a republic in SE Europe: comprising the E part of the former principality of Moldavia, the E part of which (Bessarabia) was ceded to the Soviet Union in 1940 and formed the Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic until it gained independence in 1991; Russian forces have remained in Moldova east of the Nistru river, supporting the separatist region of Transdniestria which has a Slavic majority population; Moldova has a chiefly agrarian economy noted for fruit, vegetables, wine, and tobacco. Official language: Romanian. Religion: Orthodox Christian majority. Currency: leu. Capital: Chişinǎu (Kishinev). Pop: 4 051 212 (2017 est). Area: 33 670 sq km (13 000 sq miles)