• Capital – Chișinău• Population – 3,938,679• Area - 33,846 km2 or 13,067 sq mi• Official language – Romanian – romance

language, latin alphabet (ă, î, â, ș, ț) • Religion – Orthodox Christian 93.5%• Anthem – Limba Noastră • Currency - Leu

Flag of Moldova

• Moldova became a part of the Russian Empire, under the name of Basarabia, in the year 1812.

• Basarabia joined Romania in 1918, after the Russian Empire was dissolved. In 1940, the Soviet Union occupied Basarabia. Later, it was split between the Ukrainian SSR and the newly-created Moldavian SSR. After the Soviet Union was dissolved, on August 27, 1991, Moldova declared it’s independence.

• Although the country has been independent from the USSR since 1991, Russian forces have remained on Moldovan territory east of the Dniester River.

• Moldova is a parliamentary representative democratic republic.• The legislative body is the unicameral Parliament which has 101 seats.• The head of state is the President, who is elected by the Parliament.• The president appoints a prime minister who functions as the head of

the government.• The constitution also establishes an independent Constitutional court,

composed of six judges

• Education systemPrimary school – 1st - 4th gradeGymnasium – 5th – 9th gradeLyceum – 10th – 12th gradeThe lowest mark is 1 and highest 10.

• The main branch of economy is the wine industry. For many years viticulture and winemaking in Moldova were the general occupation of the population. It has a vineyard area of 147,000 hectares.

Mileștii Mici

Cricova

• Traditional cuisine The best known Moldovan dish is mămăliga. served as an accompaniment to meat dishes or garnished with cottage cheese or brined cheese, sour cream and pork rind. Traditional holiday dishes include stuffed cabbage rolls with minced meat, called sarmale, pilaf – a rice dish, colțunași which are similar to dumplings filled with cottage cheese, meat or sour cherries.