You are correct about the river that runs thru it, dividing Pridnestrovie/ Transnistria from Moldova, which used to be called Bessarabia until 1812.
I don't think you can you can get to/ from Romania and Ukraine without passing thru Moldova.
Yes there is a way JamesB. Look at a map of the area real close, follow the romanian coast starting east-south-east going north along coast of the black sea. Moldavia is a land-locked country, if you look directly south of Moldova, tha is Ukranian territory bordering Romania. Ukaine and Romania have a border crossing that does not touch Moldova at all. Check this map http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://go.hrw.com/atlas/norm_map/ukraine. gif&imgrefurl=http://go.hrw.com/atlas/norm_htm/ukraine.htm&h=400&w=624&sz=84&tbn id=qGY-0NFCefM9BM:&tbnh=87&tbnw=136&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dmap%2Bof%2Bukraine&start= 2&sa=X&oi=images&ct=image&cd=2
Aurelius, have you actually crossed border there, or does this info come from a map or something?
Is it true that you can get an entry visa for Moldova at port of entry? If so, are rates same as Radu's. When I took a train into Turkey, I paid $40 for visa. When I flew into Turkey, I paid $100. They only punished US cistizens, because even Canadians were charged $50 or less, and most of east Euros only $10.