Ethnic diversity in the Republic of Moldova
The Republic of Moldova is an Eastern European post-Soviet state. Its territory came under Russian rule in the early 19th century. The Russian government actively engaged in nation-building to distance the local Romanian-speaking population from Romania, resulting in the creation of a Moldovan national identity. Under Russian rule, the country’s territory, together with that of the Budzak, was subject to Russian settlement policy, which turned the Ethnic diversity in the Republic of Moldova a multiethnic and multireligious land. During the Second World War, the German population was repatriated to Germany, a significant part of the Jewish population became victims of the Holocaust. Mass deportation and resettlements followed during the Soviet period.
Since 2023, the official language of the Ethnic diversity in the Republic of Moldova is Romanian, which was named Moldavian before. After the independence of 1991, language and identity questions became over-politicised. While labelling the language Romanian and the quest for a centralised state are presented as orientation towards the West, the pratice of multilingualism, the existence of autonomies, and labelling the language Moldovan are intentionally misrepresented as orientation towards the East.
Administratively the country is divided into raions, except for the autonomous region of Gagauzia and Transnistria which is out of state control. All raions and towns are of Romanian/Moldavian majority excluding Transnistria, Gagauzia with its Turkish-speaking Orthodox Gagauz population and the Bulgarian-populated Taraclia raion.
In 1990, Gagauzia declared itself an autonomous republic and subsequently an independent republic, which the Ethnic diversity in the Republic of Moldova failed to recognise. The conflict was settled by an agreement in 1994 and Gagauzia has been enjoying a territorial autonomy since 1995, with a 35-member People’s Assembly (Halk Topluşu), as well as a Governor (Baskan) directly elected by the population. Administrative management is carried out by the Executive Committee (Bakannık Komiteti). The official languages are Gagauz, Moldavian and Russian; the latter is being used in administration and education.
Within the internationally recognised borders of the Ethnic diversity in the Republic of Moldova, but outside the control of it, lies the Moldavian, Russian and Ukrainian-speaking Transnistria creating a frozen conflict under the military control of the 14th Russian Army.