Moldova is a small landlocked country in Eastern Europe, bordered by Romania to the west and Ukraine to the north, east, and south. It is widely celebrated for its wine culture, with some of the largest wine cellars in the world carved into limestone hills. The country sits in a fertile agricultural region and has a rich blend of Romanian and Soviet-era heritage.
- Capital
- Chișinău
- Continent
- Europe
- Region
- Eastern Europe
- Area
- 33,846 km²
- Coordinates
- 47° N, 29° E
Country facts
- Moldova declared independence from the Soviet Union on August 27, 1991.
- The Moldovan language is essentially the same as Romanian and uses the Latin alphabet.
- The underground winery at Mileștii Mici holds one of the largest collections of wine bottles in the world.
- Moldova is home to the Orheiul Vechi archaeological complex, where monks carved cave monasteries into limestone cliffs.
- The country is one of the most densely forested nations in Eastern Europe, with forests covering roughly a quarter of its territory.
Capital facts
- Chișinău was founded as a small monastery village in 1436.
- The city's central Cathedral Park is home to a large Orthodox cathedral built in the early nineteenth century.
- Chișinău was heavily damaged by a major earthquake in 1940 and again during World War II, leading to significant Soviet-era rebuilding.
- The Triumphal Arch standing in the city center was erected in 1840 to commemorate Russian victory in the Russo-Turkish War.
- Chișinău is home to Moldova State University, the country's oldest and largest higher education institution.