🇲🇩 Moldova, Republic of

Moldova (ISO code MD) lies in Eastern Europe between Romania to the west and Ukraine to the east. It is a parliamentary republic and has been an EU candidate since 2022, with accession negotiations opened in 2024. The climate is continental with hot summers and cold winters. The economy is dominated by agriculture (wine, fruit, vegetables), food processing and a growing IT sector. Foreign trade is strongly geared towards agricultural exports and textiles, while energy, machinery and consumer goods are imported. Moldova's only sea access is the Danube free port of Giurgiulesti, about 134 km from the Black Sea, offering river and sea vessel transhipment plus broad- and standard-gauge rail. Key land links run to the Black Sea ports of Romania (Constanta) and Ukraine. The national currency is the leu (MDL). The Transnistria region on the left bank of the Dniester is outside government control.