Map of Moldova
Moldova is a country in Europe with its capital at Chișinău, home to about 2.36 million people across 33,844 km². The interactive map below plots 5 cities and towns, 2 rivers and 1 mountain summits recorded for Moldova in YearMaps.
- Population
- 2.36 million
- Area
- 33,844 km²
- Capital
- Chișinău
- Continent
- Europe
Interactive Map of Moldova
Centred on Chișinău at 47.0050° N, 28.8577° E. Use the layer panel to switch on rivers, dams, ports, peaks and historical borders.
About Moldova
Moldova, officially the Republic of Moldova, is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe, with an area of 33,843 km2 (13,067 sq mi) and a population of 2.38 million. 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 parliamentary democratic republic with its capital in Chișinău, the country's largest city and main cultural and commercial centre.
Most of Moldovan territory was a part of the Principality of Moldavia from the 14th century until 1812, when it was ceded to the Russian Empire by the Ottoman Empire (to which Moldavia was a vassal state) and became known as Bessarabia. In 1856, southern Bessarabia was returned to Moldavia, which three years later united with Wallachia to form Romania. Still, Russian rule was restored over the entire region in 1878. During the 1917 Russian Revolution, Bessarabia briefly became an autonomous state within the Russian Republic. In February 1918, it declared independence and then integrated into Romania later that year following a vote of its assembly. The decision was disputed by Soviet Russia, which in 1924 established, within the Ukrainian SSR, a Moldavian autonomous republic on partially Moldovan-inhabited territories to the east of Bessarabia. In 1940, as a consequence of the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact, Romania was compelled to cede Bessarabia and Northern Bukovina to the Soviet Union, leading to the creation of the Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic (Moldavian SSR).
On 27 August 1991, as the dissolution of the Soviet Union was underway, the Moldavian SSR declared independence and took the name Moldova. However, the strip of Moldovan territory on the east bank of the Dniester has been under the de facto control of the breakaway government of Transnistria since 1990. The constitution of Moldova was adopted in 1994, and the country became a parliamentary republic. The president is head of state and the prime minister is head of government. Under the presidency of Maia Sandu, elected in 2020 on a pro-Western and anti-corruption ticket, Moldova has pursued membership in the European Union, and was granted candidate status in June 2022. Accession talks to the EU began on 13 December 2023. Sandu has suggested an end to Moldova's constitutional commitment to military neutrality in favour of a closer alliance with NATO. She strongly condemned Russia's invasion of neighbouring Ukraine.
Summary adapted from Wikipedia: Moldova (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Geography and Climate of Moldova
A large portion of present-day Moldovan territory became a province of the Russian Empire in 1812 and then unified with Romania in 1918 in the aftermath of World War I. This territory was then incorporated into the Soviet Union at the close of World War II. Although Moldova has been independent from the Soviet Union since 1991, Russian forces have remained on Moldovan territory east of the Nistru River in the breakaway region of Transnistria. Years of Communist Party rule in Moldova from 2001 to 2009 ultimately ended with election-related violent protests and a rerun of parliamentary elections in 2009. A series of pro-Europe ruling coalitions governed Moldova from 2010 to 2019, but pro-Russia candidate Igor DODON won the presidency in 2016, and his Socialist Party of the Republic of Moldova won a plurality in the legislative election in 2019. Pro-EU reformist candidate Maia SANDU defeated DODON in his reelection bid in 2020, and SANDU's Party of Action and Solidarity won a parliamentary majority in an early legislative election in 2021. Prime Minister Natalia GAVRILITA and her cabinet took office in 2021. In early 2023, Moldova's parliament confirmed a new cabinet led by Prime Minister Dorin RECEAN, which retained the majority of the former ministers.
- Location
- Eastern Europe, northeast of Romania.
- Climate
- Moderate winters, warm summers.
- Terrain
- Rolling steppe, gradual slope south to Black Sea.
- Highest point
- Dealul Balanesti 430 m.
- Lowest point
- Dniester (Nistru) 2 m.
