English
Español
中文
हिन्दी
Français
Moldova
Declare Your Relationship to Moldova
CountryReports Community
- Studying0
- From Moldova0
- Moldova heritage0
- Visited0
- Want to visit0
Customs and Culture
Customs and Culture
About the People
Moldova's fertile black soil and mild climate make the country ideal for agriculture. Extensive irrigation systems supplement the rainfall. Crop farmers grow barley, beets, corn, grapes and sunflowers. Livestock farmers raise sheep and cattle. Moldova is transition from a traditional agriculture to light industries such as food processing, meat packing, sugar refining and fertilizer production.
Cultural Attributes
Moldova's fertile black soil and mild climate make the country ideal for agriculture. Extensive irrigation systems supplement the rainfall. Crop farmers grow barley, beets, corn, grapes and sunflowers. Livestock farmers raise sheep and cattle. Moldova is transition from a traditional agriculture to light industries such as food processing, meat packing, sugar refining and fertilizer production.
Vineyard of Eastern Europe
Greetings, Gestures & Visiting
In villages even stranger say Buna Ziua (good day) to each other. In urban areas only acquaintances greet each other. In formal settings men shake hands and may kiss the hand of a women.
Urban people wear either Western or European style of clothes. Rural men wear shirts and pants made of durable cloth fit for farming activities. Rural women wear flowery cotton or flannel dresses. The female traditional costume included a white embroidered vest trimmed with sheep fleece and a white shirt with lace on the hem usually covered by a black embroidered skirt. The male traditional costume was a white embroidered shirt, a vest like the women's, white pants, a hat decorated with peacock feathers or flowers or a sheep fleece cap.
Diet
Lunch is the main meal, it consists of a starter or appetizer, soup and a hot dish. Breakfast may consist of a sandwich, a piece of cake, an omelet or porridge with tea. The evening meal or dinner may also be a hot meal but is usually lighter than lunch.
Family
Most couples have only one or two children. Many women work full-time as well as do the housework.
Recreation
Soccer is the most popular sport. Visiting family and friends and the numerous parks are favorite recreational activities. Vacations are usually taken at the Romanian or the Ukrainian seaside or mountains.
Holidays
Independence Day
8/27Independence Day
Dates of Interest
- August 27th
How do people greet each other in Moldova?
In villages even strangers say Buna Ziua (good day) to each other, while in urban areas only acquaintances greet one another. In formal settings men shake hands and may kiss a woman's hand.
Do
- Say Buna Ziua (good day) when greeting people in villages
- Shake hands among men in formal settings
Good to know
- In cities, expect greetings mainly between acquaintances
What are dining customs like in Moldova?
Lunch is the main meal, consisting of a starter or appetizer, soup and a hot dish. Breakfast is lighter and dinner is usually lighter than lunch.
Good to know
- Breakfast may be a sandwich, cake, an omelet or porridge with tea
- Dinner may be a hot meal but is typically lighter than lunch
How should I dress in Moldova?
Urban people wear Western or European style clothing, while rural men wear durable shirts and pants for farming and rural women wear flowery cotton or flannel dresses.
Good to know
- Traditional female costume includes a white embroidered vest trimmed with sheep fleece and a lace-hemmed shirt under a black embroidered skirt
- Traditional male costume includes a white embroidered shirt, a vest, white pants and a feather- or fleece-decorated hat
What are families like in Moldova?
Most couples have only one or two children, and many women work full-time in addition to doing the housework.
What do people do for fun in Moldova?
Soccer is the most popular sport, and visiting family and friends and spending time in the numerous parks are favorite recreational activities.
Good to know
- Vacations are usually taken at the Romanian or Ukrainian seaside or mountains
Last updated: 2026-07-12 · Sources: CountryReports
Photos of Moldova
Photos of Moldova
Travel and Tourism
Travel and Tourism
- Travel Alert Status
- Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution
- Currency
- Moldovan leu (MDL)
- Time Difference
- UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
- Climate
- Moldova's climate is mild in the winter and warm in the summery. Winter temperatures are typically in the 20s (F) but occasionally fall below zero. Highs in the summer are typically in the 80s but can go as high as 100. There are four distinct seasons, with foliage on trees between April and October. The climate is semi”‘arid. Because of the clearing of land for agricultural cultivation--especially in the Soviet era for grape production--there are few forests or woodlands. There has been soil erosion due to farming methods. The effect in the cities is that occasionally dust can blow up from the streets in gusts. Humidity in the summer can be high.
