Capital of the Moldavian Republic, USSR;
population (1987) 663,000. Industries include
cement, food processing, tobacco, and
textiles. Founded 1436, it became Russian
1812. It was taken by Romania 1918, by the
USSR 1940, and by Germany 1941, when it was
totally destroyed. The USSR recaptured the
site 1944, and rebuilding soon began.
Nationalist demonstrations were held in the
city during 1989.