Administrative divisions of Moldova: Meaning (information, definition, explanation, facts)

Moldova is divided into 32 raions, or raioane, 3 municipalities (Chişinău, Bălţi, and Tighina/Bender)^[1], one (non-contiguous) autonomous territorial unit (Gagauzia), and the breakaway region of Transnistria, the status of which is disputed. The cities of Comrat and Tiraspol also have municipality status, but are not among first-tier units, i.e. are counted inside Gagauzia, respectively Transnistria.

1. Anenii Noi
2. Basarabeasca
3. Briceni
4. Cahul, non-contiguous
5. Cantemir
6. Călăraşi
7. Căuşeni
8. Cimişlia
9. Criuleni, non-contiguous
10. Donduşeni
11. Drochia
12. Dubăsari, non-contiguous
13. Edineţ
14. Faleşti
15. Floreşti
16. Glodeni
17. Hînceşti
18. Ialoveni
19. Leova
20. Nisporeni
21. Ocniţa
22. Orhei
23. Rezina
24. Rîşcani
25. Sîngerei
26. Soroca
27. Străşeni
28. Şoldăneşti
29. Ştefan Vodă
30. Taraclia, non-contiguous
31. Teleneşti
32. Ungheni

Formerly (from 1998 until February 2003), Moldova was made up of the following 12 units: 1 municipality, 1 autonomous territorial unit, 1 territorial unit, and 9 counties, or judeţe (capitals in parentheses):

• Bălţi County (Bălţi)
• Cahul County (Cahul)
• Chişinău County (Chişinău)
• Chişinău municipality, surrounded by Chişinău county, but different from it
• Edineţ County (Edineţ)
• Găgăuzia, autonomous territorial unit (Comrat)
• Lăpuşna County (Hînceşti)
• Orhei County (Orhei)
• Soroca County (Soroca)
• Stânga Nistrului, territorial unit (Dubăsari)
• Tighina County (Căuşeni)
• Ungheni County (Ungheni)

Transnistria, which with the exception of a few localities corresponds to the part of Moldova east of the Dniestr/Nistru River, is de jure a part of Moldova, although in reality it is not controlled by the Moldovan government.