Photos from a new, emerging country

Local civil rights leaders in Pridnestrovie stand up for what they believe in. They believe in the country where they were born and raised. They believe in their country's freedom.

On the night of Pridnestrovie's annual beauty pageant, 3 excited contestants get together for a pow-wow while tension builds and they await the verdict of the judges.

Local dancers in Pridnestrovie wait for their chance to take the stage, just as their country waits for its chance to take part in the international community of nations.

Angry citizens of Pridnestrovie are tired of seeing their country portrayed as something it is not. Moldova is engaged in an active misinformation campaign of lies and "black propaganda" aimed at isolating Pridnestrovie and preventing the young nation from finding friends among the international community of other peaceful, European nations.

A billboard advertises banking services, including "Rainbow" which is Pridnestrovie's first electronic payment system. Using a debit card, salaries are paid into the card instantly and can be withdrawn from ATM's all over the nation. And online electronic billpaying is available, from the bank's website whose URL appears on billboards like this one all over Pridnestrovie.

Hopeful contestants in Tiraspol, Pridnestrovie, strut their stuff to the funky tunes of a jazz ballet. The young country consists of 35 nationalities and is a true melting pot of ethnic beauty. In contrast to neighboring Moldova, most of Pridnestrovie's population is of Slav descent. But even ethnic Moldavians in Pridnestrovie are strong defenders of the republic's independence and consistently say no to any talk of ever becoming part of the poorest country in Europe; next-door Moldova.

A supermarket in Pridnestrovie. Thanks to modernizing, liberalizing reforms and a market economy the per capita income of the population is increasing and businesses all over the country are expanding.

As seen from this photo, private sector businesses — like this gas station in Pridnestrovie &mdash may freely use any currency for their transactions. In this case, gas is priced in both the local currency (Pridnestrovian ruble) and in U.S. dollars.

More and more, local Pridnestrovie businesses work with updated technological equipment. Here, in a privately owned printing company, an employee puts the final touch on the production of an advertising campaign.