Moldovans

Moldovans, or Moldavians (Moldovan/Romanian: Moldoveni; Молдовень is the form used by the Moldovan Cyrillic script, which nowadays has official status only in Transnistria) are the native population in, depending on one's interpretation, all or part of the lands that correspond to the former Principality of Moldavia. In the Republic of Moldova and some other places Moldovans are officially recognized as an ethnicity.

The recognition of Moldovans as a separate ethnicity, distinct from Romanians, is a relatively new and controversial subject. Outside of Moldova, this group is currently recognized as a minority ethnic group by several CIS countries.

The majority of ethnic Moldovans live in Moldova, where, according to the 2004 Moldovan Census, they comprise 76.1% of the population, and in Ukraine, where according to the 2001 Ukrainian census results they constitute a recognized ethnic minority of 0.53%.