Living in Moldova guide for expats

Moldova's territory is 33,846 square kilometres with over four million people. The country's capital is ChiÈinÄu, and other cities are Tiraspol (the second largest city), BÄlÈi, Ungheni, and Soroca. Moldovans make up the majority of the country's population while other ethnic groups include Romanians, Ukrainians, Gagauz, Russians, Bulgarians, and Romani. Moldova's official language is Romanian and Russian, and the Turkish dialect of Gagauz is also spoken.

Moldova's economy has experienced recent progress, but the country remains one of the poorest in Europe. The country heavily relies on agriculture, the export of fruits and vegetables, tobacco production, and the remittances from the country's citizens working in Europe.

In Soviet times, Moldova was known as 'the garden' of the Soviet Union, famous for its fertile farmlands.

This is one of the least visited countries in Europe. However, with cheap flights available from most cities in the region, it is slowly gaining popularity. Moldova's main attractions are its nature and architecture: ChiÈinÄu Botanical Garden, CÄpriana Monastery, PÄdurea DomneascÄ nature reserve, the Museum of Local History, and more.

Residents of 69 countries can visit Moldova visa-free for tourism or business purposes and can stay in the country for up to 90 days. Those who do need to apply for a visa for Moldova must be able to obtain an invitation letter first.