Chișinău, also known as Kishinev (Кишинёв), is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Moldova. The city is Moldova’s main industrial and commercial center, and is located in the middle of the country, on the river Bac. According to the results of the 2014 census, the city proper had a population of 532,513, while the number of population in the Municipality of Chisinau (which includes the city itself and other nearby communities) was 662,836. Chisinau is the most economically prosperous locality in Moldova and its largest transportation hub.

Кишинёв -столица и крупнейший город Молдавии. Экономический и культурный центр, расположенный в центре страны на реке Бык. Кишинёв обладает особым статусом в административном делении Молдавии — он является муниципалитетом. Кроме самого города Кишинёва, в состав одноимённого муниципалитета входят шесть окрестных городов (СынжераДурлештыВатраКодруВадул-луй-ВодэКриково) и двадцать пять населённых пунктов, объединённых в тринадцать коммун (сёл).

Кишинёв впервые упоминается в грамоте 1436 года. Статус города получил в 1818 году после вхождения в состав Российской империи, статус муниципалитета — в 1995 году.


В 1959 г. еврейское население Кишинёва составляло 42,9 тыс. человек, в 1970 г. — 49,9 тыс., в 1979 г. — 42,4 тыс. По данным переписи 2004 г. — 2603 человека.

History of the Jews in Moldova

As of 2014, there are an estimated 15,000 Jews in Moldova, including over 10,000 in Chișinău alone. At the same time, there are 75,492 Moldovan Jews living in Israel.

However, antisemitism is still commonplace; several churches and political organizations still refer to antisemitic rhetoric. In addition, far right and neo-Nazi groups are active in the country. Because religion was heavily restricted in Soviet times, it is likely that there are many more people of ethnic Jewish heritage in Moldova than those who practice the religion, but many simply may not know about it.

Transnistria War

The conflict in Transnistria

…. Lastly, Moldova’s hardline stance towards Transnistria impedes any lasting solution to the conflict. As previously outlined, the current situation is particularly challenging for Transnistria. It cannot simply be resolved by increased financial assistance from Moscow. Due to Ukraine’s policy toward the republic, Tiraspol finds itself wholly isolated, both physically and economically. However, the reunification of Moldova and Transnistria, which Moscow—and Tiraspol, despite harsh rhetoric—could support under certain conditions, remains a slim possibility.

Much time has passed since Chisinau, Kiev, and even the West were ready to work toward a solution that would consider compromises such as the federalization of Moldova or an extended Russian military presence. For various reasons, the final agreements were never realized, even when Moscow played a constructive role. Today, Moldova, Ukraine, and many political circles in the West have securitized the Russian presence in Transnistria. Their message, therefore, sounds like Russia simply must leave. As a result, Russia will do nothing but stay.

Interesting information about Moldova

  • According to the World Health Organisation, only Belarus tucks away more alcohol than Moldova, with each inhabitant drinking an average of 16.8 litres of booze per year (excluding under 15s)
  •  In a bid to gain access to the Black Sea, Moldova makes a territorial exchange with Ukraine in 2005, giving the country access to a 600m stretch of the River Danube, which flows into the Black Sea.
  • Ubiquitous on Moldovan dinner tables, Mămăligă is a porridge made out of yellow maize flour and often considered the country’s national dish. It’s traditionally served as an accompaniment to stews and meat dishes and is commonly garnished with cottage cheese, sour cream or pork rind.
  • If you do venture to Moldova for your holidays, you won’t be jostling for space with other tourists: only 121,000 foreigners are reported to have entered the country in 2016 (so says the UN World Tourism Organisation), making it the least visited in Europe. On a global scale, only Bangladesh and Guinea are less touristy destinations (taking into account the number of visitors per resident), according to Priceonomics.
  • The venerable folk at Guinness World Records recognize the Mileștii Mici wine cellar in Moldova is the world’s largest with nearly two million bottles of plonk in its darkened vaults. In case you’re wondering, the most valuable tipples in its collection sell for a reported €480 each.
  • Moldova has the dubious distinction of being the poorest country in Europe with a per capita GDP of just $5,327, according to the IMF. The second lowest is Ukraine’s, at $8,305 (Moldova’s neighbors is $20,326, while the UK’s is $42,480).