The name Moldova is derived from the Moldova River; the valley of this river served as a political centre at the time of the foundation of the Principality of Moldavia in 1359. The origin of the name of the river remains unclear. According to a legend recounted by Moldavian chroniclers Dimitrie Cantemir and Grigore Ureche, Prince Dragoș named the river after hunting an aurochs: …

The Moldova–Ukraine border, the official border between Republic of Moldova and Ukraine, was established after the dissolution of the Soviet Union.The length of the inland border is 1,222 kilometres (759 mi), of which 267 kilometres (166 mi), is fluvial (i.e., along rivers) and 955 kilometres (593 mi), is land border. About 454 kilometres (282 mi), of it constitutes the de facto …