Moldova is a small nation sandwiched between Ukraine and Romania in Eastern Europe. It’s neck and neck with Albania for the coveted title of “poorest country in Europe,” but the lifestyle is rich even if the economy isn’t. Hospitality, food, and a rich wine industry are central to the culture.
Moldova was a part of the former Soviet Union and gained its independence in 1991. Because of that, it has strong cultural ties to Russia, but even stronger cultural ties to Romania, as it was part of the Romanian kingdom before the 1940s and shares its language with Romania.
It’s an agricultural country with hillsides covered in sunflower fields and the entire nation dotted with vineyards for the country’s robust wine industry. The national language is Romanian, but Russian plays an important role too.
The capital city is Chisinau (pronounced like “keesh-a-now”). No worries – they don’t have to kill their own chickens for dinner or drive a Flinstone-type car. Chisinau has its very own mall (appropriately – though unimaginatively – named “Mall DOVA”), 3 McDonalds, loads of parks, a symphony orchestra, and an opera company. The city is a bridge between East and West, bordering the European Union on one side and the Russian-influence of Ukraine and Russia itself on the other side.
You can find more information about Moldova here:
Moldova on Wikipedia
Moldova’s official website
Moldovan Embassy in DC
CIA World Factbook on Moldova
