The city

Chisinau (Kishinev) is the capital of the Republic of Moldova that was formed in 1991 on the aches of the former Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic.
Situated in the center of the region historically called Bessarabia, Chisinau lies along the Byc river and has a population of 752 thousand. The city is divided into 5 districts (Centru, Buiucani, Riscani, Ciocana and Botanica) on a surface of 120 sq. km.    
map of the city center       full map of the city

History

The first historical signs go back to year 1436 when Chisinau was a monarchal center. The city was a part of the Moldova’s Principality that starting from XVI century was conquered by the Ottoman Empire.
Since 1812 it was conquered and annexed by the Russians to the Tsar Empire and became the center of Bessarabia till year 1918, the year when it became a component part of the Romanian Principality.
In 1940, following the Nazi-Soviet agreements of the Molotov-Ribbentrop pact, the Bessarabian territory is annexed to the USSR, creating the Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic with the capital city of Chisinau that was renamed in Russian language Kishinev.
In 1991 on the tracks of independency movements born in the USSR of Gorbaciov, Moldova has declared its independence, reintroducing the Moldovan (a Romanian dialect) as the official language and the city has retrieved its original name.

Population

Chisinau is a multinational city, populated by different Slavic nations that have settled here due to different historical events, having the city as the epicenter. The most numerous ethnical group are the Moldovans, representing more than 50%, followed by the Russians, representing 25% and by Ukrainians, representing 13%. The remaining share consists of small groups of Turkish (Gagauzians), Georgians, Armenians, Bulgarians and Roma people.

Economy

During the Soviet era the economy of the city has been developed by a forced industrialization that modified its typically rural past. Nowadays Chisinau is a primary industrial and service center and tries to redeem the old Soviet infrastructure through total privatization of the economy and attraction of more foreign investments.

Education

There are 36 university faculties, as well as the Academy of Science of Moldova in the city of Chisinau and it represents the social-cultural center of the country.

Useful numbers

Fire department	901
Police	902
First aid - Red cross	903
Moldtelecom subscribers informations	1188
Bus stations:
Central station	54-21-85
North	41-13-38
South	72-39-83
Railway station	83-27-33 /34 /35 /36 /37
Airport	52-51-11

Embassies and Consulates in Chisinau

U.S.A. Strada Alexei Mateevici, 103. Tel. 40-83-00 sito: www.usembassy.md	ITALIA Strada Vlaicu Parcalab 63, Edificio Skytower, settimo piano Centralino:       tel. (00373/22) 266720       fax (00373/22) 266769 Uff. Visti:       tel. (00373/22) 266726       fax (00373/22) 201969 - 243088 Sezione consolare:       fax (00373/22) 266754 Sito: www.ambchisinau.esteri.it
BELARUS Alexi Mateevici street, 35. Tel. 23-83-02/76 sito: www.belembassy.org/moldova	ROMANIA Bucuresti street, 66/1. Tel. 22-81-26 sito: http://chisinau.mae.ro
FRANCE 31 August street, 101. Tel. 22-82-04 sito: www.ambafrance.md	RUSSIA Bd. Stefan cel Mare, 153. Tel. 23-49-41/45
GERMANY Maria Cebotari street, 35 c/o Jolly Alon Hotel. Tel. 20-06-00, 20-06-01	TURKEY V. Cuprea street, 60. Tel. 24-26-08
GREAT BRITAIN & NORTHERN IRELAND Nicolae Iorga street, 18. Tel. 22-59-02 sito: www.britishembassy.md	UKRAINE Vasile Lupu street, 17. Tel. 58-21-51
HUNGARY Bd. Stefan cel Mare, 131. Tel. 22-34-04, 22-77-86