Regional Distribution of Ethnic Groups in the Republic of Moldova According with the 2004 Census Data

Abstract

Although with a small territory, Republic of Moldova has a relatively high ethnic diversity. It is the result of the last centuries of colonization and population migration, mainly during the Russian Empire and Soviet time. Last population census was conducted in 2004, being the first one during the independence of the Republic of Moldova. Practically the country is split between the main territory controlled by the official authorities and self-proclaimed Dniester Moldavian Republic in the Eastern side of Moldova, which has also conducted separate census in 2004. The ethnic structure of population still keeps the configuration from the Soviet time, but many quantitative and qualitative changes occurred. Ideological separation of the same nation between Romanians and Moldovans are still not exceeded, official census regards the Moldovan as titular nation of the country. General characterization of the settlements according to ethnic structure shows the specific regional and urban-rural character of particular ethnic groups. The geographical division in northern, central, southern and eastern parts of the Republic of Moldova corresponds to the ethnic concentration of main nation and minorities, as can be seen by the administrative units and at the level of localities.