What is Chișinău?
[[File:Coat of Arms of Chișinău.svg|right|160x160px]] [[File:Flag of Chișinău.svg|right|250px]] '''Chișinău''' (IPA /ki.ʃi.'nəu/), formerly known as '''Kishinev''', is the [[capital city]] and [[Industry|industrial]] and [[Commerce|commercial]] center of [[Moldova]]. It is also largest city of Moldova. It is located in the center of the country – on the [[river]] [[Bîc]]. == Geography == [[File:Sectoare Chişinău.png|right|thumb|250px|Chişinău Sectors]] The city is in the middle of the central area of Moldova. It is divided into five administrative districts. These are: * [[Sectorul Centru|Centru]] * [[Sectorul Rîşcani|Rîşcani]] * [[Sectorul Botanica|Botanica]] * [[Sectorul Ciocana|Ciocana]] * [[Sectorul Buiucani|Buiucani]] == History == Chișinău was founded in [[1436]] as a [[monastery]] town. The city was part of the [[Moldavia]]n Principality, which, starting with the [[16th century]] fell under the [[suzerainty]] of the [[Ottoman Empire]]. At the beginning of the [[19th century]] it was a small village of 7,000 people. In [[1812]] it was occupied by [[Russia]], who made it the centre of [[Bessarabia]]. By 1862, there were 92,000 people. By 1900, there were 125,787. === The First World War Period === Following the Russian [[October Revolution]] the country declared [[independence]] from the fallen empire, before joining the [[Kingdom of Romania]]. With Moldova only [[autonomous]] in the new state, Chișinău lost its title as [[Capital (city)|Capital]] and moved into the background. Between [[1918]] and [[1940]] the center of the city undertook large [[renovation]] work. In 1927 a monument to the famous prince [[Stephen III of Moldavia]], by the artist [[Alexandru Plămădeală]] was erected. === The Second World War === In the chaos of the [[Second World War]] Chișinău was nearly completely destroyed. This began with the [[Soviet]] occupation led by the [[Red Army]] from 28 June 1940. As the city began to recover from the takeover, a devastating earthquake occurred on 10 November 1940. The [[epicenter]] o