- Airports
- 24
Read the full travel guide — health, safety, vaccinations, disease risk, sanitation, and transit details.
View full travel guideRecipes
Recipes
Moldovan Style Polenta
Side Dish
Main Dish
Pui cu Smintina (Chicken with Sour Cream)
Main Dish
Mititei (Grilled Sausages with Peppers)
Main Dish
Sarmale (Stuffed Cabbage)
Main Dish
Borscht (Beetroot Soup)
Side Dish
Mamaliga (Cornmeal Mush that Resembles Pudding)
Side Dish
Moldovan Style Polenta
History
History
Historical Eras
Ancient & Medieval Crossroads
600 BCE – 1359
The territory of present-day Moldova served as a corridor for successive waves of invaders and migrants, including Greeks, Romans, Huns, Bulgars, and Mongols. In the 13th century the region was absorbed into the Mongol Empire. Its strategic position between the Black Sea steppe and the Carpathian foothills made permanent settlement and political stability elusive throughout antiquity and the early medieval period.
Principality of Moldova
1359 – 1538
An independent Moldovan principality emerged around 1359, reaching its zenith under Stefan cel Mare (Stephen the Great), who ruled from 1457 to 1504 and successfully defended the principality against Ottoman, Polish, and Hungarian encroachments. His reign is regarded as the golden age of Moldovan statehood, marked by the construction of numerous Orthodox monasteries and decisive military victories. After his death the principality gradually succumbed to Ottoman suzerainty by the 1530s.
Ottoman Suzerainty
1538 – 1812
Moldova became a vassal state of the Ottoman Empire, paying tribute and enduring frequent interference in its internal affairs, though it retained a degree of autonomous administration under locally appointed hospodars. The region was repeatedly ravaged by Russo-Turkish wars throughout the 18th century. The Treaty of Bucharest in 1812 ended this era for the eastern half of the principality, ceding Bessarabia to the Russian Empire.
Russian Imperial Rule
1812 – 1918
The eastern portion of Moldova, renamed Bessarabia, was incorporated into the Russian Empire following the Russo-Turkish War of 1806–12. Russian imperial policy promoted settlement by Slavic and other ethnic groups while suppressing Romanian cultural and linguistic identity. The collapse of the Romanov dynasty amid World War I and the Bolshevik Revolution created a power vacuum that enabled the local assembly, the Sfatul Țării, to declare union with Romania in 1918.
Romanian & Soviet Contestation
1918 – 1991
Bessarabia's union with Romania was recognized internationally by the Treaty of Paris in 1920, but the Soviet Union never accepted it. The Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact of 1939 led to Soviet annexation in 1940 and the creation of the Moldavian SSR; Romanian and German forces reoccupied the territory in 1941, during which the Jewish population of Bessarabia was decimated in the Holocaust. The Soviets reestablished control in 1944, and Moldova remained part of the USSR until independence was declared in August 1991.
Independent Republic
1991 – present
Moldova declared independence on August 27, 1991, but its early years were marked by armed conflict with the breakaway Transnistria region, where Russian forces intervened in support of separatists, and by a separatist movement among the Gagauz minority in the south. A new constitution adopted in 1994 declared the country permanently neutral. Moldova remains one of Europe's poorest nations, navigating tensions between closer European integration and its historical and economic ties to Russia.
Overview
The Republic of Moldova occupies most of what has been known as Bessarabia. Moldova’s location has made it a historic passageway between Asia and southern Europe, as well as the victim of frequent warfare. Greeks, Romans, Huns, and Bulgars invaded the area, which in the 13th century became part of the Mongol empire. An independent Moldovan state emerged briefly in the 14th century under celebrated leader Stefan the Great but subsequently fell under Ottoman Turkish rule in the 16th century.
After the Russo-Turkish War of 1806-12, the eastern half of Moldova (Bessarabia) between the Prut and the Dniester Rivers was ceded to Russia, while Romanian Moldavia (west of the Prut) remained with the Turks. Romania, which gained independence in 1878, took control of Russian-ruled Bessarabia in 1918. The Soviet Union never recognized the action and created an autonomous Moldavian republic on the east side of the Dniester River in 1924.
In 1940, Romania was forced to cede Bessarabia to the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (U.S.S.R.), which established the Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic by merging the autonomous republic east of the Dniester and the annexed Bessarabian portion. Stalin also stripped the three southern counties along the Black Sea coast from Moldova and incorporated them in the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic. Romania sought to regain Bessarabia by joining with Germany in the 1941 attack on the Soviet Union. On June 22, 1941, German and Romanian troops crossed the border and deportations of the Jews from Bessarabia began immediately. By September 1941, most of the Jews of Bessarabia and Bukovina had been transported in convoys and force marched to concentration camps in Transnistria. About 185,000 Jews were in the Transnistria area in concentration camps by 1942 in abysmal conditions. Very few were left alive in these camps when the Soviets reoccupied Bessarabia in 1944.
