dniester has been under the ''de facto'' control of the breakaway government of Transnistria since 1990. The ] was adopted in 1994, and the country became a ] with a ] as ] and a ] as ]. Under the presidency of ], ] on a pro-Western and anti-corruption ticket, Moldova has pursued membership of the ], and was granted candidate status in June 2022.<ref>{{Cite news |date=23 June 2022 |title=EU awards Ukraine and Moldova candidate status |language=en-GB |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-61891467 |access-date=16 August 2022 |archive-date=23 June 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220623000924/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-61891467 |url-status=live }}</ref> Accession talks to the EU began on 13 December 2023.<ref>{{Cite web |date=14 December 2023 |title=EU greenlights accession talks with Ukraine and Moldova |url=https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2023/12/14/eu-greenlights-accession-talks-with-ukraine-and-moldova |access-date=14 December 2023 |website=] |language=en |archive-date=14 December 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231214175059/https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2023/12/14/eu-greenlights-accession-talks-with-ukraine-and-moldova |url-status=live }}</ref> Sandu has also suggested an end to ] in favour of a closer alliance with ] and strongly condemned ] of neighbouring ].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Lynch |first=Suzanne |date=20 January 2023 |title=Time to join NATO? Moldova eyes joining 'a larger alliance' |url=https://www.politico.eu/article/maia-sandu-moldova-nato-alliance-joining-ukraine-war-russia-invasion/ |access-date=2 August 2023 |website=] |language=en |archive-date=21 January 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230121000423/https://www.politico.eu/article/maia-sandu-moldova-nato-alliance-joining-ukraine-war-russia-invasion/ |url-status=live }}</ref> | |||
Moldova is a ]. Moldova's ] is its ]. The head of government is the ]. | |||
Moldova is the ] after Ukraine and much of its GDP is dominated by the ].<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.imf.org/en/Publications/WEO/weo-database/2022/April/weo-report?c=967,921,926,&s=PPPPC,&sy=2020&ey=2022&ssm=0&scsm=1&scc=0&ssd=1&ssc=0&sic=0&sort=country&ds=.&br=1 |title=GDP per capita, PPP (current international $) |access-date=27 July 2022 |archive-date=27 July 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220727115351/https://www.imf.org/en/Publications/WEO/weo-database/2022/April/weo-report?c=967,921,926,&s=PPPPC,&sy=2020&ey=2022&ssm=0&scsm=1&scc=0&ssd=1&ssc=0&sic=0&sort=country&ds=.&br=1 |url-status=live }}</ref> It has one of the lowest ]es in Europe, ranking 76th in the world (2022).<ref name="HDI"/> Moldova ranks 68th in the world on the ] {{as of|2024|lc=y}}.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://www.wipo.int/web-publications/global-innovation-index-2024/en/|title=Global Innovation Index 2024. Unlocking the Promise of Social Entrepreneurship|access-date=2024-10-22|author=]|year=2024|isbn=978-92-805-3681-2|doi= 10.34667/tind.50062|location=Geneva|page=18}}</ref> Moldova is a member state of the United Nations, the ], the ], the ], the ], the ], and the ]. | |||
== History == | |||
]]] | |||
{{main|History of Moldova}} | |||
Moldova's territory was inhabited in ancient times by ]ns. Due to its strategic location on a route between ] and ], Moldova has suffered from several invasions, including those of the ] and the ]. | |||
==Etymology== | |||
During the ] the territory of Republic of Moldova (including most of present-day Moldova but also including districts to the north and south, known as Northern ] and ]) formed the eastern part of the ] of ] (which, like the present-day republic, was known in Romanian as "Moldova"). The principality became tributary to the ] during 16th century. According to the ] in ], the territory passed to ] together with ] (Southern Bessarabia). At first, the Russians used the name "] of Moldova and Bessarabia", but later called it simply ]. The western part of Moldavia remained an autonomous principality and united with Walachia to form the ] in ]. | |||
{{main|Names of Moldavia and Moldova}} | |||
The name ''Moldova'' is derived from the ] ({{Langx|de|Moldau}}); the valley of this river served as a political centre at the time of the ] of the ] in 1359.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.moldova.md/en/istorie/ |title=History |publisher=Republic of Moldova |access-date=9 October 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131222142800/http://www.moldova.md/en/istorie/ |archive-date=22 December 2013}}</ref> The origin of the name of the river remains unclear. According to a legend recounted by Moldavian chroniclers ] and ], Prince ] named the river after hunting ]: following the chase, the prince's exhausted hound ''Molda (Seva)'' drowned in the river. The dog's name, given to the river, extended to the principality.<ref>{{cite book |last=King |first=Charles |author-link=Charles King (professor of international affairs) |title=The Moldovans: Romania, Russia, and the politics of culture |publisher=Hoover Press |year=2000 |chapter=From Principality to Province |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ldBFWtuv8DQC&pg=PA13 |page= |isbn=0-8179-9792-X |access-date=31 October 2010 |url=https://archive.org/details/moldovansromania00king_0/page/13 }}</ref> | |||
Following the ], Bessarabia proclaimed independence from ] in ], and united with the Kingdom of Romania the same year. The Soviet Union invaded Bessarabia in June ] in an agreement with Germany expressed in the ], and though forced out again in ] by the advance of Axis forces, Soviet troops re-occupied and annexed the area in August ]. Soviet rule brought a harsh de-nationalization policy. The southern and northern parts (which had some Slavic and Turkic minorities) were transferred to Ukraine. At the same time, ] (where, at that time, ethnic Romanians outnumbered ]) was joined to the remainder to form the "]", identical in territory to present-day Moldova. Under ], ethnic ] were brought into the new country, especially into urbanized areas, while large numbers of ethnic ] were deported to ] and ]. The overall result was the destruction of ] elites and middle-classes, and their replacement with ] (mostly ]) elements. | |||
For a short time in the 1990s, at the founding of the ], the name of the current Republic of Moldova was also spelled ''Moldavia''.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1991/12/23/world/end-soviet-union-text-accords-former-soviet-republics-setting-up-commonwealth.html?pagewanted=all |date=23 December 1991 |title=The End of the Soviet Union; Text of Accords by Former Soviet Republics Setting Up a Commonwealth |work=] |quote=...Republic of Kazakhstan, the Republic of Kirghizia, the Republic of Moldavia, the Russian Federation... |access-date=17 February 2017 |archive-date=9 March 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210309042542/https://www.nytimes.com/1991/12/23/world/end-soviet-union-text-accords-former-soviet-republics-setting-up-commonwealth.html?pagewanted=all |url-status=live }}</ref> After the ], the country began to use the Romanian name, {{lang|ro|Moldova}}. Officially, the name ''Republic of Moldova'' is designated by the United Nations. | |||
After the Soviet Union occupied the region of ] during ], the Soviets began a campaign to create an Moldovan ethnic identity different from the one of the ], who were said to be "capitalist oppressors". | |||
==History== | |||
The Soviet official policy also stated that ] and ] were two different languages and Moldovan was written in ], as opposed to Romanian, which was written in ]. | |||
{{main|History of Moldova}} | |||
{{see also|History of Transnistria|Founding of Moldavia}} | |||
], a ] ] and founder of the ], 19th-century depiction]] | |||
The history of Moldova spans ], ] and ] empires, and periods of foreign rule and modern ]. | |||
Along with the other peripheral Soviet republics, Moldova started to move towards independence from 1991 onwards; in August ], Moldova declared its independence and in December of that year became a member of the post-Soviet ] along with most of the former Soviet republics. At the end of that year, an ex-communist reformer, ], won an election for the presidency. Four months later, the country achieved formal recognition as an independent state at the ]. | |||
Evidence of human habitation dates back 800,000–1.2 million years, with significant developments in ], ], and settlement during the ] and ]. In ], Moldova's location made it a crossroads for invasions by the ], ], ], and other tribes, followed by periods of ] and ] control. The medieval ] ], and was the medieval precursor of modern Moldova and ]. It reached prominence under rulers like ] before becoming a ] of the ] from 1538, until the 19th century. | |||
The part of Moldova east of the ] River, ]—which is more heavily industrialized and is populated by a larger proportion of ethnic ]ns and ]s— claimed independence in ], fearing Moldovan unification with ]. ]n and ] forces intervened on the Transnistrian side, and remain there. Negotiations between the Transnistrian and Moldovan leaders have been going on under the mediation of ], ], ], Russia and Ukraine. | |||
In 1812, following ], the eastern half of the principality, ], was annexed by the ], marking the beginning of Russian influence in the region. In 1918, Bessarabia briefly became independent as the ] and, following the decision of the Parliament (Sfatul Țării), united with ]. During the Second World War it was occupied by the ] which reclaimed it from Romania. It joined the Union in 1940 as the ]. During this period, policies of ] and economic transformation deeply influenced the region. | |||
While their emotional ties to the Romanian "motherland" remained strong, and while their visits to Romania were welcome, Moldova did not unite with Romania in 1991. In the early 1990s, the future of Moldova was a source of tension in Romania's relations with Russia. Russian President ]'s government did not want to see one of the former Soviet republics on Russia's frontier joined to another country. | |||
The ] in 1991 led to ], followed by the ] in 1992, a conflict that left the ] region 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 the ], submitting a formal membership application in 2022. | |||
A March ] ] saw an overwhelming majority of voters favoring continued independence. In the 2001 elections a pro-Russian Communist party won majority of seats in the Parliament and appointed a Communist president, ]. After few years in power relationships between Moldova and ] deteriorated over the ]. In the following election, held in 2005, the Communist party made 180 degree turn and was re-elected on a pro-Western platform, with Voronin re-elected to a second term as a president. | |||
In the ], the pro-European opposition candidate ] was elected as the new president of the republic, becoming the first female elected president of Moldova.<ref>{{Cite news|date=16 November 2020|title=Moldova election: Pro-EU candidate Maia Sandu wins presidency|language=en-GB|work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-54942847|access-date=27 July 2021|archive-date=24 April 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210424114019/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-54942847|url-status=live}}</ref> In the ], President Maia Sandu was re-elected with 55% of the vote in the run-off.<ref>{{cite news |title=Moldova election: Pro-EU leader wins despite alleged Russian meddling |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cz7w9dglzzlo |work=www.bbc.com}}</ref> | |||
During the 2005 parliamentary elections the ] tried to influence the election process by intensively favourable coverage of pro-Russian candidates in the Russian mass media and by organizing meetings and agitation campaigns using the Russian CIS-EMO organization (so-called “Elections Monitoring Organization”), which is not recognized internationally as an independent election observer. This organization was proven to have poor records from the previous ] election. As a response to the security threat, Moldovan authorities denied entry to the Republic of Moldova for the members of the CIS-EMO <ref>. Saturday, 02 April 2005</ref> organization. Some who nonetheless made their way into the Republic were found distributing leaflets and actively participating in the election campaign, despite not having a valid Moldovan passport or any proof of Moldovan citizenship or any permission from the election authority. These members were consequently deported from the country. This action angered the Russian side. As a consequence, Russian-Moldovan ties greatly weakened, and the nation is split between building ties with ] or with ]. | |||
==Politics== | |||
In 1992, Moldova was involved in a short-term war against Russian armed forces and Ukrainian ] units. Units of ] (Ukrainian mercenaries) fought, supported by and alongside the Russian 14th Army. The ] began with an attack of Russian mercenaries on the Moldovan town of ], situated on the eastern bank of the River ], but not loyal to the separatist regime. Since 1992, ] has maintained a military force in the eastern regions of the Republic of Moldova. The separatist ] regime established in the occupied territory did not see any rotation in political power in this area since 1992. The ''de facto'' Transnistrian government carried out ] and discrimination against Moldovans. In the summer of 2004, Transnistrian authorities forcibly closed six Moldovan schools from ], ], and ] that used the Romanian language in the Latin alphabet. 3,400 enrolled children were affected by this measure. Several teachers and parents who opposed the closures were arrested. | |||
{{main|Government of Moldova}} | |||
]]] | |||
The Republic of Moldova is a ] with a ] ] of government and competitive, ]. The constitution provides for executive and ] branches as well as an independent ] and a clear ]. The ] serves as the ], is elected every four years, and can be re-elected once. The ] serves as the ], appointed by the president with ]'s support. The head of government in turn assembles a ], subject to parliamentary approval. Legislative authority is vested in the unicameral ] which has 101 seats and whose members are elected by popular vote on ] every four years. The president's official residence is the ]. | |||
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 to ] observers, the ] were well-administered and competitive, and ] were largely respected.<ref>{{Cite web |date=22 December 2021 |title=Moldova early parliamentary elections 2021: OSCE/ODIHR election observation mission final report |url=https://www.osce.org/odihr/elections/508976 |access-date=2 August 2023 |website=] |language=en |archive-date=2 August 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230802094707/https://www.osce.org/odihr/elections/508976 |url-status=live }}</ref> The ] won 63 seats in the 101-seat parliament, enough to form a single-party majority.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2022 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices: Moldova |url=https://www.state.gov/reports/2022-country-reports-on-human-rights-practices/moldova/ |access-date=2 August 2023 |website=] |archive-date=1 June 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230601190113/https://www.state.gov/reports/2022-country-reports-on-human-rights-practices/moldova/ |url-status=live }}</ref> | |||
== Politics == | |||
] | |||
{{main|Politics of Moldova}} | |||
The ] Moldovan ], or ''Parlament'', has 101 seats, and its members are elected by popular vote every 4 years. The parliament then elects a ], who functions as the ]. The president appoints a ] as ] who in turn assembles a ], both subject to parliamentary approval. | |||
{{Multiple image | |||
====2005 Parliamentary Elections:==== | |||
| direction = horizontal | |||
*] (PCRM) (45.98% votes, 56 mandates) | |||
| align = right | |||
*] (BMD) (28.53% votes, 34 mandates) | |||
| caption_align = center | |||
*] (9.07% votes, 11 mandates) | |||
| total_width = 150 | |||
| image1 = Maia_Sandu_at_Batumi_International_Conference,_on_19_July_2021_(cropped).jpg | |||
| image2 = | |||
| caption1 = ], Moldova's ] since December 2020. | |||
| caption2 = ]<br /><small>]<br />Since 2023</small> | |||
| alt1 = | |||
| alt2 = | |||
}} | |||
The 1994 ] sets the framework for the government of the country. A parliamentary majority of at least two-thirds is required to amend the ], 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.<ref name="const2">{{cite web |title=The Constitution of the Republic of Moldova, 2000 |url=http://www.e-democracy.md/en/legislation/constitution/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200425182448/http://www.e-democracy.md/en/legislation/constitution/ |archive-date=25 April 2020 |access-date=9 October 2013 |publisher=E-democracy.md}}</ref> The 1994 constitution also establishes an ] ], composed of six judges (two appointed by the President, two by Parliament, and two by the Supreme Council of ]), serving six-year terms, during which they are irremovable and not subordinate to any power. The court is invested with the power of ] over all ], over ]s, and over ] signed by the country.<ref name="const2" /> | |||
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, the ] ruled 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 a ] ].<ref>{{cite news |date=4 March 2016 |title=DECIS: Şeful statului va fi ales de popor; Modificarea din 2000 a Constituţiei privind alegerea preşedintelui de Parlament, NECONSTITUŢIONALĂ |language=ro |trans-title=DECIDED: The president will be elected by the people; The 2000 amendment of the Constitution concerning the election of the President by Parliament unconstitutional |newspaper=] |url=http://jurnal.md/ro/justitie/2016/3/4/decis-seful-statului-va-fi-ales-de-popor-modificarea-din-2000-a-constitutiei-privind-alegerea-presedintelui-de-parlament-neconstitutionala/ |url-status=live |access-date=4 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210225044414/https://www.jurnal.md/ro/justitie/2016/3/4/decis-seful-statului-va-fi-ales-de-popor-modificarea-din-2000-a-constitutiei-privind-alegerea-presedintelui-de-parlament-neconstitutionala/ |archive-date=25 February 2021}}</ref> | |||
====2001 Parliamentary Elections:==== | |||
*] (50.07% votes, 71 mandates) | |||
*] (BEAB) (13.36% votes, 19 mandates) | |||
*] (8.24% votes, 11 mandates) | |||
=== |
===Foreign relations=== | ||
{{main|Foreign relations of Moldova|Moldovan neutrality|Moldova–European Union relations}} | |||
In the address to the Romanian parliament, in February 1991, ], the Moldovan president talked about a common identity of the Moldovan and Romanians, referring to the "Romanians of both sides of the ]" and "Sacred Romanian lands occupied by the Soviets". | |||
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 the ] Convention to become a member and was also admitted in July 1995 to the ]. | |||
Moldova became a member state of the United Nations the ] (OSCE), the ], the ], the ] and the ] in 1992. 1994 saw Moldova became a participant in ]'s ] programme. The ] was joined in 1996 with the country joining the ] in 2001 and the ] in 2002. | |||
In 1989, Romanian became the official language of Moldova and following the independence of 1991, the Romanian tricolor with a coat-of-arms was used as flag, and ], the Romanian anthem also became the anthem of Moldova. In those times, there was an expectation among certain groups that both countries that they were to be united soon. | |||
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, the ] (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. | |||
However, the initial enthusiasm in Moldova was tempered and starting 1993, Moldova started to distance itself from Romania. The constitution adopted in 1994 used the term "Moldovan language" instead of "Romanian" and changed the national anthem to ]. The 1996 attempt by Moldovan president Mircea Snegur to change the official language to "Romanian" was dismissed by the Moldovan Parliament as "promoting Romanian expansionism". | |||
After the 1990–1992 ], 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. The ], ], 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".<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.easybourse.com/bourse-actualite/marches/moldova-calls-on-russian-troops-to-leave-transdniestr-574221|title=Moldova Calls on Russian Troops To Leave Transdniestr}}{{Dead link|date=March 2021 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> In 2012, a ] resulted in the death of a civilian, raising tensions with Russia.<ref>{{cite news |first=Ellen |last=Barry |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/04/world/europe/shooting-raises-tensions-between-moldova-and-russia.html |title=Shooting at Checkpoint Raises Tensions in a Disputed Region Claimed by Moldova |work=The New York Times |date=3 January 2012 |access-date=2 September 2015 |archive-date=4 January 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120104091047/http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/04/world/europe/shooting-raises-tensions-between-moldova-and-russia.html |url-status=live }}</ref> | |||
A ] began in both countries in early ], after the Republic of Moldova declared its independence from the ]. | |||
], President of Moldova ], President of Ukraine ] and ] ] during the 2021 ] International Conference. In 2014, the EU signed ] with the three states.]] | |||
==Relations with European Union== | |||
The government has stated that Moldova has European aspirations but there has been little progress toward ] membership. | |||
In September 2010, the ] approved a grant of €90 million to Moldova.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?language=en&type=IM-PRESS&reference=20100907IPR81460 |title=EU to grant €90 million to crisis-hit Moldova |publisher=Europarl.europa.eu |date=7 September 2010 |access-date=9 October 2013 |archive-date=26 May 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130526045325/http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?language=en&type=IM-PRESS&reference=20100907IPR81460 |url-status=live }}</ref> The money was to supplement US$570 million in International Monetary Fund loans,<ref>{{cite news |url=http://en.rian.ru/exsoviet/20100130/157721106.html |title=Moldova to get $570 million in IMF loans |publisher=RIA Novosti|date=30 January 2010 |access-date=25 November 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121019012333/http://en.rian.ru/exsoviet/20100130/157721106.html |archive-date=19 October 2012}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{cite web |author=Chiriac |first=Marian |date=27 April 2010 |title=Romania, Moldova to Boost Relations |url=http://www.balkaninsight.com/en/article/romania-moldova-to-boost-relations |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130728223227/http://www.balkaninsight.com/en/article/romania-moldova-to-boost-relations |archive-date=28 July 2013 |access-date=9 October 2013 |publisher=]}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.azi.md/en/story/9504 |title=Poland will support Moldova in its European integration efforts |publisher=Moldova Azi |access-date=9 October 2013 |archive-date=27 August 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130827015717/http://www.azi.md/en/story/9504 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The first joint meeting of the Governments of Romania and Moldova, held in March 2012, concluded with several bilateral agreements in various fields.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.agerpres.ro/news-of-the-day/2012/03/04/first-meeting-of-romania-and-rep-of-moldova-governments-concluded-with-initialling-of-several-bilateral-agreements-13-27-18 |title=First meeting of Romania and Rep. of Moldova Governments, concluded with initialling of several bilateral agreements |publisher=agerpres.ro |date=4 March 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140407072652/http://www.agerpres.ro/news-of-the-day/2012/03/04/first-meeting-of-romania-and-rep-of-moldova-governments-concluded-with-initialling-of-several-bilateral-agreements-13-27-18 |archive-date=7 April 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.gov.ro/joint-meeting-of-the-government-of-romania-and-government-of-the-republic-of-moldova__l2a116286.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130208113857/http://www.gov.ro/joint-meeting-of-the-government-of-romania-and-government-of-the-republic-of-moldova__l2a116286.html |archive-date=8 February 2013 |title=Joint meeting of the Government of Romania and Government of the Republic of Moldova |language=ro |publisher=Guvernul Romaniei |access-date=9 October 2013}}</ref> The European orientation "has been the policy of Moldova in recent years and this is the policy that must continue," ] told lawmakers before ].<ref>], {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150904002008/http://thevotingnews.com/moldova-elects-pro-european-judge-timofti-as-president-ending-3-years-of-political-deadlock-the-washington-post/ |date=4 September 2015 }}</ref>{{full citation needed|date=December 2022}} | |||
On ], ] many EU enthusiasts waving the EU flags found their flags confiscated by police and some were arrested under the clause of "anti-nationalism." | |||
On 29 November 2013, at a summit in ], Moldova signed an ] with the European Union dedicated to the European Union's ']' with ex-Soviet countries.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://eeas.europa.eu/moldova/assoagreement/assoagreement-2013_en.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131207232619/http://www.eeas.europa.eu/moldova/assoagreement/assoagreement-2013_en.htm |archive-date=7 December 2013 |title=EU-Moldova Association Agreement |work=European Union External Action}}</ref> The ex-Romanian President ] stated that Romania will make all efforts for Moldova to join the EU as soon as possible. Likewise, Traian Băsescu declared that the ] is the next national project for Romania, as more than 75% of the population speaks Romanian.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.romanialibera.ro/politica/institutii/basescu--urmatorul-proiect-de-tara-al-romaniei--unirea-cu-basarabia-319094 |title=Băsescu: Următorul proiect de țară al României, unirea cu Basarabia |newspaper=România Liberă |date=27 November 2013 |access-date=2 September 2015 |archive-date=4 September 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150904002008/http://www.romanialibera.ro/politica/institutii/basescu--urmatorul-proiect-de-tara-al-romaniei--unirea-cu-basarabia-319094 |url-status=dead }}</ref> | |||
During her first bilateral visit to Moldova, ], ] opened the new Delegation of the ] to Moldova on ], to be headed by ]. | |||
====Russia==== | |||
A ] (PCA) with EU is the legal basis for EU relations with Moldova. The PCA came into force in July ] for an initial period of ten years. It establishes the institutional framework for ], sets the principal common objectives, and calls for activities and dialogue in a number of policy areas. Moldova welcomed EU enlargement and signed on ] ] the ] extending the PCA to the new ]. | |||
{{main |Moldova–Russia relations}} | |||
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. Using energy blackmail, political and elite sources in Moldova that are favourable to Russia and the Orthodox Church. Russia denies any such plan.<ref name="cnn163">{{cite web |title=Secret document reveals Russia's 10-year plan to destabilize Moldova |url=https://edition.cnn.com/2023/03/16/europe/russia-moldova-secret-document-intl-cmd/index.html |date=16 March 2023|publisher=]|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20230912123518/https://edition.cnn.com/2023/03/16/europe/russia-moldova-secret-document-intl-cmd/index.html|archive-date=12 September 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=How Russia Torpedoed Its Own Influence in Moldova|url=https://carnegieendowment.org/politika/89731|date=11 March 2023|publisher=]|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20230921170846/https://carnegieendowment.org/politika/89731|archive-date=21 September 2023}}</ref> | |||
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 the ] to block and stymie the integration of former Soviet states like Moldova into the West.<ref>Andrew Higgins, "In Expanding Russian Influence, Faith Combines With Firepower," {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191110031305/https://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/14/world/europe/russia-orthodox-church.html |date=10 November 2019 }}</ref> | |||
With the joint adoption of the ] on ], ], the EU and Moldova have further reinforced their bilateral relationship, providing a new tool to help implement the PCA and bring Moldova closer to the EU. The ] programme is used as the framework for ] to support agreed objectives. | |||
In February 2023 Russia cancelled a 2012 decree underpinning Moldova's sovereignty.<ref name="cnn163"/> In May 2023 the government announced its intentions to withdraw from the Commonwealth of Independent States and the immediate suspension of its participation.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Scotto di Santolo |first=Alessandra |date=15 May 2023 |title=Major blow for Putin as Moldova withdraws from Russia-led alliance |url=https://www.express.co.uk/news/world/1770254/putin-blow-maldova-cis-asembly-russia |access-date=6 July 2023 |website=] |language=en |archive-date=7 July 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230707162327/https://www.express.co.uk/news/world/1770254/putin-blow-maldova-cis-asembly-russia |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Popusoi |first=Cristina |date=18 May 2023 |title=Moldova Is Distancing Itself From The CIS, But Leaving Might Not Be So Easy |language=en |work=Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty |url=https://www.rferl.org/a/moldova-leaving-cis-russia/32417644.html |access-date=6 July 2023 |archive-date=7 July 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230707162045/https://www.rferl.org/a/moldova-leaving-cis-russia/32417644.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Goble |first=Paul |date=10 November 2022 |title=Moscow Working to Block Moldova from Leaving CIS |language=en-US |work=] |url=https://jamestown.org/program/moscow-working-to-block-moldova-from-leaving-cis/ |access-date=6 July 2023 |archive-date=7 July 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230707162704/https://jamestown.org/program/moscow-working-to-block-moldova-from-leaving-cis/ |url-status=live }}</ref> In July 2023 Moldova passed a law on denunciation of the agreement on Moldova's membership in the ].<ref>{{cite web |title=PARLIAMENT ADOPTS IN FINAL READING LAW ON MOLDOVA'S WITHDRAWAL FROM CIS INTERPARLIAMENTARY ASSEMBLY |url=https://www.infotag.md/politics-en/309245/ |date=20 July 2023 |access-date=8 March 2024 |archive-date=29 January 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240129113439/http://www.infotag.md/politics-en/309245/ |url-status=live }}</ref> | |||
