Soldanesti District
Northeast Moldova on Dniester Plateau; soil fertility 74 points (vs 63 average), Soviet-era name 'Chernenko' restored to historical Șoldănești in 1980s.
During the Soviet era, the administrative center carried the name Chernenko—after the brief General Secretary who ruled 1984-85. The town reverted to Șoldănești in the 1980s, reclaiming an identity documented since the 15th century. The earliest attested settlements—Dobrușa, Olișcani, Răspopeni, Salcia—appear in records from 1437-1448, making this northeast district among Moldova's most historically layered.
The Dniester Plateau terrain is rugged, marked by erosion and landslides that both constrain and define agriculture. Yet soil fertility here rates 74 points on Moldova's Land Register—well above the 63-point district average. This paradox of difficult terrain and rich soil has shaped settlement patterns since medieval trade routes crossed the region. The district is a founding member of Euroregion Dniester, a cross-border cooperation initiative linking Moldovan and Ukrainian territories along the river.
By 2026, the 36,743 residents may see whether European integration translates to development investment. The Ciorna River drains the district into the Dniester system, while the Rîbnița and Camenca districts to the east—both in separatist-controlled Transnistria—complicate regional planning. Șoldănești's position between Moldovan-controlled central regions and the frozen conflict zone shapes its development options more than its medieval history might suggest.