In September 1990, the Supreme Soviet elected Mircea Snegur as President of the Soviet Socialist Republic of Moldova. A former Communist Party official, he endorsed independence from the Soviet Union and actively sought Western recognition. On May 23, 1991, the Supreme Soviet renamed itself the Parliament of the Republic of Moldova, which subsequently declared its independence from the U.S.S.R.
In August 1991, Moldova’s transition to democracy initially had been impeded by an ineffective Parliament, the lack of a new constitution, a separatist movement led by the Gagauz (Christian Turkic) minority in the south, and unrest in the Transnistria region on the left bank of the Nistru/Dniester River, where a separatist movement declared a "Transdniester Moldovan Republic" in September 1990. The Russian 14th Army intervened to stem widespread violence and support the Transnistrian regime, which is led by supporters of the 1991 coup attempt in Moscow. In 1992, the government negotiated a cease-fire arrangement with Russian and Transnistrian officials, although tensions continue, and negotiations are ongoing. In February 1994, new legislative elections were held, and the ineffective Parliament that had been elected in 1990 to a 5-year term was replaced. A new constitution was adopted in July 1994. The conflict with the Gagauz minority was defused by the granting of local autonomy in 1994.
Timeline of Key Events
1812
Treaty of Bucharest grants Russia control of eastern Moldova.
Treaty of Bucharest grants Russia control of eastern Moldova or Bessarabia, the area between the River Prut and the west bank of the Dniester. The Ottoman Empire gains control of western Moldova.
1878
Ottomans recognize independence of Romanian state including western Moldova.
Ottomans recognize independence of Romanian state including western Moldova.
1918
Following the Bolshevik revolution in Russia, Bessarabia declares independence.
Following the Bolshevik revolution in Russia, Bessarabia declares independence. Its parliament calls for union with Romania.
1920
Treaty of Paris recognizes union of Bessarabia with Romania. The Bolsheviks do not.
Treaty of Paris recognizes union of Bessarabia with Romania. The Bolsheviks do not.
1939
Romania carved up in pact between Hitler’s Germany and Stalin’s USSR.
Romania carved up in pact between Hitler’s Germany and Stalin’s USSR. Bessarabia is one of the areas to go to the USSR.
1991
Moldova declares its independence.
Moldova declares its independence. It joins the Commonwealth of Independent States, the successor to the Soviet Union.
1994
A new constitution proclaims Moldova’s neutrality.
A new constitution proclaims Moldova’s neutrality.
Read the full history profile — narrative overview, defining eras, and the complete timeline in one place.
View expanded historyInteresting Facts
Interesting Facts
When a child loses a tooth they throw their tooth on the roof of the house and say “Crow, crow, coming from the mill, I am giving you a milk tooth, now you give me a bone one.”
One of the world's largest caves can be found in Criva in Moldova. Its underground path is the eighth longest in the world.
See every fact — trivia, oddities, and curious tidbits gathered from across the country.
View all interesting factsGeography and Environment
Geography and Environment
- Terrain
- rolling steppe, gradual slope south to Black Sea
- Climate
- Moldova’s climate is mild in the winter and warm in the summery. Winter temperatures are typically in the 20s (F) but occasionally fall below zero. Highs in the summer are typically in the 80s but can go as high as 100. There are four distinct seasons, with foliage on trees between April and October. The climate is semi‑arid. Because of the clearing of land for agricultural cultivation—especially in the Soviet era for grape production—there are few forests or woodlands. There has been soil erosion due to farming methods. The effect in the cities is that occasionally dust can blow up from the streets in gusts. Humidity in the summer can be high.
- Natural Hazards
- landslides (57 cases in 1998)
- Current Environmental Issues
- heavy use of agricultural chemicals, including banned pesticides such as DDT, has contaminated soil and groundwater; extensive soil erosion from poor farming methods
Read the full geography and environment profile — terrain, climate, natural resources, hazards, land use, and international agreements.