== Administrative divisions == | |||
] | |||
{{main|Administrative divisions of Moldova}} | |||
Moldova is divided into 32 ] ('']'', pl. ''raioane''), 3 municipalities (], ] and ]), two semi-autonomous regions (] and the breakaway region of ], whose status is still disputed). The districts are: | |||
On 25 July 2023, the Moldovan government summoned the Russian ambassador to Moldova, Oleg Vasnetsov, after media reports of alleged spying devices on the rooftop of their embassy in Chişinău.<ref>{{Cite web |last2=Pokharel |first1=Josh |last1=Pennington |first2=Sugam |date=25 July 2023 |title=Moldova summons Russian ambassador after media reporting on alleged spy devices on embassy's rooftop |url=https://www.cnn.com/2023/07/25/europe/moldova-spying-allegations-intl/index.html |access-date=1 August 2023 |website=] |language=en |archive-date=1 August 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230801045016/https://www.cnn.com/2023/07/25/europe/moldova-spying-allegations-intl/index.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=26 July 2023 |title=Moldova expels 45 Russian diplomatic staff in spy row |language=en-GB |work=] |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-66320894 |access-date=1 August 2023 |archive-date=31 July 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230731183634/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-66320894 |url-status=live }}</ref> 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.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Bennetts |first=Marc |date=1 August 2023 |title=Moldova expels 45 Russian diplomats and embassy staff |language=en |work=] |url=https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/moldova-expels-russian-diplomats-embassy-staff-5hjf56qjk |access-date=1 August 2023 |issn=0140-0460 |archive-date=1 August 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230801100849/https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/moldova-expels-russian-diplomats-embassy-staff-5hjf56qjk |url-status=live }}</ref> On 30 July, the Russian embassy announced that it would suspend consular appointments "for technical reasons".<ref>{{Cite news |last=Tanas |first=Alexander |date=30 July 2023 |title=Russian embassy in Moldova to suspend consular appointments |language=en |work=] |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/russian-embassy-moldova-suspend-consular-appointments-2023-07-30/ |access-date=1 August 2023 |archive-date=31 July 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230731211517/https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/russian-embassy-moldova-suspend-consular-appointments-2023-07-30/ |url-status=live }}</ref> | |||
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The Moldovan ] (SIS) also ended all partnership agreements with Russia's ] after sending official notifications to the authorities in Moscow.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Necșuțu |first=Mădălin |date=1 August 2023 |title=Moldovan Secret Services Cancel Agreements with Russian Intelligence |work=] |url=https://balkaninsight.com/2023/08/01/moldovan-secret-services-cancel-agreements-with-russian-intelligence/ |access-date=2 August 2023 |archive-date=1 August 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230801154944/https://balkaninsight.com/2023/08/01/moldovan-secret-services-cancel-agreements-with-russian-intelligence/ |url-status=live }}</ref> | |||
As no other nation recognizes Transnistria, it is ''de jure'' a part of Moldova, although in reality it is not controlled by the Moldovan government. | |||
==== European Union Accession ==== | |||
== Geography == | |||
{{main |Accession of Moldova to the European Union}} | |||
''Main article: ]'' | |||
].|left]] | |||
Moldova has set 2030 as the target date for EU Accession.<ref>{{cite web |title=Moldova sets 2030 as EU accession target at massive pro-EU rally in Chisinau |url=https://www.romania-insider.com/moldova-rally-eu-accession-may-2023 |date=22 May 2023 |access-date=8 March 2024 |archive-date=8 December 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231208090113/https://www.romania-insider.com/moldova-rally-eu-accession-may-2023 |url-status=live }}</ref> | |||
The largest part of the country lies between two rivers, the ] and the ]. ]'s rich soil and temperate continental climate have made the country one of the most productive agricultural regions and a major supplier of agricultural products in the region. | |||
Moldova signed the Association Agreement with the European Union in ] on 27 June 2014. The signing came after the accord was drafted in Vilnius in November 2013.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://eeas.europa.eu/top_stories/2014/270614_association_agreement_en.htm|title=European Union – EEAS (European External Action Service) – EU forges closer ties with Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova|website=Eeas.europa.eu|access-date=27 June 2014|archive-date=6 July 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160706211949/http://eeas.europa.eu/top_stories/2014/270614_association_agreement_en.htm|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_SPEECH-14-511_en.htm|title=European Commission – PRESS RELEASES – Press release – Remarks by President Barroso at the signing of the Association Agreements with Georgia, the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine|website=Europa.eu|access-date=27 June 2014|archive-date=30 June 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140630041046/http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_SPEECH-14-511_en.htm|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
The western border of Moldova is formed by the ] river, which joins the ] before flowing into the ]. In the north-east, the ] is the main river, flowing through the country from north to south. | |||
Moldova signed the membership application to join the EU on 3 March 2022.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Tanas |first=Alexander |date=3 March 2022 |title=With war on its doorstep, Moldova applies for EU membership |website=] |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/moldovan-president-says-moldova-applies-eu-membership-2022-03-03/ |access-date=3 March 2022 |archive-date=25 June 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220625000916/https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/moldovan-president-says-moldova-applies-eu-membership-2022-03-03/ |url-status=live }}</ref> On 23 June 2022, Moldova was officially granted ] by EU leaders.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.euractiv.com/section/europe-s-east/news/eu-leaders-grant-candidate-status-to-ukraine-and-moldova/ |title=EU leaders grant candidate status to Ukraine and Moldova |last=Brzozowski |first=Alexandra |date=23 June 2022 |website=euractiv.com |publisher=] |access-date=24 June 2022 |archive-date=23 June 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220623214851/https://www.euractiv.com/section/europe-s-east/news/eu-leaders-grant-candidate-status-to-ukraine-and-moldova |url-status=live }}</ref> The United Nations Development Programme is also providing assistance to Moldova in implementing the necessary reforms for full accession by 2030.<ref>{{Cite web |title=UNDP to support the Republic of Moldova to implement key reforms on its EU accession path {{!}} United Nations Development Programme |url=https://www.undp.org/moldova/press-releases/undp-support-republic-moldova-implement-key-reforms-its-eu-accession-path |access-date=2 August 2023 |website=UNDP |language=en |archive-date=2 August 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230802164623/https://www.undp.org/moldova/press-releases/undp-support-republic-moldova-implement-key-reforms-its-eu-accession-path |url-status=live }}</ref> The European Union's ] ] has confirmed that the pathway to accession does not depend upon a resolution of the ].<ref name="RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty">{{Cite news |date=1 June 2023 |title=Moldova's EU Path Independent Of Transdniester Developments, Says Borrell |language=en |work=] |url=https://www.rferl.org/a/moldova-eu-path-transdniester-borrell/32438431.html |access-date=2 August 2023 |archive-date=2 August 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230802165031/https://www.rferl.org/a/moldova-eu-path-transdniester-borrell/32438431.html |url-status=live }}</ref> | |||
The country is landlocked, even though it is very close to the Black Sea. While the northern part of the country is hilly, elevations never exceed 430 metres (1,411 ])—the highest point being the ]. | |||
On 27 June, Moldova signed a comprehensive free trade agreement with the ].<ref>{{Cite web |date=27 June 2023 |title=EFTA and Moldova sign a Free Trade Agreement {{!}} European Free Trade Association |url=https://www.efta.int/Free-Trade/news/EFTA-and-Moldova-sign-Free-Trade-Agreement-536291#:~:text=At%20the%20meeting,%20the%20EFTA,investment%20between%20the%20two%20sides. |access-date=5 July 2023 |website=] |archive-date=5 July 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230705130004/https://www.efta.int/Free-Trade/news/EFTA-and-Moldova-sign-Free-Trade-Agreement-536291#:~:text=At%20the%20meeting,%20the%20EFTA,investment%20between%20the%20two%20sides. |url-status=live }}</ref> 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.<ref>{{Cite web |date=28 June 2023 |title=The EU presents a Support Package for the Republic of Moldova |url=https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/home/en |access-date=1 August 2023 |website=] |language=en |archive-date=21 June 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190621200951/https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/home/en |url-status=live }}</ref> | |||
Moldova has a ] continental ], with warm summers, but mild winters. | |||
Formal accession talks began on 13 December 2023.<ref>{{cite web |title=EU greenlights accession talks with Ukraine but Orbán vetoes €50-billion aid package |url=https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2023/12/14/eu-greenlights-accession-talks-with-ukraine-and-moldova |access-date=14 December 2023 |website=] |date=14 December 2023 |language=en |archive-date=14 December 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231214175059/https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2023/12/14/eu-greenlights-accession-talks-with-ukraine-and-moldova |url-status=live }}</ref> 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.<ref>{{cite web |title=Moldova will hold referendum on EU membership without Transnistria: Sandu |url=https://www.1lurer.am/en/2023/12/29/Moldova-will-hold-referendum-on-EU-membership-without-Transnistria-Sandhu/1054506 |date=29 December 2023 |access-date=8 March 2024 |archive-date=4 January 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240104013438/https://www.1lurer.am/en/2023/12/29/Moldova-will-hold-referendum-on-EU-membership-without-Transnistria-Sandhu/1054506 |url-status=live }}</ref> | |||
The country's main cities are the capital ], in the centre of the country, ] (in Transnistria), ] and ]. | |||
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.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Balmforth |first1=Tom |last2=Tanas |first2=Alexander |title=Moldova's EU referendum in tight finish; Sandu decries vote meddling |date=21 October 2024 |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/moldovas-eu-referendum-goes-wire-after-sandu-decries-vote-meddling-2024-10-21/ |website=Reuters |access-date=21 October 2024}}</ref> | |||
''See'' ] | |||
===Security=== | |||
== Largest cities == | |||
The European Union created a ] through its ] on 24 April 2023. The mission seeks to support the government of Moldova in countering hybrid threats the country faces as a result of the ].<ref>{{cite web | url=https://censor.net/en/news/3407322/eu_is_preparing_mission_to_moldova_to_make_it_more_resistant_to_hybrid_threats_borrell | title=EU is preparing mission to Moldova to make it more resistant to hybrid threats, – Borrell | date=22 March 2023 | access-date=8 March 2024 | archive-date=19 September 2023 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230919235056/https://censor.net/en/news/3407322/eu_is_preparing_mission_to_moldova_to_make_it_more_resistant_to_hybrid_threats_borrell | url-status=live }}</ref> | |||
{| border=1 align=left cellpadding=3 cellspacing=0 style="border-collapse:collapse;border:1px solid black;font-size:100%; text-align:right;" | |||
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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".<ref>{{Cite web |last=Swaton |first=Chiara |date=8 June 2023 |title=Austria sends police officers, soldiers to EU Moldova mission |url=https://www.euractiv.com/section/politics/news/austria-sends-police-officers-soldiers-to-eu-moldova-mission/ |access-date=1 August 2023 |website=] |language=en-GB |archive-date=15 June 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230615060906/https://www.euractiv.com/section/politics/news/austria-sends-police-officers-soldiers-to-eu-moldova-mission/ |url-status=live }}</ref> 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.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Rettman |first=Andrew |date=31 March 2023 |title=EU sending anti-coup mission to Moldova in May |url=https://euobserver.com/world/156884 |access-date=1 August 2023 |website=] |language=en |archive-date=4 June 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230604204657/https://euobserver.com/world/156884 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="thebriefing.eu">{{Cite web |url=https://www.thebriefing.eu/welt-eu-to-send-mission-to-moldova-to-consult-on-countrys-security/ |title=Welt: EU to Send Mission to Moldova to Consult on Country's Security – the Briefing |access-date=6 July 2023 |archive-date=5 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230405061021/https://www.thebriefing.eu/welt-eu-to-send-mission-to-moldova-to-consult-on-countrys-security/ |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |date=25 April 2023 |title=EU members look to support Moldova, send muntions to Ukraine to offset Russian expansionism |url=https://www.rfi.fr/en/international/20230425-eu-members-look-to-support-moldova-send-muntions-to-ukraine-to-offset-russian-expansionism |access-date=1 August 2023 |website=] |archive-date=21 June 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230621175042/https://www.rfi.fr/en/international/20230425-eu-members-look-to-support-moldova-send-muntions-to-ukraine-to-offset-russian-expansionism |url-status=live }}</ref> ], ], ], Germany, ], Sweden, the ], ], ], and ] have all voiced support for the mission.<ref name="thebriefing.eu"/> | |||
! # !! align=center |City !! Population (2005) !! County | |||
On 2 February 2023 Moldova passed a law introducing criminal penalties for ], 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.<ref>{{cite web |last=Necșuțu |first=Mădălin |date=8 February 2023 |title=Moldova 'Separatism Law' Sparks Tensions With Breakaway Transnistria |url=https://balkaninsight.com/2023/02/08/moldova-separatism-law-sparks-tensions-with-breakaway-transnistria/ |access-date=1 August 2023 |website=] |archive-date=30 July 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230730141431/https://balkaninsight.com/2023/02/08/moldova-separatism-law-sparks-tensions-with-breakaway-transnistria/ |url-status=live }}</ref> | |||
===Military=== | |||
{{main|Military of Moldova}} | |||
] at the Joint Multinational Readiness Centre in ], Germany]] | |||
The Moldovan armed forces consists of the ] and ]. | |||
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.<ref name="Necșuțu-2022" /> | |||
Moldova accepted all relevant arms control obligations of the former Soviet Union. On 30 October 1992, Moldova ratified the ], 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 nuclear ] in October 1994 in Washington, D.C. It does not have nuclear, biological, chemical or radiological weapons. Moldova joined the ]'s ] on 16 March 1994. | |||
Moldova is committed to a number of international and regional control of arms regulations such as the ], ], the UN Programme of Action (PoA), and the ] Documents on Stockpiles of Conventional Ammunition.<ref>{{Cite web |date=19 November 2003 |title=OSCE Document on Stockpiles of Conventional Ammunition |url=https://www.osce.org/fsc/15792 |access-date=7 July 2023 |website=] |language=en |archive-date=7 July 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230707162506/https://www.osce.org/fsc/15792 |url-status=live }}</ref> Since declaring independence in 1991, Moldova has participated in UN peacekeeping missions in ], ], ], and ].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ministry of Defense of Republic of Moldova |url=https://www.army.md/?lng=3&action=show&cat=163 |access-date=7 July 2023 |website=www.army.md |archive-date=7 July 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230707162330/https://www.army.md/?lng=3&action=show&cat=163 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=UNMIL |url=https://peacekeeping.un.org/en/mission/unmil |access-date=7 July 2023 |website=United Nations Peacekeeping |language=en |archive-date=7 July 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230707162104/https://peacekeeping.un.org/en/mission/unmil |url-status=live }}</ref> On 12 November 2014, the US donated to Moldovan Armed Forces 39 ] and 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."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://moldova.usembassy.gov/111214.html |title=2014 – Embassy of the United States Chișinău, Moldova|website=Moldova.usembassy.gov |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150904002008/http://moldova.usembassy.gov/111214.html |archive-date=4 September 2015 }}</ref> | |||
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.<ref>{{cite web|title=Moldova's military agreements to help strengthen regional security|url=http://www.turkishweekly.net/2013/12/21/news/moldovas-military-agreements-to-help-strengthen-regional-security/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150904002008/http://www.turkishweekly.net/2013/12/21/news/moldovas-military-agreements-to-help-strengthen-regional-security/|url-status=dead|archive-date=4 September 2015|access-date=21 December 2013}}</ref> | |||
Since 2022, the army has begun a process of modernization, and has been provided with more than €87 million in support for the modernization of the defence sector and the strengthening of security through the ].<ref name="Necșuțu-2022">{{Cite web |last=Necșuțu |first=Mădălin |date=13 July 2022 |title=Moldova Weighs Mobility and Firepower in Military Overhaul |url=https://balkaninsight.com/2022/07/13/moldova-weighs-mobility-and-firepower-in-military-overhaul/ |access-date=6 July 2023 |website=] |language=en-US |archive-date=19 September 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230919235054/https://balkaninsight.com/2022/07/13/moldova-weighs-mobility-and-firepower-in-military-overhaul/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=1 June 2023 |title=EU hands over first batch of modern equipment to Moldovan armed forces – EU NEIGHBOURS east |url=https://euneighbourseast.eu/news/latest-news/eu-hands-over-first-batch-of-modern-equipment-to-moldovan-armed-forces/ |access-date=6 July 2023 |website=euneighbourseast.eu |language=en-GB |archive-date=13 June 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230613215600/https://euneighbourseast.eu/news/latest-news/eu-hands-over-first-batch-of-modern-equipment-to-moldovan-armed-forces/ |url-status=live }}</ref> 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.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Defense Minister Says 90 Percent Of Moldova's Military Equipment Is Outdated |language=en |work=] |url=https://www.rferl.org/a/moldova-military-defense-outdated-underfunded/32095231.html |access-date=6 July 2023 |archive-date=31 May 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230531133442/https://www.rferl.org/a/moldova-military-defense-outdated-underfunded/32095231.html |url-status=live }}</ref> 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 modernize its armed forces, especially in light of ] and the presence of ].<ref>{{Cite news |last=Tanas |first=Alexander |date=13 April 2023 |title=Moldova needs $275 million to modernise armed forces, defence official says |language=en |work=] |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/moldova-needs-275-mln-modernise-armed-forces-defence-official-2023-04-13/ |access-date=6 July 2023 |archive-date=7 July 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230707163741/https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/moldova-needs-275-mln-modernise-armed-forces-defence-official-2023-04-13/ |url-status=live }}</ref> In June 2023, Poland also sent a transport of military equipment worth €8 million (including ], laptops, ], and ultrasound equipment) to the ] to increase the country's internal security.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Poland sends military equipment to Moldovan police |url=https://www.thefirstnews.com/article/poland-sends-military-equipment-to-moldovan-police-38861 |access-date=6 July 2023 |website=www.thefirstnews.com |language=en |archive-date=7 July 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230707162527/https://www.thefirstnews.com/article/poland-sends-military-equipment-to-moldovan-police-38861 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Poland hands over weapons and ammunition to the Moldovan police – Militarnyi |url=https://mil.in.ua/en/news/poland-hands-over-weapons-and-ammunition-to-the-moldovan-police/ |access-date=6 July 2023 |website=mil.in.ua |archive-date=7 July 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230707162357/https://mil.in.ua/en/news/poland-hands-over-weapons-and-ammunition-to-the-moldovan-police/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Analysts at the Centre for European Policy Analysis have called for further western weapon donations.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kirichenko |first=David |date=12 June 2023 |title=Moldova Needs Western Weapons |url=https://cepa.org/article/moldova-needs-western-weapons/ |access-date=6 July 2023 |website=Center for European Policy Analysis |language=en-US |archive-date=7 July 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230707161546/https://cepa.org/article/moldova-needs-western-weapons/ |url-status=live }}</ref> | |||
===Human rights=== | |||
{{main|Human rights in Moldova}} | |||
] ranked Moldova as a "partly free" country with a score of 62/100 in 2023. They summarized their finds as follows: "Moldova has a competitive electoral environment, and ], ], and ] are mostly protected. Nonetheless, ], 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."<ref>{{Cite web |title=Moldova: Freedom in the World 2023 Country Report |url=https://freedomhouse.org/country/moldova/freedom-world/2023 |access-date=6 July 2023 |website=] |language=en |archive-date=27 July 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230727205636/https://freedomhouse.org/country/moldova/freedom-world/2023 |url-status=live }}</ref> According to ], Moldova's ] improved to 39 points in 2022 from 34 in 2020.<ref>{{Cite web |date=31 January 2023 |title=2022 Corruption Perceptions Index – Explore Moldova's results |url=https://www.transparency.org/en/cpi/2022 |access-date=6 July 2023 |website=] |language=en |archive-date=16 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230416180715/https://www.transparency.org/en/cpi/2022 |url-status=live }}</ref> ] improved Moldova's ] ranking 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."<ref>{{Cite web |date=13 April 2021 |title=Moldova {{!}} Free Press Unlimited |url=https://www.freepressunlimited.org/en/countries/moldova |access-date=5 July 2023 |website=Free Press Unlimited |language=en |archive-date=5 July 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230705135700/https://www.freepressunlimited.org/en/countries/moldova |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=23 July 2020 |title=Moldova {{!}} RSF |url=https://rsf.org/en/country/moldova |access-date=5 July 2023 |website=] |language=en |archive-date=5 July 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230705135655/https://rsf.org/en/country/moldova |url-status=live }}</ref> | |||
According to ]'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 of ] people were not fully realized, 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."<ref>{{Cite web |title=Human rights in Moldova |url=https://www.amnesty.org/en/location/europe-and-central-asia/moldova/report-moldova/ |access-date=2 August 2023 |website=Amnesty International |language=en |archive-date=7 July 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230707161740/https://www.amnesty.org/en/location/europe-and-central-asia/moldova/report-moldova/ |url-status=live }}</ref> On 18 June 2023, some 500 LGBT activists and supporters held a ] in 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.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Tanas |first=Alexander |date=18 June 2023 |title=LGBT activists in Moldova hold march without police protection |language=en |work=] |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/lgbt-activists-moldova-hold-march-without-police-protection-2023-06-18/ |access-date=2 August 2023 |archive-date=2 August 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230802101756/https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/lgbt-activists-moldova-hold-march-without-police-protection-2023-06-18/ |url-status=live }}</ref> | |||
According to ] of the ], 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."<ref name="United States Department of State">{{cite web |url=https://2009-2017.state.gov/j/drl/rls/hrrpt/2010/eur/154439.htm |title=2010 Human Rights Report: Moldova |publisher=United States Department of State |access-date=9 October 2013 |archive-date=13 October 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191013183110/https://2009-2017.state.gov/j/drl/rls/hrrpt/2010/eur/154439.htm |url-status=live }}</ref> | |||
In a meeting with the ] in October 2022, EU representatives "welcomed positive developments in Moldova such as the ratification of the ] on preventing and combating violence against women, the adoption of legislation on ], and the ongoing work to reform the Electoral Code. It encouraged Moldovan authorities to address shortcomings identified by OSCE/ODIHR and the ] across all areas and ensure effective and continuous implementation of human rights legislation."<ref>{{Cite web |date=20 October 2022 |title=Moldova: 13th EU-Moldova Human Rights Dialogue in Brussels {{!}} EEAS |url=https://www.eeas.europa.eu/eeas/moldova-13th-eu-moldova-human-rights-dialogue-brussels_en |access-date=2 August 2023 |website=Diplomatic Service of the European Union |archive-date=2 August 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230802101757/https://www.eeas.europa.eu/eeas/moldova-13th-eu-moldova-human-rights-dialogue-brussels_en |url-status=live }}</ref> The ]' 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".<ref>{{Cite web |title=Moldova {{!}} HCRW |url=https://hatecrime.osce.org/moldova |access-date=2 August 2023 |website=hatecrime.] |archive-date=2 August 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230802014001/https://hatecrime.osce.org/moldova |url-status=live }}</ref> In 2021, 8 hate crimes were recorded, 7 of which reached a successful conviction, with one going to prosecution but without a conviction. | |||
===Administrative divisions=== | |||
{{main|Administrative divisions of Moldova|List of cities in Moldova|List of localities in Moldova|Communes of Moldova}} | |||
{{Map of administrative divisions of Moldova}} | |||
Moldova is divided into 32 districts (''raioane'', singular '']''), three municipalities and two ] (] and the ]).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://descentralizare.gov.md/regionmap.php?l=ro&idc=310|title=Autorități publice locale|publisher=Government of Moldova|access-date=12 October 2010|archive-date=28 August 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100828065811/http://www.descentralizare.gov.md/regionmap.php?l=ro&idc=310|url-status=live}}</ref> The final status of Transnistria is ], as the central government does not control that territory. 10 other cities, including ] and ], the administrative seats of the two autonomous territories, also have ]. | |||
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.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.statistica.md/public/files/Clasificatoare/CUATM_rom.zip|title=Clasificatorul unităţilor administrativ-teritoriale (CUATM)|access-date=20 May 2017|archive-date=8 May 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190508230025/http://www.statistica.md/public/files/Clasificatoare/CUATM_rom.zip|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
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 the ] of ], followed by Bălți (146,900) and Bender (91,000). | |||
{{Largest cities of Moldova}} | |||
=== Law enforcement and emergency services === | |||
{{See also|Crime in Moldova|Healthcare in Moldova}}The Moldovan police force (]) reports to the ] (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.<ref name="United States Department of State" /> The Moldovan Police are divided into state and municipal organisations. State police provide law enforcement throughout Moldova while municipal police operate at the local ] level. National and municipal police forces often collaborate closely for law enforcement purposes. The ] is a specialized combat-ready police force primarily responsible for tackling organized crime, serious violent crime, and hostage situations. They are subordinate to the General Police Inspectorate and therefore under strict civilian control.<ref name="United States Department of State" /> | |||
