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This page was last updated on 19 December, 2006
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| Introduction | Moldova | Top of Page

Background: | Formerly part of Romania, Moldova was incorporated into the Soviet Union at the close of World War II. Although independent from the USSR since 1991, Russian forces have remained on Moldovan territory east of the Dniester River supporting the Slavic majority population, mostly Ukrainians and Russians, who have proclaimed a "Transnistria" republic. The poorest nation in Europe, Moldova became the first former Soviet state to elect a Communist as its president in 2001.

| Geography | Moldova | Top of Page

Location: | Eastern Europe, northeast of Romania
Geographic coordinates: | 47 00 N, 29 00 E
Map references: | Europe
Area: | total: 33,843 sq km land: 33,371 sq km water: 472 sq km
Area - comparative: | slightly larger than Maryland
Land boundaries: | total: 1,389 km border countries: Romania 450 km, Ukraine 939 km
Coastline: | 0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims: | none (landlocked)
Climate: | moderate winters, warm summers
Terrain: | rolling steppe, gradual slope south to Black Sea
Elevation extremes: | lowest point: Dniester River 2 m highest point: Dealul Balanesti 430 m
Natural resources: | lignite, phosphorites, gypsum, arable land, limestone
Land use: | arable land: 54.52% permanent crops: 8.81% other: 36.67% (2005)
Irrigated land: | 3,000 sq km (2003)
Natural hazards: | landslides (57 cases in 1998)
Environment - current issues: | heavy use of agricultural chemicals, including banned pesticides such as DDT, has contaminated soil and groundwater; extensive soil erosion from poor farming methods
Environment - international agreements: | party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note: | landlocked; well endowed with various sedimentary rocks and minerals including sand, gravel, gypsum, and limestone

| People | Moldova | Top of Page

Population: | 4,466,706 (July 2006 est.)
Age structure: | 0-14 years: 20% (male 455,673/female 438,934) 15-64 years: 69.7% (male 1,498,078/female 1,613,489) 65 years and over: 10.3% (male 170,456/female 290,076) (2006 est.)
Median age: | total: 32.3 years male: 30.3 years female: 34.3 years (2006 est.)
Population growth rate: | 0.28% (2006 est.)
Birth rate: | 15.7 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Death rate: | 12.64 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Net migration rate: | -0.23 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Sex ratio: | at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.59 male(s)/female total population: 0.91 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
Infant mortality rate: | total: 38.38 deaths/1,000 live births male: 41.44 deaths/1,000 live births female: 35.17 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: | total population: 65.65 years male: 61.61 years female: 69.88 years (2006 est.)
Total fertility rate: | 1.85 children born/woman (2006 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: | 0.2% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: | 5,500 (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths: | less than 300 (2001 est.)
Nationality: | noun: Moldovan(s) adjective: Moldovan
Ethnic groups: | Moldovan/Romanian 78.2%, Ukrainian 8.4%, Russian 5.8%, Gagauz 4.4%, Bulgarian 1.9%, other 1.3% (2004 census) note: internal disputes with ethnic Slavs in the Transnistrian region
Religions: | Eastern Orthodox 98%, Jewish 1.5%, Baptist and other 0.5% (2000)
Languages: | Moldovan (official, virtually the same as the Romanian language), Russian, Gagauz (a Turkish dialect)
Literacy: | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99.1% male: 99.6% female: 98.7% (2003 est.)

