Transnistria
Transnistria or
Transdniester (
Russian:
Pridnestrov'e,
Romanian:
Transnistria) is a region in eastern Europe. It is considered internationally to be part of
Moldova, and previously part of the
Moldavian SSR, but has declared independence as the
Transdniestrian Moldovan Republic, with a capital at
Tiraspol. The region has a
Slavic-speaking majority, who fear unification with
Romania. The name comes from it being the area of Moldava east of the river
Nistria.
The area had been controlled by the Ottoman Empire and was ceded to the Russian Empire in 1792. It was organised as the 'Moldavian Autonomous Oblast' in the Ukrainian SSR. After World War II, it was included with Bessarabia into the Moldavian SSR in exchange for the Southern Bessarabia ("Bugeac"), which was included in the Ukrainian SSR.