Background: Formerly ruled by Romania, Moldova became part of the Soviet Union at the close of World War II. Although independent from the USSR since 1991, Russian forces have remained on Moldovan territory east of the Dniester River supporting the Slavic majority population, mostly Ukrainians and Russians, who have proclaimed a "Transnistria" republic. One of the poorest nations in Europe, Moldova became the first former Soviet state to elect a Communist as its president in 2001.
Geography Moldova
Location: Eastern Europe, northeast of Romania
Geographic coordinates: 47 00 N, 29 00 E
Map references: Europe
Area: total: 33,843 sq km water: 472 sq km land: 33,371 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly larger than Maryland
Land boundaries: total: 1,389 km border countries: Romania 450 km,
Ukraine 939 km
Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims: none (landlocked)