| Government | Moldova | Top of Page

Country name: | conventional long form: Republic of Moldova conventional short form: Moldova local long form: Republica Moldova local short form: Moldova former: Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic; Moldovan Soviet Socialist Republic
Government type: | republic
Capital: | name: Chisinau (Kishinev) geographic coordinates: 47 00 N, 28 50 E time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
Administrative divisions: | 32 raions (raioane, singular - raionul), 3 municipalities (municipiul), 1 autonomous territorial unit (unitatea teritoriala autonoma), and 1 territorial unit (unitatea teritoriala) raions: Anenii Noi, Basarabeasca, Briceni, Cahul, Cantemir, Calarasi, Causeni, Cimislia, Criuleni, Donduseni, Drochia, Dubasari, Edinet, Falesti, Floresti, Glodeni, Hincesti, Ialoveni, Leova, Nisporeni, Ocnita, Orhei, Rezina, Riscani, Singerei, Soldanesti, Soroca, Stefan-Voda, Straseni, Taraclia, Telenesti, Ungheni municipalities: Balti, Bender, Chisinau autonomous territorial unit: Gagauzia territorial unit: Stinga Nistrului
Independence: | 27 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)
National holiday: | Independence Day, 27 August (1991)
Constitution: | new constitution adopted 29 July 1994, effective 27 August 1994; replaced old Soviet constitution of 1979
Legal system: | based on civil law system; Constitutional Court reviews legality of legislative acts and governmental decisions of resolution; accepts many UN and Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) documents
Suffrage: | 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: | chief of state: President Vladimir VORONIN (since 4 April 2001) head of government: Prime Minister Vasile TARLEV (since 15 April 2001), First Deputy Prime Minister Zinaida GRECIANII (since 10 October 2005) cabinet: Cabinet selected by president, subject to approval of Parliament elections: president elected by Parliament for a four-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 4 April 2005 (next to be held in 2009); note - prime minister designated by the president, upon consultation with Parliament; within 15 days from designation, the prime minister-designate must request a vote of confidence from the Parliament regarding his/her work program and entire cabinet; prime minister designated 15 April 2001, cabinet received a vote of confidence 19 April 2001 election results: Vladimir VORONIN reelected president; parliamentary votes - Vladimir VORONIN 75, Gheorghe DUCA 1; Vasile TARLEV designated prime minister; parliamentary votes of confidence - 75 of 101
Legislative branch: | unicameral Parliament or Parlamentul (101 seats; parties and electoral blocs elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 6 March 2005 (next to be held in 2009) election results: percent of vote by party - PCRM 46.1%, Democratic Moldova Bloc 28.4%, PPCD 9.1%, other parties 16.4%; seats by party - PCRM 56, Democratic Moldova Bloc 34, PPCD 11
Judicial branch: | Supreme Court; Constitutional Court (the sole authority for constitutional judicature)
Political parties and leaders: | Braghis Faction [Dumitru BRAGHIS]; Christian Democratic People's Party or PPCD [Iurie ROSCA]; Communist Party of the Republic of Moldova or PCRM [Vladimir VORONIN, first chairman]; Democratic Moldova Bloc (comprised of the AMN, Democratic Party, and PSL); Democratic Party [Dumitru DIACOV]; Our Moldova Alliance or AMN [Serafim URECHEANU]; Social Liberal Party or PSL [Oleg SEREBRIAN]
Political pressure groups and leaders: | NA
International organization participation: | ACCT, BSEC, CE, CEI, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, FAO, GUAM, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, SECI, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US: | chief of mission: Ambassador Nicolae CHIRTOACA chancery: 2101 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 667-1130 FAX: [1] (202) 667-1204
Diplomatic representation from the US: | chief of mission: Ambasador Michael D. KIRBY embassy: 103 Mateevici Street, Chisinau MD-2009 mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [373] (22) 40-8300 FAX: [373] (22) 23-3044
Flag description: | same color scheme as Romania - three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), yellow, and red; emblem in center of flag is of a Roman eagle of gold outlined in black with a red beak and talons carrying a yellow cross in its beak and a green olive branch in its right talons and a yellow scepter in its left talons; on its breast is a shield divided horizontally red over blue with a stylized ox head, star, rose, and crescent all in black-outlined yellow

