Moldova: landmarks, animals & facts for kids

Moldova is a small landlocked country in Eastern Europe, between Romania to the west and Ukraine to the north, east and south. Its capital is Chișinău. Moldova is a land of gentle green hills, fertile black soil, orchards and vineyards, and it is famous for its wine and for some of the biggest underground wine cellars in the world. Most people speak Romanian, and the country shares much of its history and culture with Romania.

On My Earth Toy you can see the Triumphal Arch in central Chișinău, built in 1840 to celebrate a Russian victory over the Ottoman Empire, which stands opposite the city's Orthodox cathedral.

Geography and nature

Moldova lies between two rivers: the Prut, which forms the border with Romania, and the Dniester in the east. The land is mostly rolling hills cut by river valleys; the highest point, Bălănești Hill, is only 430 metres high. Moldova's dark, rich soil, called chernozem, is excellent for farming grapes, sunflowers, apples and walnuts. In the Răut River valley, the old cave monastery of Orheiul Vechi is carved into a limestone cliff.

People, languages and culture

The official language is Romanian, and Russian is also widely spoken; the Gagauz people in the south speak a Turkic language and have their own autonomous region. Most Moldovans are Orthodox Christians. On 1 March, people give each other mărțișor, small red-and-white tokens that welcome spring, a custom listed by UNESCO. Favourite foods include mămăligă, a cornmeal porridge, and plăcinte, pastries filled with cheese, cabbage or fruit.

History in a nutshell

In the 14th century the Principality of Moldavia was founded, and its best-known ruler, Stephen the Great, defended it against powerful neighbours. Moldavia later had to accept Ottoman overlordship. In 1812 the eastern part, called Bessarabia, was taken by the Russian Empire. It joined Romania in 1918, then became part of the Soviet Union. Moldova declared independence on 27 August 1991. Since the early 1990s, the region of Transnistria east of the Dniester has had its own government that is not internationally recognised.