Republica Moldova
Republic of Moldova
Flag Coat of arms
Anthem: Limba noastră  
Our Language

Location of  Moldova  (orange)

on the European continent  (white)
Capital
(and largest city)		 Chişinău
47°0′N, 28°55′E
Official languages Moldovan¹
Recognised regional languages Gagauz, Russian and Ukrainian
Demonym Moldovan, Moldavian
Government Parliamentary republic
 -  President Vladimir Voronin
 -  Prime Minister Zinaida Greceanīi (PCRM)
Consolidation
 -  Moldavian Principality 1356 
 -  Autonomous Bessarabian Oblast April 29, 1818 
 -  Moldavian Democratic Republic December 16, 1917 
 -  Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic August 2, 1940 
 -  Independence from the Soviet Union August 27, 1991 (Declared)
December 25, 1991 (Finalized) 
Area
 -  Total 33,846 km² (139th)
13,067 sq mi 
 -  Water (%) 1.4
Population
 -  2008[1] estimate 4,128,047 (121st2)
 -  2004 census 3,383,3323 
 -  Density 121,9/km² (87st)
316/sq mi
GDP (PPP) 2007 estimate
 -  Total $9,367 million (141st)
 -  Per capita $2,962 (135th)
Gini (2007) 37.1 (medium) 
HDI (2007) ▲ 0.708 (medium) (111th)
Currency Moldovan leu (MDL)
Time zone EET (UTC+2)
 -  Summer (DST) EEST (UTC+3)
Internet TLD .md
Calling code +373

Moldova, officially the Republic of Moldova (Republica Moldova) is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe, located between Romania to the west and Ukraine to the north, east and south.

In the Middle Ages, most of the present territory of Moldova was part of the Principality of Moldavia, and in 1812 it became part of the Russian Empire, under the name of Bessarabia. Upon the dissolution of the Russian Empire in 1917-1918, Bessarabia joined Romania. In 1940, Bessarabia was occupied by the Soviet Union, and after changing hands in 1941 and 1944 during World War II, it was split between the Ukrainian SSR and the newly-created Moldavian SSR. Moldova declared its independence from the USSR on August 27, 1991. Despite signing international obligations to withdraw,[3] Russian military forces have remained on Moldovan territory; since 1993 they have been stationed in the breakaway territory of Transnistria against the will of the Moldovan Government.

The country is a parliamentary democracy with a president as its head of state and a prime minister as its head of government. Moldova is a member state of the United Nations, WTO, OSCE, GUAM, CIS, BSEC and other international organizations. Moldova currently aspires to join the European Union[5] and is implementing its first three-year Action Plan within the framework of the European Neighborhood Policy (ENP) of the EU