A demographic history of Transnistria shows that Transnistria has been home to numerous ethnic groups, in varying proportions, over time.
A demographic history of Transnistria shows that Transnistria has been home to numerous ethnic groups, in varying proportions, over time.
The word "Transnistria" means literally "lands beyond the Dniester" (called "Nistru" in the Romanian language). These lands are historically related to the neo-Latin populations that lived east of the Dniester River.[ citation needed ]
In the coastal area of these lands, during the Roman Empire, there were small cities of nearly 5,000 inhabitants such as Tyras and Olbia. Roman colonists settled in these areas under the protection of Roman legionaries. The interior of Transnistria was sparsely populated by eastern European tribal groups. The region between the Dniester River and the Bug River, having a steppe topography, was continuously subjected to invasion during the Middle Ages by imperial and tribal forces.
Beside the droughty periods typical for the region, the second reason for the underpopulation of the Black Sea northern shores is the vicinity of the Tatars. Their presence, both military and civil, impeded the settling of the east European type life and blocked the Moldavian or even Polish expansion to the east. The Transnistrian lands settled in the Middle Ages by Romanians were only partially and temporarily ruled by Moldavian princes or possessions of the Moldavian Principality. Probably those Romanians living east of the Dniester were only a few thousands.
Many Romanians lived even farther east in the steppe lands of Transnistria (Land over Nistru), scattered (mainly) in small rural settlements. Transnistria was in the past an arid, underpopulated region that began to be colonized in the Middle Ages (after 1500, probably, but possibly even earlier) by Romanians that crossed the Dniester/Nistru river in search of free land and by some Tartars, its borders not being delimited as for a distinctive entity, a part of something. In the east of river Dniester the Romanian life is mentioned all over the Middle Ages. The oldest attested Romanian possession over the Dniester River was the Lerici castle (at the entrance inside Dnieper's estuary, where the fortress Ochakov was later on to be built), captured by some Romanian pirates from the Genoese in the times of voivod Petru Aron (in 1455).
[ citation needed ]
The steppe around the Bug river was mostly depopulated in the 13th and 14th centuries because of the Golden Horde, according to some travelers (like in the "Chorographia Moldaviae" of Georg Reicherstorfer, written in 1541). They found there only some Vlach (Romanian) shepherds and a few Romanian and Slav villages.
Meanwhile, the Romanian colonization east of Dniester – that had started around the year 1000 AD – had reached the Kiev area in the 15th century and in 1712 even the Don river, with the Dimitrie Cantemir leadership.[ citation needed ]
Ethnically the area of Transnistria between the Dniester and the Bug rivers -even if depopulated- was probably 2/3 Romanian speaking (while between the Bug and the Dnieper rivers most of the population was Slavic), when Russia started to conquer it. Indeed, according to the results of the census (quoted in Romanian sources) of 1793 AD, 49 villages out of 67 between the Dniester and the Bug were Romanian. [1]
In 1792, the whole territory between the Dniester and the Bug rivers (that historically was part of the Yedisan territory of the expelled Nogais) became part of the Russian Empire. At that time, the population was sparse and the Russian Empire encouraged large migrations into the region, including ethnic Ukrainians, Romanians, Russians and Germans.
Russia began attempting to lure Romanian settlers (mostly from Moldavia, but also from Transylvania, Bukovina and Muntenia) to settle in its territory in 1775. [2] [ full citation needed ] But the colonization was to a larger scale after 1792, to Transnistria and beyond, when the Russian government declared that the region between the Dniester and the Bug was to become a new principality named "New Moldavia", under Russian suzerainty. [3] [ full citation needed ]
After 1812, Russia annexed from Moldavia a territory which became known as Bessarabia (located west of the Dniester and up to the Prut River), while a process of russification started to be done with the Romanian populations east of the Dniester River (Transnistria).
Since the Soviet era, Transnistria is home to three major groups: Romanians forming a plurality alongside Russians and Ukrainians.
Historically, after one century of russification, the Romanians were no more the majority of population in the areas of the Moldavian Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic (MASSR) established, in 1924, within the Ukrainian SSR. MASSR was limited to some areas east of the Dniester, until Balta. East of Balta, most of the Romanians – settled there since the end of Tartar attacks in the 16th century – were already assimilated by the slavs in the early 20th century (but there were nearly 100,000 Moldovan speaking living east of the MASSR and up to the Dnieper river [4] ).