View full geographyPeople & Demographics
People & Demographics
Religion
Languages Spoken
Moldovan (official, virtually the same as the Romanian language), Russian, Gagauz (a Turkish dialect)
- Russian
Population
- Population
- 4,317,483
- Population in Major Urban Areas
- CHISINAU (capital) 677,000
- Nationality Noun
- Moldovan(s)
- Ethnic Groups
- Moldovan/Romanian 64.5%, Ukrainian 13.8%, Russian 13%, Jewish 1.5%, Bulgarian 2%, Gagauz and other 5.2%
Education
- Literacy Definition
- age 15 and over can read and write
Read the full people and society profile — demographics, health, education, religion, languages, and notable people.
View full people and societyGovernment & Politics
Government & Politics
Country Identity
- Country Name
- Moldova
- Full Country Name
- Republic of Moldova
- Local - Long
- Republica Moldova
- Former Name
- Soviet Socialist Republic of Moldova; Moldavia
Government Structure
- Government Type
- republic
- Legal System
- based on civil law system; Constitutional Court reviews legality of legislative acts and governmental decisions of resolution; it is unclear if Moldova accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction but accepts many UN and Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) documents
- Executive Branch
- chief of state: President Vladimir VORONIN (since 4 April 2001) head of government: Prime Minister Vasile TARLEV (since 15 April 2001), First Deputy Prime Minister Zinaida GRECIANII (since 10 October 2005) cabinet: Cabinet selected by president, subject to approval of Parliament elections: president elected by Parliament for a four-year term; election last held 4 April 2005 (next to be held in 2009); note - prime minister designated by the president, upon consultation with Parliament; within 15 days from designation, the prime minister-designate must request a vote of confidence from the Parliament regarding his/her work program and entire cabinet; prime minister designated 15 April 2001, cabinet received a vote of confidence 19 April 2001 election results: Vladimir VORONIN reelected president; parliamentary votes - Vladimir VORONIN 75, Gheorghe DUCA 1; Vasile TARLEV designated prime minister; parliamentary votes of confidence - 75 of 101
- Legislative Branch
- unicameral Parliament or Parlamentul (101 seats; parties and electoral blocs elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 6 March 2005 (next to be held in 2009) election results: percent of vote by party - PCRM 46.1%, Democratic Moldova Bloc 28.4%, PPCD 9.1%, other parties 16.4%; seats by party - PCRM 56, Democratic Moldova Bloc 34, PPCD 11
- Judicial Branch
- Supreme Court; Constitutional Court (the sole authority for constitutional judicature)
- Suffrage
- 18 years of age; universal
- Constitution
- new constitution adopted 28 July 1994; replaces old Soviet constitution of 1979
- Independence
- 27 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)
- National Holiday
- Independence Day, 27 August (1991)
Capital City
- Capital Name
- Chisinau in Romanian (Kishinev in Russian) pronounced KEE-shee-now (KIH-shi-nyov)
- Capital - geographic coordinate
- 47 00 N, 28 51 E
- Capital Time Difference
- UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
origin unclear but may derive from the archaic Romanian word chisla ("spring" or "water source") and noua ("new") because the original settlement was built at the site of a small spring
Military
Branches: National Army: Land Forces Command, Air Forces Command (includes air defense unit), Logistics Command
Embassy / Diplomatic Mission
U.S. Embassy Chisinau
103, Mateevici Street, Chisinau, Moldova
Telephone: (373) (22) 40-83-00
Emergency after-hours telephone: (373)(22) 23-73-45
Fax: (373)(22) 22-63-61
Read the full government profile — flag symbolism, national anthem, and other national symbols.
View full government detailsEconomy
Economy
Moldova is one of the poorest countries in Europe, though it has made significant economic progress in recent years. The country enjoys a favorable climate and fertile farmland but lacks major mineral deposits. As a result, the economy depends heavily on agriculture, with key products including fruits, vegetables, wine, grains, sunflower seeds, and tobacco. Moldova imports most of its energy supplies, historically relying on Russia for natural gas, though it has worked to diversify its energy sources following disruptions linked to the war in Ukraine.
Since independence in 1991, Moldova has introduced wide-ranging market reforms, including a convertible currency, price liberalization, land privatization, and the removal of export controls and interest rate caps. The government has worked with the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, and the European Union to promote growth, strengthen institutions, and reduce poverty. Moldova signed an Association Agreement with the EU in 2014 and was granted EU candidate status in June 2022, opening accession negotiations in 2024. These developments have anchored ongoing structural reforms and attracted increased Western financial support.