| Economy | Moldova | Top of Page

Economy - overview: | Moldova remains one of the poorest countries in Europe despite recent progress from its small economic base. It enjoys a favorable climate and good farmland but has no major mineral deposits. As a result, the economy depends heavily on agriculture, featuring fruits, vegetables, wine, and tobacco. Moldova must import almost all of its energy supplies. Energy shortages contributed to sharp production declines after the breakup of the Soviet Union in December 1991. As part of an ambitious reform effort after independence, Moldova introduced a convertible currency, freed prices, stopped issuing preferential credits to state enterprises, backed steady land privatization, removed export controls, and freed interest rates. The government entered into agreements with the World Bank and the IMF to promote growth and reduce poverty. The economy returned to positive growth in 2000, and has remained at or above 6% every year since. Further reforms will come slowly because of strong political forces backing government controls. The economy remains vulnerable to higher fuel prices, poor agricultural weather, and the skepticism of foreign investors.
GDP (purchasing power parity): | $8.41 billion (2005 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate): | $2.416 billion (2005 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: | 7.1% (2005 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP): | $1,900 (2005 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: | agriculture: 21.3% industry: 23.3% services: 55.5% (2005 est.)
Labor force: | 1.34 million (2005 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: | agriculture: 40% industry: 14% services: 46% (1998)
Unemployment rate: | 8%; note - roughly 25% of working age Moldovans are employed abroad (2002 est.)
Population below poverty line: | 80% (2001 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: | lowest 10%: 2.2% highest 10%: 30.7% (1997)
Distribution of family income - Gini index: | 36.2 (2001)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): | 11.9% (2005 est.)
Investment (gross fixed): | 24.4% of GDP (2005 est.)
Budget: | revenues: $1.069 billion expenditures: $1.065 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2005 est.)
Public debt: | 79.6% of GDP (2005 est.)
Agriculture - products: | vegetables, fruits, wine, grain, sugar beets, sunflower seed, tobacco; beef, milk
Industries: | sugar, vegetable oil, food processing, agricultural machinery; foundry equipment, refrigerators and freezers, washing machines; hosiery, shoes, textiles
Industrial production growth rate: | 17% (2003 est.)
Electricity - production: | 2.942 billion kWh (2003)
Electricity - consumption: | 3.036 billion kWh (2003)
Electricity - exports: | 300 million kWh (2003)
Electricity - imports: | 600 million kWh (2003)
Oil - production: | 0 bbl/day (2003 est.)
Oil - consumption: | 37,000 bbl/day (2003 est.)
Oil - exports: | NA bbl/day
Oil - imports: | NA bbl/day
Natural gas - production: | 0 cu m (2003 est.)
Natural gas - consumption: | 2.38 billion cu m (2003 est.)
Natural gas - exports: | 0 cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - imports: | 2.05 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Current account balance: | $-285 million (2005 est.)
Exports: | $1.04 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)
Exports - commodities: | foodstuffs, textiles, machinery
Exports - partners: | Russia 32.9%, Italy 12.7%, Romania 10.6%, Ukraine 9.5%, Belarus 6.7%, Germany 4.5% (2005)
Imports: | $2.23 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)
Imports - commodities: | mineral products and fuel, machinery and equipment, chemicals, textiles (2000)
Imports - partners: | Ukraine 20.9%, Russia 11.7%, Romania 11.2%, Germany 8.3%, Italy 6.6%, Turkey 4.1% (2005)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: | $597.5 million (2005 est.)
Debt - external: | $1.986 billion (2005 est.)
Economic aid - recipient: | $100 million (2000)
Currency (code): | Moldovan leu (MDL)
Exchange rates: | lei per US dollar - 12.6 (2005), 12.33 (2004), 13.945 (2003), 13.571 (2002), 12.865 (2001)
Fiscal year: | calendar year

| Communications | Moldova | Top of Page

Telephones - main lines in use: | 929,400 (2005)
Telephones - mobile cellular: | 1.09 million (2005)
Telephone system: | general assessment: inadequate, outmoded, poor service outside Chisinau; some modernization is under way domestic: new subscribers face long wait for service; mobile cellular telephone service being introduced international: country code - 373; service through Romania and Russia via landline; satellite earth stations - Intelsat, Eutelsat, and Intersputnik
Radio broadcast stations: | AM 7, FM 50, shortwave 3 (1998)
Television broadcast stations: | 1 (plus 30 repeaters) (1995)
Internet country code: | .md
Internet hosts: | 58,886 (2006)
Internet users: | 406,000 (2005)

| Transportation | Moldova | Top of Page

Airports: | 12 (2006)
Airports - with paved runways: | total: 6 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 under 914 m: 1 (2006)
Airports - with unpaved runways: | total: 6 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 3 (2006)
Pipelines: | gas 606 km (2006)
Railways: | total: 1,138 km broad gauge: 1,124 km 1.520-m gauge standard gauge: 14 km 1.435-m gauge (2005)
Roadways: | total: 12,730 km paved: 10,973 km unpaved: 1,757 km (2003)
Waterways: | 424 km (on Dniester River) (2005)
Merchant marine: | total: 7 ships (1000 GRT or over) 13,831 GRT/15,003 DWT by type: cargo 7 foreign-owned: 3 (Ukraine 3) (2006)

| Military | Moldova | Top of Page

Military branches: | National Army: Ground Forces, Rapid Reaction Forces, Air and Air Defense Forces (2006)
Military service age and obligation: | 18 years of age for compulsory military service; national service obligation - 12 months (2004)
Manpower available for military service: | males age 18-49: 1,066,459 females age 18-49: 1,117,070 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service: | males age 18-49: 693,913 females age 18-49: 911,568 (2005 est.)
Manpower reaching military service age annually: | males age 18-49: 43,729 females age 18-49: 42,354 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: | 0.4% (FY02)

| Transnational Issues | Moldova | Top of Page

Disputes - international: | Moldova and Ukraine have established joint customs posts to monitor transit through Moldova's break-away Transnistria region which remains under OSCE supervision
Refugees and internally displaced persons: | IDPs: 1,000 (internal secessionist uprising in Transnistrian region in 1991) (2005)
Illicit drugs: | limited cultivation of opium poppy and cannabis, mostly for CIS consumption; transshipment point for illicit drugs from Southwest Asia via Central Asia to Russia, Western Europe, and possibly the US; widespread crime and underground economic activity

This page was last updated on 19 December, 2006