According to the 1926 Soviet census, the Moldavian ASSR had a population of 572,339, [5] of which:
| Ethnic group | census 1926 | 1936 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number | % | Number | % | |
| Ukrainians | 277,515 | 48.5% | 265,193 | 45.5% |
| Moldovans | 172,419 | 30.1% | 184,046 | 31.6% |
| Russians | 48,868 | 8.5% | 56,592 | 9.7% |
| Jews | 48,564 | 8.5% | 45,620 | 7.8% |
| Germans | 10,739 | 1.9% | 12,711 | 2.2% |
| Bulgarians | 6,026 | 1.1% | ||
| Poles | 4,853 | 0.8% | ||
| Romani | 918 | 0.2% | ||
| Romanians | 137 | 0.0% | ||
| Other | 2,300 | 0.4% | 13,526 | 2.4% |
| Total | 572,339 | 582,138 | ||
Despite this relatively extensive territory allotted to the MASSR, more than 85,000 Romanians remained in Ukraine (and Soviet Russia) outside the territory of MASSR.
In 1941, during World War II, when Romania created the Transnistria Governorate, an extended territory from the Dniester up to the Bug, most of the population was Ukrainian/Russian and only nearly 10% was Romanian. In this way, from 1941 to 1944 the Romanian "irredentism" had obtained the union of nearly 200,000 ethnic Romanians to their motherland, after the loss of Northern Transylvania to Hungary. Even Odessa was subject to Romanian administration, as the city had been made part of Transnistria Governorate. [6]
In December 1941, Romanian authorities conducted a census in the Transnistria Governorate, and the ethnic structure was the following:
| Ethnicity | Number | % | Rural | Urban |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ukrainians | 1,775,273 | 76.3 | 79.9 | 57.4 |
| Moldovans | 197,685 | 8.4 | 9.3 | 4.4 |
| Russians | 150,842 | 6.5 | 2.4 | 27.9 |
| Germans | 126,464 | 5.4 | 5.9 | 2.7 |
| Bulgarians | 27,638 | 1.2 | 1.1 | 1.4 |
| Jews | 21,852 | 0.9 | 0.7 | 2.0 |
| Poles | 13,969 | 0.6 | 0.3 | 2.3 |
| Lipovens | 968 | - | - | 0.1 |
| Tatars | 900 | - | - | 0.1 |
| Others | 10,628 | 0.5 | 10.2 | 1.7 |
| Total | 2,326,224* | 100 | 1,956,557 | 369,669 |
When the Soviet reconquered the area in 1944, they created the Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic (with around half of the former MASSR included), where ethnic Romanians were the majority.
| ethnic group | 1941 | 1959 | 1970 | 1979 | 1989 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Moldovans | 1,622,463 | 68.86% | 1,888,147 | 66% | 2,305,573 | 65.2% | 2,528,164 | 64.5% | 2,794,749 | 65.1% |
| Ukrainians | 261 200 | 11.1% | 420,820 | 14.6% | 506,560 | 14.2% | 560,679 | 14.2% | 600,366 | 13.8% |
| Russians | 158,100 | 6.7% | 292,930 | 10.2% | 414,444 | 11.6% | 505,730 | 12.8% | 562,069 | 13.0% |
| Jews | - | - | 95,107 | 3.2% | 98,072 | 2.7% | 80,127 | 2.0% | 65,672 | 1.5% |
| Gagauz | 115,700 | 4.9% | 95,856 | 3.3% | 124,902 | 3.5% | 138,000 | 3.5% | 153,458 | 3.5% |
| Bulgarians | 177,700 | 7.5% | 61,652 | 2.1% | 73,776 | 2.1% | 80,665 | 2.0% | 88,419 | 2.0% |
| Gypsy | - | - | 7,265 | 0.2% | 9,235 | 0.2% | 10,666 | 0.3% | 11,571 | 0.3% |
| others | 23,200 | 1.0% | 22,618 | 0.8% | 43,768 | 1.1% | 48,202 | 1.2% | 56,579 | 1.3% |
| Total | 2,356,700 | 2,884,477 | 3,568,873 | 3,949,756 | 4,335,360 | |||||
Note: "-" means the official census data does not identify that group in that year, i.e. counts it within other groups, not that the group is not present.
