# The European country of....Maldova? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [July 14, 2003, 5:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-european-country-of-maldova/188316 "2003-07-14T05:22:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![wakimika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f08c70/32.png) [@wakimika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wakimika)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2003, 5:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-european-country-of-maldova/188316/1 "2003-07-14T05:22:38Z")
Where did this country come from? According to many online encyclopedias, this nation does not exist. Who are the Maldovans? Why do they have a stealth country? :dubious: Are you worried about Maldova? What do they want, exactly? ---
**Author:** ![Publius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c57346/32.png) [@Publius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Publius)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2003, 5:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-european-country-of-maldova/188316/2 "2003-07-14T05:30:11Z")
[Moldova](http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/md.html) is certainly a nation in flux. Prior to the Second World War it was part of Romania (called Bessarabia, I think?). It was annexed by the Soviets as part of their general lunge eastward after the war, in roughly the same way they grabbed Konigsberg/Kaliningrad. Thus, while the area had historically identified more closely with Romania, it has also developed a strong Russian and Ukrainian identity in the past half-century or so. In fact, (as the CIA Factbook describes) the Russians have maintained an armed presence in Moldova to advance the interests of pro-Russian Moldovans. My understanding is that few Moldovans think of themselves as Moldovans, and want union either with Romania or with Ukraine. Presumably, however, Moldova will remain an independent nation until this dispute is resolved one way or another. ---
**Author:** ![TWDuke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e495f1/32.png) [@TWDuke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TWDuke)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2003, 5:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-european-country-of-maldova/188316/3 "2003-07-14T05:41:41Z")
[Here’s a recent news story](http://www.rusnet.nl/news/2003/03/11/sport01.shtml). I bet you’d never heard of underwater hockey, either. ---
**Author:** ![Daoloth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/82dd89/32.png) [@Daoloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Daoloth)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2003, 5:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-european-country-of-maldova/188316/4 "2003-07-14T05:46:31Z")
According to the CIA Factbook: “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.” From [here](http://www.governmentguide.com/govsite.adp?bread=*Main&url=http%3A//www.governmentguide.com/ams/clickThruRedirect.adp%3F55076483%2C16920155%2Chttp%3A//www.odci.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/md.html) ---
**Author:** ![Tansu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/67e7ee/32.png) [@Tansu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tansu)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2003, 10:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-european-country-of-maldova/188316/5 "2003-07-14T10:42:36Z")
A mate of mine lives in Chisinau, the capital of Moldova. He’s doing overseas voluntary service, and he likes it there. ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2003, 12:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-european-country-of-maldova/188316/6 "2003-07-14T12:17:57Z")
The current region of Moldova, is the eastern half of the old medieval province of Moldavia or Moldova and was formerly known as Bessarabia. Medieval Modavia enjoyed a brief period as an independent principality during the unsettled times in 14th and 15th century, before being finally submerged by the Ottoman state. You can see it clearly here: [http://www.euratlas.com/big/big1400.htm](http://www.euratlas.com/big/big1400.htm) The Ottomans for the most part administered it as a closely tied vassal state, rather than as a centrally administered province. The exception being the southern-most region on the coast, which for strategic considerations was absorbed in the empire proper. See here: [http://www.euratlas.com/big/big1700.htm](http://www.euratlas.com/big/big1700.htm) The reason for the separation into eastern and western halves has to do with the slow grind of Russian advance in the face of the declining ottoman state. The east, Bessarabia, thus was absorbed as a Russian province, while the western half was merged with Wallachia to create the new kingdom of Roumania. See here: [http://www.euratlas.com/big/big1900.htm](http://www.euratlas.com/big/big1900.htm) - Tamerlane ---
**Author:** ![Fretful\_Porpentine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fretful_porpentine/32/2873_2.png) [@Fretful\_Porpentine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fretful_Porpentine)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2003, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-european-country-of-maldova/188316/7 "2003-07-14T13:57:46Z")
> [@](#): > > Who are the Maldovans? Why do they have a stealth country? > > Are you worried about Maldova? No, but I _am_ worried about Kennetikut. How did you come to be posting from a stealth state? ---
**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2003, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-european-country-of-maldova/188316/8 "2003-07-14T14:53:29Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by TWDuke \* > \*\*[Here’s a recent news story](http://www.rusnet.nl/news/2003/03/11/sport01.shtml). I bet you’d never heard of underwater hockey, either. \*\* This great hoax was also covered by one of America’s greatest newsmen, [Dave Barry](http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/living/columnists/dave_barry/6095458.htm). ---
**Author:** ![Dissonance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/85f322/32.png) [@Dissonance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dissonance)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2003, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-european-country-of-maldova/188316/9 "2003-07-14T20:38:14Z")
Tiny nitpicky correction, but Moldova was ceded to the Soviet Union by Rumania and annexed in July 1940. After the invasion of the USSR by Germany and its allies, it was reincorporated into Rumania from July 1941 until August 1944, when the Soviet Union reoccupied it. [http://www.worldstatesmen.org/Moldova.htm](http://www.worldstatesmen.org/Moldova.htm) ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2003, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-european-country-of-maldova/188316/10 "2003-07-14T21:08:57Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Dissonance \* > \*\*Tiny nitpicky correction, but Moldova was ceded to the Soviet Union by Rumania and annexed in July 1940. After the invasion of the USSR by Germany and its allies, it was reincorporated into Rumania from July 1941 until August 1944, when the Soviet Union reoccupied it. Your nitpick is noted, but as your own cite shows the first separation of Bessarabia from ‘Greater Moldavia’ was in the 18th century and the result of Russian pressure on the Ottomans, Romania not yet being in existence :). Your note above details the _final_ handoff in a series of exchanges of that strip of territory. - Tamerlane ---
**Author:** ![Eva\_Luna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e495f1/32.png) [@Eva\_Luna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eva_Luna)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2003, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-european-country-of-maldova/188316/11 "2003-07-15T00:13:19Z")
The Moldovan language is almost exactly like Romanian; although a Romance language, it has lots of Slavic borrowings and is written in Cyrillic. My Romanian friends crack a grin every time they hear someone speaking Moldovan; they say it sounds like a dated country dialect. ---
**Author:** ![Dissonance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/85f322/32.png) [@Dissonance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dissonance)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2003, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-european-country-of-maldova/188316/12 "2003-07-15T01:16:05Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Tamerlane \* > \*\*Your nitpick is noted, but as your own cite shows the first separation of Bessarabia from ‘Greater Moldavia’ was in the 18th century and the result of Russian pressure on the Ottomans, Romania not yet being in existence :). Your note above details the _final_ handoff in a series of exchanges of that strip of territory. > > - Tamerlane \*\* Correction to my nitpick noted. I’m just surprised that the CIA’s facts aren’t entirely correct.😉 ---
**Author:** ![SlowMindThinking](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dc4da7/32.png) [@SlowMindThinking](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SlowMindThinking)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2003, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-european-country-of-maldova/188316/13 "2003-07-15T01:36:43Z")
A friend of mine is married to a Moldovan. I think she would be distressed to learn that it is a “stealth” state.