Moldova, which is located between Romania and Ukraine, became an independent republic after the Soviet Union fell apart in 1991.
The economy of Moldova, one of the poorest nations in Europe, is heavily dependent on agriculture. Romanians make up two-thirds of Moldova's population, and the two nations have similar cultural traditions.
Before 1940, when the Soviet Union combined it with Bessarabia to form the Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic, the industrialized region to the east of the Dniester, also known as Transnistria or the Dniester region, was formally an autonomous area within Ukraine.
Russian and Ukrainian speakers predominate in this area. In the turbulent final years of the Soviet Union, as people there grew more concerned about the possibility of closer ties with Romania, Transnistria unilaterally declared independence from Moldova in 1990.
Fighting erupted next. Transnistria has been in a state of limbo ever since its independence was never recognized.
- Capital:. Chisinau.
- Area:. 33,851 sq km.
- Population:. 2.06 billion.
- Languages:. Russian, Ukrainian, Gagauz, Moldovan, and Romanian.
- Expected lifespan: (Men) 67 years; (Women) 76 years.
Maia Sandu is the president.
Since November 2020, the president. The pro-Russian president Igor Dodon's attempt to win reelection was thwarted by the former prime minister.
Pro-European Ms. Sandu, who tried unsuccessfully to unseat Mr. Dodon in 2016, briefly led a government in 2019, but it was toppled due to a disagreement over the choice of a prosecutor-general.
Dorin Recean, the prime minister.
The 48-year-old Dorin Recean has been proposed for the position of prime minister of Moldova by the majority-holding Party of Action and Solidarity (PAS), a pro-European party in power.
Natalia Gavrilita, who led the government since the PAS ousted a pro-Russian coalition in the 2021 parliamentary elections, will be succeeded by him. She resigned on February 10.
Following his nomination, Recean gave reporters a list of his top three priorities. "The first is discipline in government agencies that must assist individuals and companies. Although there is opposition to this, we will get past it.
"The second is giving the economy new life as soon as possible. This entails locating more funding for investments in small and medium-sized businesses so that they can generate employment, raise wages, and contribute to our prosperity.
"Peace and prosperity are number three. We must recognize that we are up against the most serious dangers and obstacles since World War 2. To ensure that everyone feels secure, the security sector must be strengthened. ".
Since the 2021 parliamentary election, which installed a pro-European government, the media has undergone a significant change.
The government has made it simpler for journalists to access official information, which has helped Moldova move up in Reporters Without Borders' ranking of countries with respect to media freedom.
Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, parliament has effectively outlawed repeats of Russian political and news programs and established penalties for purported fake news.
Media portrayals of political conflicts between pro-Russian and pro-Western camps are common.
1924 . - The Moldovan Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic was founded in Ukraine, east of the Dniester River.
1940 . - Russia takes control of Bessarabia from Romania and unites it with the majority of the Moldovan Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic to form the Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic.
1991 . - The independence of Moldova is declared. It joins the successor to the Soviet Union, the Commonwealth of Independent States.
2001 . - Vladimir Voronin's communist party garners just over 50% of the vote in the elections.
2014 . - When Moldova signs an association agreement with the EU, Russia places import restrictions on agricultural products from that nation.
2015. - The National Bank discovers official inaction regarding the theft of $1 billion from the banking system, or about 12.5 percent of the GDP annually, sparking a major political crisis and credit crunch.
2019 . Following the parliamentary elections in February, there were attempts to form a new government during the June-Molovovan constitutional crisis. Competing individuals sought the positions of prime minister and speaker of the parliament as well as the privileges and responsibilities of the president.
2020. Due to the Covid-19 outbreak, a temporary state of emergency was declared in March.
2020. November: Maia Sandu, a pro-European opposition candidate, defeats outgoing pro-Russian leader Igor Dodon to become Moldova's first female president.