In the years of the latter half of the 20th century, the ethnic proportions have changed in large measure due to industrialization and the immigration of Russian and Ukrainian workers. During the Soviet rule, up to one million people settled in Moldova.
In Transnistria, the trend continued after 1991, too, and the Moldovan population in decreased between 1989 and 2004 from 39% to 32% of the total population.
| Ethnicity | 1926 census | 1936 census | 1989 census | 2004 census | 2015 census |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Moldovans | 44.1% | 41.8% | 39.9% | 31.9% | 33.2% |
| Ukrainians | 27.2% | 28.7% | 28.3% | 28.8% | 26.7% |
| Russians | 13.7% | 14.2% | 25.5% | 30.3% | 33.8% |
| Jews | 8.2% | 7.9% | 6.4% | ||
| Bulgarians | 6.8% | 7.4% | 2.5% | 2.8% | |
| Poles | 2% | 0.2% | |||
| Gagauz: | 0.7% | 1.2% | |||
| Belarusians | 0.7% | 0.6% | |||
| Germans | 0.4% | 0.3% | |||
| Others | 4.6% | 2.6% | 1.2% |
In 2004, the Moldovans were still the most numerous ethnic group, representing an overall majority in the two districts in the central Transnistria (Dubăsari District, 50.15%, and Grigoriopol District, 64.83%), a 47.82% relative majority in the northern Camenca District, and a 41.52% relative majority in the southern (Slobozia District). In Rîbnița District they are a 29.90% minority, and in the city of Tiraspol, they constitute a 15.24% minority of the population.
Russians were the second numerous ethnic group, representing a 41.64% relative majority in the city of Tiraspol, a 24.07% minority in Slobozia, a 19.03% minority in Dubăsari, a 17.22% minority in Râbniţa, a 15.28% minority in Grigoriopol, and a 6.89% minority in Camenca.
Ukrainians are the third numerous ethnic group, representing a 45.41% relative majority in the northern Rîbnița District, a 42.55% minority in Camenca, a 32.97% minority in Tiraspol, a 28.29% minority in Dubăsari, a 23.42% minority in Slobozia, and a 17.36% minority in Grigoriopol.
As of 2015, the Moldovans are no longer the largest single group of the Transnistria region (being surpassed by the Russians). According to the last census in Transnistria (October 2015), the population of the region was 475,373, a 14.47% decrease from the figure recorded at the 2004 census. By ethnic composition, the population of Transnistria was distributed as follows: Russians – 29.1%, Moldovans - 28.6%, Ukrainians – 22.9%, Bulgarians – 2.4%, Gagauzians – 1.1%, Belarusians – 0.5%, Transnistrian – 0.2%, other nationalities – 1.4%. About 14% of the population did not declare their nationality. Also, for the first time, the population had the option to identify as "Transnistrian". [9]
According to the Moldovan Institute for Development and Social Initiative (IDIS) Viitorul, 306,000 people lived in Transnistria in 2021 compared to 731,000 thirty years earlier. This represented a population loss greater than the rest of Moldova. [10]
Demographic features of the population of Republic of Moldova include distribution, ethnicity, languages, religious affiliation and other statistical data.
Tiraspol is the capital and largest city of Pridnestrovie, a breakaway state of Moldova, where it is the third largest city. The city is located on the eastern bank of the Dniester River. Tiraspol is a regional hub of light industry, such as furniture and electrical goods production.
Transnistria or Pridnestrovie, officially known as the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic (PMR), is an internationally unrecognized state, recognized as part of Moldova. Transnistria controls most of the narrow strip of land between the Dniester river and the Moldovan–Ukrainian border, as well as some land on the other side of the river's bank. Its capital and largest city is Tiraspol. Transnistria has been recognised only by two other unrecognised or partially recognised breakaway states: Abkhazia and South Ossetia. Transnistria is officially designated by the Republic of Moldova as the Administrative-Territorial Units of the Left Bank of the Dniester or as Stînga Nistrului. In March 2022, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe adopted a resolution that defines the territory as under military occupation by Russia.