- Coastline
- 0 km (landlocked)
- Land borders
- Total: 1,885 km; border countries: Romania 683 km; Ukraine 1202 km.
- Major rivers
- Dunărea (Danube) (shared with Germany [s], Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Croatia, Serbia, Bulgaria, Ukraine, and Romania [m]) - 2,888 km; Nistru (Dniester) (shared with Ukraine [s/m]) - 1,411 km note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth.
- Natural resources
- Lignite, phosphorites, gypsum, limestone, arable land.
- Land use
- Agricultural land: 74.1% (2023 est.); arable land: 56.8% (2023 est.); permanent crops: 8.1% (2023 est.); permanent pasture: 9.4% (2023 est.); forest: 11.3% (2023 est.); other: 13.8% (2023 est.)
- Natural hazards
- Landslides.
- Geographic note
- Landlocked; has many types of sedimentary rocks and minerals, including sand, gravel, gypsum, and limestone.
- Languages
- Moldovan/Romanian 80.2% (official) (56.7% Moldovan; 23.5% Romanian), Russian 9.7%, Gagauz 4.2% (a Turkish language), Ukrainian 3.9%, Bulgarian 1.5%, Romani 0.3%, other 0.2% (2014)
- Religions
- Orthodox 90.1%, other Christian 2.6%, other 0.1%, agnostic <0.1%, atheist 0.2%, unspecified 6.9% (2014 est.)
- Ethnic groups
- Moldovan 75.1%, Romanian 7%, Ukrainian 6.6%, Gagauz 4.6%, Russian 4.1%, Bulgarian 1.9%, other 0.8% (2014 est.)
- Economy
- Upper middle-income Eastern European economy; sustained growth reversed by COVID-19; significant remittances; Russian energy and regional dependence; agricultural exporter; declining workforce due to emigration and low fertility.
From the CIA World Factbook (public domain), archived edition of 2026-01-22. The Factbook is no longer updated, so figures reflect that edition.
Moldova in Numbers
- Population
- 2.36 million
- GDP
- US$20.4 billion
- GDP per person
- US$8,622
- Life expectancy
- 71.3 years
- Population growth
- -1.75% a year
- Population density
- 84 per km²
- Urban population
- 43.7%
- Surface area
- 33,849 km²
- Forest cover
- 11.3%
- Arable land
- 56.4%
- Access to electricity
- 100.0%
- Internet users
- 77.4%
Indicators from World Bank Open Data (CC BY 4.0). The year under each figure is its reference year.
Moldova in Depth
History
The history of Moldova spans prehistoric cultures, ancient and medieval empires, and periods of foreign rule and modern independence.
Evidence of human habitation goes back 800,000–1.2 million years, with significant developments in agriculture, pottery, and settlement during the Neolithic and Bronze Ages. In antiquity, Moldova's location made it a crossroads for invasions by the Scythians, Goths, Huns, and other tribes, followed by periods of Roman and Byzantine control.
The medieval Principality of Moldavia emerged in the 1350s and was the medieval precursor of modern Moldova and Romania. It reached prominence under rulers like Stephen the Great before becoming a vassal state of the Ottoman Empire from 1538, until the 19th century.
Geography
Moldova is a landlocked country situated in Eastern Europe, on the northeastern corner of the Balkans in the Black Sea Basin, between latitudes 45° and 49° N, and mostly between meridians 26° and 30° E (a small area lies east of 30°). The country lies to the east of the Carpathian Mountains and is bordered by Romania to its west and by Ukraine to its north, east, and south. The total length of the national boundaries is 1,389 km, including 939 km with Ukraine and 450 km with Romania. The country is separated from Romania on the west by the Prut river and on the east from Ukraine by the Dniester river. The total land area is 33,843.5 km2 (13,067.0 sq mi), of which 960 km2 (370 sq mi) is water.
Economy
The economy of Moldova is an emerging upper-middle income economy, with a high Human Development Index. Since the country gained independence from the Soviet Union in 1992, it has steadily transitioned to a market economy. According to the World Bank, despite a strong economic performance over the past two decades, Moldova remains among the poorest nations in Europe. Growth has remained relatively high since the 1990s, with low levels of unemployment and falling levels of poverty, but a combination of demographic factors, especially an ageing population and significant levels of emigration, and recent regional events, especially Russia's invasion of Ukraine, have posed serious economic challenges to the Moldovan economy, particularly due to inflation and rising energy prices.
