Republic of Moldova

An historic passageway between Asia and Southern Europe, Moldova was often subject to invasion and warfare. It is historically part of a greater Moldavia, the main part of which was an independent principality in the 14th centaury and came under Ottoman Turkish rule in the 16th centaury. It became a highly fortified Turkish border region and was a frequent target in Russo-Turkish wars. East Moldavia passed to Russia in 1791. Russia acquired further Moldavian territory in 1793 and especially in 1812, when the Russians received all of Bessarabia (the name for the area of Moldavia between the Prut and Dniester rivers). The rest of Moldavia remained with the Turks and later passed to Romania, which seized Bessarabia in 1918.

In 1924, the USSR, refusing to sanction the seizure, established the Moldavian ASSR in Ukraine, with Balta and then (1929) Tiraspol as the capital. Romania was forced to cede Bessarabia to the USSR in 1940. The predominantly Ukrainian districts in the south and around Khotin in the north were incorporated into Ukraine, as were parts of the Moldavian ASSR; the rest was merged with what remained of the Moldavian ASSR and made a constituent republic (the Moldavian SSR). Taken by Romania in 1941, the republic was re-conquered by the USSR in 1944. In June, 1990, the Moldavian SSR adopted a measure calling for greater sovereignty within the USSR. In August 1991, Moldova, which is the Romanian name of the region, was declared an independent republic; Mircea Snegur was elected president, and it reluctantly joined the Russian-dominated Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS).

With independence, a guerrilla war began that sought secession of the Transnistria Region, where there were many ethnic Russians who feared a Moldovan merger with Romania. In 1992 a cease-fire went into effect that granted limited autonomy to the region, and Russian troops were stationed there. In 1995, in a move termed illegal by the central government, residents overwhelmingly voted for independence from Moldova. A peace accord was signed in 1997, giving the region more autonomy but agreeing that Moldova would remain a single state; relations between the region and central government are occasionally tense. Gagauzia, a region dominated by ethnic Turks, was granted limited autonomy in 1994, with the right to secede in the event Moldova should merge with Romania.

Capital: Chişinău

Government: parliamentary republic

Area: 33.846 km²

Population: 4.320.748 (2009, excluding Transnistria and Bender)

Currency: Moldovan leu (100 bani)

from independence to 1 August 1993: Ruble (100 kopeks)

2 August-28 November 1993: Moldavian kupon (100 kopeks)

UN country code: 498

Internet TLD: .md

Dialling code: +373

Member of: United Nations 2 March 1992

UNCTAD ?

Economic Commission for Europe 2 March 1992

FAO 20 October 1995

ICAO 1 July 1992

IFAD ?

ILO 1992

IMO 11 April 2001

IMF 1992

ITU 20 October 1992

UNESCO 27 May 1992

UNIDO 1 June 1993

UPU 16 November 1992

World Bank Group 12 Augustus 1992

WHO 4 May 1992

WIPO 25 December 1991

WMO 21 November 1994

UNWTO 2002

IAEA 24 September 1997

WTO 26 July 2001

For more stamps see:

Transnistria

Links

Republic of Moldova in Wikipedia.

Flag of the Republic of Moldova in Flags of the World.

Website of the Philatelic Service.

Country description from the BBC.

Country description from the CIA.

Official website of the government of the Republic of Moldova.

Permanent Mission of the Republic of Moldova at the United Nations.

Stamp catalogue

Membership of the United Nations

date: 21 November 1992

designer: Ralf Vogel

printer: State Printing, Sofia, Bulgaria

perforated: 13

sheet: 50 stamps (5 x 10); also in sheets of 10 stamps (2 x 5), sheet margins: UNO emblem, text: "MOLDOVA -

MEMBER OF THE UNITED NATION ORGANIZATION / MOLDOVA - MEMBRE DE / L'ORGANISATION DES NATIONS

UNIES / MOLDOVA - MEMBRU AL O.N.U."

remark: currency is Ruble; the small sheet of stamp 1 has a control number on the bottom edge

1 1.30 UN emblem, UN Headquarters, Moldovan flag, Statue of Liberty, text "MOLDOVA - MEMBRU AL O.N.U."