There are also a number of more specialised police institutions including the Police Department of Chisinau Municipality and the General Directorate of Criminal Investigation. The ] are 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 to ''The 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."<ref>{{Cite web |date=10 May 2021 |title=Law on police use of force in Moldova |url=https://www.policinglaw.info/country/moldova |access-date=2 August 2023 |website=The Law on Police Use of Force |language=en |archive-date=2 August 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230802142316/https://www.policinglaw.info/country/moldova |url-status=live }}</ref> | |||
The ] (SIS) is a Moldovan state body specialized in ensuring ] by exercising all appropriate ] and ] measures, such as: collecting, processing, checking and capitalizing 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 of ], ] units, and a state ]. There are two hospitals in the capital city Chișinău, the primary being Medpark International Hospital, and general hospitals in ], ], ], and ].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Medical Assistance |url=https://md.usembassy.gov/u-s-citizen-services/doctors/ |access-date=2 August 2023 |website=U.S. Embassy in Moldova |language=en-US |archive-date=31 May 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230531171054/https://md.usembassy.gov/u-s-citizen-services/doctors/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=24 January 2023 |title=List of medical facilities in Moldova |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/moldova-list-of-medical-facilities-and-practitioners/list-of-medical-facilities-in-moldova |access-date=2 August 2023 |website=] |language=en |archive-date=2 August 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230802142315/https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/moldova-list-of-medical-facilities-and-practitioners/list-of-medical-facilities-in-moldova |url-status=live }}</ref> Moldova has a universal healthcare system through a ] scheme. Casa Mariorei, founded in 2002, is a ] in Chișinău which provides shelter, healthcare, legal advice, and psychosocial support for native Moldovan, immigrant, and refugee women.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Burks |first=Roger |date=2 August 2022 |title=Moldovan GBV shelter offers safety and a community for refugees from Ukraine |work=] |url=https://www.unhcr.org/uk/news/stories/moldovan-gbv-shelter-offers-safety-and-community-refugees-ukraine |access-date=2 August 2023 |archive-date=2 August 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230802142308/https://www.unhcr.org/uk/news/stories/moldovan-gbv-shelter-offers-safety-and-community-refugees-ukraine |url-status=live }}</ref> | |||
==Geography== | |||
{{main|Geography of Moldova}} | |||
] (''Dniester'')]] | |||
Moldova is a landlocked country situated in Eastern Europe, on the northeastern corner of the ] in the ], between latitudes ] and ], and mostly between meridians ] and ] (a small area lies east of 30°). The country lies to the east of the ] and is bordered by ] to its west and by ] to 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 the ] river and on the east from Ukraine by the ] river. The total land area is {{convert|33,843.5|km2|sqmi|abbr=on}}, of which {{convert|960|km2|sqmi|abbr=on}} is water. The largest part of the country (around 88% of the area) lies in the ] region, while a narrow strip in the east is located in the ] of ] on 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 the ] and Prut rivers. This has transformed the old village of ] (in the extreme south-west of the country) into a ], providing Moldova access to ] via the Danube and the ].<ref>NY Times report </ref> The Dniester river, which rises in Ukraine near the city of ], 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 the ], an estuary of the Black Sea, by only 3 km of Ukrainian territory. | |||
], ]]] | |||
] | |||
While most of the country is hilly, elevations never exceed {{convert|430|m|ft|abbr=on}}, the highest point being the ]. Moldova's hills are part of the ], 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 and ]), and the Central Moldavian Plateau (Ciuluc-Soloneț Hills, Cornești Hills—] Massive, "Codri" meaning "forests"—Lower Dniester Hills, Lower Prut Valley, and Tigheci Hills). In the south, the country has a small flatland, the ]. The territory of Moldova east of the river Dniester is split between parts of the ], and parts of the ]. Moldova's exceptionally rich ] soil covers around three-quarters of the country's land area.<ref>{{Cite web |date=26 August 2016 |title=Geography – Republic of Moldova |url=https://moldova.md/en/content/geography |access-date=3 August 2023 |website=] |language=en |archive-date=28 August 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230828051957/https://moldova.md/en/content/geography |url-status=live }}</ref> | |||
Moldova's capital and largest city is ], 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 river ], a tributary of the ]. Moldova's second-largest city is ], which lies on the eastern bank of the Dniester and is the capital of the ] of ]. The country's third-largest city is ], often referred to as the 'northern capital'. It is situated {{convert|127|km|mi|abbr=off}} north of the capital Chișinău, and is located on the river ], a tributary of the Dniester, on a hilly landscape in the Bălți steppe. ] is the administrative centre of the ] of ]. | |||
===Climate=== | |||
], part of the ] in the country]] | |||
Moldova has a climate which is moderately continental; its proximity to the ] leads to the climate being mildly cold in the autumn and winter and relatively cool in the spring and summer.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.weatheronline.co.uk/reports/climate/Moldova.htm |title=Moldova's Climate |publisher=Weatheronline.co.uk |access-date=9 October 2013 |archive-date=14 October 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131014031249/http://www.weatheronline.co.uk/reports/climate/Moldova.htm |url-status=live }}</ref> | |||
The summers are warm and long, with temperatures averaging about {{convert|20|°C|0|abbr=on}} and the winters are relatively mild and dry, with January temperatures averaging {{convert|-4|°C|0|abbr=on}}. Annual rainfall, which ranges from around {{convert|600|mm|0|abbr=on}} in the north to {{convert|400|mm|0|abbr=on}} 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 {{convert|41.5|°C|1|abbr=on}} on 21 July 2007 in ].<ref>{{cite web |author=Stînga Nistrului |url=http://www.weather-forecast.com/locations/Camenca |title=Camenca temperature |publisher=Weather-forecast.com |access-date=9 October 2013 |archive-date=5 June 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140605051834/http://www.weather-forecast.com/locations/Camenca |url-status=live }}</ref> The lowest temperature ever recorded was {{convert|-35.5|°C|1|abbr=on}} on 20 January 1963 in Brătușeni, Edineț county.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.worldweatheronline.com/Bratuseni-weather/Gagauzia/MD.aspx |title=Bratuseni temperature |publisher=Worldweatheronline.com |access-date=9 October 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131020211429/http://www.worldweatheronline.com/Bratuseni-weather/Gagauzia/MD.aspx |archive-date=20 October 2013 |url-status=dead }}</ref> | |||
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="margin:auto;" | |||
|+Average daily maximum and minimum temperatures for the three largest cities in Moldova<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.weatherbase.com/weather/city.php3?c=MD&name=Moldova|title=Moldova climate information|publisher=Weatherbase|access-date=3 February 2016|archive-date=2 January 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160102231617/http://www.weatherbase.com/weather/city.php3?c=MD&name=Moldova|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
|- | |- | ||
!Location | |||
| 1. ||align=left | ] || 716,700 || - | |||
!July (°C) | |||
|- | |||
!July (°F) | |||
| 2. ||align=left | ] || 164,900 (2001) || - | |||
!January (°C) | |||
!January (°F) | |||
|- | |- | ||
| |
|] || 27/17 || 81/63 || 1/−4 || 33/24 | ||
|- | |- | ||
| |
|] || 27/15 || 81/60 || 1/−6 || 33/21 | ||
|- | |- | ||
|] || 26/14 || 79/58 || −0/−7 || 31/18 | |||
| 5. ||align=left | ] || 32,700 || ] | |||
|} | |||
===Biodiversity=== | |||
{{see also|Protected areas in Moldova}} | |||
], Moldova is split between the ] and the ] of the ] within the ]. It is home to three terrestrial ecoregions: ], ], and ].<ref name="DinersteinOlson2017">{{cite journal |last1=Dinerstein |first1=Eric |last2=Olson |first2=David |last3=Joshi |first3=Anup |last4=Vynne |first4=Carly |last5=Burgess |first5=Neil D. |last6=Wikramanayake |first6=Eric |last7=Hahn |first7=Nathan |last8=Palminteri |first8=Suzanne |last9=Hedao |first9=Prashant |last10=Noss |first10=Reed |last11=Hansen |first11=Matt |last12=Locke |first12=Harvey |last13=Ellis |first13=Erle C. |last14=Jones |first14=Benjamin |last15=Barber |first15=Charles Victor |last16=Hayes |first16=Randy |last17=Kormos |first17=Cyril |last18=Martin |first18=Vance |last19=Crist |first19=Eileen |last20=Sechrest |first20=Wes |last21=Price |first21=Lori |last22=Baillie |first22=Jonathan E.M. |last23=Weeden |first23=Don |last24=Suckling |first24=Kierán |last25=Davis |first25=Crystal |last26=Sizer |first26=Nigel |last27=Moore |first27=Rebecca |last28=Thau |first28=Davi |last29=Birch |first29=Tanya |last30=Potapov |first30=Peter |last31=Turubanova |first31=Svetlana |last32=Tyukavina |first32=Alexandra |last33=de Souza |first33=Nadia |last34=Pintea |first34=Lilian |last35=Brito |first35=José C. |last36=Llewellyn |first36=Othman A. |last37=Miller |first37=Anthony G. |last38=Patzelt |first38=Annette |last39=Ghazanfar |first39=Shahina A. |last40=Timberlake |first40=Jonathan|last41=Klöser |first41=Heinz |last42=Shennan-Farpón |first42=Yara |last43=Kindt |first43=Roeland |last44=Lillesø |first44=Jens-Peter Barnekow |last45=van Breugel |first45=Paulo |last46=Graudal |first46=Lars |last47=Voge |first47=Maianna |last48=Al-Shammari |first48=Khalaf F. |last49=Saleem |first49=Muhammad |display-authors=6 |year=2017 |title=An Ecoregion-Based Approach to Protecting Half the Terrestrial Realm |journal=BioScience |volume=67 |issue=6 |pages=534–545 |issn=0006-3568 |doi=10.1093/biosci/bix014 |doi-access=free |pmid=28608869 |pmc=5451287 |s2cid=13136188}}</ref> Forests currently cover only 11% of Moldova, though the state is making efforts to increase their range. It had a 2019 ] mean score of 2.2/10, ranking it 158th globally out of 172 countries.<ref name="FLII-Supplementary">{{cite journal |last1=Grantham |first1=H.S. |last2=Duncan|first2=A. |last3=Evans |first3=T.D. |last4=Jones |first4=K.R. |last5=Beyer |first5=H.L. |last6=Schuster |first6=R. |last7=Walston |first7=J. |last8=Ray|first8=J.C. |last9=Robinson |first9=J.G. |last10=Callow |first10=M. |last11=Clements |first11=T. |last12=Costa |first12=H.M. |last13=DeGemmis |first13=A. |last14=Elsen |first14=P.R. |last15=Ervin |first15=J. |last16=Franco|first16=P. |last17=Goldman|first17=E. |last18=Goetz |first18=S. |last19=Hansen |first19=A. |last20=Hofsvang |first20=E. |last21=Jantz |first21=P. |last22=Jupiter |first22=S. |last23=Kang |first23=A. |last24=Langhammer |first24=P. |last25=Laurance |first25=W.F. |last26=Lieberman |first26=S. |last27=Linkie |first27=M. |last28=Malhi |first28=Y. |last29=Maxwell |first29=S. |last30=Mendez |first30=M. |last31=Mittermeier |first31=R. |last32=Murray |first32=N.J. |last33=Possingham |first33=H. |last34=Radachowsky |first34=J. |last35=Saatchi |first35=S. |last36=Samper |first36=C.|last37=Silverman |first37=J. |last38=Shapiro |first38=A. |last39=Strassburg |first39=B. |last40=Stevens |first40=T. |last41=Stokes |first41=E. |last42=Taylor |first42=R. |last43=Tear |first43=T. |last44=Tizard |first44=R. |last45=Venter |first45=O. |last46=Visconti |first46=P. |last47=Wang |first47=S. |last48=Watson |first48=J.E.M. |display-authors=6 |year=2020 |title=Anthropogenic modification of forests means only 40% of remaining forests have high ecosystem integrity |type=Supplementary material |journal=Nature Communications |volume=11 |issue=1 |page=5978 |issn=2041-1723 |doi=10.1038/s41467-020-19493-3 |doi-access=free |pmid=33293507 |pmc=7723057 |bibcode=2020NatCo..11.5978G |s2cid=228082162}}</ref> Game animals, such as ], ] and ] can be found in these wooded areas.<ref name="Environmental issues in Moldova">{{cite web |title=Environmental issues in Moldova |url=https://naturvernforbundet.no/international/environmental-issues-in-moldova/category940.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150409044105/http://naturvernforbundet.no/international/environmental-issues-in-moldova/category940.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=9 April 2015 |website=Naturvernforbundet |date=7 October 2009 |access-date=30 May 2020 }}</ref>] (''Dniester''), ]'s novel '']'' opens with a description of ] as a way to highlight the story's exotic setting.<ref>{{cite book |last=Sienkiewicz |first=Henryk |trans-title=With Fire and Sword |title=Ogniem i Mieczem |volume=1 |url=https://wolnelektury.pl/katalog/lektura/ogniem-i-mieczem-tom-pierwszy.html |access-date=7 May 2020 |archive-date=4 June 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200604162834/https://wolnelektury.pl/katalog/lektura/ogniem-i-mieczem-tom-pierwszy.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=O suhaku, który z suchych stepów przybył |trans-title=On the Suhaku of the arid steppes |date=6 October 2017 |website=Menażeria Etymologiczna |language=pl |via=wordpress.com |url=https://etymologicznamenazeria.wordpress.com/2017/10/06/o-suhaku-ktory-z-suchych-stepow-przybyl/ |access-date=7 May 2020 |archive-date=4 June 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200604162835/https://etymologicznamenazeria.wordpress.com/2017/10/06/o-suhaku-ktory-z-suchych-stepow-przybyl/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Saigas are a ] ] that is now extinct in Moldova.]] | |||
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="margin:auto;" | |||
! colspan="4" |] | |||
|- | |- | ||
!Name | |||
| 6. ||align=left | ] || 28,400 || ] | |||
!Location | |||
!Established | |||
!Area | |||
|- | |- | ||
|] | |||
| 7. ||align=left | ] || 25,700 || ] | |||
|] | |||
|1971 | |||
|{{convert|5177|ha|km2|0}} | |||
|- | |||
|Iagorlîc | |||
|] | |||
|1988 | |||
|{{convert|836|ha|km2|0}} | |||
|- | |||
|] | |||
|] | |||
|1991 | |||
|{{convert|1691|ha|km2|0}} | |||
|- | |||
|Plaiul Fagului | |||
|] | |||
|1992 | |||
|{{convert|5642|ha|km2|0}} | |||
|- | |||
|] | |||
|] | |||
|1993 | |||
|{{convert|6032|ha|km2|0}} | |||
|} | |} | ||
The environment of Moldova suffered extreme degradation during the Soviet period, when industrial and agricultural development proceeded without regard for environmental protection.<ref name="Environmental issues in Moldova"/> Excessive use of pesticides resulted in heavily polluted topsoil, and industries lacked emission controls.<ref name="Environmental issues in Moldova"/> Founded in 1990, the ], a national, non-governmental, nonprofit organization which is a member of the ] has been working to restore Moldova's damaged natural environment.<ref name="Environmental issues in Moldova"/> The movement is national representative of the Centre "Naturopa" of the ] and ] of the United Nations.<ref>{{cite conference | |||
<br clear=left> | |||
|title=Moldova participants & European participants |conference=European Partnership Fair for Civil Society Organizations in Moldova |date=15–16 June 2010 |place=Republican Palace, Chisinau, Moldova |page=25 |publisher=] |url=http://www.epd.eu/uploads/7a30d35a4a1fb6420184b7cdb9871f5a.pdf |access-date=24 July 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110720161119/http://www.epd.eu/uploads/7a30d35a4a1fb6420184b7cdb9871f5a.pdf |archive-date=20 July 2011 }}</ref> | |||
Once possessing a range from the ] through Central Asia over the ] into ] and Canada's ] as well as the ], ] survived in Moldova and Romania into the late 18th century. Deforestation, demographic pressure, as well as excessive hunting eradicated the native saiga herds which is ]. They were considered a characteristic animal of ] in antiquity. Historian ] referred to the saigas as the ''kolos'', describing it as "between the deer and ram in size" which (understandably but wrongly) was believed to drink through its nose.<ref>{{cite book |last=Strabo |title=] |trans-title=Geography |section=book VII, chapter 4, paragraph 8 |section-url=https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Strabo/7D*.html#4.7.9 |access-date=19 December 2012 }}{{dead link|date=August 2023|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> | |||
Another animal which was extinct in Moldova since the 18th century until recently was the European Wood Bison or ]. The species was reintroduced with the arrival of three European bison from ] in Poland several days before ] on 27 August 2005.<ref>{{cite news |author=Autor invitat |date=27 August 2005 |title=The bison come back to Moldova |language=en |url=https://www.moldova.org/en/the-bison-come-back-to-moldova-4123-eng/ |access-date=30 May 2020 |publisher=Moldova.org |archive-date=16 June 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200616162621/https://www.moldova.org/en/the-bison-come-back-to-moldova-4123-eng/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Moldova is currently interested in expanding their wisent population, and began talks with Belarus in 2019 regarding a bison exchange program between the two countries.<ref>{{cite press release |title=Belarus, Moldova discuss bison exchange program |date=17 February 2019 |publisher=Ministry of Forestry of the Republic of Belarus |url=http://www.mlh.by/en/press-service/news/2584/ |access-date=30 May 2020 |archive-date=28 July 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200728032233/http://www.mlh.by/en/press-service/news/2584/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> | |||
== Economy == | == Economy == | ||
{{main|Economy of Moldova}} | |||
] | |||
''Main article: ]'' | |||
=== Overview === | |||
Moldova enjoys a favorable climate and good farmland but has no major ] deposits. As a result, the economy depends heavily on ], featuring fruits, vegetables, ], and ]. | |||
], and ], 1980 to 2028]] | |||
The economy of Moldova is an ] upper-middle income economy, with a high ]. Since the country gained ] from the ] in 1992, it has steadily transitioned to a ]. According to the ], 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 an ] and significant levels of emigration, and recent regional events, especially ], 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.<ref>{{Cite web |date=7 April 2023 |title=The World Bank in Moldova |url=https://www.worldbank.org/en/country/moldova/overview |access-date=1 August 2023 |website=] |language=en |archive-date=12 August 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230812104654/https://www.worldbank.org/en/country/moldova/overview |url-status=live }}</ref> 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. | |||
], and ].]] | |||
] has almost doubled from $2,749 (USD) in 2015 to $5,562 in 2022.<ref>{{Cite web |title=GDP Per Capita (current US$) – Moldova {{!}} Data |url=https://data.worldbank.org/ |access-date=1 August 2023 |website=] |archive-date=26 May 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230526025607/https://data.worldbank.org/ |url-status=live }}</ref> 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|lc=n}}, unemployment remains low at 2.3%, but inflation had dramatically increased to 28.7% due to the energy crisis caused by the invasion.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Moldova {{!}} Data |url=https://data.worldbank.org/ |access-date=1 August 2023 |website=] |archive-date=26 May 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230526025607/https://data.worldbank.org/ |url-status=live }}</ref> In recent years the country has received significant economic assistance from the ], IMF, and World Bank, particularly after Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The ] predicts that in 2023 the economy will improve from a 1.5% contraction to a growth of 1.5%.<ref>{{Cite web |date=9 January 2023 |title=IMF Executive Board Concludes Second Reviews Under the Extended Credit Facility and Extended Fund Facility Arrangements for the Republic of Moldova |url=https://www.imf.org/en/News/Articles/2023/01/09/pr2301-imf-executive-board-concludes-second-reviews-under-ecf-and-eff-for-moldova |access-date=1 August 2023 |website=] |language=en |archive-date=1 August 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230801213054/https://www.imf.org/en/News/Articles/2023/01/09/pr2301-imf-executive-board-concludes-second-reviews-under-ecf-and-eff-for-moldova |url-status=live }}</ref> | |||
Moldova remains highly vulnerable to fluctuations in ]s from workers abroad (which constitute 25 percent of GDP), exports to the ] (CIS) and ] (EU) (88 per cent of total exports), and donor support (about 10 per cent of government spending).<ref name="Walker-2015">{{Cite news |last1=Walker |first1=Shaun |last2=Nardelli |first2=Alberto |date=18 January 2015 |title=Russia's rouble crisis poses threat to nine countries relying on remittances |language=en-GB |work=] |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/jan/18/russia-rouble-threat-nine-countries-remittances |access-date=1 August 2023 |issn=0261-3077 |archive-date=9 December 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161209201100/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/jan/18/russia-rouble-threat-nine-countries-remittances |url-status=live }}</ref> 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.<ref name="Walker-2015" /> | |||
Moldova must import all of its supplies of ], ], and ], largely from ]. Energy shortages contributed to sharp production declines after the breakup of the ] in ]. | |||
The economy's primary exports are agriculture, apparel, and sports equipments.<ref>{{Cite web |date=8 September 2022 |title=Moldova – Market Overview |url=https://www.trade.gov/country-commercial-guides/moldova-market-overview |access-date=1 August 2023 |website=] |language=en |archive-date=1 August 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230801213054/https://www.trade.gov/country-commercial-guides/moldova-market-overview |url-status=live }}</ref> 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.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Wine in Moldova {{!}} OEC |url=https://oec.world/en/profile/bilateral-product/wine/reporter/mda |access-date=1 August 2023 |website=OEC – The Observatory of Economic Complexity |language=en |archive-date=1 August 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230801213056/https://oec.world/en/profile/bilateral-product/wine/reporter/mda |url-status=live }}</ref> With its 300 days of sunshine per year, the climate in Moldova is ideal for agriculture and particularly ]s. 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.<ref name="Five Things To Know About Moldova">{{Cite web |date=1 June 2023 |title=Five Things To Know About Moldova |url=https://www.barrons.com/news/five-things-to-know-about-moldova-d767674 |access-date=6 July 2023 |website=] |language=en-US |archive-date=7 July 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230707161910/https://www.barrons.com/news/five-things-to-know-about-moldova-d767674 |url-status=live }}</ref> In 2021, the EU became the main purchaser of Moldovan wines. ] (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.<ref>{{Cite web |date=8 September 2022 |title=Moldova – Information and Communication Technology |url=https://www.trade.gov/country-commercial-guides/moldova-information-and-communication-technology |access-date=2 August 2023 |website=] |language=en |archive-date=1 August 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230801213100/https://www.trade.gov/country-commercial-guides/moldova-information-and-communication-technology |url-status=live }} {{pd-notice}}</ref> IT companies export about 80 percent of their total production to the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, the ], and ]. | |||
As part of an ambitious economic liberalization effort, Moldova introduced a ], freed all prices, stopped issuing preferential credits to state enterprises, backed steady land ], removed export controls, and freed interest rates. The government entered into agreements with the ] and the ] to promote growth. Recent trends indicate that the communist government intends to reverse some of these policies, and recollectivise land while placing more restrictions on private business. | |||
{{col-begin}} | |||
The economy returned to positive growth, of 2.1% in ] and 6.1% in ]. Growth remained strong in ], in part because of the reforms and because of starting from a small base. Further liberalization is in doubt because of strong political forces backing government controls. The economy remains vulnerable to higher fuel prices, poor agricultural weather, and the skepticism of foreign investors. | |||
{{col-3}} | |||
{| class="wikitable" | |||
|+GDP per year (Source: World Bank)<ref>{{Cite web |title=World Bank Open Data |url=https://data.worldbank.org/ |access-date=1 August 2023 |website=World Bank Open Data |archive-date=26 May 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230526025607/https://data.worldbank.org/ |url-status=live }}</ref> | |||
!Year | |||
!GDP (Billions in US dollars) | |||
|- | |||
|2017 | |||
|9.52 | |||
|- | |||
|2018 | |||
|11.25 | |||
|- | |||
|2019 | |||
|11.74 | |||
|- | |||
|2020 | |||
|11.53 | |||
|- | |||
|2021 | |||
|13.69 | |||
|- | |||
|2022 | |||
|14.51 | |||
|} | |||
{{col-3}} | |||
{| class="wikitable" | |||
Following the regional financial crisis in 1998, Moldova has made significant progress towards achieving and retaining macroeconomic and financial stabilization. It has, furthermore, implemented many structural and institutional reforms that are indispensable for the efficient functioning of a market economy. These efforts have helped maintain macroeconomic and financial stability under difficult external circumstances, enabled the resumption of economic growth and contributed to establishing an environment conducive to the economy’s further growth and development in the medium term. Despite these efforts, and despite the recent resumption of economic growth, Moldova still ranks low in terms of commonly-used living standards and human development indicators in comparison with other transition economies. Although the economy experienced a constant economic growth after 2000: with 2.1%, 6.1%, 7,8% and 6,3% between 2000 and 2003 (with a forecast of 8% in 2004), one can observe that these latest developments hardly reach the level of 1994, with almost 40% of the GDP registered in 1990. Thus, during the last decade little has been done to reduce the country’s vulnerability. After a severe economic decline, social and economic challenges, energy uprooted dependencies; Moldova continues to occupy one of the last places among the European countries according to the income per capita. In 2002 (Human Development Report 2004), in Moldova the registered GDP per capita was US $381 equivalent to US $ 1,470 PPP, which is 5.3 times lower that the world average (US $ 7,804). Moreover, GDP per capita is under the average of all regions in the world, including Sub-Saharan Africa (US $ 1,790 PPP). In 2004, about 40% of population were under the absolute poverty line and registered an income lower than US $ 2.15 -purchasing power equivalent- per day. Moldova is classified as medium human development and is placed on the 113 spot in the list of 177 countries. The value of the Human Development Index (0.681) is below the world average. | |||
|+Imports per year (Source: World Bank) <ref name="worl923">{{Cite web |title=Indicators of economy in Moldova |url=https://www.worlddata.info/europe/moldova/economy.php |access-date=18 September 2023 |archive-date=16 October 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231016013233/https://www.worlddata.info/europe/moldova/economy.php |url-status=live }}</ref> | |||
!Year | |||
!Imports (Billions in US dollars) | |||
|- | |||
|2017 ||5.37 | |||
|- | |||
|2018 ||6.39 | |||
|- | |||
|2019 ||6.61 | |||
|- | |||
|2020 ||5.92 | |||
|- | |||
|2021||7.91 | |||
|- | |||
|2022||10.91 | |||
|} | |||
{{col-3}} | |||
{| class="wikitable" | |||
|+Exports per year (Source: World Bank) <ref name="worl923"/> | |||
!Year | |||
!Exports (Billions in US dollars) | |||
|- | |||
|2017 ||3.12 | |||
|- | |||
|2018 ||3.45 | |||
|- | |||
|2019 ||3.66 | |||
|- | |||
|2020 ||3.22 | |||
|- | |||
|2021||4.20 | |||
|- | |||
|2022||5.98 | |||
|} | |||
{{col-end}} | |||
===Energy=== | |||
Moldova remains the poorest country in Europe in terms of GDP per capita: $ 2,100 in ]. | |||
{{Main|Energy in Moldova}} | |||
<!-- see http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/rankorder/2004rank.html --> | |||
