Area Code 291 – Ceadir Lunga

Geographic Overview

The +373 291 area code serves the Ceadir-Lunga district in the southern part of the Republic of Moldova, an autonomous territorial unit with a significant Gagauz population. Ceadir-Lunga (also spelled Ceadîr-Lunga) is the administrative center of the Ceadir-Lunga District within the Autonomous Territorial Unit of Gagauzia (UTA Găgăuzia). The region is known for its agricultural production, food processing industry, and cultural heritage. The area code covers the city of Ceadir-Lunga and surrounding localities, including nearby villages such as Gaidar, Joltai, and Taraclia (partially).

Dialing Formats

When calling a fixed-line number in Ceadir-Lunga, the national significant number (NSN) is 8 digits long, comprising the area code (291) followed by a 5-digit subscriber number. For example, a local number might be 2-34-56, making the full national number 291 2-34-56.

• National dialing (within Moldova): Dial 0 291 2 34 56. The leading 0 is the trunk prefix used to access the national network.
• International dialing (from abroad): Dial your country's international access code (e.g., 00 from most European countries, 011 from North America), then 373 291 2 34 56. Note: The trunk prefix 0 is omitted when dialing from outside Moldova.
• Local calls within Ceadir-Lunga: For calls within the same area code, you may dial only the 5-digit subscriber number (e.g., 2 34 56) in many cases, but it is safer to use the full national format to ensure connectivity.

Regulatory and Technical Notes

Moldova's numbering plan follows ITU-T E.164 recommendations. The country code is +373, and the National Destination Code (NDC) for geographic areas is typically 2 or 3 digits. The 291 area code is classified as a geographic code, meaning it is tied to a specific physical location. Calls to 291 numbers are routed over the PSTN (Public Switched Telephone Network) and may also be accessible via VoIP providers, but the geographic tariff applies. As of the latest ITU operational bulletin, no overlay code has been assigned for this area; the 291 code remains the sole geographic code for Ceadir-Lunga. Subscriber numbers are allocated by the National Regulatory Agency for Electronic Communications and Postal Services (ANRCETI).

Caller Instructions

• Callers from within Moldova: Always include the trunk prefix 0 before the area code when dialing from a different fixed-line zone or from a mobile phone. For example, from Chișinău, dial 0 291 2 34 56.
• Callers from abroad: Drop the trunk prefix 0 and dial the international format: +373 291 2 34 56 (or your international prefix followed by 373 291 2 34 56).
• Emergency and special numbers: For emergency services, always dial the national emergency numbers (112 for general emergencies) regardless of location.

When storing numbers in your contacts, use the international format (+373 291 2 34 56) to ensure reachability from any country.