Moldova | History, Capital, Language, Flag, Facts

History of Moldova:

Moldova was known as Bessarabia early in its history. Due to its central location, Moldova served for many years as a thoroughfare between Asia and Southern Europe. It has also been the scene of many wars, and the country has changed hands between empires many times throughout its history. There were various invaders: Greeks, Romans, Huns, Bulgars, Mongols.

An independent Moldova briefly emerged in the 14th century under the Moldavian hero Stephen the Great. However, the Ottoman Empire conquered the area in the 16th century. As a result of the Russo-Turkish War, Moldova was divided, leaving the eastern half in Russia and the western half in Turkey. Romania took over half of Russia in 1918.

During World War II, Romania joined Germany in attacking the Soviet Union. They crossed the border into Bessarabia and expelled the Jews. Few of the 185,000 Jews survived until the Russians reoccupied the area in 1944. Moldova declared independence after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1990. The transition to democracy and a market economy has not been easy.

Moldova has many ethnic groups such as Romanians, Ukrainians, Russians and Bulgarians. The official language is Moldovan, along with Romanian, but many residents also speak Russian, Ukrainian and Gagauz.

Information about Moldova:

Capital	Chisinau (Kishinev)
Population	3,418,221 (Source: 2023 worldometer)
Major Cities	Chisinau (Kishinev) (capital), Tiraspol, Balti, Tighina, Rabnita, Ribnita, Orhei, Cahul
Borders	Mexico to the north, Guatemala to the west and south, and the Caribbean Sea to the east
Gross Domestic Product (GDP)	$14,420,947,884 (2022 worldometer)
Currency	Moldovan leu (MDL)

Flag of Moldova:

Moldova Economy Key Industries:

Moldova Major Industries: sugar, vegetable oil, food processing, agricultural machinery; foundry equipment, refrigerators and freezers, washing machines; hosiery, shoes, textiles

Moldova Agricultural Products: vegetables, fruits, wine, grain, sugar beets, sunflower seed, tobacco; beef, milk

Moldova Natural Resources: lignite, phosphorites, gypsum, arable land, limestone

Moldova Major Exports: foodstuffs, textiles, machinery

Moldova Major Imports: mineral products and fuel, machinery and equipment, chemicals, textiles (2000)

The Geography of Moldova:

Total Size of Moldova: 33,483 km² (source: 2022 wikipedia)

Geographical Low Point of Moldova: Dniester River 2 m

Geographical High Point of Moldova: Dealul Balanesti 430 m

Climate of Moldova: Moderate winters, warm summers

General Terrain of Moldova: rolling steppe, gradual slope south to Black Sea

World Region or Continent of Moldova:  Europe

Geographical Coordinates: 47 00 N, 29 00 E

The People of  Moldova & Culture

Moldova Government Type: republic

Moldova Nationality: Moldovan (s)

Moldova National Holiday: Independence Day, 27 August (1991)

Moldova Independence: 27 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)

Moldova National Symbol: aurochs (a type of wild cattle)

Moldova National Anthem or Song: Limba noastra (Our Language)

Moldova Languages Spoken: Moldovan (official, virtually the same as the Romanian language), Russian, Gagauz (a Turkish dialect)

Moldova Religions: Eastern Orthodox 98%, Jewish 1.5%, Baptist and other 0.5% (2000)

Interesting Facts about Moldova:

Moldova has a rich winemaking tradition and is known for its vineyards and wine production. It is also called “European Wine Cellar”.

The Dniester River flows through Moldova and separates it from the segregated region of Transnistria.

Moldova became independent from the Soviet Union on August 27, 1991.

Moldova celebrates its Independence Day on August 27th every year. Chisinau is the capital and largest city of Moldova. It is the economic, political and cultural center of the country.

The official language of Moldova is Moldovan, which is almost identical to Romanian. Russian is also widely spoken.

Moldova has a diverse cultural heritage influenced by Romanian, Russian and other neighboring cultures.