With few natural energy resources, Moldova imports almost all of its energy supplies. 50% of the country's national energy company, Moldovagaz, is owned by Russian oil and natural gas supplier ], the remaining 36% split between the Moldovan government (36.6%) and the unrecognised government of Transnistria (13.4%).<ref>{{Cite web |last=Yafimava |first=Katja |date=5 November 2021 |title=Moldova's Gas Crisis and Its Lessons for Europe |url=https://carnegiemoscow.org/commentary/85721 |access-date=2 August 2023 |website=] |archive-date=14 May 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230514171015/https://carnegiemoscow.org/commentary/85721 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Necșuțu |first=Mădălin |date=12 April 2022 |title=Moldovagaz Asks Gazprom for More Time on Debt Audit |work=] |url=https://balkaninsight.com/2022/04/12/moldovagaz-asks-gazprom-for-more-time-on-debt-audit/ |access-date=2 August 2023 |archive-date=2 August 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230802145851/https://balkaninsight.com/2022/04/12/moldovagaz-asks-gazprom-for-more-time-on-debt-audit/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Moldova's historic dependence on Russian energy is underscored by a debt of more than US$709 million to Gazprom as well as a further US$7 billion by Transnistria. Russia supplies the breakaway pro-Russian region with oil and natural gas without requiring them to pay, with the cost levied as debt against the Moldovan state as a form of economic warfare.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Jack |first=Victor |date=21 November 2022 |title=Putin puts the energy squeeze on pro-EU Moldova |url=https://www.politico.eu/article/moldova-energy-crisis-inflation-russia-ukraine-war/ |access-date=2 August 2023 |website=] |language=en |archive-date=29 July 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230729144141/http://www.politico.eu/article/moldova-energy-crisis-inflation-russia-ukraine-war/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=19 May 2023 |title=Gazprom dealt fresh blow as Moldova ditches Russian gas entirely |url=https://news.yahoo.com/gazprom-dealt-fresh-blow-moldova-090200903.html |access-date=2 August 2023 |website=Yahoo News |language=en-US |archive-date=2 August 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230802145851/https://news.yahoo.com/gazprom-dealt-fresh-blow-moldova-090200903.html |url-status=live }}</ref> The Moldovan government disputes the figures, and has identified more than US$100 million in fraudulent claims by Gazprom.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Necșuțu |first=Mădălin |date=26 January 2023 |title=Moldova Audit Reveals Fraud Worth 100 Million Euros at Moldovagaz |work=] |url=https://balkaninsight.com/2023/01/26/moldova-audit-reveals-fraud-worth-100-million-euros-at-moldovagaz/ |access-date=2 August 2023 |archive-date=2 August 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230802145851/https://balkaninsight.com/2023/01/26/moldova-audit-reveals-fraud-worth-100-million-euros-at-moldovagaz/ |url-status=live }}</ref> | |||
== Demographics == | |||
] | |||
{{main|Demographics of Moldova}} | |||
====Ethnic composition==== | |||
Given that the definition of ethnic groups is the subject of an ongoing dispute, the following data must be taken with caution. The main controversy, covered in Misplaced Pages articles such as this one, or ], concerns the identity between Moldovans and Romanians, as well as between the corresponding Moldovan and Romanian languages. | |||
In August 2013, work began on a new pipeline between Moldova and Romania that has now been completed and has broken Russia's monopoly on Moldova's gas supplies.<ref name="indexmundi.com">{{cite web |title=Moldova Economy Profile 2014 |url=http://www.indexmundi.com/moldova/economy_profile.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180704182811/https://www.indexmundi.com/moldova/economy_profile.html |archive-date=4 July 2018 |access-date=26 November 2014 |website=Indexmundi.com}}</ref> Importing electricity from Romania began in 2022, breaking the need to buy electricity produced from Russian gas in Transnistria. Improved connectivity will be completed by 2025.<ref>{{cite web |title=How Moldova Getting Ready to Cut off Gas to Transnistria and Consequences for Region |url=https://www.eurointegration.com.ua/eng/news/2023/06/26/7164403/ |date=26 June 2023 |access-date=8 March 2024 |archive-date=15 November 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231115110911/https://www.eurointegration.com.ua/eng/news/2023/06/26/7164403/ |url-status=live }}</ref> {{as of|2023|06|lc=n}}, Moldova no longer imports oil or natural gas from Russia and has been granted access to the European Union's joint gas purchasing platform.<ref name="Reuters">{{Cite news |date=18 May 2023 |title=Moldova no longer using Russian natural gas, PM says |language=en |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/ukraine-crisis-moldova-primeminister-idINS8N37D05X |access-date=1 August 2023 |archive-date=9 July 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230709172624/https://www.reuters.com/article/ukraine-crisis-moldova-primeminister-idINS8N37D05X |url-status=live }}</ref> Financial assistance was provided by the European Union, World Bank, and IMF in order to speed up this transition.<ref>{{cite news |date=30 January 2010 |title=Moldova to get $570 million in IMF loans |publisher=RIA Novosti |url=http://en.rian.ru/exsoviet/20100130/157721106.html |url-status=dead |access-date=25 November 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121019012333/http://en.rian.ru/exsoviet/20100130/157721106.html |archive-date=19 October 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |author=Marian Chiriac |date=27 April 2010 |title=Romania, Moldova to Boost Relations |url=http://www.balkaninsight.com/en/article/romania-moldova-to-boost-relations |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130728223227/http://www.balkaninsight.com/en/article/romania-moldova-to-boost-relations |archive-date=28 July 2013 |access-date=9 October 2013 |publisher=Balkaninsight.com}}</ref> | |||
The last reference data is that of the ], but even this source is contested, as explained below: | |||
=== Tourism === | |||
* ](]): 78.2% | |||
{{Main|Tourism in Moldova}} | |||
: ]: 76.1% | |||
Moldova is the among least visited countries in Europe, and tourism consequently plays a relatively minor role in the country's overall economy.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Petterson |first=Leif |date=2 July 2013 |title=Moldova: embracing its status as Europe's least-visited country |url=https://www.lonelyplanet.com/articles/moldova-embracing-its-status-as-europes-least-visited-country |access-date=2 August 2023 |website=] |archive-date=15 August 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210815203959/https://www.lonelyplanet.com/articles/moldova-embracing-its-status-as-europes-least-visited-country |url-status=live }}</ref> Despite the impact of ], Moldova saw more foreign visitors in the first quarter of 2022 than pre-], going from 31,000 non-resident tourists in 2019 to 36,100 in 2022.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Buckley |first=Julia |date=6 August 2022 |title=How the Ukraine invasion flattened Eastern European tourism |url=https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/ukraine-invasion-tourism-eastern-europe/index.html |access-date=2 August 2023 |website=CNN |language=en |archive-date=2 August 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230802112942/https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/ukraine-invasion-tourism-eastern-europe/index.html |url-status=live }}</ref> 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 city ] as 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.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Erizanu |first=Paula |date=1 June 2023 |title=I've come to love Chișinău: my home city in Moldova deserves the spotlight |language=en-GB |work=] |url=https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2023/jun/01/ive-come-to-love-chisinau-my-home-city-moldova-deserves-the-spotlight |access-date=2 August 2023 |issn=0261-3077 |archive-date=18 October 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231018234919/https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2023/jun/01/ive-come-to-love-chisinau-my-home-city-moldova-deserves-the-spotlight |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Cooper |first=Tim |date=30 September 2021 |title=Chisinau city guide: Where to eat, drink and stay in Moldova's capital |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/europe/moldova/chisinau-travel-guide-best-hotels-city-restaurants-things-to-do-b1926513.html |access-date=2 August 2023 |website=] |language=en |archive-date=5 July 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230705202221/https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/europe/moldova/chisinau-travel-guide-best-hotels-city-restaurants-things-to-do-b1926513.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Smith |first=Jen Rose |date=8 May 2019 |title=Why you should go to the world's least-visited countries |url=https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/least-visited-countries-travel/index.html |access-date=2 August 2023 |website=] |language=en |archive-date=2 August 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230802112942/https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/least-visited-countries-travel/index.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=27 August 2016 |title=25 quirky facts about Europe's least touristy country |language=en-GB |work=] |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/destinations/europe/articles/amazing-facts-about-moldova/ |access-date=2 August 2023 |issn=0307-1235 |archive-date=2 August 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230802112942/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/destinations/europe/articles/amazing-facts-about-moldova/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Suri |first=Charu |date=12 February 2018 |title=This Enchanting Country May Be Eastern Europe's Best-Kept Secret |url=https://www.architecturaldigest.com/story/moldova-design-travel-guide |access-date=2 August 2023 |website=] |language=en-US |archive-date=2 August 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230802112943/https://www.architecturaldigest.com/story/moldova-design-travel-guide |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Taylor |first=Chris |date=28 February 2019 |title=Moldova: exploring Europe's poorest and least visited nation |url=https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/travel/article/2187876/exploring-moldova-europes-poorest-country-and-its |access-date=2 August 2023 |website=] |language=en |archive-date=2 August 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230802112943/https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/travel/article/2187876/exploring-moldova-europes-poorest-country-and-its |url-status=live }}</ref> 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.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Moldova.travel – the official tourist portal of Moldova |url=https://moldova.travel/en/ |access-date=2 August 2023 |website=Moldova Travel |language=en-US |archive-date=2 August 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230802112944/https://moldova.travel/en/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Moldova is internationally connected by plane via ], with direct flights to and from many European destinations, including ], ], ], ], ]'s ], ], ], and ]. Rail links connect it via direct overnight trains to neighbouring ], ], ], and formerly Moscow.<ref name="www.seat61.com">{{Cite web |title=How to travel by train from London to Moldova |url=https://www.seat61.com/Moldova.htm |access-date=2 August 2023 |website=www.seat61.com |archive-date=2 August 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230802112943/https://www.seat61.com/Moldova.htm |url-status=live }}</ref> Moldovan citizens also enjoy visa-free travel across the ].<ref>{{Cite web |last=R |first=Bleona |date=30 April 2022 |title=Moldova Marks 8 Years of Visa-Free Travel to EU |url=https://www.schengenvisainfo.com/news/moldova-marks-8-years-of-visa-free-travel-to-eu/ |access-date=2 August 2023 |website=SchengenVisaInfo.com |language=en |archive-date=1 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220501073005/https://www.schengenvisainfo.com/news/moldova-marks-8-years-of-visa-free-travel-to-eu/ |url-status=live }}</ref> | |||
: ]: 2.1% | |||
]]] | |||
* ]: 8.4% | |||
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 the ] winery, whose wine cellar stretches more than {{convert|120|km|mi|abbr=off}}; ], a 19th-century chateau with vineyards, a museum, art gallery, spa, hotel, and restaurant; and ], which boasts the world's largest collection of wine.<ref name="Guinness World Records" /> As a country with a deep history of ], the country also has more than 50 monasteries and 700 churches.<ref>{{Cite web |date=29 October 2019 |title=The world's least visited countries – have you been to any of them? |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/galleries/least-visited-countries-in-the-world/ |access-date=2 August 2023 |website=The Telegraph |language=en |archive-date=2 August 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230802112944/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/galleries/least-visited-countries-in-the-world/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Among the most famous and well-visited are the ] ], carved into a cliff face in the 13th century and still in use today, and the 19th century ] in the centre of Chișinău. ] includes both the Old Orhei Archaeological Landscape, which features evidence of settlements dating back to at least the 12th century, and the typical ] soil on the ] of Moldova (the most arable soil on the planet) on its Tentative List of ]s.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Centre |first=UNESCO World Heritage |title=Orheiul Vechi Archaeological Landscape |url=https://whc.unesco.org/en/tentativelists/6220/ |access-date=2 August 2023 |website=UNESCO World Heritage Centre |language=en |archive-date=9 November 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211109033906/https://whc.unesco.org/en/tentativelists/6220/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Centre |first=UNESCO World Heritage |title=The Typical Chernozem Soils of the Balti Steppe |url=https://whc.unesco.org/en/tentativelists/5647/ |access-date=2 August 2023 |website=UNESCO World Heritage Centre |language=en |archive-date=7 November 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211107092451/https://whc.unesco.org/en/tentativelists/5647/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The capital city of ] hosts most of the country's national museums, including the ], ], Brancusi Gallery, the ] with over 236,000 exhibits, as well as bustling markets in the north of the city, including the house where ] once resided while in exile from the ], 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.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Waller |first=John |date=9 October 2022 |title=Travel: Exploring Moldova – Europe's 'least known country' |url=https://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/news/23034228.travel-exploring-moldova---europes-least-known-country/ |access-date=2 August 2023 |website=] |language=en |archive-date=2 August 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230802112944/https://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/news/23034228.travel-exploring-moldova---europes-least-known-country/ |url-status=live }}</ref> | |||
* ]: 5.8% | |||
* ]: 4.4% | |||
* ]: 1.9% | |||
* Others: 1.3% | |||
According to the "]" news agency, <ref>, ''Moldova Azi'', May 19, 2005, story attributed to ]. Retrieved October 11, 2005.</ref> a group of international census experts described the 2004 Moldovan census as "generally conducted in a professional manner", while remarking that that "a few topics… were potentially more problematic", in particular, | |||
#The census includes at least some Moldovans who had been living abroad over one year at the time of the census. | |||
#The precision of numbers about nationality/ethnicity and language was questioned. Some enumerators apparently encouraged respondents to declare that they were "Moldovan" rather than "Romanian", and even within a single family there may have been confusion about these terms. | |||
===Wine industry=== | |||
] | |||
{{main|Moldovan wine}} | |||
] is home to the world's biggest ].]] | |||
With its 300 days of sunshine per year, the climate in Moldova is ideal for agriculture and particularly ]s. 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 than ], the country has 122,000 hectares of vineyards and is among the 20 largest producers in the world, according to a report by the ] (OIV).<ref name="Five Things To Know About Moldova"/> | |||
Before ] and 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 the ]."<ref name="France 24-2022">{{Cite web |date=22 May 2022 |title=Moldova wine industry's EU focus pays off |url=https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20220522-moldova-wine-industry-s-eu-focus-pays-off |access-date=6 July 2023 |website=] |language=en |archive-date=7 July 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230707162429/https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20220522-moldova-wine-industry-s-eu-focus-pays-off |url-status=live }}</ref> The EU liberalized 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.<ref name="France 24-2022" /> | |||
====Religions==== | |||
<small>(2000 estimation)</small> | |||
*] 98% | |||
*] 1.5% | |||
*] and other 0.5% | |||
Many families have their own recipes and ] that have been passed down through the generations. There are 3 historical wine regions: Valul lui Traian (south west), Stefan Voda (south east) and ] (centre), destined for the production of wines with protected geographic indication.<ref name="natura2000" /> ] is the home of the largest wine cellar in the world. It stretches for {{convert|200|km|abbr=on}} (though only {{convert|55|km|abbr=on}} is in use) and holds some two million or more bottles of wine.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/article/worlds-largest-wine-cellar|title=This Massive Underground City is Filled With Wine|last=Bednarz|first=Christine|website=nationalgeographic.com|date=29 November 2017|access-date=31 October 2022|archive-date=1 November 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221101043548/https://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/article/worlds-largest-wine-cellar|url-status=dead}}</ref> It has retained the ] for largest wine cellar by number of bottles since 2005.<ref name="Guinness World Records">{{Cite web |title=Largest wine cellar by number of bottles |url=https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/largest-wine-cellar-by-number-of-bottles |access-date=6 July 2023 |website=Guinness World Records |language=en-gb |archive-date=7 July 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230707170559/https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/largest-wine-cellar-by-number-of-bottles |url-status=live }}</ref> The earliest wines in its collection date to 1969. ] in the south east is a winery and ], which was built at the end of the 19th century in the village of ] in the district ], 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. | |||
==Language== | |||
{{Main articles|], ]}} | |||
The official language is ]; this is by all accounts a form of ], and is essentially the same as ]. There is no particular linguistic break at the ], which divides Moldova from Romania. In formal use, the languages are identical except for minor ] issues (the Moldovans write ''î'' in some contexts where Romanians would use ''â''; this same form used to be normal in Romania). There is, however, some regional variation, as might be found within any linguistic territory, and the common speech of areas such as ] or ] can be distinguished from the speech of ], a Romanian city that is also part of the former ]. In general, the larger the slavic-speaking population of a region is, the greater the language change is. | |||
===Agriculture=== | |||
Opinions vary on the status of Moldovan as a language. Most linguists consider ] Moldovan to be identical to standard Romanian, an ], although one Moldovan linguist disputes this. There are, however, more differences between the colloquial spoken languages of Moldova and ], most significantly due to the influence of ] in Moldova which was not present in Romania. The matter of whether or not Moldovan is a separate language is a contested political issue within and beyond the Republic of Moldova. | |||
{{main|Agriculture in Moldova}} | |||
] | |||
Moldova is an agrarian-industrial state, with agricultural land occupying 2,499,000 hectares in a total area of 3,384,600 hectares.<ref name="Gerciu-2017">{{Cite web |last1=Gerciu |first1=Viorel |last2=Rundgren |first2=Gunnar |date=2017 |title=The Status and Potential of Organic Agriculture in the Republic of Moldova |url=https://wedocs.unep.org/bitstream/handle/20.500.11822/22962/The%20Status%20and%20Potential%20of%20Organic%20Agriculture%20in%20the%20Republic%20of%20Moldova.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y |website=UN Environment Programme |access-date=8 March 2024 |archive-date=5 February 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240205181552/https://wedocs.unep.org/bitstream/handle/20.500.11822/22962/The%20Status%20and%20Potential%20of%20Organic%20Agriculture%20in%20the%20Republic%20of%20Moldova.pdf?isAllowed=y&sequence=1 |url-status=live }}</ref> It is estimated that 1,810,500 of these hectares are ].<ref name="Gerciu-2017" /> It is among the most arable countries in Europe, with the Chernozem soil across the ] being among the most fertile soils anywhere in the world.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Moldova |url=https://www.fao.org/3/y2722e/y2722e0x.htm#:~:text=Arable%20land%20and%20permanent%20crops,about%200.4%20million%20ha%20each. |access-date=2 August 2023 |website=www.fao.org |archive-date=18 August 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230818134915/https://www.fao.org/3/y2722e/y2722e0x.htm#:~:text=Arable%20land%20and%20permanent%20crops,about%200.4%20million%20ha%20each. |url-status=live }}</ref> 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 the ].<ref name="Gerciu-2017" /> {{as of|2021|lc=n}}, agriculture made up 12% of Moldova's overall exports and 21% of overall employment.<ref>{{Cite web |title=REPUBLIC OF MOLDOVA – Statistical Database – United Nations Economic Commission for Europe |url=https://w3.unece.org/CountriesInFigures/en/Home/Index?countryCode=498 |access-date=2 August 2023 |website=w3.unece.org |archive-date=2 August 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230802120023/https://w3.unece.org/CountriesInFigures/en/Home/Index?countryCode=498 |url-status=live }}</ref> 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.<ref>{{Citation |title=Moldova |date=25 July 2023 |url=https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/moldova/ |work=] |access-date=2 August 2023 |publisher=] |language=en |archive-date=5 January 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210105015457/https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/moldova/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Between 2015 and 2022, agricultural production has almost doubled, particularly in vegetable and fruit production.<ref>{{Cite web |date=1 November 2022 |title=Statistical Yearbook of the Republic of Moldova, editions 2002–2022 |url=https://statistica.gov.md/en/buletin-statistic-trimestrial-editiile-2005-2021-9877_59482.html |access-date=2 August 2023 |website=Statistical Yearbook of the Republic of Moldova, editions 2002–2022 |archive-date=2 August 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230802131538/https://statistica.gov.md/en/buletin-statistic-trimestrial-editiile-2005-2021-9877_59482.html |url-status=live }}</ref> In July 2023, a network of 20 ] comprising over 1,000 seeds were created across Moldova with the assistance of ], ], and the ], with the aim is to improve local ], ], and the capacity of local government and farmers to respond effectively to changing environmental conditions.<ref>{{Cite web |date=27 July 2023 |title=Seed libraries were created as a first in Moldova, thanks to transfer Czech know-how |url=https://www.undp.org/moldova/press-releases/seed-libraries-were-created-first-moldova-thanks-transfer-czech-know-how |access-date=2 August 2023 |website=] |archive-date=2 August 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230802161617/https://www.undp.org/moldova/press-releases/seed-libraries-were-created-first-moldova-thanks-transfer-czech-know-how |url-status=live }}</ref> | |||
Nevertheless, the country's agricultural sector faces serious long-term challenges. Despite having relatively modest per capita ], and lower than the world average, Moldova is highly vulnerable to ] and related environmental disasters which already cost the country 2.13% of annual GDP.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Climate change, environment & energy {{!}} Moldova |url=https://www.undp.org/moldova/climate-change-environment-energy |access-date=2 August 2023 |website=] |language=en |archive-date=12 July 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230712144534/https://www.undp.org/moldova/climate-change-environment-energy |url-status=live }}</ref> According to Climate-KIC, run by the ], "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."<ref>{{Cite web |date=7 May 2021 |title=Embracing a new approach to climate change in Moldova |url=https://www.climate-kic.org/news/moldova-climate-change-sida-undp/ |access-date=2 August 2023 |website=Climate-KIC |language=en |archive-date=2 August 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230802120023/https://www.climate-kic.org/news/moldova-climate-change-sida-undp/ |url-status=live }}</ref> | |||
The ] law on language of the ], which is still effective in Moldova according to the Constitution <ref>: ''"The law of 1 September 1989 regarding the usage of languages spoken on the territory of the Republic of Moldova remains valid, excepting the points where it contradicts this constitution."'' </ref>, asserts the existence of "linguistic Moldo-] identity". <ref> (Law regarding the usage of languages spoken on the territory of the Republic of Moldova): ''"Moldavian RSS supports the desire of the Moldovans that live across the borders of the Republic, and considering the really existing linguistical Moldo-Romanian identity - of the Romanians that live on the territory of the USSR, of doing their studies and satisfying their cultural needs in their maternal language."''</ref> | |||
===Transport infrastructure=== | |||
A significant minority speaks native ], and there are more ] in common speech in Moldova than in common speech in Romania. Nonetheless, Moldovans are generally aware when they are using a word of Slavic origin not found in common Romanian, and are capable of choosing whether or not to use these words in a particular context. | |||
{{main|Transport in Moldova|Rail transport in Moldova}} | |||
].]] | |||
The main means of transportation in Moldova are railways {{convert|1138|km|mi|abbr=on}} and a highway system ({{convert|12730|km|mi|0|abbr=on|disp=or}} overall, including {{convert|10937|km|mi|0|abbr=on|disp=or}} of paved surfaces). Rail links connect it via direct overnight trains to neighbouring ], ], ], and also Moscow.<ref name="www.seat61.com" /> | |||
The ] terminal on the ] is compatible with small seagoing vessels. Shipping on the lower ] and ] rivers plays only a modest role in the country's transportation system. | |||
Title I, Article 13 of the Moldovan Constitution, names it the "national language" (limba de stat) of the country. In the ] of ], it is co-official with ] and ]. | |||
The sole international air gateway of Moldova is the ]. with direct flights to and from many European destinations. | |||
=== Comparison with Romanian === | |||
=== Telecommunications === | |||
The sample below taken from the ]s of ] and ] demonstrates that a formal text in Romanian and Moldovan is identical. | |||
{{main|Telecommunications in Moldova}} | |||
Internet in Moldova is among the fastest and least expensive in the world {{as of|2023|lc=y}}.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Worldwide Broadband Price Research 2023 |url=https://www.cable.co.uk/broadband/pricing/worldwide-comparison/ |access-date=2 August 2023 |website=Cable.co.uk |language=en |archive-date=23 November 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171123001429/https://www.cable.co.uk/media-centre/release/new-worldwide-broadband-price-league-unveiled/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The country ranks 3rd in the world by gigabit coverage with around 90% of the population having the option to subscribe to a ] ] broadband plan.<ref name="International Trade Administration-2022">{{Cite web |date=8 September 2022 |title=Moldova – Information and Communication Technology |url=https://www.trade.gov/country-commercial-guides/moldova-information-and-communication-technology |access-date=2 August 2023 |website=] |language=en |archive-date=1 August 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230801213100/https://www.trade.gov/country-commercial-guides/moldova-information-and-communication-technology |url-status=live }}</ref> The ] has judged it to have a highly developed digital infrastructure, with 98% 4G coverage of its territory.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Botezatu |first=Serghei |date=4 October 2021 |title=Digital Transformation of Moldova: there is no way back |url=https://www.undp.org/moldova/blog/digital-transformation-moldova-there-no-way-back |access-date=6 July 2023 |website=] |language=en |archive-date=7 July 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230707180255/https://www.undp.org/moldova/blog/digital-transformation-moldova-there-no-way-back |url-status=live }}</ref> By July 2022, there were more than 3 million internet users in Moldova, constituting some 76% of the population.<ref>{{Cite news |date=22 May 2023 |title=Moldova media guide – BBC News |language=en-GB |work=] |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-17602346 |access-date=2 August 2023 |archive-date=7 July 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230707163031/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-17602346 |url-status=live }}</ref> Moldova is considering a bid to begin rolling out 5G in 2024, with testing beginning in 2019. ] launched in Moldova in August 2022.<ref>{{Cite tweet|number=1554975109907066880|user=SpaceX|title=Starlink is now live in Moldova → http://starlink.com/map|author-link=SpaceX|date=3 August 2022|access-date=3 August 2022}}</ref> ] (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 in ] or a related field.<ref name="International Trade Administration-2022" /> | |||