multicoloured

(cat. Michel 39/SG 46/Yvert 27)

2 12.00 UN emblem, UN Headquarters, Moldovan flag, Statue of Liberty, text "MOLDOVA - MEMBRU AL O.N.U."

multicoloured

(cat. Michel 40/SG 47/Yvert 28)

Membership of the Universal Postal Union

date: 26 December 1992

designer: Pal Varga

printer: State Printing, Sofia, Bulgaria

perforated: 12

sheet: 50 stamps (5 x 10)

remarks: currency is Ruble

3 5.00 diesel train, letter sorter, Moldovan flag, UPU emblem, text "MOLDOVA - Membru al U.P.U."

multicoloured

(cat. Michel 44/SG 55/Yvert 33)

4 10.00 Douglas DC-10 jetliner, computerized letter sorting equipment, air letter, Moldovan flag,

UPU emblem, text "MOLDOVA - Membru al U.P.U."

multicoloured

(cat. Michel 45/SG 56/Yvert 34)

International Year of the Family

date: 26 November 1994

designer: Elena Leşcu

printer: Bundesdruckerei, Berlin, Germany

perforated: 14¼:14

sheet: 10 stamps (5 x 2); sheet margins: rainbow, IYF emblems, text "ANUL INTERNAŢIONAL AL FAMILIEI"

5 0.30 L happy family, rainbow, IYF emblem, text "ANUL INTERNAŢIONAL AL FAMILIEI / INTERNATIONAL YEAR

OF THE FAMILY"

multicoloured

(cat. Michel 130/SG 154/Yvert 116)

6 0.60 L mother breastfeeding, IYF emblem, text "ANUL INTERNAŢIONAL AL FAMILIEI / INTERNATIONAL YEAR

OF THE FAMILY"

multicoloured

(cat. Michel 131/SG 155/Yvert 117)

7 1.50 L drawing child, drawing of a family, rainbow, IYF emblem, text "ANUL INTERNAŢIONAL AL FAMILIEI /

INTERNATIONAL YEAR OF THE FAMILY"

multicoloured

(cat. Michel 132/SG 156/Yvert 118)

UNO 50th anniversary

date: 24 October 1995

designer: -

printer: PostLine International AB, Kista, Sweden

perforated: imperforated

remark: stamp cards with ten self-adhesive stamps, stamps are numbered from 1 to 10

8-17 0.90 L UNO jubilee emblem, text "1945 / 1995"

multicoloured

(cat. Michel 182/SG 195/Yvert -)

18-27 1.50 L UNO jubilee emblem, text "1945 / 1995"

multicoloured

(cat. Michel 183/SG 196)

UNO 50th anniversary

date: 24 October 1995

designer: Oleg Cojocari

printer: Bundesdruckerei, Berlin, Germany

perforated: 14:14¼

sheet: 10 stamps (2 x 5)

remark: Nu! translates as No!

28 0.10 L eye with fighter plane ('No to war!'), UNO jubilee emblem, text "O.N.U.-50 ANI" and "NU!"

multicoloured

(cat. Michel 184/SG 192/Yvert 152)

29 0.10 L eye with polluted nature ('No to nature pollution!'), UNO jubilee emblem, text "O.N.U.-50 ANI" and "NU!"

multicoloured

(cat. Michel 185/SG 193/Yvert 153)

30 1.50 L eye with child and barbed wire ('No to apartheid!'), UNO jubilee emblem, text "O.N.U.-50 ANI" and "NU!"

multicoloured

(cat. Michel 186/SG 194/Yvert 154)

World Post Day / Heinrich von Stephan death centenary

date: 18 October 1997

designer: Ivan Pîcev

printer: Bundesdruckerei, Berlin, Germany

perforated: 14:13¾ (31 and 32), 13 ¾:14 (33)

sheet: 10 stamps (5 x 2)

31 10 b post office nr. 12 in Chisinau (1956 by Valentin Mednec), emblem, text "CHIŞINĂU OFICIUL POŞTAL

Nr. 12"

light yellow-olive, blackish olive

(cat. Michel 184/SG 255/Yvert 205)

