Moldova,officially the Republic of Moldova,is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe,on the northeastern corner of the Balkans. The country spans a total of 33,483 km2 and has a population of approximately 2.5 million as of January 2023. Moldova is bordered by Romania to the west and Ukraine to the north,east,and south. The unrecognised breakaway state of Transnistria lies across the Dniester river on the country's eastern border with Ukraine. Moldova is a unitary parliamentary representative democratic republic with its capital in Chișinău,the country's largest city and main cultural and commercial centre.
Moldovan music is closely related to that of its neighbour and cultural kin,Romania. Moldovan folk is known for swift,complex rhythms,musical improvisation,syncopation and much melodic ornamentation. Pop,hip hop,rock and other modern genres have their own fans in Moldova as well. Modern pop stars include O-Zone,a Romanian and Moldovan band whose "Dragostea din tei" was a major 2004 European hit,guitarist and songwriter Vladimir Pogrebniuc,Natalia Barbu,who is well known in Germany,Romania and Ukraine,and Nelly Ciobanu. The band Flacai became well known in the 1970s across Moldova,turning their hometown of Cahul into an important center of music.
Sofiia Mykhailivna Yevdokymenko-Rotaru,known simply as Sofia Rotaru,is a Ukrainian pop singer of Romanian origin.
The Moldovan Football Federation is the governing body of football in Moldova. It organizes all the football leagues,including the top-tier league Moldovan Super Liga,and the Moldova national football team. It is based in Chișinău. The current president is Leonid Oleinicenco.
Mircea Snegur was a Moldovan agronomist and politician who served as the first President of Moldova from 1990 to 1997. Prior to that,he served as the Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the Moldavian SSR from 1989 to 1990 and chairman of the Supreme Soviet from 27 April to 3 September 1990.
Petru Lucinschi is a former Moldovan politician who was Moldova's second President from 1997 to 2001. He currently serves as the founder and head of the Lucinschi Foundation of Strategic Studies and International Relations.
The unification of Moldova and Romania is a popular concept in the two countries that began during the Revolutions of 1989. The Romanian Revolution in 1989 and the independence of Moldova in 1991 further contributed to the development of a movement for the unification of the two Romanian-speaking countries. The question of reunification is recurrent in the public sphere of the two countries,often as a speculation,both as a goal and a danger. Though historically Romanian support for unification was high,a March 2022 survey following the Russian invasion of Ukraine indicated that only 11% of Romania's population supports an immediate union,while over 42% think it is not the right moment.
The Metropolis of Bessarabia,also referred to as the Bessarabian Orthodox Church,is an autonomous Eastern Orthodox Metropolitan bishopric of the Romanian Orthodox Church,situated in Moldova. Its canonical jurisdiction is the territory of the Republic of Moldova,and over the Moldovan and Romanian Orthodox diaspora from the former USSR.
Moldova–Russia relations are the bilateral relations between the Republic of Moldova and the Russian Federation,two Eastern European,post-Soviet,ex-communist countries. Russian support for the self-proclaimed Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic (Transnistria) and a substantial Russian military presence therein strained Moldovan relations with Russia.
Moldova participated in the Eurovision Song Contest 2008 with the song "A Century of Love" written by Oleg Baraliuc and Victoria Demici. The song was performed by Geta Burlacu. The Moldovan broadcaster TeleRadio-Moldova (TRM) organised the national final O melodie pentru Europa 2008 in order to select the Moldovan entry for the 2008 contest in Belgrade,Serbia. 27 entries competed to represent Moldova in Belgrade,with 12 being shortlisted to participate in the televised national final which took place on 9 February 2008. "A Century of Love" performed by Geta Burlacu emerged as the winner after gaining the most points following the combination of votes from a jury panel,a TRM committee and a public televote.
Țipala is a commune in Ialoveni District,Moldova,composed of three villages:Bălțați,Budăi and Țipala.
The Order of the Republic is Moldova's highest order. It is awarded by the President of Moldova for exceptional merits in all fields which benefit Moldova and humanity as a whole. The order was established in July 1992 and its collar and badge are made from silver.
The 2010–11 Moldovan National Division was the 20th season of top-tier football in Moldova. Sheriff Tiraspol were the defending champions,having won their tenth Moldovan championship,all consecutively,the previous season. The competition began on 24 July 2010.
Petru Soltan was a Moldovan mathematician. He was a member of the Academy of Sciences of Moldova and an honorary member of the Romanian Academy. Petru Soltan was a member of the Mathematical Society of Moldova.
Iustin Ștefan Frățiman,also known as Frațman,Froțman,or Frățimanu,was a historian,educator,librarian and political figure from Bessarabia,active in the Russian Empire and the Kingdom of Romania. After receiving a classical education,he worked for various seminaries of the Russian Orthodox Church,moving as far north as Olonets. Frățiman had settled in Soroca by the time of World War I,becoming a champion of Romanian nationalism. This resulted in his being exiled to Central Asia until 1917. Allowed back home after the liberal February Revolution,he resumed his activism,openly campaigning for the national rights of Romanians east of Bessarabia. He was afterwards one of the educators tasked with institutional Romanianization by the Moldavian Democratic Republic.
Alexis Nour was a Bessarabian-born Romanian journalist,activist and essayist,known for his advocacy of Romanian-Bessarabian union and his critique of the Russian Empire,but also for controversial political dealings. Oscillating between socialism and Russian nationalism,he was noted as founder of Viața Basarabiei gazette. Eventually affiliated with Romania's left-wing form of cultural nationalism,or Poporanism,Nour was a long-term correspondent of the Poporanist review Viața Românească. Publicizing his conflict with the Russian authorities,he settled in the Kingdom of Romania,where he openly rallied with the Viața Românească group.
Petru Racu is a former Moldovan professional footballer and entrepreneur. Racu is the founder and CEO of VEGETAL,a leading Moldavian company that produces cold pressed oils from different seeds. Petru was a physically strong and aggressive defender who played in countries like:Sweden,Finland,Denmark,Azerbaijan,Romania and Moldova. As well played 50 matches for the Moldavien National Team.
Petru Leucă is a Moldovan professional footballer who plays as a forward for Zimbru Chișinău.