The ]'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 the ] of the ] and adoption of the National Cyber Security Program for 2016–2020 have established the legislative parameters for a safer digital environment. Since Russia's invasion of neighbouring Ukraine and their campaign of ] against Moldova, the Moldovan government has invested significant money and resources in developing stronger ] practices and regulations with assistance from the European Union and United States.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Stupp |first=Catherine |date=27 July 2022 |title=Moldova Plans Cyber Overhauls Amid War in Neighboring Ukraine |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/moldova-plans-cyber-overhauls-amid-war-in-neighboring-ukraine-11658914202 |access-date=2 August 2023 |website=] |language=en-US |archive-date=2 August 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230802123752/https://www.wsj.com/articles/moldova-plans-cyber-overhauls-amid-war-in-neighboring-ukraine-11658914202 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Gallagher |first=Ryan |date=20 April 2023 |title=Cyberwar Descends on an Unprepared Moldova |language=en |work=] |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-04-20/russian-cyberattacks-target-moldova-amid-ukraine-war |access-date=2 August 2023}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Moldova Cybersecurity Rapid Assistance |url=https://eufordigital.eu/discover-eu/moldova-cybersecurity-rapid-assistance/ |access-date=2 August 2023 |website=EU4Digital |language=en-US |archive-date=2 August 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230802123758/https://eufordigital.eu/discover-eu/moldova-cybersecurity-rapid-assistance/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=17 May 2023 |title=Moldova adopts EU-backed Cybersecurity Law – EU NEIGHBOURS east |url=https://euneighbourseast.eu/news/latest-news/moldova-adopts-eu-backed-cybersecurity-law/ |access-date=2 August 2023 |website=euneighbourseast.eu |language=en-GB |archive-date=2 August 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230802123756/https://euneighbourseast.eu/news/latest-news/moldova-adopts-eu-backed-cybersecurity-law/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The country has also passed legislation in order to more closely align with the EU's ] regulations, and is currently mostly compliant.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2 October 2022 |title={{!}} Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration of the Republic of Moldova |url=https://mfa.gov.md/en/content/new-data-protection-law-line-european-standards-provides-transparent-rules-benefitting |access-date=2 August 2023 |website=] |archive-date=2 August 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230802123804/https://mfa.gov.md/en/content/new-data-protection-law-line-european-standards-provides-transparent-rules-benefitting |url-status=live }}</ref> | |||
{| | |||
! Moldova ] || Romania ]|| English ] | |||
|------------------------------------------------------------------- | |||
| style="padding-right: 1em; vertical-align: top" | TITLUL I: Principii Generale | |||
===Banking=== | |||
| style="padding-right: 1em; vertical-align: top" | TITLUL I: Principii Generale | |||
{{see also|List of banks in Moldova}} | |||
The ] is responsible for the financial system and has a responsibility to the management and control of all banks in Moldova. It is accountable to the ]. | |||
== Demographics == | |||
| style="vertical-align: top" | FIRST TITLE: General Principles | |||
{{Main|Demographics of Moldova}} | |||
The most up-to-date and reliable information is available from the ]'s website which is continuously updated on a monthly and yearly basis. The most recent ] of Moldova was carried out in ] (not including ]). The next national census is due to be carried out in 2024.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Recensământul Populației și Locuințelor 2024 |url=https://statistica.gov.md/ro/recensamantul-populatiei-si-al-locuintelor-2024-9940.html |access-date=3 August 2023 |website=] |language=ro |archive-date=3 August 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230803180409/https://statistica.gov.md/ro/recensamantul-populatiei-si-al-locuintelor-2024-9940.html |url-status=live }}</ref> | |||
=== Overview === | |||
|------------------------------------------------------------ | |||
{{Pie chart|value1=75|value2=7|value3=6.57|value4=4.57|value5=4.06|value6=1.88|value7=0.34|value8=0.10|value9=0.06|value10=0.05|value11=0.03|value12=0.26|label1=]|label2=]|label3=]|label4=]|label5=]|label6=]|label7=]|label8=]|label9=Jews|label10=]|label11=]|label12=Others|caption=Population of Moldova according to ethnic group|footer=Source: ].}}Moldova has an estimated population of approx. 2,423,300 {{as of|2024|1|1|lc=y}}.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://statistica.gov.md/en/statistic_indicator_details/25 |title=Population |publisher=National Bureau of Statistics of the Republic of Moldova |access-date=13 August 2024}}</ref> Moldova is relatively urbanised, with 43.4% of Moldovans living in urban areas {{as of|2022|lc=y}} and an urbanisation rate of 0.09%.<ref>{{Citation |title=Moldova |date=31 July 2023 |url=https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/moldova/ |work=] |access-date=3 August 2023 |publisher=] |language=en |archive-date=5 January 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210105015457/https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/moldova/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=World Bank Open Data |url=https://data.worldbank.org/ |access-date=3 August 2023 |website=World Bank Open Data |archive-date=26 May 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230526025607/https://data.worldbank.org/ |url-status=live }}</ref> About one-third of the Moldovan population live in the capital city ]'s ]. {{as of|2022|lc=n}}, the country's population density is 82.8 inhabitants per 1 km<sup>2</sup>, and average life expectancy was 71.5 years (67.2 for males, and 75.7 for females).<ref name="National Bureau of Statistics of the Republic of Moldova">{{Cite web |date= |title=Moldova in Figures, Statistical Summary: 2023 Edition |url=https://statistica.gov.md/files/files/publicatii_electronice/Moldova_in_cifre/2023/Moldova_cifre_eng_2023.pdf |access-date=3 August 2023 |publisher=] |archive-date=3 August 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230803180408/https://statistica.gov.md/files/files/publicatii_electronice/Moldova_in_cifre/2023/Moldova_cifre_eng_2023.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref> 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.<ref name="National Bureau of Statistics of the Republic of Moldova" /> The number of elderly people (60 years and over) per 100 inhabitants in Moldova has increased year-on-year.<ref name="National Bureau of Statistics of the Republic of Moldova" /> The national language is ], a ], though approximately 15% of the Moldovan population also speak Russian {{as of|2014|lc=y}}. | |||
| style="padding-right: 1em; vertical-align: top" | Articolul 1 | |||
Statul Republica Moldova | |||
| style="padding-right: 1em; vertical-align: top" | Articolul 1 | |||
Statul român | |||
| style="vertical-align: top" | Article 1 (Romanian/Republic of Moldova State) | |||
|------------------------------------------------------------ | |||
| style="padding-right: 1em; vertical-align: top" | (1) Republica Moldova este un stat suveran şi independent, unitar şi indivizibil. | |||
| style="padding-right: 1em; vertical-align: top" | (1) România este stat naţional, suveran şi independent, unitar şi indivizibil. | |||
| style="vertical-align: top" | (1) Romania/Republic of Moldova is a national, independent, united, and indivisible state. | |||
|------------------------------------------------------------ | |||
| style="padding-right: 1em; vertical-align: top" | (2) Forma de guvernămînt a statului este republica. | |||
| style="padding-right: 1em; vertical-align: top" | (2) Forma de guvernământ a statului român este republica. | |||
| style="vertical-align: top" | (2) The form of government of the state is republican. | |||
|------------------------------------------------------------ | |||
| style="padding-right: 1em; vertical-align: top" | (3) Republica Moldova este un stat de drept, democratic, în care demnitatea omului, drepturile şi libertăţile ... | |||
| style="padding-right: 1em; vertical-align: top" | (3) România este stat de drept, democratic şi social, în care demnitatea omului, drepturile şi libertăţile ... | |||
| style="vertical-align: top" | Romania/Republic of Moldova is a state of law, democratic and social, in which the human dignity, rights and liberties... | |||
|------------------------------------------------------------ | |||
| style="padding-right: 1em; vertical-align: top" | | |||
| style="padding-right: 1em; vertical-align: top" | | |||
| style="vertical-align: top" | Links to the official page of Constitution for both countries | |||
|} | |||
The country has been suffering from long-term population decline due to high levels of ] (in 2022, 43,000 more people left the country than came) as well as low fertility rates. According to ], the population has fallen by almost 33% since 1990, and by 2035 the total population may be half what it was in 1990.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Judah |first=Tim |date=16 January 2020 |title=Moldova Faces 'Existential' Population Crisis |url=https://balkaninsight.com/2020/01/16/moldova-faces-existential-population-crisis/ |access-date=6 July 2023 |website=] |language=en-US |archive-date=7 July 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230707162502/https://balkaninsight.com/2020/01/16/moldova-faces-existential-population-crisis/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Since 2018, the number of deaths has exceeded the levels of live-births, though the gap has been reduced since 2021. {{as of|2022|lc=n}}, the average number of children per women of childbearing age was 1.69, well below the ] of 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.<ref name="National Bureau of Statistics of the Republic of Moldova" /> | |||
== Information technologies and telecommunications == | |||
In ], the investments volume on the ] and information market in Moldova increased by 30.1% in comparison with ], achieving 825.3 million ] (65.5 million US dollars). The representatives of the ] communicated that 451 million lei (35.9 million dollars) were invested in the field of fixed telephone communication. | |||
According to the ], ethnic ] made up approx. 75% of the country's population, while ] (7%), ] (6.57%), ] (4.57%), and ] (4.06%) made up the most substantial ethnic minorities. Smaller populations include ] (1.88%), ] (0.34%), ] (0.10%), Jews (0.06%), and ] (0.05%). | |||
The ] constituted 330 million ] (26.2 million dollars) in the field of ], 24.2 million lei (1.9 million dollars) in the field of ]s, 19.1 million lei (1.5 million dollars) in the field of cable television services. The essential increase in the amount of 163 million lei (12.9 million dollars) has been achieved in the field of ]. | |||
=== Language === | |||
In comparison with 2003, the investments in this sector doubled practically. An insignificant increase was registered at the other ]s, but the investment volume remained the same in the field of ] communication. | |||
{{Further|Languages of Moldova}} | |||
{{as of|2023|03|lc=n}}, the only ] of Moldova is Romanian, and all references to the Moldovan language in the ] and legal bills have been amended to refer to Romanian.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Fremer |first=Iana |date=24 April 2023 |title=Moldova: New Law Establishes Romanian as the State Language of the Country |url=https://www.loc.gov/item/global-legal-monitor/2023-04-23/moldova-new-law-establishes-romanian-as-the-state-language-of-the-country/ |access-date=3 August 2023 |website=] |archive-date=3 August 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230803180405/https://www.loc.gov/item/global-legal-monitor/2023-04-23/moldova-new-law-establishes-romanian-as-the-state-language-of-the-country/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=17 March 2023 |title=Moldovan Parliament Approves Final Reading Of Romanian Language Bill |language=en |work=] |url=https://www.rferl.org/a/moldova-parliament-approves-final-reading-romanian-language-bill/32321571.html |access-date=3 August 2023 |archive-date=17 March 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230317223413/https://www.rferl.org/a/moldova-parliament-approves-final-reading-romanian-language-bill/32321571.html |url-status=live }}</ref> The 2014 Moldovan census for the first time collected information about the languages spoken by residents in Moldova. There is a ] about whether or not ] and ] should 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 were ] (54.6%), ] (24.0%), Russian (14.5%), ] (2.7%), ] (2.7%), ] (1.7%), and Other (0.5%). | |||
=== Diaspora and emigration === | |||
In 2005 the volume of investments in telecommunication and information technology exceeded the level of the previous year, primarily due to the investments of the national operator of the stationary telephone communications of the ] “]” for the implementation of the technology ] (Code Division Multiple Access), by the investments of the operators of ] “]” and “]” in the development of ], also by means aimed at the extension and improvement of access services to Internet by new ]. | |||
{{Further|Moldovan diaspora}}{{See also|Emigration from Moldova}} | |||
Emigration is a mass phenomenon in Moldova and has a major impact on the country's ] and 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.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bunguri |first=Ernest |date=15 November 2020 |title=Moldova: How the diaspora keeps Europe's poorest nation afloat |url=https://www.euronews.com/2020/11/15/moldova-how-the-diaspora-of-europe-s-poorest-nation-keeps-its-economy-afloat |access-date=3 August 2023 |website=] |language=en |archive-date=3 August 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230803180405/https://www.euronews.com/2020/11/15/moldova-how-the-diaspora-of-europe-s-poorest-nation-keeps-its-economy-afloat |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |date=17 May 2023 |title=Moldova: unleashing diaspora potential |url=https://www.mieux-initiative.eu/en/news-events/news/313-moldova-unlocking-diaspora-potential#:~:text=Furthermore%2C%20Moldova%20has%20some%20of,high%20priority%20for%20the%20government. |access-date=3 August 2023 |website=Mieux Initiative |archive-date=2 August 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230802105259/https://www.mieux-initiative.eu/en/news-events/news/313-moldova-unlocking-diaspora-potential#:~:text=Furthermore%2C%20Moldova%20has%20some%20of,high%20priority%20for%20the%20government. |url-status=dead }}</ref> The Moldovan economy is still heavily reliant on their remittance payments. Moldovans are found across the ] region, Western Europe, and North America. Among the most notable Moldovan ] populations are: 285,000 in ] (2020), 258,600 in ] (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. ] of 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 towards ] may 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.<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Ceapai |first1=Alla |last2=Jankowiak |first2=Celine |date=31 May 2023 |title=Returning Young Moldovan Diaspora Powers EU Membership Dream |url=https://www.barrons.com/news/returning-young-moldovan-diaspora-powers-eu-membership-dream-ac5f9935 |access-date=3 August 2023 |website=] |language=en-US |archive-date=3 August 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230803180409/https://www.barrons.com/news/returning-young-moldovan-diaspora-powers-eu-membership-dream-ac5f9935 |url-status=live }}</ref> The Moldovan diaspora has also had a signifiant influent in recent Moldovan elections, voting overwhelmingly for ] as president in ] and for her ] in the ].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Wemer |first=David |date=4 December 2020 |title=Moldova's diaspora flexes its political muscles |url=https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/new-atlanticist/moldovas-diaspora-flexes-its-political-muscles/ |access-date=3 August 2023 |website=] |language=en-US |archive-date=3 August 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230803180406/https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/new-atlanticist/moldovas-diaspora-flexes-its-political-muscles/ |url-status=live }}</ref> | |||
=== Religion === | |||
{{Further|Religion in Moldova}} | |||
]. ].]] | |||
Moldova's constitution provides for freedom of religion and complete separation of church and state, though the constitution cites the "exceptional importance" of ].<ref name="United States Department of State-2">{{Cite web |title=2022 Report on International Religious Freedom: Moldova |url=https://www.state.gov/reports/2022-report-on-international-religious-freedom/moldova/ |access-date=3 August 2023 |website=] |language=en-US |archive-date=3 August 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230803190415/https://www.state.gov/reports/2022-report-on-international-religious-freedom/moldova/ |url-status=live }}</ref> ] on the basis of religious affiliation is illegal, and ] was made illegal in May 2022.<ref name="United States Department of State-2" /> Religion in Moldova is dominated by the ] branch of Christianity. According to the 2014 Moldovan census, 90% of the country reported to be of the Eastern Orthodox Christian faith.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2 August 2013 |title=Population and Housing Census in the Republic of Moldova, May 12–25, 2014 |url=https://statistica.gov.md/en/population-and-housing-census-in-2014-122.html |access-date=3 August 2023 |website=] |language=en |archive-date=17 September 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230917105214/https://statistica.gov.md/en/population-and-housing-census-in-2014-122.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Of this number, approx. 80–90% of Orthodox Moldovans belong to the Moldovan Orthodox Church (formally known as ]) which is subordinate to the ], and has played a powerful role in deepening Russia's influence in Moldova.<ref name="United States Department of State-2" /><ref>{{Cite web |last=Luchenko |first=Ksenia |date=31 January 2023 |title=Why the Russian Orthodox Church Supports the War in Ukraine |url=https://carnegieendowment.org/politika/88916 |access-date=3 August 2023 |website=] |archive-date=15 August 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230815200635/https://carnegieendowment.org/politika/88916 |url-status=live }}</ref> The remaining 10–20% of Orthodox Moldovans belong to the ], which is subordinate to the ].<ref name="United States Department of State-2" /> | |||
Of the non-Orthodox population of Moldova, the ] estimates that {{as of|2022|lc=y}}, approx. 7% identify with no religion; ], ], and ] number between 15,000 and 30,000 each; the ] organisation estimates the Jewish population to be approx. 20,000; and the Islamic League of Moldova (an NGO recognised by the ] in 2011 as representing ]<ref>{{Cite news |date=28 April 2011 |title=Moldovan Muslim Leader 'Disappointed' By Anti-Islamic Remarks |language=en |work=] |url=https://www.rferl.org/a/moldovan_muslims_orthodox_church/16797096.html |access-date=3 August 2023 |archive-date=10 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160310182825/http://www.rferl.org/content/moldovan_muslims_orthodox_church/16797096.html |url-status=live }}</ref>) estimates the number of Muslims to be approx. 15,000–17,000.<ref name="United States Department of State-2" /> There are six ] in ], one in ], one in ], and one in ], and one mosque in ]. The remaining less than 5% of the Moldovan population are ], ], ], ], and ].<ref name="United States Department of State-2" /> The ] estimate that 80% of the population belong to the Moldovan Orthodox Church.<ref name="United States Department of State-2" /> | |||
=== Health and fertility === | |||
{{Further|Health in Moldova|Healthcare in Moldova}}{{Pie chart|value1=58|value2=15.8|value3=13.9|value4=7.5|value5=4.8|label1=]|label2=]|label3=Other causes|label4=]|label5=External causes|caption=Structure of deaths by major classes of causes of death in 2022}}Moldova provides ] through a ] scheme. According to the most recent 2022 official data, per 10,000 inhabitants there are 48.4 doctors and 91 units of average medical staff.<ref name="National Bureau of Statistics of the Republic of Moldova" /> 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.<ref name="National Bureau of Statistics of the Republic of Moldova" /> The country has 86 hospitals, 1,524 ] and branches, 12,600 physicians, 23,687 ]al personnel, and 17,293 ]s. 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 as ], ], ], and Ukraine. The number of elderly people (aged 60 years and over) per 100 inhabitants in Moldova has increased year-on-year. The ] per woman in 2022 was 1.69, a fall from 1.78 in 2019, and below the replacement rate of 2.1. There were 10.6 ] per 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. ] per 1,000 live-births was 9.0, a slight increase on 8.7 in 2020. | |||
The overall number of deaths fell by 20.5% compared to 2021.<ref name="National Bureau of Statistics of the Republic of Moldova" /> According to the National Agency for Public Health, the major causes of death in 2022 were ] (58%), ]s (15.8%), ] (7.5%), external causes (4.8%), and other causes (13.9%).<ref name="National Bureau of Statistics of the Republic of Moldova" /> More specifically, the leading causes of death in 2019 were ], strokes, ], ] of the liver, and trachea, bronchus, and lung cancers.<ref>{{Cite web |date=9 December 2020 |title=Republic of Moldova data {{!}} World Health Organization |url=https://data.who.int/countries/498 |access-date=6 July 2023 |website=] |language=en |archive-date=7 July 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230707162056/https://data.who.int/countries/498 |url-status=live }}</ref> | |||
On 19 December 2016, the Moldovan parliament approved raising the retirement age to 63 years<ref>{{cite web |last=CNBC |date=19 December 2016 |title=Europe's poorest nation passes IMF-backed retirement age increase |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2016/12/19/europes-poorest-nation-passes-imf-backed-retirement-age-increase.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170803132504/https://www.cnbc.com/2016/12/19/europes-poorest-nation-passes-imf-backed-retirement-age-increase.html |archive-date=3 August 2017 |access-date=3 August 2017 |website=Cnbc.com}}</ref> from the current level of 57 for women and 62 for men, a reform that is part of a 3-year-old assistance program agreed with the ]. The retirement age will be lifted gradually by a few months every year until it is fully in effect in 2028.<ref>{{Cite news |date=19 December 2016 |title=Moldovan MPs approve IMF-backed retirement age increase |language=en |work=] |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-moldova-pensions-idUSKBN1481PE |access-date=3 August 2023 |archive-date=3 August 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230803180408/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-moldova-pensions-idUSKBN1481PE |url-status=live }}</ref> | |||
=== Education === | |||
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 12 ] higher education institutions.<ref name="National Bureau of Statistics of the Republic of Moldova" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=Studying in Moldova |url=https://moldova-consulate.km.ua/en/about-moldova/studying-in-moldova/ |access-date=3 August 2023 |website=Honorary Consulate of the Republic of Moldova in Khmelnytsky |language=en-GB |archive-date=2 August 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230802102942/https://moldova-consulate.km.ua/en/about-moldova/studying-in-moldova/ |url-status=live }}</ref> There were a total of 437,000 pupils and students. {{as of|2015|lc=n}}, ] allocates 5,000 scholarships in high schools and universities for Moldovan students.<ref>{{cite web |date=22 June 2015 |title=România oferă tinerilor moldoveni 5.000 de burse în licee și universități |url=http://www.publika.md/romania-ofera-tinerilor-moldoveni-5000-de-burse-in-licee-si-universitati-_2337811.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150708164835/http://www.publika.md/romania-ofera-tinerilor-moldoveni-5000-de-burse-in-licee-si-universitati-_2337811.html |archive-date=8 July 2015 |access-date=7 July 2015 |work=PUBLIKA.MD |language=ro}}</ref> Likewise, more than half of preschool children in Moldova benefit from Romania funded program to renovate and equip ]s.<ref>{{cite web |date=7 July 2015 |title=Presedintele Klaus Iohannis l-a primit, la Suceava, pe Nicolae Timofti: "Republica Moldova isi poate implini destinul doar in Uniunea Europeana. Combaterea coruptiei, stabilitatea economica si intarirea institutiilor, singura cale catre succes" |url=http://www.hotnews.ro/stiri-esential-20282257-presedintele-klaus-iohannis-primit-suceava-nicolae-timofti.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150708175341/http://www.hotnews.ro/stiri-esential-20282257-presedintele-klaus-iohannis-primit-suceava-nicolae-timofti.htm |archive-date=8 July 2015 |access-date=7 July 2015 |work=HotNews.ro |language=ro}}</ref> Almost all the population is literate: the ] of the population aged 15 and over is estimated at 99.6%.<ref>{{Citation |title=Moldova – The World Factbook |date=31 July 2023 |url=https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/moldova/ |work=] |access-date=3 August 2023 |publisher=] |language=en |archive-date=5 January 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210105015457/https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/moldova/ |url-status=live }}</ref> | |||
].]] | |||
The main higher education institutions in Moldova are the ] (est. 1946) and the ] (est. 1961), both of which are located in ]. The ] (est. 1991) has featured on the ] and has educated a number of national leaders including current ] ] and leader of the opposition ].<ref>{{Cite web |date=21 October 2021 |title=Academy of Economic Studies of Moldova |url=https://www.timeshighereducation.com/world-university-rankings/academy-economic-studies-moldova |access-date=3 August 2023 |website=Times Higher Education (THE) |language=en}}</ref> Other important universities include the ] (est. 1940), ] (est. 1945), and the ] (est. 1964). Women account for 59.1% of students in higher education, and 70.1% of all foreign students in ] in 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.<ref name="National Bureau of Statistics of the Republic of Moldova" /> | |||
=== Regional differences and tensions === | |||
{{See also|Transnistria conflict|Gagauzia|Unification of Moldova and Romania}} | |||
]]] | |||
Since independence, Moldova characterised by a substantial range of profound regional differences across its internationally recognised territory. Since ], the country has struggled with issues of national identity, geopolitical strategy, and alliances, often torn between ] and the ] to the west and the ] to the east. Most notably, in eastern Moldova is the unrecognised breakaway state of ], which lies on the eastern bank of the ] river and borders ], which has pursued close diplomatic, military, and economic ties with Russia ], with more than a thousand Russian soldiers stationed in the region. This has proved particularly difficult following ] in 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's ] ] has confirmed that the pathway to accession does not depend upon a resolution of the ].<ref name="RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty"/> | |||
There is further the issue of the ] of ]. The ] are a ] people 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 a ] and cultural traditions. They are nevertheless a heavily ] group.<ref name="Harrington-2023" /> 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."<ref name="Harrington-2022">{{Cite news |last=Harrington |first=Keith |date=19 August 2022 |title=On 'Republic' Anniversary, Moldova's Gagauz Look to Moscow, and Chisinau |work=] |url=https://balkaninsight.com/2022/08/19/on-republic-anniversary-moldovas-gagauz-look-to-moscow-and-chisinau/ |access-date=3 August 2023 |archive-date=6 November 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231106183510/https://balkaninsight.com/2022/08/19/on-republic-anniversary-moldovas-gagauz-look-to-moscow-and-chisinau/ |url-status=live }}</ref> In 2015, "just over half of Gagauzians voted for the Russian-backed socialist candidate ] as governor."<ref name="Harrington-2022" /> 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.<ref name="Harrington-2023">{{Cite web |last=Harrington |first=Keith |date=6 April 2023 |title=ECMI Minorities Blog. Gagauzia's Response to Russia's Invasion of Ukraine |url=https://www.ecmi.de/infochannel/detail/gagauzias-response-to-russias-invasion-of-ukraine |access-date=3 August 2023 |website=] |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Chapple |first=Amos |date=24 March 2023 |title=In Moldova's Pro-Russian Gagauzia Region, Old Loyalties Die Hard |language=en |work=] |url=https://www.rferl.org/a/gagauzia-moldova-war-russia-ukraine/32329617.html |access-date=3 August 2023 |archive-date=2 August 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230802232122/https://www.rferl.org/a/gagauzia-moldova-war-russia-ukraine/32329617.html |url-status=live }}</ref> The ] has also highlighted the role of supposedly-neutral NGO groups in Gagauzia as a new front in Russia's ] against both Moldova and Ukraine.<ref name="Harrington-2023" /> The region's current local leader, ], in July 2023 thanked the fugitive Moldovan ] ], leader of the outlawed Moldovan pro-Russian opposition ], 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.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Tanas |first=Alexander |date=20 July 2023 |title=New head of Moldovan region thanks exiled patron, backs Russia ties |language=en |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/new-leader-moldovan-region-thanks-exiled-patron-backs-ties-with-russia-2023-07-20/ |access-date=3 August 2023 |archive-date=3 August 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230803194444/https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/new-leader-moldovan-region-thanks-exiled-patron-backs-ties-with-russia-2023-07-20/ |url-status=live }}</ref> | |||
