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Moldova

geography Maturity 11-13 Next article →

Moldova, officially the Republic of Moldova, is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe.

Location Moldova Europe
Location Moldova Europe

It sits on the northeastern corner of the Balkans within the Black Sea Basin. The nation is bordered by Romania to the west and Ukraine to the north, east, and south.

Moldova - Location Map (2013) - MDA - UNOCHA
Moldova - Location Map (2013) - MDA - UNOCHA

The Prut river marks the western boundary with Romania. The Dniester river flows through the country and forms the eastern border with Ukraine. A strip of territory called Transnistria sits on the eastern bank of the Dniester. This region is an unrecognised breakaway state that has held de facto control since 1990.

Although Moldova is landlocked, it has a small connection to international waters. In 1999, the country acquired a 0.45 kilometer river frontage to the Danube from Ukraine. This area is located at the village of Giurgiulești in the southwest. This small strip allows Moldova to operate a river port. This port provides access to the Danube and the Black Sea. The Dniester river is a major feature that rises in Ukraine. It passes through Moldova before emptying into the Black Sea.

The landscape of Moldova is largely composed of hills rather than flat plains. These elevations are part of the Moldavian Plateau, which originated from the Carpathian Mountains. The country contains several distinct geological subdivisions. These include the Dniester Hills and the Moldavian Plain. The Central Moldavian Plateau contains areas like the Codri Massive, which means "forests." In the south, there is a small flat area called the Bugeac Plain.

Peisaj din raionul Ungheni-2
Peisaj din raionul Ungheni-2

The territory east of the Dniester includes parts of the Podolian Plateau and the Eurasian Steppe.

Agriculture is supported by exceptionally rich soil found throughout the nation. This dark, fertile soil is called Chernozem. It covers approximately three-quarters of the total land area. While the land is rich, forests are relatively scarce. They cover only about 11% of the country. This low forest coverage resulted in a low Forest Landscape Integrity Index score. Despite this, the country is working to increase its forest range. Wooded areas provide habitats for animals like red deer, roe deer, and wild boar.

Orhei Moldova
Orhei Moldova

The history of the region spans many millennia. Evidence of human habitation dates back as far as 800,000 to 1.2 million years. In the 1350s, the medieval Principality of Moldavia emerged. This state was the precursor to modern Moldova and Romania.

DragosIofMoldavia
DragosIofMoldavia

Over time, the region was influenced by the Scythians, Goths, and Huns. It also experienced periods of Roman and Byzantine control. In 1812, the Russian Empire annexed the eastern half of the principality, known as Bessarabia. The territory later became part of Romania before the Soviet Union reclaimed it in 1940.

Modern Moldova emerged from the dissolution of the Soviet Union. The Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic declared independence on August 27, 1991.

Parliament Building in Chișinău
Parliament Building in Chișinău

The capital is Chișinău, which serves as the main commercial and cultural center. Chișinău is located on the Bîc river, a tributary of the Dniester. About one third of the national population lives in the Chișinău metro area. The country has a population of approximately 2.38 million people. In 2020, Maia Sandu was elected as the first female president.

Nativity Cathedral - Moldova (by David Stanley)
Nativity Cathedral - Moldova (by David Stanley)

Under her leadership, the country has pursued membership in the European Union. Moldova was granted candidate status in June 2022.

European Union Moldova Locator
European Union Moldova Locator

Economically, Moldova faces several significant challenges. It is the poorest country in Europe based on GDP per official capita. Much of the national economy is dominated by the service sector. The country also has one of the lowest Human Development Indexes in Europe. In 2023, it ranked 86th in the world for this index. On the Global Innovation Index, Moldova ranks 74th.

Annual growth of GDP for Moldova, Romania, and Ukraine, 1980 to 2028
Annual growth of GDP for Moldova, Romania, and Ukraine, 1980 to 2028

Despite these challenges, Moldova is an active member of many international organizations. These include the United Nations and the World Trade Organization. It also belongs to the Council of Europe and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe.

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🖼️ Images & Media (27)
Imnul Republicii Moldova US NAVY.ogg
File:Location Moldova Europe.png
Location Moldova Europe.png
File:Moldova - Location Map (2013) - MDA - UNOCHA.svg
Moldova - Location Map (2013) - MDA - UNOCHA.svg
File:DragosIofMoldavia.jpg
DragosIofMoldavia.jpg
File:Malul abrupt al Nistrului Naslavcea-Verejeni Ocnita (11).jpg
Malul abrupt al Nistrului...
File:Peisaj din raionul Ungheni-2.jpg
Peisaj din raionul Ungheni-2.jpg
File:Rezervatia „LaCastel Gordinesti” Edinet (10).jpg
Rezervatia „LaCastel Gordinesti” Edinet (10).jpg
File:Moldova Competitiveness Project, USAID Moldova (48121769796).jpg
Moldova Competitiveness Project, USAID...
File:Orhei Vechi, Moldova - Flickr - Dave Proffer (13).jpg
Orhei Vechi, Moldova - Flickr - Dave...
File:Saiga antelope at the Stepnoi Sanctuary.jpg
Saiga antelope at the Stepnoi Sanctuary.jpg
File:Parliament Building in Chișinău.jpg
Parliament Building in Chișinău.jpg
File:Batumi International Conference, on 19 July 2021 05 (cropped).jpg
Batumi International Conference, on 19...

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