Moldova
The Republic of Moldova is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe, located between Romania to the west and Ukraine to the east. Its border with Romania follows the Prut and lower Danube rivers. Formerly a part of the Soviet Union as the Moldavian SSR, it occupies most of the territory formerly known as Bessarabia, together with areas on the left (eastern) bank of the Dniestr River added in 1940.

Initially, there was a movement to reunite with Romania, but a March 1994 referendum saw an overwhelming majority of voters favoring continued independence.
Economy
Moldova’s economy depends heavily on agriculture, featuring fruits, vegetables, wine and tobacco. Moldova must import all of its supplies of oil, coal and natural gas – largely from Russia. Energy shortages contributed to sharp production declines after the breakup of the Soviet Union in 1991. The economy returned to a positive growth rate at the beginning of the 21st century. Today, growth remains strong yet cautious since the economy remains vulnerable to higher fuel prices and weather fluctuations that may affect agriculture.
Geography
Map of MoldovaThe largest part of the country lies between two rivers, the Nistru and the Prut. Moldova's rich soil and temperate continental climate have made the country one of the most productive agricultural regions and a major supplier of agricultural products in the region.

The western border of Moldova is formed by the Prut river, which joins the Danube before flowing into the Black Sea. In the north-east, the Dniester is the main river, flowing through the country from north to south.

The country is landlocked, even though it is very close to the Black Sea. While the northern part of the country is hilly, elevations never exceed 430 metres (1,411 ft)—the highest point being the Dealul Bălăneşti.

The country’s main cities are the capital Chişinău, in the centre of the country, Tiraspol (in Transnistria), Bălţi and Bender.
Climate
Moldova has a temperate continental climate, with warm summers, but mild winters.
Government
The unicameral Moldovan parliament has 101 seats, and its members are elected by popular vote every 4 years. The parliament then elects a president, who functions as the head of state. The president appoints a prime minister as head of government who in turn assembles a cabinet, both subject to parliamentary approval.
People
The majority of the Moldovans – about 65% – is of Romanian descent and speaks Romanian, although, for political reasons, the language is called Moldovan in the Constitution. Russians and Ukrainians form sizeable minorities (each about 13%), mostly located in Transnistria, as does a group of Gagauz. All these groups speak their own languages.
Religion
Nearly all of the Moldovans are Eastern Orthodox Christians, with the exception of a small number of Jews.
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