There is also ] over ethnic and linguistic identity in Moldova concerning whether the ] and ] constitute separate linguistic and ethnic groups to the ] and Romanian people. The possibility of the ] has remained a popular topic in both countries since Moldova's independence in 1991. Romania and Moldova enjoy exceptionally strong ]. 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.<ref>{{Cite news |date=21 November 2022 |title=Romania provides 80%–90% of Moldova's energy needs- minister |language=en |work=] |url=https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/romania-provides-80-90-moldovas-energy-needs-minister-2022-11-21/ |access-date=3 August 2023 |archive-date=3 August 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230803180408/https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/romania-provides-80-90-moldovas-energy-needs-minister-2022-11-21/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Spaic-Kovacic |first=David |date=21 June 2023 |title=Romania supports Moldova's EU accession talks, expects 2023 start |url=https://www.euractiv.com/section/politics/news/romania-supports-moldovas-eu-accession-talks-expects-2023-start/ |access-date=3 August 2023 |website=] |language=en-GB |archive-date=3 August 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230803180409/https://www.euractiv.com/section/politics/news/romania-supports-moldovas-eu-accession-talks-expects-2023-start/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Relations have strengthened further since Russia's invasion of Ukraine.<ref>{{Cite news |date=1 March 2023 |title=Moldova and Romania vow to boost ties amid war in Ukraine |language=en |work=] |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/moldova-romania-vow-boost-ties-amid-war-ukraine-2023-03-01/ |access-date=3 August 2023 |archive-date=5 July 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230705105229/https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/moldova-romania-vow-boost-ties-amid-war-ukraine-2023-03-01/ |url-status=live }}</ref> 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'.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Sánchez |first=Wilder Alejandro |date=12 February 2023 |title=Opinion – Moldova and Romania's Unification is Not on the Horizon |url=https://www.e-ir.info/2023/02/12/opinion-moldova-and-romanias-unification-is-not-on-the-horizon/ |access-date=3 August 2023 |website=E-International Relations |language=en-US |archive-date=3 August 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230803180406/https://www.e-ir.info/2023/02/12/opinion-moldova-and-romanias-unification-is-not-on-the-horizon/ |url-status=live }}</ref> A 2022 survey during the ] indicated that only 11% of Romania's population supports an immediate union, while over 42% think it is not the moment.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Nahoi |first1=Ovidiu |date=24 March 2022 |title=Sondaj: patriotismul românilor în context de război |language=ro |work=RFI România: Actualitate, informaţii, ştiri în direct |url=https://www.rfi.ro/social-143799-sondaj-patriotism-romani-context-razboi |access-date=28 March 2022 |archive-date=27 March 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220327101445/https://www.rfi.ro/social-143799-sondaj-patriotism-romani-context-razboi |url-status=dead }}</ref> | |||
==Culture== | ==Culture== | ||
{{main|Culture of Moldova}} | {{main|Culture of Moldova}} | ||
{{multiple image | |||
Located geographically at the crossroads of Latin and Slavic cultures, Moldova has enriched its own culture adopting and maintaining some of the traditions of its neighbors. | |||
| align = right | |||
], ] of ] and ] ]] | |||
| total_width = 300 | |||
| image1 = Eminescu.jpg | |||
| alt1 = Eminescu | |||
| caption1 = ], the national poet of Moldova and Romania | |||
| image2 = Dimitrie Cantemir - portrait from Descriptio Moldaviae, 1716.jpg | |||
| alt2 = Cantemir | |||
| caption2 = ], Moldavian scholar of the early Enlightenment | |||
}} | |||
Moldova's cultural tradition has been influenced primarily by the ] of its majority population, the roots of which go back to the second century AD, the period of ] colonization in ].<ref name="culture">{{cite web|url=http://countrystudies.us/moldova/18.htm|title=Moldova – Culture|website=Countrystudies.us|access-date=27 July 2018|archive-date=14 October 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171014093821/http://countrystudies.us/moldova/18.htm|url-status=live}}</ref> Located geographically at the crossroads of ], ] and other cultures, Moldova has enriched its own culture adopting and maintaining traditions of neighbouring regions and of other influential sources.<ref>{{cite web |author=Octavian Sofransky |url=http://www.bundesheer.at/pdf_pool/publikationen/wg3-sofransky.pdf |title=Ethno-Political Conflict in Moldova |publisher=European Centre in Moldova |access-date=2 September 2015 |archive-date=23 September 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150923195357/http://www.bundesheer.at/pdf_pool/publikationen/wg3-sofransky.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref> The largest ethnic group, which had come to identify itself widely as "Moldovan" by the 14th century, played a significant role in the shaping of ]. The culture has been also influenced by the ] culture, 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.<ref name="culture"/> | |||
===Ştefan cel Mare=== | |||
] in ]]] | |||
] ("Stephen the Great"), cousin of ], was the most important Prince of ]. He was born around 1436, at ], ], (now in Romania), and died at ], Romania ] 1504. He ruled 47 years, from ] 1457 until his death. | |||
The country's cultural heritage was marked by numerous churches and monasteries built by the Moldavian ruler ] in the 15th century, by the works of the later renaissance Metropolitans ] and ], and those of scholars such as ], ], ], ]{{efn|name=fn6|Prince ] was one of the most important figures of the Moldavian culture of the 18th century. He wrote the first geographical, ethnographic, and economic description of the country. {{in lang|la}} '']'', (Berlin, 1714), ].}} and ]. In the 19th century, Moldavians from the territories of the medieval Principality of ], divided into ], ], and ] (after 1859, Romania), made a significant contribution to the formation of the modern Romanian culture. Among these were many Bessarabians, such as ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ]. | |||
], a late ] poet, and ], a writer, are the most influential ] artists, considered national writers both in Romania and Moldova.<ref>{{cite journal|author=Catherine Lovatt|url=http://www.ce-review.org/00/3/lovatt3.html|title=2000: Year of Eminescu|journal=Central Europe Review|volume=2|issue=3|date=24 January 2000|access-date=10 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150923201420/http://www.ce-review.org/00/3/lovatt3.html|archive-date=23 September 2015|url-status=usurped}}</ref> | |||
Although Ştefan is mostly a historical figure and a national hero, his reign is also appreciated for the large number of churches that were built or restored. Some of the best pieces of Moldovan medieval art date from his reign. | |||
=== |
===Cuisine=== | ||
{{main|Moldovan cuisine}} | |||
The Prince ] is one of the most important figures of ] culture of the 18th century. Cantemir wrote the first geographical, ethnographical and economic description of the country in ] (] ]). | |||
Moldova's fertile soil ('']'') produces plentiful ], ], vegetables, ], 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 neighbouring ], ], and ], and the regions share many traditional dishes in common, often with regional variations. Moldovan cuisine has historically been particularly influenced by elements of ], ], and ]. Main dishes often include beef, pork, ], ], and a variety of ]. Popular alcoholic beverages are '']'' (Moldovan ]), beer, and ]—of which the country is known for making high-quality offerings.<ref> {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220912140913/https://www.sommeliers-international.com/en/breakaways-in-the-vineyards/wine-of-moldova|date=12 September 2022}} – Sommeliers International</ref><ref> {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220912140908/https://vidawines.co.uk/moldovan-red-wines-the-best-red-wine-on-the-planet-you-have-never-heard-of/|date=12 September 2022}} – Vida Wines & Spirits</ref> | |||
] | |||
There are several traditional Moldovan dishes. ] are stuffed and deep-fried pastries with fillings such as soft cheese (often ]), cabbage, potatoes, apples, sour cherries and others, either sweet or savoury.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kieff |first=Leah |date=10 December 2015 |title=4 foods you must try in Moldova |url=https://www.peacecorps.gov/stories/4-foods-you-must-try-in-moldova/ |access-date=7 July 2023 |website=] |language=en |archive-date=7 July 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230707163013/https://www.peacecorps.gov/stories/4-foods-you-must-try-in-moldova/ |url-status=live }}</ref> ] is 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 the ]. ] is another staple, a kind of ] made from yellow maize flour, and is popular in other countries but often named ], often served with ] and ]. Plachyndy is a kind of flatbread often made with ] or ], wrapped around herbs and pan-fried in oil.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Steafel |first=Eleanor |date=2 July 2021 |title=You need this easy flatbread recipe in your culinary arsenal |language=en-GB |work=The Telegraph |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/food-and-drink/features/need-easy-flatbread-recipe-culinary-arsenal/ |access-date=7 July 2023 |issn=0307-1235 |archive-date=7 July 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230707162852/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/food-and-drink/features/need-easy-flatbread-recipe-culinary-arsenal/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Zeamă is a thin chicken soup, typically consists of homemade chicken broth that is prepared with a smaller whole chicken, water, thin homemade egg noodles (tăiței de casă), and a variety of finely chopped vegetables and herbs.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Zeama {{!}} Traditional Chicken Soup From Moldova {{!}} TasteAtlas |url=https://www.tasteatlas.com/zeama |access-date=7 July 2023 |website=www.tasteatlas.com |archive-date=7 July 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230707162846/https://www.tasteatlas.com/zeama |url-status=live }}</ref> ] is a ] ]/] with a crumbly texture and tangy taste, mostly produced and popular in ], Romania, and Moldova, and often used in salads, pies, and dumplings.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Sikorsky |first=Dmytro |date=30 May 2016 |title=The Secret Of Bessarabia's Cuisine |url=http://odessareview.com/secret-bessarabias-cuisine/ |access-date=7 July 2023 |website=Odessa Review |language=en-US |archive-date=7 July 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230707163012/http://odessareview.com/secret-bessarabias-cuisine/ |url-status=live }}</ref> | |||
], 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, ] (known as ''chiroște'' in Moldova) are another traditional staple and are often stuffed with a soft cheese in Moldova. The dough is made with ] and is boiled in salted water, pan-fried in oil or baked in the oven.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Johnson |first=Doina |date=13 November 2019 |title=Moldovan Food – 14 Best Traditional Dishes as Recommended by a Local (with Recipes) – Nomad Paradise |url=https://nomadparadise.com/moldovan-food/ |access-date=7 July 2023 |language=en-US |archive-date=26 September 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200926041831/https://nomadparadise.com/moldovan-food/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |date=7 October 2009 |title=Hai la masa!: Coltunasi |url=https://kathrynannew.wordpress.com/2009/10/07/hai-la-masa-coltunasi/ |access-date=24 August 2016 |archive-date=16 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160316065912/https://kathrynannew.wordpress.com/2009/10/07/hai-la-masa-coltunasi/ |url-status=live }}</ref> ], a cake of Russian origin (and called Tort Smetanik in Moldova) is a popular layered cake with ] and ] (sour cream) or ].<ref>{{cite book |last1=Goldstein |first1=Darra |title=The Oxford Companion to Sugar and Sweets |date=2015 |publisher=Oxford University Press}}</ref> | |||
===Mihai Eminescu=== | |||
] (born ''Mihail Eminovici'') was a late ] poet, probably the best-known and most influential ] poet. | |||
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 {{convert|15.2|L|gal}} of pure alcohol imbibed in 2016.<ref>{{Cite magazine |title=How This Tiny European Country Got the World's Worst Drinking Problem |url=https://time.com/5654052/moldova-drinking-problem/ |url-status=live |magazine=Time |language=en |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211221152612/https://time.com/5654052/moldova-drinking-problem/ |archive-date=21 December 2021 |access-date=21 December 2021}}</ref> This has fallen somewhat in recent years, but it remains a serious ongoing health concern.<ref>{{Cite web |date=30 June 2023 |title=Europeans are the world's heaviest drinkers: How do countries compare? |url=https://www.euronews.com/next/2023/06/30/so-long-dry-january-which-country-drinks-the-most-alcohol-in-europe |access-date=7 July 2023 |website=euronews |language=en |archive-date=7 July 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230707162956/https://www.euronews.com/next/2023/06/30/so-long-dry-january-which-country-drinks-the-most-alcohol-in-europe |url-status=live }}</ref> | |||
* ] | |||
* ] | |||
* ] | |||
== |
=== Holidays === | ||
{{main|Public holidays in Moldova}} | |||
Most retail businesses close on New Year's Day and ], but remain open on all other holidays. Christmas is celebrated either on 7 January, the traditional date in ] ]es, or on 25 December, with both dates being recognized as public holidays.<ref>{{cite news|title=Moldova Declares Western Christmas Day Official Holiday|newspaper=Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty |date=19 December 2013 |url=http://www.rferl.org/content/moldova-celebrates-western-christmas/25206410.html|access-date=20 December 2013|archive-date=19 December 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131219232059/http://www.rferl.org/content/moldova-celebrates-western-christmas/25206410.html|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
* ] | |||
* ] | |||
* ] | |||
* ] | |||
* ] | |||
* ] | |||
* ] | |||
* ], an adjacent region of Romania. | |||
* ] | |||
* ] | |||
* ] | |||
* ] | |||
On 1 March features '']'' gifting, which is a tradition that females are gifted with a type of talisman that is given for good luck.<ref>{{Cite web|date=12 August 2014|title=Martisor, a Spring celebration for Eastern Europeans – FOREIGNERS IN UK|url=http://www.foreignersinuk.co.uk/community_news-community-martisor_a_spring_celebration_for_eastern_europeans_3823.html|access-date=29 August 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140812210746/http://www.foreignersinuk.co.uk/community_news-community-martisor_a_spring_celebration_for_eastern_europeans_3823.html|archive-date=12 August 2014}}</ref> | |||
==Maps== | |||
* | |||
* | |||
* plus those of other former Soviet Republics | |||
== |
===Music=== | ||
{{main|Music of Moldova}} | |||
<gallery> | |||
] performing at the ].]] | |||
image:Chisinau Center.jpg|] - ] | |||
Among Moldova's most prominent composers are ], ] and ]. | |||
In the field of pop music, Moldova has produced the band ], who came to prominence in 2003, with their hit song "]", which topped multiple notable single charts. Moldova has been participating in the ] since 2005. Another popular band from Moldova is ] that represented the country in the ], finishing sixth, also in 2021, with a similar result. | |||
Image:Moldavian orthodox church.jpg|Moldavian ] | |||
</gallery> | |||
In May 2007, ] represented Moldova in Helsinki at the ] with her entry "]". Natalia squeezed into the final by a very small margin. She took tenth place with 109 points. | |||
== External links == | |||
Then ] again represented Moldova in the ] finishing 12th. | |||
{{sisterlinks|Moldova}} | |||
* | |||
* | |||
* | |||
* on www.europa.eu.int | |||
* | |||
* | |||
The band ] with ] represented the country in the ] with their hit song "]". Their performance gained international notoriety as an ] due to the pelvic thrusting and dancing of Sergey Stepanov, the band saxophonist. He has been dubbed "]". SunStroke Project featured again in the 2017 Eurovision entry "Hey Mama" which got third place.<ref>{{cite web|title=2017 Grand Final Scoreboard|url=https://eurovision.tv/event/kyiv-2017/grand-final/scoreboard|website=Eurovision.tv|publisher=European Broadcasting Union|access-date=14 May 2016|archive-date=27 March 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190327152129/https://eurovision.tv/event/kyiv-2017/grand-final/scoreboard|url-status=dead}}</ref> | |||
===Profiles=== | |||
* | |||
* | |||
* | |||
* | |||
In 2015 a new musical project by the name of ] has risen in popularity around Moldova. ] reached 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. | |||
===News portals=== | |||
{{wikinews|Portal:Moldova|Moldova news portal}} | |||
* | |||
* | |||
* | |||
* | |||
Among most prominent classical musicians in Moldova are ], one of the leading world's sopranos and the winner of the Japan International Competition; pianist ], winner of the USSR National Competition, ] in Paris and Busoni Competition in Bolzano, Italy. | |||
===Tourism=== | |||
* | |||
=== |
===Media=== | ||
{{main|Media of Moldova|Television in Moldova|Cinema of Moldova|List of newspapers in Moldova}} | |||
* | |||
The right to ] and ] are guaranteed by the ]. ] improved Moldova's ] ranking to 28th in 2023 from 89th in 2020, partly due to government legal reforms which made it easier for journalists to access official information.<ref>{{Cite web |date=23 July 2020 |title=Moldova {{!}} RSF |url=https://rsf.org/en/country/moldova |access-date=7 July 2023 |website=] |language=en |archive-date=5 July 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230705135655/https://rsf.org/en/country/moldova |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Cojocari |first=Vitalie |title=Why Moldova is ahead of Romania in Media freedom |url=https://www.thomsonfoundation.org/latest/why-moldova-is-ahead-of-romania-in-media-freedom/ |access-date=7 July 2023 |website=] |language=en |archive-date=7 July 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230707163121/https://www.thomsonfoundation.org/latest/why-moldova-is-ahead-of-romania-in-media-freedom/ |url-status=live }}</ref> 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.<ref name="BBC News-2022">{{Cite news |date=July 2022 |title=Moldova media guide |language=en-GB |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-17602346 |access-date=7 July 2023 |archive-date=7 July 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230707163031/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-17602346 |url-status=live }}</ref> 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 private ] rebroadcast output from Russian and Romanian stations.<ref name="BBC News-2022" /> The first ], ], has been broadcasting since 1939 from the capital city, Chişinău. ] is also widely available. Moldova's state-owned national radio-TV broadcaster is ] (TRM), which broadcasts the TV channel ]. | |||
== International rankings == | |||
* ]: , ranked 75th out of 119 countries | |||
There were 3 million internet users by July 2022, approximately 76% of the population, and digital infrastructure is well-developed, with 98% ] coverage of territory. There are a number of daily and weekly newspapers published in Moldova, among the most popular being '']'' and ''],'' but print media has an overall small audience in Moldova''.'' ] are 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. | |||
* ]: , ranked 74th out of 167 countries | |||
* ]: ], ranked 77th out of 155 countries | |||
In 2022, the government removed the broadcasting licenses from six television stations for broadcasting ] and disinformation about ] in violation of the country's Audiovisual Services Code.<ref>{{Cite web |date=19 December 2022 |title=Six TV channels suspended amid 'misinformation' allegations |url=https://www.euronews.com/2022/12/19/six-tv-channels-suspended-in-moldova-amid-misinformation-allegations |access-date=7 July 2023 |website=euronews |language=en |archive-date=7 July 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230707162747/https://www.euronews.com/2022/12/19/six-tv-channels-suspended-in-moldova-amid-misinformation-allegations |url-status=live }}</ref> The government stated that this was done in order to "prevent the risk of disinformation or attempts to manipulate public opinion".<ref>{{Cite web |date=17 December 2022 |title=Moldova suspends six channels over Ukraine 'disinformation' – DW – 12/17/2022 |url=https://www.dw.com/en/moldova-suspends-six-channels-over-ukraine-disinformation/a-64137437 |access-date=7 July 2023 |website=] |language=en |archive-date=7 July 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230707162936/https://www.dw.com/en/moldova-suspends-six-channels-over-ukraine-disinformation/a-64137437 |url-status=live }}</ref> All six were either owned or affiliated with ], 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 prison ''in absentia''.<ref>{{Cite news |date=17 December 2022 |title=Moldovan Government Suspends Licenses Of Six TV Stations To 'Eliminate Propaganda' |language=en |work=] |url=https://www.rferl.org/a/moldova-ilan-shor-tv-stations-licenses-suspended-russia-war/32180842.html |access-date=7 July 2023 |archive-date=7 July 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230707162923/https://www.rferl.org/a/moldova-ilan-shor-tv-stations-licenses-suspended-russia-war/32180842.html |url-status=live }}</ref> 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.<ref>{{cite web |title=Moldova blocks more Russian media outlets |url=https://www.broadbandtvnews.com/2023/10/31/moldova-blocks-more-russian-media-outlets/ |date=31 October 2023 |access-date=7 June 2024 |archive-date=3 November 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231103191905/https://www.broadbandtvnews.com/2023/10/31/moldova-blocks-more-russian-media-outlets/ |url-status=live }}</ref> | |||
* ]: , ranked 99th out of 111 countries | |||
* ]: , ranked 88th out of 158 countries | |||
The ] developed in the 1960s during the Soviet period, nurturing a small but lively film industry.<ref name="Johnson-2018">{{Cite web |last=Johnson |first=Glen |date=5 August 2018 |title=Tiny Moldova was once a movie-making capital. A few diehards are trying to keep the tradition alive |url=https://www.latimes.com/world/europe/la-fg-moldova-film-20180805-story.html |access-date=7 July 2023 |website=] |language=en-US |archive-date=7 July 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230707161656/https://www.latimes.com/world/europe/la-fg-moldova-film-20180805-story.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Following the collapse of the Soviet Union and Moldova's independence, the country's economic stagnation and poverty has hampered the Moldovan film industry.<ref name="Johnson-2018" /><ref>{{Cite web |last=Clark |first=Marcus |date=8 November 2012 |title=Learn About Moldova's Brave Little Film Industry |url=https://theculturetrip.com/europe/moldova/articles/beyond-the-eastern-bloc-the-best-of-moldovan-film/ |access-date=7 July 2023 |website=Culture Trip |language=en |archive-date=7 July 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230707163833/https://theculturetrip.com/europe/moldova/articles/beyond-the-eastern-bloc-the-best-of-moldovan-film/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Nevertheless, some films have seen some international success. Perhaps best-known are '']'' (1972), written and directed by Moldovan film-maker ], and '']'' (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.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Vourlias |first=Christopher |date=15 June 2023 |title=Echoes of the Ukraine War Haunt the Moldovan Tragicomedy 'Carbon,' About a Post-Soviet Conflict Lost to History |url=https://variety.com/2023/film/global/urkaine-war-moldova-carbon-1235645182/ |access-date=7 July 2023 |website=Variety |language=en-US |archive-date=7 July 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230707162900/https://variety.com/2023/film/global/urkaine-war-moldova-carbon-1235645182/ |url-status=live }}</ref> It was the winner of the ]'s Audience Award.<ref>{{Citation |title=Carbon |url=https://mubi.com/films/carbon-2022 |access-date=7 July 2023 |language=en |archive-date=7 July 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230707163008/https://mubi.com/films/carbon-2022 |url-status=live }}</ref> For the 37th edition of the ], Moldova was featured in its 'New Territory' section, which celebrates little-known film-making cultures.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Between irony and poetry: the Republic of Moldova at FIFF {{!}} Festival International de Films de Fribourg |url=https://www.fiff.ch/en/between-irony-and-poetry-republic-moldova-fiff |access-date=7 July 2023 |website=www.fiff.ch |language=en |archive-date=7 July 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230707162742/https://www.fiff.ch/en/between-irony-and-poetry-republic-moldova-fiff |url-status=live }}</ref> In July 2022, the ] announced that it would be using state-of-the-art equipment to transfer more than 1,600 films from the ] archive for posterity and ]. The United States assisted by equipping in 2021 a ] laboratory 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.<ref>{{Cite web |title=More than 1,600 films from Moldova Film archive will be digitized, with the support of the European Union and the U.S. Government {{!}} United Nations Development Programme |url=https://www.undp.org/moldova/press-releases/more-1600-films-moldova-film-archive-will-be-digitized-support-european-union-and-us-government |access-date=7 July 2023 |website=UNDP |language=en |archive-date=7 July 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230707180256/https://www.undp.org/moldova/press-releases/more-1600-films-moldova-film-archive-will-be-digitized-support-european-union-and-us-government |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Technical Difficulties |url=https://md.usembassy.gov/rediscovering-moldovas-cinema-heritage/ |access-date=7 July 2023 |website=md.usembassy.gov |date=25 February 2021 |archive-date=7 July 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230707162946/https://md.usembassy.gov/rediscovering-moldovas-cinema-heritage/ |url-status=live }}</ref> | |||
* ]: , ranked 116th out of 177 countries | |||
* ]: , ranked 82nd out of 117 countries | |||
===Sports=== | |||
* ]: , ranked 83rd out of 155 | |||
{{main|Sport in Moldova}} | |||
* ]: , ranked 69th out of 155 | |||
] in 2015]] Association football is the most popular team sport in Moldova. The governing body is the ], which belongs to ]. The ] played its first match in 1994, but never qualified to the ]. The most successful football club is ], the first and only Moldovan club to qualify for the group stage of the ] and the ]. Other winners of the ] include ], ], ] and ]. | |||
* ]: , ranked<s> 35th out of 140 | |||
</s> | |||
'']'' (a form of ]) is the national sport in Moldova. ] is 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.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Souster|first=Mark|url=https://www.thetimes.co.uk/|title=Europe's poor relations show richness of spirit; Mark Souster visits Moldova and discovers a wealth of ambition at all levels in one of the game's new frontiers|date=27 October 2012|work=The Times (London, England)|access-date=13 February 2020|archive-date=30 March 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190330201402/https://www.thetimes.co.uk/|url-status=live}}</ref> The most prestigious ] is the ], which was first run in 2004. In chess, the Republic of Moldova has several international masters, among which can be mentioned ], ], and ]. | |||
] is one of the most successful Moldovan tennis players, with ] singles (]) and doubles (]) titles. | |||
Athletes from Moldova have won European medals in ], ], ], and gymnastics; world medals in ], judo, swimming, and ]; as well as Olympic medals in ], ], ], ], and ]. Moldova made its Olympic debut at the ] in Lillehammer. Olympic medalists include ], ], ], ], and ]. ] represented the Soviet Union at the ], winning two medals. | |||
==See also== | |||
{{Portal|Moldova|Europe|Countries}} | |||
* ] | |||
==Notes== | |||
{{notelist}} | |||
{{notelist|group=note}} | |||
==References== | ==References== | ||
{{reflist}} | |||
* (ZIP file, in Romanian) <!-- If someone has this in a better format, that would be great --> | |||
== |
==External links== | ||
{{Commons category|Moldova}} | |||
<div style="font-size:90%;"><references /></div> | |||
{{Sister project links|Moldova|voy=Moldova}} | |||
* {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161018213138/https://www.congress.gov/bill/102nd-congress/senate-resolution/148/text?q=%7B%22search%22%3A%5B%22PL111-148%22%5D%7D&resultIndex=5 |date=18 October 2016 }} | |||
* {{Official website|1=http://www.moldova.md/en}} | |||
* {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210105015457/https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/moldova/ |date=5 January 2021 }}. '']''. ]. | |||
* from ''UCB Libraries GovPubs''. | |||
* {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180721064530/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-17601580 |date=21 July 2018 }} from the ]. | |||
* {{Wikiatlas|Moldova}} | |||
* {{osmrelation-inline|58974|bullet=no}} | |||
* {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120426045144/http://www.ifs.du.edu/ifs/frm_CountryProfile.aspx?Country=MD |date=26 April 2012 }} from ]. | |||
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Latest revision as of 04:15, 21 December 2024
Country in Eastern Europe This article is about the modern state. For the historical principality, see Moldavia. For other uses, see Moldova (disambiguation).
