33,800 sq km (13,050 sq miles).
Population:3.6 million (2014).
Population density:106 per sq km.
Capital:Chisinau (Kishinev).
Government:Republic.
Head of state:President Nicolae Timofti since 2012.
Head of government:Prime Minister Ion Sturza since 2015.
Electricity:220 volts AC, 50Hz. European-style plugs with two circular pins are used.
Rich with history and fertile soils that produce abundant vineyards, Moldova is an unjustifiably forgotten tourist destination, as yet untouched by the budget airline brigade. In this land-locked eastern European country, you can wander round vast monasteries, sample the local wines, or trek through ancient forests.
Despite remaining one of the poorest countries in Europe, the people are friendly and welcoming, and the main centres, such as the capital Chisinau, have everything a visitor could need. Chisinau's cathedrals, monuments and museums survived severe WWII bombings to the city, including the house where Pushkin spent his days in exile penning some of his most famous works.