32 2.20 L district head post and telegraph office in Chisinau at the start of the 20th century, post coach,

emblem, text "CHIŞINĂU DIRECŢIA DISTRICTULUI POŞTAL-TELEGRAFIC / incep. sec. XX."

light yellow-olive, bistre brown

(cat. Michel 185/SG 256/Yvert 206)

33 3.30 L portrait of Heinrich von Stephan, emblem, text "HEINRICH VON STEPHAN 1831-1897 / FONDATORUL

UNIUNII POŞTALE UNIVERSALE"

light yellow-olive, olive green

(cat. Michel 184/SG 257/Yvert 207)

Universal Declaration of Human Rights 50th anniversary

date: 10 December 1998

designer: Simion Zamşa

printer: Bundesdruckerei, Berlin, Germany

perforated: 14

sheet: 10 stamps (2 x 5)

remark: part of a series of two stamps

34 2.40 L HR jubilee emblem, design 'Proportions of Man' by Leonardo da Vinci, jigsaw puzzle, text "1948-1998 /

DECLARAŢIA UNIVERSALĂ / A DREPTURILOR OMULUI"

multicoloured

(cat. Michel 302/SG 308/Yvert 260)

UPU 125th anniversary

date: 9 April 1999

designer: Ivan Pîcev

printer: Bundesdruckerei, Berlin, Germany

perforated: 14

sheet: 10 stamps (2 x 5), sheet margins: UPU emblem, text "UNIUNII POŞTALE UNIVERSALE / 1874-1999"

remark: part of a series of two stamps

35 25 b post coach, buildings, UPU jubilee emblem

multicoloured

(cat. Michel 303/SG 310/Yvert 261)

World Teachers' Day

date: 5 October 2000

designer: Simion Zamşa

printer: Bundesdruckerei, Berlin, Germany

perforated: 14

sheet: 10 stamps (2 x 5), sheet margins white

36 25 b child, school class, UNESCO and EI emblems, text "ZIUA MONDIALĂ A ÎNVĂŢĂTORILOR"

multicoloured

(cat. Michel 373/SG 376/Yvert 323)

37 3,60 L teacher with a book, blackboard with the first lines from the Moldovan national anthem Limba noastră

(Our language) by Alexei Mateevici (1888-1917), UNESCO and EI emblems, text "ZIUA MONDIALĂ A

ÎNVĂŢĂTORILOR"

multicoloured

(cat. Michel 374/SG 377/Yvert 324)

UNHCR 50th anniversary

date: 19 January 2001

designer: Ivan Pîcev

printer: Bundesdruckerei, Berlin, Germany

perforated: 14

sheet: 10 stamps (2 x 5), sheet margin: UNHCR emblem, text: "ICNUR - 50 ANI"

38 3 L mother and child, landscape, UNHCR jubilee emblem, text "Inaltul Comisariat al Naţiunilor

Unite / pentru Refugiaţi (ICNUR) - 50 ani"

multicoloured

(cat. Michel 378/SG 381/Yvert 327)

United Nations Year of Dialogue among Civilizations

date: 9 October 2001

designer: Ivan Pîcev (39), Urška Golob, Slovenia (40)

printer: Bundesdruckerei, Berlin, Germany

perforated: 14

sheet: 10 stamps (39: 2 x 5 / 40: 5 x 2), sheet margins text: "DIALOG INTRE CIVILIZAŢII"

remark: stamps show the Moldovan and international winners in the UPU stamp design competition

39 40 b heads 'communicating' with other civilizations, Cassini-Huygens satellite, UFO, text "DIALOG INTRE

CIVILIZAŢII"

multicoloured

(cat. Michel 407/SG 408/Yvert 352)

40 3,60 L children, globe, means of communication, UN emblem, text "Dialog intre civilizaţii"

multicoloured

(cat. Michel 408/SG 409/Yvert 353)

World Post Day

date: 5 October 2002

designer: Vitaliu Pogolşa, based on children's drawings

41: Alexandru Catranji (14 years)

42: Natalia Corcodel (14 years)

43: Dana Lungu (10 years)

printer: Bundesdruckerei, Berlin, Germany

perforated: 14

sheet: 10 stamps (5 x 2), sheet margins: post horn with globe, post doves

remark: the drawings are the winners in the Moldovan drawing contest for World Post Day 2002

