Moldova

Imagine a picturesque country with rolling green hills, whitewashed villages, peaceful lakes and an abundance of sunflower fields. Moldova has an old-world charm that's hard to manufacture. It is wonderful not only because of mild and warm climate but also because of the friendly, hearty people.

Understanding the Geography

The Republic of Moldova is a small landlocked country in Eastern Europe, located between Romania to the west and Ukraine to the east and south.

Historically part of the Principality of Moldavia, it was annexed by the Russian Empire in 1812 and reunited with other Romanian lands in Romania in 1918. After changing hands during World War II and its final annexation by the Soviet Union, it was known as the Moldavian SSR during 1945-1991.

The largest part of the country lies between two rivers, the Dniester and the Prut.

Moldova's rich soil and temperate continental climate (with warm summers and mild winters) have made the country one of the most productive agricultural regions and a major supplier of agricultural products in the region.

The western border of Moldova is formed by the Prut River, which joins the Danube before flowing into the Black Sea. In the northeast, the Dniester is the main river, flowing through the country from north to south.

The country is landlocked, even though it is very close to the Black Sea. While the northern part of the country is hilly, elevations never exceed 430 metres (1,411 ft)—the highest point being the Dealul Balanesti.

Climate Conditions

The climate in Moldova is temperate. The average annual temperature is 8-10°C above 0, (in January 3-5°C bellow 0, in July 20-25°C above 0).

The summer is green and long, warm and relatively dry.

The autumn is ablaze with colours and the winter is short and mild, but not always white.

The average annual rainfall level is about 380 mm in the South and 560 mm in the centre and northern parts.