Tag: Moldova

According to thereligionfaqs, Moldova is a small country situated between Romania and Ukraine in Eastern Europe. It is home to a diverse population with a variety of religious beliefs and practices. The majority of the population, around 75%, identifies as adherents of Eastern Orthodox Christianity, which is the official state religion in Moldova. Other Christian denominations such as Roman Catholicism, Protestantism, and Pentecostalism are also present in Moldova. The Eastern Orthodox Church has been an important part of Moldovan culture for centuries and continues to be so today. There are two main branches of Orthodoxy in Moldova: the Bessarabian Orthodox Church and the Metropolis of Bessarabia (which is part of the Romanian Orthodox Church). Both churches have their own hierarchies, liturgical practices, and clergy. The most important religious holiday in Moldova is Easter which is celebrated with much fanfare by both churches. Other important holidays include Christmas, Epiphany, Transfiguration Day, Pentecost, Assumption Day, and Saints’ days. Apart from Christianity there are several other religions practiced in Moldova including Islam and Judaism. Around 4% of the population identify as Muslims while around 0.5% identify as Jews (most Jews live in the capital city Chisinau). The Muslim community consists mostly of ethnic Tatars who arrived from Crimea during Ottoman rule in the 16th century while the Jewish community consists mostly of Ashkenazi Jews who arrived from Poland during World War II or after it ended. Hinduism also has some presence in Moldova due to immigration from India by way of Russia during Soviet times although this community remains small compared to other religious groups in the country. Additionally, there are also smaller numbers of adherents to faiths such as Buddhism or Baha’i among others which can be found throughout Eastern Europe due to increased migration from Asia over recent decades. Overall, religious freedom is respected throughout Moldova with all major religions having their own places for worship such as churches for Christians or mosques for Muslims however some minorities do face discrimination at times due to their beliefs or background although this type of behaviour is not condoned by most people throughout this fascinating country known as Moldova. Moldova in 2011 was a small, landlocked country located in Eastern Europe that was bordered by Romania to the west and Ukraine to the north, east, and south. The country had a population of 3.6 million people and its official language was Romanian. Despite Moldova’s small size, it had a diverse population with many ethnic minorities including Ukrainians, Russians, Bulgarians, Gagauzians, and others. In 2011 Moldova was still in the process of transitioning from a communist state to a market economy after gaining independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. The economy was largely agricultural with over 40% of the population employed in this sector although industry also played an important role accounting for around 20% of GDP. At this time Moldova’s GDP per capita stood at just over $2,000 which was significantly lower than most other countries in Eastern Europe or Central Asia. In terms of politics Moldova had experienced several changes since its independence with various parties sharing power during different periods of time such as the Communist Party from 1994-2001 and then again from 2001-2009 when it governed as part of a coalition government with other parties. In 2009 elections were held for the first time under a new electoral system which saw four major political parties gain representation in parliament: The Liberal Democratic party (LDP), The Democratic Party (DP), The Communist Party (CP) and Our Moldova Alliance (OMA). Moldova’s educational system consisted mainly of public schools that were free up to grade 12 but there were also some private schools available for those who could afford them. Higher education institutions included universities such as Chisinau State University which offered degree programs in various fields including economics and law as well as technical universities offering courses related to engineering and technology. Check politicsezine for Moldova Political System.