Republic of MoldovaRepublica Moldova (Romanian) | |
---|---|
Flag Coat of arms | |
Anthem: Limba noastră "Our language" | |
Location of Moldova in Europe (green) and its uncontrolled territory of Transnistria (light green) | |
Capitaland largest city | Chișinău 47°0′N 28°55′E / 47.000°N 28.917°E / 47.000; 28.917 |
Official language and national language | Romanian |
Recognised minority languages | See here |
Ethnic groups (2014; excl. Transnistria) | 75% Moldovans 7% Romanians 6.57% Ukrainians 4.57% Gagauzes 4.06% Russians 1.88% Bulgarians 0.85% other |
Religion (2014; excl. Transnistria) |
|
Demonym(s) | Moldovan |
Government | Unitary parliamentary republic |
• President | Maia Sandu |
• Prime Minister | Dorin Recean |
• President of the Parliament | Igor Grosu |
Legislature | Parliament |
Formation | |
• Principality of Moldavia | 1346 |
• Bessarabia Governorate | 1812 |
• Moldavian Democratic Republic | 15 December 1917 |
• Union with Romania | 9 April 1918 |
• Moldavian ASSR | 12 October 1924 |
• Moldavian SSR | 2 August 1940 |
• Transnistria War | 2 November 1990 |
• Independence from the Soviet Union | 27 August 1991 |
• Constitution adopted | 29 July 1994 |
Area | |
• Incl. Transnistria | 33,843 km (13,067 sq mi) (135th) |
• Water (%) | 1.4 (incl. Transnistria) |
• Excl. Transnistria | 30,334 km (11,712 sq mi) |
Population | |
• January 2024 estimate | 2,423,300 (140th) |
• 2014 census | 2,804,801 |
• Density | 82.8/km (214.5/sq mi) |
GDP (PPP) | 2024 estimate |
• Total | $45.407 billion (136th) |
• Per capita | $18,524 (91st) |
GDP (nominal) | 2024 estimate |
• Total | $18.062 billion (130th) |
• Per capita | $7,368 (92nd) |
Gini (2021) | 25.7 low inequality |
HDI (2022) | 0.763 high (86th) |
Currency | Moldovan leu (MDL) |
Time zone | UTC+2 (EET) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC+3 (EEST) |
Drives on | Right |
Calling code | +373 |
ISO 3166 code | MD |
Internet TLD | .md |
Website www | |
|
Moldova, officially the Republic of Moldova, is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe, on the northeastern corner of the Balkans. 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 by Romania to the west and Ukraine to the north, east, and south. The unrecognised breakaway state of Transnistria lies across the Dniester river on the country's eastern border with Ukraine. Moldova is a unitary parliamentary representative democratic republic with its capital in Chișinău, the country's largest city and main cultural and commercial centre.
Most of Moldovan territory was a part of the Principality of Moldavia from the 14th century until 1812, when it was ceded to the Russian Empire by the Ottoman Empire (to which Moldavia was a vassal state) and became known as Bessarabia. In 1856, southern Bessarabia was returned to Moldavia, which three years later united with Wallachia to form Romania, but Russian rule was restored over the whole of the region in 1878. During the 1917 Russian Revolution, Bessarabia briefly became an autonomous state within the Russian 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 by Soviet Russia, which in 1924 established, within the Ukrainian SSR, a so-called Moldavian autonomous republic on partially Moldovan-inhabited territories to the east of Bessarabia. In 1940, as a consequence of the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact, Romania was compelled to cede Bessarabia and Northern Bukovina to the Soviet Union, leading to the creation of the Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic (Moldavian SSR).
On 27 August 1991, as the dissolution of the Soviet Union was underway, the Moldavian SSR declared independence and took the name Moldova. However, the strip of Moldovan territory on the east bank of the Dniester has been under the de facto control of the breakaway government of Transnistria since 1990. The constitution of Moldova was adopted in 1994, and the country became a parliamentary republic with a president as head of state and a prime minister as head of government. Under the presidency of Maia Sandu, elected in 2020 on a pro-Western and anti-corruption ticket, Moldova has pursued membership of the European 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 to Moldova's constitutional commitment to military neutrality in favour of a closer alliance with NATO and strongly condemned Russia's invasion of neighbouring Ukraine.
Moldova is the second poorest country in Europe by GDP per official capita after Ukraine and much of its GDP is dominated by the service sector. It has one of the lowest Human Development Indexes in Europe, ranking 76th in the world (2022). Moldova ranks 68th in the world on the Global Innovation Index as of 2024. Moldova is a member state of the United Nations, the Council of Europe, the World Trade Organization, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, the GUAM Organization for Democracy and Economic Development, the Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation, and the Association Trio.
Etymology
Main article: Names of Moldavia and MoldovaThe name Moldova is derived from the Moldova River (German: Moldau); the valley of this river served as a political centre at the time of the foundation of the Principality of Moldavia in 1359. The origin of the name of the river remains unclear. According to a legend recounted by Moldavian chroniclers Dimitrie Cantemir and Grigore Ureche, Prince Dragoș named the river after hunting aurochs: following the chase, the prince's exhausted hound Molda (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 the Commonwealth of Independent States, the name of the current Republic of Moldova was also spelled Moldavia. After the dissolution of the Soviet Union, the country began to use the Romanian name, Moldova. Officially, the name Republic of Moldova is designated by the United Nations.
History
Main article: History of Moldova See also: History of Transnistria and Founding of MoldaviaThe history of Moldova spans prehistoric cultures, ancient and medieval empires, and periods of foreign rule and modern independence.
Evidence of human habitation dates back 800,000–1.2 million years, with significant developments in agriculture, pottery, and settlement during the Neolithic and Bronze Ages. In antiquity, Moldova's location made it a crossroads for invasions by the Scythians, Goths, Huns, and other tribes, followed by periods of Roman and Byzantine control. The medieval Principality of Moldavia emerged in the 1350s, and was the medieval precursor of modern Moldova and Romania. It reached prominence under rulers like Stephen the Great before becoming a vassal state of the Ottoman Empire from 1538, until the 19th century.
In 1812, following one of several Russian–Turkish wars, the eastern half of the principality, Bessarabia, was annexed by the Russian Empire, marking the beginning of Russian influence in the region. In 1918, Bessarabia briefly became independent as the Moldavian Democratic Republic and, following the decision of the Parliament (Sfatul Țării), united with Romania. During the Second World War it was occupied by the Soviet Union which reclaimed it from Romania. It joined the Union in 1940 as the Moldavian SSR. During this period, policies of Russification and economic transformation deeply influenced the region.
The dissolution of the USSR in 1991 led to declared independence, followed by the Transnistria War in 1992, a conflict that left the Transnistrian region 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 the European Union, submitting a formal membership application in 2022.
In the November 2020 presidential election, the pro-European opposition candidate Maia Sandu was elected as the new president of the republic, becoming the first female elected president of Moldova. In the November 2024 presidential election, President Maia Sandu was re-elected with 55% of the vote in the run-off.
Politics
Main article: Government of MoldovaThe Republic of Moldova is a constitutional republic with a unicameral parliamentary system of government and competitive, multi-party elections. The constitution provides for executive and legislative branches as well as an independent judiciary and a clear separation of powers. The president serves as the head of state, is elected every four years, and can be re-elected once. The prime minister serves as the head of government, appointed by the president with parliament's support. The head of government in turn assembles a cabinet, subject to parliamentary approval. Legislative authority is vested in the unicameral Parliament of Moldova which has 101 seats and whose members are elected by popular vote on party lists every four years. The president's official residence is the Presidential 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 to Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe observers, the 2021 parliamentary elections were well-administered and competitive, and fundamental freedoms were largely respected. The Party of Action and Solidarity won 63 seats in the 101-seat parliament, enough to form a single-party majority.
Maia Sandu, Moldova's President since December 2020.The 1994 Constitution of Moldova sets the framework for the government of the country. A parliamentary majority of at least two-thirds is required to amend the Constitution 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 an independent Constitutional Court, composed of six judges (two appointed by the President, two by Parliament, and two by the Supreme Council of Magistrature), serving six-year terms, during which they are irremovable and not subordinate to any power. The court is invested with the power of judicial review over all acts of parliament, over presidential decrees, and over international treaties signed 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, the Constitutional Court ruled 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 a two-round system direct election.
Foreign relations
Main articles: Foreign relations of Moldova, Moldovan neutrality, and Moldova–European Union relationsAfter 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 the CIS Interparliamentary Assembly Convention to become a member and was also admitted in July 1995 to the Council of Europe.
Moldova became a member state of the United Nations the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), the North Atlantic Cooperation Council, the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development in 1992. 1994 saw Moldova became a participant in NATO's Partnership for Peace programme. The Francophonie was joined in 1996 with the country joining the World Trade Organization in 2001 and the International Criminal Court in 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, the European 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 1990–1992 War 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. The foreign 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, a security zone incident resulted in the death of a civilian, raising tensions with Russia.
In September 2010, the European Parliament approved 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 Timofti told lawmakers before his election in 2012.
On 29 November 2013, at a summit in Vilnius, Moldova signed an association agreement with the European Union dedicated to the European Union's 'Eastern Partnership' with ex-Soviet countries. The ex-Romanian President Traian Băsescu stated that Romania will make all efforts for Moldova to join the EU as soon as possible. Likewise, Traian Băsescu declared that the unification of Moldova and Romania is the next national project for Romania, as more than 75% of the population speaks Romanian.
Russia
Main article: Moldova–Russia relationsA 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. Using energy blackmail, political and 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 the Russian Orthodox Church to block and stymie the integration of former Soviet states like Moldova into the West.
In February 2023 Russia cancelled a 2012 decree underpinning Moldova's sovereignty. In May 2023 the government announced its intentions to withdraw from the Commonwealth of Independent States and the immediate suspension of its participation. In July 2023 Moldova passed a law on denunciation of the agreement on Moldova's membership in the CIS Interparliamentary Assembly.
On 25 July 2023, the Moldovan government summoned the Russian ambassador to Moldova, Oleg Vasnetsov, 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 Moldovan Security and Intelligence Service (SIS) also ended all partnership agreements with Russia's FSB after sending official notifications to the authorities in Moscow.
European Union Accession
Main article: Accession of Moldova to the European UnionMoldova has set 2030 as the target date for EU Accession.
Moldova signed the Association Agreement with the European Union in Brussels on 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 granted candidate status by 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's High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell has confirmed that the pathway to accession does not depend upon a resolution of the Transnistria conflict.
On 27 June, Moldova signed a comprehensive free trade agreement with the European 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.
Security
The European Union created a Partnership Mission in Moldova through its Common Security and Defence Policy on 24 April 2023. The mission seeks to support the government of Moldova in countering hybrid threats the country faces as a result of the 2022 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, the Czech Republic, Portugal, Romania, and Denmark have all voiced support for the mission.
On 2 February 2023 Moldova passed a law introducing criminal penalties for separatism, 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.
Military
Main article: Military of MoldovaThe Moldovan armed forces consists of the Ground Forces and Air 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 the Treaty 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 nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty in October 1994 in Washington, D.C. It does not have nuclear, biological, chemical or radiological weapons. Moldova joined the North Atlantic Treaty Organization's Partnership for Peace on 16 March 1994.
Moldova is committed to a number of international and regional control of arms regulations such as the UN Firearms Protocol, Stability Pact Regional Implementation Plan, the UN Programme of Action (PoA), and the OSCE Documents on Stockpiles of Conventional Ammunition. Since declaring independence in 1991, Moldova has participated in UN peacekeeping missions in Liberia, Côte d'Ivoire, Sudan, and Georgia. On 12 November 2014, the US donated to Moldovan Armed Forces 39 Humvees and 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 modernization, and has been provided with more than €87 million in support for the modernization of the defence sector and the strengthening of security through the European 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 modernize its armed forces, especially in light of Russia's invasion of Ukraine and the presence of 1,500 Russian soldiers in Transnistria. In June 2023, Poland also sent a transport of military equipment worth €8 million (including drones, laptops, explosive ordnance disposal equipment, and ultrasound equipment) to the Moldovan police to increase the country's internal security. Analysts at the Centre for European Policy Analysis have called for further western weapon donations.
Human rights
Main article: Human rights in MoldovaFreedom House ranked Moldova as a "partly free" country with a score of 62/100 in 2023. They summarized their finds as follows: "Moldova has a competitive electoral environment, and freedoms of assembly, speech, and religion are 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 to Transparency International, Moldova's Corruption Perceptions Index improved to 39 points in 2022 from 34 in 2020. Reporters Without Borders improved Moldova's Press Freedom Index ranking 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 to Amnesty 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 of LGBTI people were not fully realized, 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 a Pride parade in 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 to Human Rights Report of the United 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 the European Union in October 2022, EU representatives "welcomed positive developments in Moldova such as the ratification of the Istanbul Convention on preventing and combating violence against women, the adoption of legislation on hate crime, and the ongoing work to reform the Electoral Code. It encouraged Moldovan authorities to address shortcomings identified by OSCE/ODIHR and the Venice Commission across all areas and ensure effective and continuous implementation of human rights legislation." The Office 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.
Administrative divisions
Main articles: Administrative divisions of Moldova, List of cities in Moldova, List of localities in Moldova, and Communes of Moldova Anenii Noi Basarabeasca Briceni Cantemir Călărași Căușeni Cimișlia Dondușeni Drochia Dubăsari Edineț Fălești Florești Glodeni Hîncești Ialoveni Leova Nisporeni Ocnița Orhei Rezina Rîșcani Sîngerei Soroca Șoldănești Ștefan Vodă Taraclia Telenești Ungheni Strășeni Cahul CHIȘINĂU Comrat Bălți Tiraspol Romania UkraineMoldova is divided into 32 districts (raioane, singular raion), three municipalities and two autonomous regions (Gagauzia and the Left Bank of the Dniester). The final status of Transnistria is disputed, as the central government does not control that territory. 10 other cities, including Comrat and Tiraspol, the administrative seats of the two autonomous territories, also have municipality 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 the unrecognised breakaway region of Transnistria, followed by Bălți (146,900) and Bender (91,000).
Largest cities in Moldova Source: Moldovan Census (2004); Note: 1. World Gazetteer. Moldova: largest cities 2004. 2. Pridnestrovie.net 2004 Census 2004. 3. National Bureau of Statistics of Moldova | |||||||||
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Rank | Pop. | Rank | Pop. | ||||||
Chișinău Tiraspol |
1 | Chișinău | 644,204 | 11 | Comrat | 20,113 | Bălți Bender | ||
2 | Tiraspol | 129,500 | 12 | Strășeni | 18,376 | ||||
3 | Bălți | 102,457 | 13 | Durlești | 17,210 | ||||
4 | Bender | 91,000 | 14 | Ceadîr-Lunga | 16,605 | ||||
5 | Rîbnița | 46,000 | 15 | Căușeni | 15,939 | ||||
6 | Ungheni | 30,804 | 16 | Codru | 15,934 | ||||
7 | Cahul | 30,018 | 17 | Edineț | 15,520 | ||||
8 | Soroca | 22,196 | 18 | Drochia | 13,150 | ||||
9 | Orhei | 21,065 | 19 | Ialoveni | 12,515 | ||||
10 | Dubăsari | 25,700 | 20 | Hîncești | 12,491 |
Law enforcement and emergency services
See also: Crime in Moldova and Healthcare in MoldovaThe Moldovan police force (General Police Inspectorate) reports to the Ministry 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 local administrative level. National and municipal police forces often collaborate closely for law enforcement purposes. The Special Forces Brigade "Fulger" is a specialized combat-ready police force primarily responsible for tackling organized 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. The Moldovan Border Police are 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 to The 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."
The Security and Intelligence Service (SIS) is a Moldovan state body specialized in ensuring national security by exercising all appropriate intelligence and counter-intelligence measures, such as: collecting, processing, checking and capitalizing 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 of emergency medical services, search and rescue units, and a state firefighting service. There are two hospitals in the capital city Chișinău, the primary being Medpark International Hospital, and general hospitals in Bălți, Briceni, Cahul, and Călărași. Moldova has a universal healthcare system through a mandatory health insurance scheme. Casa Mariorei, founded in 2002, is a domestic violence shelter in Chișinău which provides shelter, healthcare, legal advice, and psychosocial support for native Moldovan, immigrant, and refugee women.
Geography
Main article: Geography of MoldovaMoldova is a landlocked country situated in Eastern Europe, on the northeastern corner of the Balkans in the Black Sea Basin, between latitudes 45° and 49° N, and mostly between meridians 26° and 30° E (a small area lies east of 30°). The country lies to the east of the Carpathian Mountains and is bordered by Romania to its west and by Ukraine to 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 the Prut river and on the east from Ukraine by the Dniester river. 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 the Bessarabia region, while a narrow strip in the east is located in the unrecognised breakaway state of Transnistria on 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 the Danube and Prut rivers. This has transformed the old village of Giurgiulești (in the extreme south-west of the country) into a river port, providing Moldova access to international waters via the Danube and the Black Sea. The Dniester river, which rises in Ukraine near the city of Drohobych, 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 the Dniester 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 the Bălănești Hill. Moldova's hills are part of the Moldavian 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 and Bălți Steppe), and the Central Moldavian Plateau (Ciuluc-Soloneț Hills, Cornești Hills—Codri Massive, "Codri" meaning "forests"—Lower Dniester Hills, Lower Prut Valley, and Tigheci Hills). In the south, the country has a small flatland, the Bugeac Plain. The territory of Moldova east of the river Dniester is split between parts of the Podolian Plateau, and parts of the Eurasian Steppe. Moldova's exceptionally rich Chernozem soil covers around three-quarters of the country's land area.
Moldova's capital and largest city is Chișinău, 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 river Bîc, a tributary of the Dniester. Moldova's second-largest city is Tiraspol, which lies on the eastern bank of the Dniester and is the capital of the unrecognised breakaway region of Transnistria. The country's third-largest city is Bălți, often referred to as the 'northern capital'. It is situated 127 kilometres (79 miles) north of the capital Chișinău, and is located on the river Răut, a tributary of the Dniester, on a hilly landscape in the Bălți steppe. Comrat is the administrative centre of the autonomous region of Gagauzia.
Climate
Moldova has a climate which is moderately continental; its proximity to the Black Sea leads 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 in Camenca. The lowest temperature ever recorded was −35.5 °C (−31.9 °F) on 20 January 1963 in Brătușeni, Edineț county.