Demographics
The most recent national census of Moldova was carried out in 2024 (not including Transnistria).
Moldova has an estimated population of approx. 2,423,300 as of 1 January 2024. Moldova is relatively urbanised. According to the 2024 census, 46,4% of the population is urban, with the country having undergone rapid urbanisation in recent years; at the 2014 census, only 38,5% of the population was urban. About one-third of the Moldovan population live in the capital city Chișinău's metropolitan area.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Moldova (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Moldova: Key Facts
| Currency | Moldovan leu |
|---|---|
| Official language | Romanian |
| Head of state | Maia Sandu |
| Head of government | Vasile Tofan |
| Form of government | parliamentary republic, unitary state |
| Calling code | +373 |
| Internet domain | .md |
| Highest point | Bălănești Hill |
| Lowest point | Dniester |
| Established | 27 August 1991 |
Facts from Wikidata Q217 (CC0).
History of Moldova: Empires and States
The atlas records 19 polities whose mapped territory included part of Moldova, from Scythia in 650 BCE to 2024 CE. They are listed in the order they first appear.
| Polity | Period here | Extent |
|---|---|---|
| Scythia | 650–224 BCE | Nearly all |
| Gothia | 207–377 CE | Nearly all |
| Huns | 373–425 CE | Nearly all |
| Hunnic Empire | 426–468 CE | Nearly all |
| Avar Khaganate | 561–655 CE | Nearly all |
| Magyars | 840–899 CE | Nearly all |
| Halych-Volhynia occupation | 1056–1240 CE | Nearly all |
| The Mongol Empire | 1241–1293 CE | Nearly all |
| Golden Horde | 1294–1449 CE | Nearly all |
| Principality of Moldavia | 1363–1806 CE | Nearly all |
| Grand Duchy of Lithuania | 1375–1384 CE | A large part |
| Crimean Khanate | 1450–1467 CE | A large part |
| The Ottoman Empire | 1673–1790 CE | A large part |
| The Russian Empire | 1769–1916 CE | Nearly all |
| Kingdom of Romania | 1919–1943 CE | Nearly all |
| Union of Soviet Socialist Republics | 1922–1991 CE | Nearly all |
| Republic of Moldova | 1992–2024 CE | Most |
| Russian Federation | 1992–2024 CE | A large part |
| Russian-occupied territories | 1992–2024 CE | A large part |
Historical Maps of Moldova
Moldova on the world map in each year one of these states held it:
Derived by testing mapped cities against dated territorial polygons. Dates are when the polygons cover this place, not the polity's whole lifespan, and polities absent from the source dataset are not listed.
Visiting Moldova
Moldova is a small, landlocked country nestled between Romania and Ukraine. Moldova is one of the least visited countries in Europe, but adventurous travellers will find some rewarding experiences. Moldova is famous for its wines and its monasteries. You can get winery tours and monastery tours from Chișinău, the capital.
Travel notes adapted from Wikivoyage: Moldova (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Largest Cities in Moldova
5 cities recorded. Ranked by metropolitan population. A port city's harbour is written up on the page of its sea.
| # | Name | Population | Region | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chișinău | 688,134 | Chisinau | National capital |
| 2 | Tiraspol | 157,000 | Bender | Admin-1 capital |
| 3 | Bălți | 151,355 | Balti | Admin-1 capital |
| 4 | Cahul | 63,407 | Cahul | Populated place |
| 5 | Dubăsari | 23,254 | Transnistria | Admin-1 capital |
Highest Mountains in Moldova
1 mountain recorded. Ranked by summit elevation above sea level. A summit on a border is listed under both countries.
| # | Name | Elevation | Feet | Region |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Balaneshty | 429 m | 1,407 ft | Europe |
Rivers in Moldova
2 rivers recorded. Listed alphabetically. A river is listed where its mapped reach lies, so long rivers appear under more than one country.