The economy contracted sharply in 2022 due to soaring energy prices, drought, and spillover effects from the war in neighboring Ukraine, but growth resumed modestly in 2023 and 2024 as inflation eased from peaks above 30% to single digits. Remittances from Moldovans working abroad remain a significant pillar of household income. The economy continues to be vulnerable to energy price shocks, adverse weather, regional instability, and persistent challenges including corruption, emigration, and the unresolved status of the breakaway Transnistria region. Nonetheless, EU integration and continued reform efforts offer a path toward greater resilience and long-term growth.
Snapshot
- Currency Name and Code
- Moldovan Leu (MDL)
- GDP — official exchange rate
- $2,416,000,000 (USD)
- GDP Real Growth Rate
- 7.1%
- Gini Index
- 36.2
Banknotes
Budget & Public Finance
- Fiscal Year
- calendar year
- Annual Budget
- $1,065,000,000 (USD)
- Public Debt (% of GDP)
- 72.9%
- External Debt
- $1,926,000,000 (USD)
- Investment (% of GDP)
- 21%
- Economic Aid
- $100,000,000 (USD)
- Current Account Balance
- -$178,000,000 (USD)
- Reserves of Foreign Exchange
- $520,000,000 (USD)
Labor, Industry & Trade
- Labor Force by Occupation
- agriculture 40%; industry 14%; services 46%
- Household Income — highest 10%
- 30.7%
- Industries
- food processing, agricultural machinery, foundry equipment, refrigerators and freezers, washing machines, hosiery, sugar, vegetable oil, shoes, textiles
- Agriculture Products
- vegetables, fruits, wine, grain, sugar beets, sunflower seed, tobacco; beef, milk
- Export Commodities
- foodstuffs, textiles, machinery
- Export Partners
- Russia 34.6%, Italy 11.5%, Germany 9.1%, Ukraine 6.9%, Romania 6.2%, US 5.2%, Belarus 4.5%, Spain 4.1%
- Import Commodities
- mineral products and fuel 32%, machinery and equipment, chemicals, textiles
- Import Partners
- Ukraine 22.6%, Russia 20.2%, Germany 10.7%, Romania 8.3%, Italy 7%
Energy
- Oil Production
- 0 bbl/day
- Oil Consumption
- 37,000 bbl/day
- Oil Reserves
- 0 bbl/day
- Natural Gas Production
- 0 cu m
- Natural Gas Consumption
- 2,380,000,000 cu m
- Natural Gas Imports
- 2,050,000,000 cu m
- Natural Gas Exports
- 0 cu m
- Natural Gas Reserves
- 0 cu m
Communications
- Telephone System
- general assessment: poor service outside Chisinau; some modernization is under way domestic: multiple private operators of GSM mobile-cellular telephone service are operating; GPRS system is being introduced; a CDMA mobile telephone network began operations in 2007; combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity 100 per 100 persons international: country code - 373; service through Romania and Russia via landline; satellite earth stations - at least 3 (Intelsat, Eutelsat, and Intersputnik)
- Internet Country Code
- .md
News & Weather
News & Weather
Current Weather
Latest News
‘It’s like returning to the Wild West’ – Moldova seeks to attract back its lost citizens - EU NEIGHBOURS east
EU NEIGHBOURS east · 15h ago
Moldova India - Dayton Daily News
Dayton Daily News · 14h ago
Moldova India - Journal-News.com
Journal-News.com · 14h ago
Moldova India - The Herald Journal
The Herald Journal · 7h ago
Moldova India - GazetteXtra
GazetteXtra · 7h ago
Moldova India - The Herald Journal
The Herald Journal · 7h ago
Moldova India - GazetteXtra
GazetteXtra · 7h ago
Moldova India - The Herald Journal
The Herald Journal · 7h ago
News via Google News
Climate Overview
Moldova's climate is mild in the winter and warm in the summery. Winter temperatures are typically in the 20s (F) but occasionally fall below zero. Highs in the summer are typically in the 80s but can go as high as 100. There are four distinct seasons, with foliage on trees between April and October. The climate is semi”‘arid. Because of the clearing of land for agricultural cultivation--especially in the Soviet era for grape production--there are few forests or woodlands. There has been soil erosion due to farming methods. The effect in the cities is that occasionally dust can blow up from the streets in gusts. Humidity in the summer can be high.
Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the population of Moldova?
How do people greet each other in Moldova?
What are dining customs like in Moldova?
How should I dress in Moldova?
What are families like in Moldova?
What do people do for fun in Moldova?
What is the capital of Moldova?
Where is Moldova located?
What countries border Moldova?
What is the main religion practiced in Moldova?
What is the currency of Moldova?
What languages are spoken in Moldova?
What is Moldova known for?
What is the geography of Moldova like?
Last reviewed 2026