The CIA World Factbook Every edition, 2000 to 2025 Europe

Background Moldova, in 26 editions.

The entry for Moldova published Background in 26 editions of 34, from 2000 to 2025. The text changed in 18 editions. Each is shown as published. Background in every entry.

editions changed the text
18
the first edition with it
2000
the latest edition with it
2025

Published as “Background” (2000 to 2025).

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2019 edition

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The same text in 2019 and 2020.

A large portion of present day Moldovan territory became a province of the Russian Empire in 1812 and then unified with Romania in 1918 in the aftermath of World War I. This territory was then incorporated into the Soviet Union at the close of World War II. Although Moldova has been independent from the Soviet Union since 1991, Russian forces have remained on Moldovan territory east of the Nistru River in the breakaway region of Transnistria, whose population is roughly equally composed of ethnic Ukrainians, Russians, and Moldovans.

Years of Communist Party rule in Moldova from 2001-2009 ultimately ended with election-related violent protests and a rerun of parliamentary elections in 2009. Since then, a series of pro-European ruling coalitions have governed Moldova. As a result of the country's most recent legislative election in February 2019, parliamentary seats are split among the left-leaning Socialist Party (35 seats), the former ruling Democratic Party (30 seats), and the center-right ACUM bloc (26 seats). Parliament voted in Prime Minister Ion CHICU and his cabinet on 14 November 2019, two days after voting to remove his predecessor, ACUM co-leader Maia SANDU, who had been in office since June 2019.

A large portion of present day Moldovan territory became a province of the Russian Empire in 1812 and then unified with Romania in 1918 in the aftermath of World War I. This territory was then incorporated into the Soviet Union at the close of World War II. Although Moldova has been independent from the Soviet Union since 1991, Russian forces have remained on Moldovan territory east of the Nistru River supporting in the breakaway region of Transnistria, whose population is roughly equally composed of ethnic Ukrainians, Russians, and Moldovans. Years of Communist Party rule in Moldova post-independence from 2001-2009 ultimately ended with election-related violent protests and a rerun of parliamentary elections in 2009. Since then, a series of pro-European ruling coalitions have governed Moldova. As a result of the country's most recent legislative election in November 2014, the three pro-European parties that entered Parliament won a total of 55 of the body's 101 seats. Infighting February 2019, parliamentary seats are split among coalition members led to prolonged legislative gridlock and political instability, as well as the collapse of four governments, all ruled by pro-European coalitions centered around left-leaning Socialist Party (35 seats), the Liberal former ruling Democratic Party (PLDM) (30 seats), and the Democratic Party (PDM). A political impasse ended center-right ACUM bloc (26 seats). Parliament voted in January 2016 when a new parliamentary majority led by PDM, joined by defectors from the Communists Prime Minister Ion CHICU and PLDM, supported PDM member Pavel FILIP as prime minister. Igor DODON won Moldova's first direct presidential election in over 20 years in his cabinet on 14 November 2016. 2019, two days after voting to remove his predecessor, ACUM co-leader Maia SANDU, who had been in office since June 2019.

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Central Intelligence Agency. “Moldova: Background.” The World Factbook, 2000–2025 editions. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/moldova/background.

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