Moldova is Europe’s poorest country. Just over a quarter of the population lives below the poverty line, most of them in rural areas and in smaller cities. The country borders Ukraine and Romania.
| Capital: | Chisinau |
| Biggest city: | Chisinau |
| State: | republic, member of the CIS |
| Language: | Moldavian (Romanian), Russian |
| Religion: | orthodox christian |
| Surface: | 33,843 km² |
| Population: | 4.1 million (2013) |
| Population density: | 128 residents per km² |
| Life expectancy: | 71 years |
| Illiteracy: | 1% |
| Currency: | moldavisk leu (MDL) 1 leu = 0.49 kr |
| GDP per capita: | $ 2,900 (2010) |
| Time difference: | +1 hour |
| Electricity: | 220 V AC, 50Hz |
| National Day: | August 27th |
| Country area code: | 373 |
| 2-Letter country abbreviation: | MD (See more abbreviations on Abbreviationfinder) |
| Business: | service sector 46%, agriculture 34%, industry 20% |
| Climate: | temperate; mild winters and hot summers |
Moldova became independent from the Soviet Union in 1991, and later that year, Transnistria declared its independence from Moldova, leading to a brief but bloody civil war. The conflict is still unresolved and Moldova is still a divided country. Transnistria is today classified as a center for extensive smuggling and other illegal activities. In southern Moldova, Gagauzien has also gained autonomy.
According to an article in Dagens Nyheter, Moldova has two major exports: women and human organs. In a country where SEK 150 is considered a good monthly income, according to the newspaper, it is easy to attract people to sell themselves or their kidney. A typical dish in Moldova is sarmales; meat and rice wrapped in leaves from vine or cabbage. Reminiscent of our cabbage dolma.
The fictional country Syldavien that appears in some albums with Tintin has borrowed parts of its name from Moldova.
WORLD HERITAGE
The following objects in Moldova are listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The year in which the item was added to the list is indicated in parentheses.
- A measuring point in Struve’s meridian arc (2005)
ELECTRICAL OUTLET
Electricity and electrical outlets in Moldova
Voltage: 220 V
Frequency: 50 Hz
Type of plug: B, C
Need an adapter: No, you do not need an adapter.
CLIMATE AND WEATHER
Weather in Chisinau
| Climate | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Christmas | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
| Average temperature °C | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 19 | 20 | 22 | 23 | 23 | 22 | 20 | 18 |
| Day °C | 0 | 1 | 9 | 14 | 21 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 21 | 15 | 7 | 2 |
| Night °C | -5 | -5 | 0 | 6 | 11 | 15 | 16 | 16 | 12 | 6 | 1 | -2 |
| Rain (mm) | 40 | 40 | 40 | 50 | 60 | 80 | 70 | 60 | 40 | 40 | 40 | 40 |
| Rainy days | 7 | 6 | 9 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 9 |
| Soltim / day | 6 | 7 | 9 | 10 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 12 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 6 |
Chisinau
According to Countryaah, Chisinau is the capital and industrial and commercial center of Moldova. It is also the country’s largest city with just over 700,000 residents (2004). The city is located in the middle of the country, on the river Bîc. Economically, the city is by far the richest in Moldova and one of the region’s main industrial centers and transportation hubs. As the city is Moldova’s most important, it contains a wide range of educational institutions.
The city was founded in 1436 as a monastic city. The city was part of the medieval province of Moldova, which began to fall under the protection of the Ottoman Empire in the 16th century. At the beginning of the 19th century, the city had only 7,000 residents. In 1812 it was occupied by Russia, which made it the center of Bessarabia. Its population grew rapidly to 92,000 in 1862 and to 125,787 in 1900. The city played an important role in the Russo-Turkish War of 1877 to 1878, as the center of Russia’s invasion.
During the late 19th century, especially due to growing anti-Semitic currents in Russia and Poland and due to better economic conditions, many Jews chose to settle in Chisinau. In 1900, 43 percent of the population were Jews. Chisinau belonged to Romania between 1918 and 1940, when it was taken back by the Soviet Union.