Moldova Travel Guide

Moldova — Country and Tourist Information

Browse the Moldova Photo Gallery

Country Facts

Location: Southeastern Europe.
Language: Moldovan (official), although considered to be virtually identical to Romanian. Russian is still the most widely-spoken language.
Area: 33,800 sq km (13,050 sq miles).
Time Zone: GMT + 2 (GMT + 3 from last Sunday in March to last Sunday in October).
Electricity: 220 volts AC, 50Hz. European plugs with two circular metal pins are used.
Population: 4.3 million (UN estimate 2005).
Population Density: 127.2 per sq km.
Capital City: Chisinau (Kishinev). Population: 662,200 (official estimate 2004).
Government: Republic since 1991. Gained independence from the Soviet Union in 1991.
Head of Government: Prime Minister Vasile Tarlev since 2001.
Head of State: President Vladimir Voronin since 2001.
Religion: Mostly Eastern Orthodox Christian and other Christian denominations. A small amount of the population are Jewish.

Recent History

The Communist Party came to power in 2001 and were winners again in the most recent parliamentary elections in March 2005. The Moldovan parliament then returned President Voronin for a second term in April 2005, at which point he said he would focus on European integration, resolving the ongoing conflict with Transnistria and raising the standard of living.

Communications

Telephone

Country Code: +373. Local payphones are cheap and plentiful. They work by phonecards available at kiosks.

Mobile Telephone

Roaming agreements exist with most international mobile phone operators. Coverage is generally good all over the country.

Internet

There are Internet cafes in main towns.

Media

The Moldovan constitution guarantees freedom of the press, but laws prohibit defamation and insulting the state. Political parties publish their own newspapers, which often criticize the government. Moldovan editions of Russian titles are among the most-popular Russian-language publications.

Post

All mail to and from Moldova may be subject to long delays. There are express mail services in Chisinau.Daily 0900-2000.

Press

• Russian language papers include Kommersant Moldoviy, Komsomolskaya Pravda, and Nezavisimaya Moldova.
• Timpul and Flux are Moldovan.

Radio

•Teleradio-Moldova runs Radio Moldova.
• Radio Nova is a commercial station.

Public Holidays

Below are listed Public Holidays for the January 2011-December 2012 period.
2011
1 Jan New Year’s Day
7 Jan Orthodox Christmas
8 Mar International Women’s Day
25 Apr Easter Monday (Orthodox)
1 May Labor Day
9 May Victory and Commemoration Day
27 Aug Independence Day
31 Aug Limba Noastra (National Language Day)

2012
1 Jan New Year’s Day
7 Jan Orthodox Christmas
8 Mar International Women’s Day
15 Apr Easter Monday (Orthodox)
1 May Labor Day
9 May Victory and Commemoration Day
27 Aug Independence Day
31 Aug Limba Noastra (National Language Day)