According to the Moldovan law on territorial administrative organisation, Moldova is divided administratively into the following administrative territorial units: districts, cities/towns and villages. The administrative territorial organization of Moldova is made on 2 levels:
Camenca is a town in Transnistria, a breakaway republic internationally recognized as part of Moldova. It is composed of the town itself and the village of Solnecinoe. Camenca is the seat of Camenca District.
Grigoriopol is a town in the Administrative-Territorial Units of the Left Bank of the Dniester, Moldova. It is the seat of the Grigoriopol District of Transnistria. The city is located on the left (eastern) bank of the river Dniester at 47°09′N29°18′E, in central Transnistria. Grigoriopol is composed of the city itself, and a small village Crasnoe (Красное). The town itself had a population of 11,473 in 2004.
The Moldavian Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic, shortened to Moldavian ASSR, was an autonomous republic of the Ukrainian SSR between 12 October 1924 and 2 August 1940, encompassing the modern territory of Transnistria as well as much of the present-day Podilsk Raion of Ukraine. It was an artificial political creation inspired by the Bolshevik nationalities policy in the context of the loss of larger Bessarabia to Romania in April 1918. In such a manner, the Bolshevik leadership tried to radicalize pro-Soviet feelings in Bessarabia with a goal to return it in the presence of favorable conditions and creation of geopolitical "place d'armes" (bridgehead) to execute a breakthrough in the Balkan direction by projecting influence upon Romanian Bessarabia, which was eventually occupied and annexed in 1940 after the signing of the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact.
The Transnistria War was an armed conflict that broke out on 2 November 1990 in Dubăsari between pro-Transnistria forces, including the Transnistrian Republican Guard, militia and neo-Cossack units, which were supported by elements of the Russian 14th Army, and pro-Moldovan forces, including Moldovan troops and police.
The Transnistria Governorate was a Romanian-administered territory between the Dniester and Southern Bug, conquered by the Axis Powers from the Soviet Union during Operation Barbarossa. A Romanian civilian administration governed the territory from 19 August 1941 to 29 January 1944. A brief military administration followed, during which the Romanians withdrew from the region by late March 1944. German control became official on 1 April 1944.
Moldovenism is a term used to refer to the political support and promotion of a Moldovan identity and culture, including a Moldovan language, independent from those of any other ethnic group, the Romanians in particular. It is primarily used as a pejorative by the opponents of such ideas as part of the wider controversy over ethnic and linguistic identity in Moldova.
The Transnistria conflict is an ongoing frozen conflict between Moldova and the unrecognized state of Transnistria. Its most active phase was the Transnistria War. There have been several attempts to resolve the conflict, although none have been successful. The conflict may be considered as having started on 2 September 1990, when Transnistria made a formal sovereignty declaration from Moldova.
This is the history of Transnistria, officially the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic (PMR), an unrecognised breakaway state that is internationally recognised as part of Moldova. Transnistria controls most of the narrow strip of land between the Dniester river and the Moldovan–Ukrainian border, as well as some land on the other side of the river's bank.
The Romanian-language schools in Transnistria are subject to limitations by the government of Transnistria, an unrecognized breakaway region of Moldova since 1992.
Doroțcaia is a village in the Dubăsari District, Republic of Moldova, situated on the eastern bank of the River Dniester.
Rașcov is one of the oldest communes of Transnistria. It is located in the northern part, between Rîbnița and Camenca. It is composed of two villages, Iantarnoe and Rașcov.
This timeline of events is a chronological list of incidents and other notable occurrences related to the War of Transnistria, including events leading up to the war.
The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to Transnistria:
This deals with the History of Transnistria before it became part of the Russian Empire in 1792.
Armenians in Moldova are the ethnic Armenians that live in Moldova. They settled in the Principality of Moldavia since the Late Middle Ages, and were well known as a merchant community. They prospered, and built a number of Armenian churches. Since the 18th century, however, their numbers decreased due to assimilation and emigration to other countries. During Soviet occupation, the number of Armenians increased a little, both during the 1950s-1980s, and when new immigrants came from Armenia, Azerbaijan during First Nagorno-Karabakh War in late 1980s. But after the fall of the Soviet Union, it decreased again.
The Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic is subdivided into five raions: