Moldova Facts for Kids

Moldova Facts for Kids: Soroca Fort, Triumphal Arch and Parliament

Interesting Facts about Moldova for Kids

Our Moldova facts for kids were chosen and researched by kids especially for kids and shall provide insights into the geography of this Eastern European country.

Flag of Moldova

• Name: Republic of Moldova
• Population: 3.2 million people (2024)
• Capital: Chisinau with 488,000 inhabitants
• Government: Parliamentary Republic

• Official Language: Moldovan 
  
• Literacy: 99.7% of the population over 15 years can read and write.
• Religion: mainly Orthodox Christians (90%)
• Currency: Moldovan leu = 100 bani

Anthem

• National anthem: "Limba noastrâ" ("Our language") The anthem was written already in 1917, but fully adopted only in 1995
• National symbols: blue, yellow, red (national colours), the flag is tricolour, the golden eagle
• National Day: 27 August
• History: On 27 August Moldova gained independence from the Soviet Union.
• President: Maia Sandu (since 2020)

Moldova Facts | Geography of Moldova

Where is Moldova? The Republic of Moldova is a country in eastern  Europe and is a member country of the EU.

Moldova is a landlocked country and borders two countries: Ukraine in the North, South and East and Romania in the West. 

Map of Moldova

The border with Ukraine is about double as long as the border of Moldova and Romania and the border to Ukraine measures 1202 km/ 747 miles in length.

Moldova is located in the basin of the Black Sea but is a landlocked country and thus does not have access to the sea. The country has plains and hills and only about eleven percent of the country has forests.

Three natural zones dominate: the forest, forest-steppe and steppe. Moldova has a moderate continental climate.

Moldova is largely bigger than the state of Maryland in the USA. 

Moldova Facts | Moldova Geography Superlatives

• Moldova’s capital city Chisinau is the biggest city in the country with about half a million inhabitants.
• The biggest forests are located in the center of the country. 
  

Dniester (Nistru) river and forests in Moldova

• Moldova has about 3000 rivers and smaller streams and the main rivers are the Nistru, also called Dniester, as well as the Prut and the Raut rivers. The Dniester is the main river in Moldova. The Prut River is a tributary of the Danube and important as well.
• The highest mountain in Moldova is the Deal Balanesti, a hill with 430 m/ 1,411 ft. in height.

Moldova landscape

• Moldova is home to about 5,500 species of wild-growing plants.

Moldova Facts
Attractions and Landmarks

Here are some of the most famous landmarks of Moldova.

Parliament building in Moldova

Triumphal arch in Chișinău

Soroca fortress

Monastery at Rarau

Old Orhei monastery

Moldova rock cut church

Saint Pantaleon in Moldova

Thanksgiving Candle Monument

Moldova Facts for Kids
Moldovan People

Almost half of all Moldovans live in urban centres. Moldova’s biggest city is the capital city Chisinau with about half a million people. The other larger cities are Tiraspol and Balti.

Moldovan traditional dress - image by SlayStorm/shutterstock.com

Cultural and folklore festivals are celebrated regularly. Moldavans love to show their colourful traditional costumes and present their handicrafts.

The most popular festivals in the annual events calendar are the Ethno-Festival Dulce Floare de Salcam in Văleni in May and the Folk Music festival in Teatrul Verde and the Ethno Folklore Festival in Mihăileni, both taking place in August.

Christian holidays as Christmas and Easter are celebrated by the Moldovan families. Easter eggs are traditionally red coloured.

Easter bread with red coloured Easter eggs

The Moldovans also have a special Easter celebration called Pastele Blajinilor, which means Blessed or Memorial Easter. This celebration takes place in families exactly one week after Easter Sunday and shall commemorate the dead persons in the family. It is said that the happiness of Easter is passed onto the deceased of the family when people visit the graves and light candles there in remembrance of the loved ones. Also gifts are shared with less fortunate people and poorer children on this day.

June 24 or the Feast of Sanziene is a festive day when people don their folkloric dress and costumes. 

Moldova is known for beautiful traditionally woven carpets and is famous for the annual national carpet fair. The capital city represents a modern city with many mural paintings and street art.

Moldova Facts | Moldovan Language

Moldovan is the official and most spoken first language in Moldova. The language is the same as Romanian, however, seven out of ten people say they speak Moldovan and not Romania as mother tongue.

There are several minority languages spoken in the country and these include Russian, Ukrainian, Gagauz (Turkish), Bulgarian and Romani amongst others.

Moldovan is a Romance language and is similar to French, Spanish or Italian. The Moldovan as also the Romanian alphabet have 31 letters including five very specific  letters: ă,â,î,ț, and ș

English and French are taught in most schools.

Moldova Facts for Kids
Moldova Economy

Moldova is one the world’s foremost producers of grapes, corn and sunflowers seeds.

Neighbouring country Romania, Russia, Turkey and Germany are among the most important importers of Moldovan goods.

Moldova vineyards

Moldova applied for joining the European Union in 2022, and the target date is set for 2030. 

Moldova Facts | Moldovan Food

Typical Moldova Food

Popular Moldovan food specialties include:

• Sarmale: This dish consists of cabbage or vine leaves filled with rice, minced meat and vegetables cooked in a clay pot. The Moldovan sarmale are served with sour cream and dips and are always piping hot.
  

Sarmale

• Plăcintă: stuffed pies are served both as salty versions with meats, potatoes or cabbage or as sweet version filled with fudge, caramel or halva.
• Coltunasi: this is the Moldovan version of the Italian ravioli or the Polish pierogi, which are filled pasta shells
• Mămăligă: corn mash or polenta served with mujdei, which is a Moldovan garlic sauce, meat or fish stew or cheese

Moldova Facts for Kids
Animals in Moldova

The national animal of Moldova is the wolf and the national bird of Moldova is the white stork. There are 281 species of birds in Moldova. Many of the local bird species can be found in Orheiul Vechi Cultural-Natural Reserve in central Moldova.

Storks on field in Moldova

There are 700 species of mammals in Moldova. Amongst the most common mammals are the long-eared bat, the common hedgehog, the European mole, the common hare, the red fox and the wild boar.

Moldova is also known as the habitat of the extinct large rhinoceros species which spotted a huge horn.

The extinct Elasmotherium

The Elasmotherium was known as a unicorn and was a wooly animal and herbivore. 

Moldova Facts for Kids | Resources

Resources for our Moldova Facts for Kids page were:

• Republic of Moldova. "Soroca Fort" moldova.md Last accessed 28 March 2024
• Central Intelligence Agency. "Moldova." WorldFactBook. Last update 26 March 2024. Last accessed 28 March 2024
• Moldova Travel. "Moldovan Food." Moldova.travel. Last accessed 28 March 2024

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