41 40 b Un peisaj rural moldovenesc (a Moldovan rural landscape), text "Alexandru / CATRANJI / 14 ani" and

" Poşta extinde orizonturi" (The Post expands horizons)

multicoloured

(cat. Michel 446/SG /Yvert )

42 1,50 L Hulubi de poştă – transmiterea mesajelor spre alte planete (Post doves - delivering messages to other

planets), text "Natalia / CORCODEL / 14 ani" and " Poşta extinde orizonturi" (The Post expands horizons)

multicoloured

(cat. Michel 447/SG /Yvert )

43 2 L Un copil-poştaş distribuie scrisori (A postman delivering letters), text "Dana / LUNGU / 10 ani" and "

Poşta extinde orizonturi" (The Post expands horizons)

multicoloured

(cat. Michel 447/SG /Yvert )

World Summit on the Information Society, Tunis

date: 14 September 2005

designer: Vitaliu Pogolşa

printer: Tipografia Centrală, Chişinău, Moldova

perforated: 14½:14

sheet: 10 stamps (5 x 2), sheet margin: stripes and 'Tunis 2005' from the conference emblem

44 4,40 L WSIS emblem, globe, text "SUMMITUL MONDIAL / PRIVIND SOCIETATEA INFORMAŢIONALĂ / 16 - 18

NOIEMBRIE · TUNISIA / WORLD SUMMIT / ON THE INFORMATION / SOCIETY / SOMMET MONDIAL

/ SUR LA SOCIÉTÉ / DE L'INFORMATION"

multicoloured

(cat. Michel 520/SG 517/Yvert 452)

Universal Declaration of Human Rights 60th anniversary

date: 10 December 2008

designer: Vitaliu Pogolşa

printer: Tipografia Centrală, Chişinău, Moldova

perforated: 14:14½

sheet: 10 stamps (2 x 5), sheet margins text "DECLARAŢIA UNIVERSALA A DREPTURILOR OMULUI · 1948-2008 /

UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS · 1948-2008"

45 4,50 L HRD jubilee emblem, hands with book, scales, text "DECLARAŢIA / UNIVERSALA / A DREPTURILOR /

OMULUI / Demnitate şi dreptate pentru toţi / 1948-2008"

multicoloured

(cat. Michel 640/SG /Yvert )

International Year of Astronomy

date: 7 May 2009

designer: Vitaliu Pogolşa

printer: Tipografia Centrală, Chişinău, Moldova

perforated: 14:14½; imperforated (booklet 49)

sheet: 10 stamps (2 x 5), sheet margins: image of outer space and Europa emblem, text "ASTRONOMIE /

ASTRONOMY"

remark: stamps are issued as part of Europa 2009

46 4,20 L portrait of astrophysicist Nicolae Donici, solar eclipse, astronomical diagram, observatory, text

"Nicolae Donici (1874-1956). Astrofizician" and "ASTRONOMIE"

multicoloured

(cat. Michel 650/SG /Yvert )

47 4,50 L portrait of astronomer Galileo Galilei, space, armillary sphere, text "Galileo Galilei (1564-1642).

Astronom" and "ASTRONOMIE"

multicoloured

(cat. Michel 651/SG /Yvert )

48 26,10 lei booklet with sheet of 6 stamps (3 x 43 / 3 x 44), sheet margin: image of outer space, text "ASTRONOMIE

/ ASTRONOMY"

outside cover: solar system and space objects, text "ASTRONOMIE / ASTRONOMY"

inside cover: solar system and description in English and Moldovan

multicoloured

(cat. Michel MH 14 A/SG /Yvert )

49 26,10 lei booklet with sheet of 6 imperforated stamps (3 x 43 / 3 x 44), sheet margin: image of outer space, text

"ASTRONOMY / ASTRONOMIE"

outside cover: solar system and space objects, text "ASTRONOMIE / ASTRONOMY"

inside cover: solar system and description in English and Moldovan

multicoloured

(cat. Michel MH 14 B/SG /Yvert )

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last revised: 31 August 2010