The 1991 referendum in Gagauzia took place in Gagauzia on 1 December 1991. On that date, Transnistria voted to continue its de facto independence and seek international recognition as a separate, sovereign country and member of the international community.
Gagauzia or Gagauz Yeri, officially the Autonomous Territorial Unit of Gagauzia, is an autonomous region of Moldova. Its an ethnic autonomy of the Gagauz people, who are primarily Orthodox Turkic-speaking people. Gagauz Yeri literally means "place of the Gagauz".
In law and government, de facto describes practices that exist in reality, even if not officially recognized by laws. It is commonly used to refer to what happens in practice, in contrast with de jure, which refers to things that happen according to law. Unofficial customs that are widely accepted are sometimes called de facto standards.