Location | July (°C) | July (°F) | January (°C) | January (°F) |
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Chișinău | 27/17 | 81/63 | 1/−4 | 33/24 |
Tiraspol | 27/15 | 81/60 | 1/−6 | 33/21 |
Bălți | 26/14 | 79/58 | −0/−7 | 31/18 |
Biodiversity
See also: Protected areas in MoldovaPhytogeographically, Moldova is split between the East European Plain and the Pontic–Caspian steppe of the Circumboreal Region within the Boreal Kingdom. It is home to three terrestrial ecoregions: Central European mixed forests, East European forest steppe, and Pontic steppe. Forests currently cover only 11% of Moldova, though the state is making efforts to increase their range. It had a 2019 Forest Landscape Integrity Index mean score of 2.2/10, ranking it 158th globally out of 172 countries. Game animals, such as red deer, roe deer and wild boar can be found in these wooded areas.
Scientific reserves in Moldova | |||
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Name | Location | Established | Area |
Codru Reserve | Strășeni | 1971 | 5,177 hectares (52 km) |
Iagorlîc | Dubăsari | 1988 | 836 hectares (8 km) |
Lower Prut | Cahul | 1991 | 1,691 hectares (17 km) |
Plaiul Fagului | Ungheni | 1992 | 5,642 hectares (56 km) |
Pădurea Domnească | Glodeni | 1993 | 6,032 hectares (60 km) |
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, the Ecological Movement of Moldova, a national, non-governmental, nonprofit organization which is a member of the International Union for Conservation of Nature has been working to restore Moldova's damaged natural environment. The movement is national representative of the Centre "Naturopa" of the Council of Europe and United Nations Environment Programme of the United Nations.
Once possessing a range from the British Isles through Central Asia over the Bering Strait into Alaska and Canada's Yukon as well as the Northwest Territories, saigas survived in Moldova and Romania into the late 18th century. Deforestation, demographic pressure, as well as excessive hunting eradicated the native saiga herds which is currently threatened with extinction. They were considered a characteristic animal of Scythia in antiquity. Historian Strabo referred to the saigas as the kolos, 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 or wisent. The species was reintroduced with the arrival of three European bison from Białowieża Forest in Poland several days before Moldova's Independence Day on 27 August 2005. Moldova is currently interested in expanding their wisent population, and began talks with Belarus in 2019 regarding a bison exchange program between the two countries.
Economy
Main article: Economy of MoldovaOverview
The economy of Moldova is an emerging upper-middle income economy, with a high Human Development Index. Since the country gained independence from the Soviet Union in 1992, it has steadily transitioned to a market economy. According to the World 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 an ageing population and significant levels of emigration, and recent regional events, especially Russia'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 capita has 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 the European Union, IMF, and World Bank, particularly after Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The IMF predicts that in 2023 the economy will improve from a 1.5% contraction to a growth of 1.5%.
Moldova remains highly vulnerable to fluctuations in remittances from workers abroad (which constitute 25 percent of GDP), exports to the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) and European 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 particularly vineyards. 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, the Netherlands, and Romania.
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Energy
Main article: Energy in MoldovaWith few natural energy resources, Moldova imports almost all of its energy supplies. 50% of the country's national energy company, Moldovagaz, is owned by Russian oil and natural gas supplier Gazprom, the remaining 36% split between the Moldovan government (36.6%) and the unrecognised government of Transnistria (13.4%). Moldova's historic dependence on Russian energy is underscored by a debt of more than US$709 million to Gazprom as well as a further US$7 billion by Transnistria. Russia supplies the breakaway pro-Russian region with oil and natural gas without requiring them to pay, with the cost levied as debt against the Moldovan state as a form of economic warfare. The Moldovan government disputes the figures, and has identified more than US$100 million in fraudulent claims by Gazprom.
In August 2013, work began on a new pipeline between Moldova and Romania that has now been completed and has broken Russia's monopoly on Moldova's gas supplies. Importing electricity from Romania began in 2022, breaking the need to buy electricity produced from Russian gas in Transnistria. Improved connectivity will be completed by 2025. As of June 2023, Moldova no longer imports oil or natural gas from Russia and has been granted access to the European Union's joint gas purchasing platform. Financial assistance was provided by the European Union, World Bank, and IMF in order to speed up this transition.
Tourism
Main article: Tourism in MoldovaMoldova is the among least visited countries in Europe, and tourism consequently plays a relatively minor role in the country's overall economy. Despite the impact of Russia'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 city Chișinău as 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 via Chișinău International Airport, with direct flights to and from many European destinations, including Amsterdam Schiphol, Berlin Brandenburg, London Stansted, Paris–Charles de Gaulle, Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion Airport, Rome–Fiumicino Airport, Istanbul Airport, and Dubai International Airport. Rail links connect it via direct overnight trains to neighbouring Bucharest, Kyiv, Odesa, and formerly Moscow. Moldovan citizens also enjoy visa-free travel across the Schengen 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 the Cricova winery, 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; and Mileștii Mici, which boasts the world's largest collection of wine. As a country with a deep history of Eastern Orthodox Christianity, the country also has more than 50 monasteries and 700 churches. Among the most famous and well-visited are the Old Orhei Cave Monastery, carved into a cliff face in the 13th century and still in use today, and the 19th century Nativity Cathedral in the centre of Chișinău. UNESCO includes both the Old Orhei Archaeological Landscape, which features evidence of settlements dating back to at least the 12th century, and the typical Chernozem soil on the Bălți Steppe of Moldova (the most arable soil on the planet) on its Tentative List of World Heritage Sites. The capital city of Chișinău hosts most of the country's national museums, including the National Museum of Fine Arts, Moldova State University, Brancusi Gallery, the National Museum of History of Moldova with over 236,000 exhibits, as well as bustling markets in the north of the city, including the house where Alexander Pushkin once resided while in exile from the Russian 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.
Wine industry
Main article: Moldovan wineWith its 300 days of sunshine per year, the climate in Moldova is ideal for agriculture and particularly vineyards. 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 than Belgium, the country has 122,000 hectares of vineyards and is among the 20 largest producers in the world, according to a report by the International Organisation of Vine and Wine (OIV).
Before Russia's invasion of Ukraine and 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 the Moldovan Ministry of Agriculture." The EU liberalized 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 and grape varieties that have been passed down through the generations. There are 3 historical wine regions: Valul lui Traian (south west), Stefan Voda (south east) and Codru (centre), destined for the production of wines with protected geographic indication. Mileștii Mici is 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 the Guinness World Record for largest wine cellar by number of bottles since 2005. The earliest wines in its collection date to 1969. Mimi Castle in the south east is a winery and architectural monument, which was built at the end of the 19th century in the village of Bulboaca in the district Anenii 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.
Agriculture
Main article: Agriculture in MoldovaMoldova 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 are arable. It is among the most arable countries in Europe, with the Chernozem soil across the Bălți Steppe being 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 the European 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 20 seed libraries comprising over 1,000 seeds were created across Moldova with the assistance of Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic, NGOs, and the United Nations Development Programme, with the aim is to improve local agricultural 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 capita greenhouse gas emissions, and lower than the world average, Moldova is highly vulnerable to climate change and related environmental disasters which already cost the country 2.13% of annual GDP. According to Climate-KIC, run by the European 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."
Transport infrastructure
Main articles: Transport in Moldova and Rail transport in MoldovaThe 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 neighbouring Bucharest, Kyiv, Odesa, and also Moscow.
The Giurgiulești terminal on the Danube is compatible with small seagoing vessels. Shipping on the lower Prut and Nistru rivers plays only a modest role in the country's transportation system.
The sole international air gateway of Moldova is the Chișinău International Airport. with direct flights to and from many European destinations.
Telecommunications
Main article: Telecommunications in MoldovaInternet 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 a gigabit-speed fibre-optic broadband plan. The United Nations Development Programme has 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. Starlink launched 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 in computing or a related field.
The ITU'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 the Convention on Cybercrime of the Council of Europe and adoption of the National Cyber Security Program for 2016–2020 have established the legislative parameters for a safer digital environment. Since Russia's invasion of neighbouring Ukraine and their campaign of cyberwarfare against Moldova, the Moldovan government has invested significant money and resources in developing stronger cybersecurity practices 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's GDPR regulations, and is currently mostly compliant.
Banking
See also: List of banks in MoldovaThe National Bank of Moldova is responsible for the financial system and has a responsibility to the management and control of all banks in Moldova. It is accountable to the Parliament of Moldova.
Demographics
Main article: Demographics of MoldovaThe most up-to-date and reliable information is available from the National Bureau of Statistics of the Republic of Moldova's website which is continuously updated on a monthly and yearly basis. The most recent national census of Moldova was carried out in 2014 (not including Transnistria). The next national census is due to be carried out in 2024.
Overview
Population of Moldova according to ethnic group
Moldovans (75%) Romanians (7%) Ukrainians (6.57%) Gagauzians (4.57%) Russians (4.06%) Bulgarians (1.88%) Romani (0.34%) Belarusians (0.10%) Jews (0.06%) Poles (0.05%) Germans (0.03%) Others (0.26%)Source: 2014 Moldovan census.
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 2022 and an urbanisation rate of 0.09%. About one-third of the Moldovan population live in the capital city Chișinău's metropolitan 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 is Romanian, a Romance 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 of emigration (in 2022, 43,000 more people left the country than came) as well as low fertility rates. According to Balkan 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 the replacement rate of 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 the 2014 national census, ethnic Moldovans made up approx. 75% of the country's population, while Romanians (7%), Ukrainians (6.57%), Gagauzians (4.57%), and Russians (4.06%) made up the most substantial ethnic minorities. Smaller populations include Bulgarians (1.88%), Romani (0.34%), Belarusians (0.10%), Jews (0.06%), and Poles (0.05%).
Language
Further information: Languages of MoldovaAs of March 2023, the only official language of Moldova is Romanian, and all references to the Moldovan language in the constitution and 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 a controversy about whether or not Moldovan and Romanian should 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 were Moldovan (54.6%), Romanian (24.0%), Russian (14.5%), Ukrainian (2.7%), Gagauz (2.7%), Bulgarian (1.7%), and Other (0.5%).
Diaspora and emigration
Further information: Moldovan diasporaSee also: Emigration from MoldovaEmigration is a mass phenomenon in Moldova and has a major impact on the country's demographics and 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 the Balkan region, Western Europe, and North America. Among the most notable Moldovan diaspora populations are: 285,000 in Romania (2020), 258,600 in Ukraine (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 invasion of 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 towards accession to the European Union may 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 has also had a signifiant influent in recent Moldovan elections, voting overwhelmingly for Maia Sandu as president in 2020 and for her Party of Action and Solidarity in the 2021 parliamentary election.
Religion
Further information: Religion in MoldovaMoldova's constitution provides for freedom of religion and complete separation of church and state, though the constitution cites the "exceptional importance" of Eastern Orthodox Christianity. Discrimination on the basis of religious affiliation is illegal, and incitement to religious and ethnic hatred was made illegal in May 2022. Religion in Moldova is dominated by the Eastern Orthodox branch 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 as Metropolis of Chișinău and All Moldova) which is subordinate to the Russian Orthodox Church, and has played a powerful role in deepening Russia's influence in Moldova. The remaining 10–20% of Orthodox Moldovans belong to the Metropolis of Bessarabia, which is subordinate to the Romanian Orthodox Church.
Of the non-Orthodox population of Moldova, the United States Department of State estimates that as of 2022, approx. 7% identify with no religion; Baptists, Jehovah's Witnesses, and Pentecostals number between 15,000 and 30,000 each; the Jewish Community of the Republic of Moldova organisation estimates the Jewish population to be approx. 20,000; and the Islamic League of Moldova (an NGO recognised by the Moldovan Ministry of Justice in 2011 as representing Moldovan Muslims) estimates the number of Muslims to be approx. 15,000–17,000. There are six synagogues in Chișinău, one in Orhei, one in Soroca, and one in Tiraspol, and one mosque in Chișinău. The remaining less than 5% of the Moldovan population are Seventh-day Adventists, Evangelical Christians, Roman Catholics, Lutherans, and atheists. The Transnistrian authorities estimate that 80% of the population belong to the Moldovan Orthodox Church.
Health and fertility
Further information: Health in Moldova and Healthcare in MoldovaStructure of deaths by major classes of causes of death in 2022
Diseases of the circulatory system (58%) Cancerous tumours (15.8%) Other causes (13.9%) Diseases of the digestive tract (7.5%) External causes (4.8%)Moldova provides universal healthcare through a mandatory health insurance scheme. 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, 1,524 pharmacies and branches, 12,600 physicians, 23,687 paramedical personnel, and 17,293 hospital 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 as Albania, Bulgaria, Latvia, and Ukraine. The number of elderly people (aged 60 years and over) per 100 inhabitants in Moldova has increased year-on-year. The total fertility rate per woman in 2022 was 1.69, a fall from 1.78 in 2019, and below the replacement rate of 2.1. There were 10.6 live births per 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 mortality per 1,000 live-births was 9.0, a slight increase on 8.7 in 2020.
The overall number of deaths fell by 20.5% compared to 2021. According to the National Agency for Public Health, the major causes of death in 2022 were diseases 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 were Ischaemic heart disease, strokes, hypertensive heart disease, cirrhosis of the liver, and trachea, bronchus, and lung cancers.
On 19 December 2016, the Moldovan parliament approved raising the retirement age to 63 years from the current level of 57 for women and 62 for men, a reform that is part of a 3-year-old assistance program agreed with the International Monetary Fund. The retirement age will be lifted gradually by a few months every year until it is fully in effect in 2028.
Education
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 12 private higher education institutions. There were a total of 437,000 pupils and students. As of 2015, Romania allocates 5,000 scholarships in high schools and universities for Moldovan students. Likewise, more than half of preschool children in Moldova benefit from Romania funded program to renovate and equip kindergartens. Almost all the population is literate: the literacy rate of the population aged 15 and over is estimated at 99.6%.
The main higher education institutions in Moldova are the Moldova State University (est. 1946) and the Academy of Sciences of Moldova (est. 1961), both of which are located in Chișinău. The Academy of Economic Studies of Moldova (est. 1991) has featured on the Times Higher Education World University Rankings and has educated a number of national leaders including current President of Moldova Maia Sandu and leader of the opposition Igor Dodon. Other important universities include the Ion Creangă State Pedagogical University of Chișinău (est. 1940), Nicolae Testemițanu State University of Medicine and Pharmacy (est. 1945), and the Technical University of Moldova (est. 1964). Women account for 59.1% of students in higher education, and 70.1% of all foreign students in doctoral programmes in 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.
Regional differences and tensions
See also: Transnistria conflict, Gagauzia, and Unification of Moldova and RomaniaSince independence, Moldova characterised by a substantial range of profound regional differences across its internationally recognised territory. Since independence, the country has struggled with issues of national identity, geopolitical strategy, and alliances, often torn between Romania and the European Union to the west and the Russian Federation to the east. Most notably, in eastern Moldova is the unrecognised breakaway state of Transnistria, which lies on the eastern bank of the Dniester river and borders Ukraine, which has pursued close diplomatic, military, and economic ties with Russia since 1992, with more than a thousand Russian soldiers stationed in the region. This has proved particularly difficult following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 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's High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell has confirmed that the pathway to accession does not depend upon a resolution of the Transnistria conflict. There is further the issue of the autonomous territorial unit of Gagauzia. The Gagauz people are a Turkic-speaking people 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 a distinctive language and cultural traditions. They are nevertheless a heavily Russified group. 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 candidate Irina Vlakh as 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. The European Centre for Minority Issues has also highlighted the role of supposedly-neutral NGO groups in Gagauzia as a new front in Russia's hybrid-war against both Moldova and Ukraine. The region's current local leader, Evghenia Guțul, in July 2023 thanked the fugitive Moldovan oligarch Ilan Shor, leader of the outlawed Moldovan pro-Russian opposition Șor 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 also substantial controversy over ethnic and linguistic identity in Moldova concerning whether the Moldovan language and Moldovan people constitute separate linguistic and ethnic groups to the Romanian language and Romanian people. The possibility of the unification of Moldova and Romania has remained a popular topic in both countries since Moldova's independence in 1991. Romania and Moldova enjoy exceptionally strong diplomatic 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 the Russian invasion of Ukraine indicated that only 11% of Romania's population supports an immediate union, while over 42% think it is not the moment.
Culture
Main article: Culture of Moldova Mihai Eminescu, the national poet of Moldova and RomaniaDimitrie Cantemir, Moldavian scholar of the early EnlightenmentMoldova's cultural tradition has been influenced primarily by the Romanian origins of its majority population, the roots of which go back to the second century AD, the period of Roman colonization in Dacia. Located geographically at the crossroads of Latin, Slavic and 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 of classical Romanian culture. The culture has been also influenced by the Byzantine culture, 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 ruler Stephen the Great in the 15th century, by the works of the later renaissance Metropolitans Varlaam and Dosoftei, and those of scholars such as Grigore Ureche, Miron Costin, Nicolae Milescu, Dimitrie Cantemir and Ion Neculce. In the 19th century, Moldavians from the territories of the medieval Principality of Moldavia, divided into Bessarabia, Bukovina, and Western Moldavia (after 1859, Romania), made a significant contribution to the formation of the modern Romanian culture. Among these were many Bessarabians, such as Alexandru Donici, Alexandru Hâjdeu, Bogdan Petriceicu Hasdeu, Constantin Stamati, Constantin Stamati-Ciurea, Costache Negruzzi, Alecu Russo, Constantin Stere.
Mihai Eminescu, a late Romantic poet, and Ion Creangă, a writer, are the most influential Romanian language artists, considered national writers both in Romania and Moldova.
Cuisine
Main article: Moldovan cuisineMoldova's fertile soil (chernozem) produces plentiful grapes, 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 neighbouring Romania, Ukraine, and Poland, and the regions share many traditional dishes in common, often with regional variations. Moldovan cuisine has historically been particularly influenced by elements of Russian, Turkish, and Ukrainian cuisine. Main dishes often include beef, pork, potatoes, cabbage, and a variety of cereals. Popular alcoholic beverages are divin (Moldovan brandy), beer, and wine—of which the country is known for making high-quality offerings.
There are several traditional Moldovan dishes. Plăcinte are stuffed and deep-fried pastries with fillings such as soft cheese (often Urdă), cabbage, potatoes, apples, sour cherries and others, either sweet or savoury. Sarmale is 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 the Ottoman Empire. Mămăligă is another staple, a kind of porridge made from yellow maize flour, and is popular in other countries but often named polenta, often served with sheep's cheese and sour cream. Plachyndy is a kind of flatbread often made with kefir or buttermilk, wrapped around herbs and pan-fried in oil. Zeamă is a thin chicken soup, typically consists of homemade chicken broth that is prepared with a smaller whole chicken, water, thin homemade egg noodles (tăiței de casă), and a variety of finely chopped vegetables and herbs. Brynza is a soft sheep/goat cheese with a crumbly texture and tangy taste, mostly produced and popular in Slovakia, 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 as chiroște in Moldova) are another traditional staple and are often stuffed with a soft cheese in Moldova. The dough is made with wheat flour and 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 with honey and smetana (sour cream) or condensed 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.
Holidays
Main article: Public holidays in MoldovaMost retail businesses close on New Year's Day and Independence Day, but remain open on all other holidays. Christmas is celebrated either on 7 January, the traditional date in Old Calendarists Eastern Orthodox Churches, or on 25 December, with both dates being recognized as public holidays.
On 1 March features mărțișor gifting, which is a tradition that females are gifted with a type of talisman that is given for good luck.
Music
Main article: Music of MoldovaAmong Moldova's most prominent composers are Gavriil Musicescu, Ștefan Neaga and Eugen Doga.
In the field of pop music, Moldova has produced the band O-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 the Eurovision Song Contest since 2005. Another popular band from Moldova is Zdob și Zdub that represented the country in the 2005 Eurovision Song Contest, finishing sixth, also in 2021, with a similar result.
In May 2007, Natalia Barbu represented Moldova in Helsinki at the Eurovision Song Contest 2007 with her entry "Fight". Natalia squeezed into the final by a very small margin. She took tenth place with 109 points. Then Zdob și Zdub again represented Moldova in the 2011 Eurovision Song Contest finishing 12th.
The band SunStroke Project with Olia Tira represented the country in the 2010 Eurovision Song Contest with their hit song "Run Away". Their performance gained international notoriety as an internet meme due 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 of Carla's Dreams has risen in popularity around Moldova. Carla's Dreams reached 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 are Maria Bieșu, one of the leading world's sopranos and the winner of the Japan International Competition; pianist Mark Zeltser, winner of the USSR National Competition, Long-Thibaud-Crespin Competition in Paris and Busoni Competition in Bolzano, Italy.
Media
Main articles: Media of Moldova, Television in Moldova, Cinema of Moldova, and List of newspapers in MoldovaThe right to freedom of speech and right to information are guaranteed by the Moldovan constitution. Reporters Without Borders improved Moldova's Press Freedom Index ranking 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 private FM radio networks rebroadcast output from Russian and Romanian stations. The first publicly funded national radio broadcaster, Radio Moldova, has been broadcasting since 1939 from the capital city, Chişinău. Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty is also widely available. Moldova's state-owned national radio-TV broadcaster is Teleradio-Moldova (TRM), which broadcasts the TV channel Moldova 1.
There were 3 million internet users by July 2022, approximately 76% of the population, and digital infrastructure is well-developed, with 98% 4G coverage of territory. There are a number of daily and weekly newspapers published in Moldova, among the most popular being Timpul de dimineață and Moldova Suverană, but print media has an overall small audience in Moldova. Independent media are 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 broadcasting pro-Russian propaganda and disinformation about Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 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 with Ilan 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 prison in 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.
The cinema of Moldova developed 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 are Lăutarii (1972), written and directed by Moldovan film-maker Emil Loteanu, and Wedding 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 the Transilvania International Film Festival's Audience Award. For the 37th edition of the Fribourg International Film Festival, Moldova was featured in its 'New Territory' section, which celebrates little-known film-making cultures. In July 2022, the United Nations Development Programme announced that it would be using state-of-the-art equipment to transfer more than 1,600 films from the Moldova-Film archive for posterity and cultural preservation. The United States assisted by equipping in 2021 a digitization laboratory 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.
Sports
Main article: Sport in MoldovaAssociation football is the most popular team sport in Moldova. The governing body is the Moldovan Football Federation, which belongs to UEFA. The Moldova national football team played its first match in 1994, but never qualified to the UEFA European Championship. The most successful football club is Sheriff Tiraspol, the first and only Moldovan club to qualify for the group stage of the Champions League and the Europa League. Other winners of the Moldovan National Division include Zimbru Chișinău, Dacia Chișinău, FC Tiraspol and Milsami Orhei.
Trîntă (a form of wrestling) is the national sport in Moldova. Rugby union is 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 prestigious cycling race is the Moldova President's Cup, which was first run in 2004. In chess, the Republic of Moldova has several international masters, among which can be mentioned Viorel Iordăchescu, Dmitry Svetushkin, and Viorel Bologan.
Radu Albot is one of the most successful Moldovan tennis players, with ATP singles (2019 Delray Beach Open) and doubles (2015 Istanbul Open) titles.
Athletes from Moldova have won European medals in athletics, biathlon, football, and gymnastics; world medals in archery, judo, swimming, and taekwondo; as well as Olympic medals in boxing, canoeing, shooting, weightlifting, and wrestling. Moldova made its Olympic debut at the 1994 Winter Olympics in Lillehammer. Olympic medalists include Sergei Mureiko, Oleg Moldovan, Vitalie Grușac, Veaceslav Gojan, and Serghei Tarnovschi. Nicolae Juravschi represented the Soviet Union at the 1988 Seoul Games, winning two medals.
See also
Notes
- There is a controversy over the self-identification of Moldovans, with some authors considering them ethnic Romanians.
- The de jure area, accepted by the Moldovan government and the Tiraspol authorities for Transnistria, is 3,509.6 square kilometers. The de facto area administered by Transnistria is 3,653 square kilometers, while the area claimed by Transnistria is 4,163 square kilometers.
- ^ Excludes data for Transnistria.
- /mɒlˈdoʊvə/ mol-DOH-və, sometimes UK: /ˈmɒldəvə/ MOL-də-və; Romanian pronunciation: [molˈdova]
- Romanian: Republica Moldova
- Prince Dimitrie Cantemir was one of the most important figures of the Moldavian culture of the 18th century. He wrote the first geographical, ethnographic, and economic description of the country. (in Latin) Descriptio Moldaviae, (Berlin, 1714), at Latin Wikisource.
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{{cite journal}}
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External links
- S.Res.148 – A resolution to express the sense of the Senate that the United States should support the right to self-determination of the people of the Republic of Moldavia and northern Bucovina Archived 18 October 2016 at the Wayback Machine
- Official website
- Moldova Archived 5 January 2021 at the Wayback Machine. The World Factbook. Central Intelligence Agency.
- Moldova, Republic of from UCB Libraries GovPubs.
- Moldova profile Archived 21 July 2018 at the Wayback Machine from the BBC News.
- Wikimedia Atlas of Moldova
- Geographic data related to Moldova at OpenStreetMap
- Key Development Forecasts for Moldova Archived 26 April 2012 at the Wayback Machine from International Futures.
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Categories:- Moldova
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