Mountain Ranges, Deserts and Landforms of Moldova
2 mountain ranges, deserts and other landforms recorded. Ranked by mapped area. Covers mountain ranges, deserts, plateaus, named glaciers, plains, basins, peninsulas and capes. One that crosses a border is listed under every country it lies in, with the area of the whole feature.
| # | Name | Area | Type | Region |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Europe | 11.24M km² | Continent | Europe |
| 2 | Pontic Steppe | 102,190 km² | Plain | Europe |
Pontic Steppe
Plain · 102,190 km²
Pontic Steppe is a plain in Europe, covering an estimated 102,190 km². It extends across Russia, Ukraine, Romania, Bulgaria, Kazakhstan and Moldova.
The Pontic–Caspian steppe extends across Eastern Europe to Central Asia, formed by the Caspian and Pontic steppes. It stretches from the northern shores of the Black Sea (the Pontus Euxinus of antiquity) to the northern area around the Caspian Sea, where it ends at the Ural-Caspian narrowing, which joins it with the Kazakh Steppe in Central Asia, making it a part of the larger Eurasian Steppe. Geopolitically, the Pontic–Caspian Steppe extends from northeastern Bulgaria and southeastern Romania through Moldova, southern and eastern Ukraine, through the North Caucasus of southern Russia, and into the Lower Volga region where it straddles the border of southern Russia and western Kazakhstan. Biogeographically, it is a part of the Palearctic realm, and of the temperate grasslands, savannas, and shrublands biome.
The area corresponds to Cimmeria, Scythia, and Sarmatia of classical antiquity. Across several millennia, numerous tribes of nomadic horsemen used the steppe; many of them went on to conquer lands in the settled regions of Central and Eastern Europe, West Asia, and South Asia.
Adapted from Wikipedia: Pontic–Caspian steppe (CC BY-SA 4.0).
- Feature class
- Plain
- Mapped extent
- 102,190 km²
- Size rank
- #63 of 231 landforms
- Region
- Europe
- Countries
- Russia, Ukraine, Romania, Bulgaria, Kazakhstan, Moldova
- Coordinates
- 53.2330°, 46.3431°
- Ranges:
- Pontic Mountains (Asia), Lesser Caucasus (Asia)
More about Pontic Steppe
Geography and ecology
The steppe covers an area of 994,000 km2 (384,000 sq mi) of Central and Eastern Europe, that extends from northeastern Bulgaria and southeastern Romania, through Moldova, and southern and eastern Ukraine, through the Northern Caucasus of southern Russia, and into the Lower Volga region of western Kazakhstan, to the east of the Ural Mountains. It is bounded by the East European forest steppe to the north, a transitional zone of mixed grasslands and temperate broadleaf and mixed forests. To the south, the steppe extends to the Black Sea, except the Crimean and western Caucasus mountains' border with the sea, where the Crimean Submediterranean forest complex defines the southern edge of the steppes.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Pontic–Caspian steppe (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Pontic Steppe: Key Facts
| Area | 994,000 km² |
|---|
Facts from Wikidata Q599529 (CC0).
Countries Bordering Moldova
Land and maritime neighbours.
More Maps in Europe
Moldova: Quick Answers
- What is the capital of Moldova?
- The capital of Moldova is Chișinău.
- What is the population of Moldova?
- Moldova has a population of about 2.36 million, the #146 largest of 225 countries in YearMaps. Source: World Bank, 2025.
- How big is Moldova?
- Moldova covers 33,844 km², ranking #141 by area, with about 70 people per square kilometre.
- Which continent is Moldova in?
- Moldova is in Europe.
- Which countries border Moldova?
- Moldova shares a land or maritime border with Ukraine, Romania.
- What is the largest city in Moldova?
- Chișinău is the largest city in Moldova, with a metropolitan population of about 688,134.
- What is the highest mountain in Moldova?
- The highest summit recorded for Moldova in YearMaps is Balaneshty at 429 m (1,407 ft). Summits on a border are counted for both countries.