Moldova

Chisinau (Chișinău) is the capital and largest city of Moldova, housing the national government and parliament, major universities, and the country’s cultural institutions. Located on the Bâc River, it was first recorded in 1436 and later expanded under the Russian Empire and the Soviet Union—hence its mix of 19th‑century and Soviet-era architecture. Moldova’s famed wine industry is centered around the capital, with vast cellars nearby. Don’t be misled by the options: Tiraspol is the administrative center of the breakaway region of Transnistria; Bălți is Moldova’s second‑largest city; and Comrat is the capital of the autonomous region of Gagauzia. Memory tip: Chișinău = “chief city”—both start with “chi,” and it’s where Moldova’s key institutions are found.