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Introduction | Moldova

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

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: 55.3% permanent crops: 10.79% other: 33.91% (2001)
Irrigated land: | 3,070 sq km (1998 est.)
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

Population: | 4,455,421 (July 2005 est.)
Age structure: | 0-14 years: 20.2% (male 459,452/female 442,725) 15-64 years: 69.5% (male 1,489,813/female 1,606,202) 65 years and over: 10.3% (male 169,038/female 288,191) (2005 est.)
Median age: | total: 32.22 years male: 30.14 years female: 34.27 years (2005 est.)
Population growth rate: | 0.22% (2005 est.)
Birth rate: | 15.27 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Death rate: | 12.79 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Net migration rate: | -0.25 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 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 (2005 est.)
Infant mortality rate: | total: 40.42 deaths/1,000 live births male: 43.11 deaths/1,000 live births female: 37.58 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: | total population: 65.18 years male: 61.12 years female: 69.43 years (2005 est.)
Total fertility rate: | 1.81 children born/woman (2005 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 64.5%, Ukrainian 13.8%, Russian 13%, Jewish 1.5%, Bulgarian 2%, Gagauz and other 5.2% (1989 est.) 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

Country name: | conventional long form: Republic of Moldova conventional short form: Moldova local long form: Republica Moldova local short form: none former: Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic; Moldovan Soviet Socialist Republic
Government type: | republic
Capital: | Chisinau

Administrative divisions:

32 raions (raioane, singular - raionul), 3 municipalities (municipiul), 1 autonomous territorial unit (unitatea teritoriala autonoma), and 1 territorial unit (unitatea teritoriala)
: counties: 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; it is unclear if Moldova accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction but 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 Vasile IOVV (since 29 January 2002)
cabinet: selected by president, subject to approval of Parliament
elections: president elected by Parliament for a four-year term; election last held 4 April 2005 (next to be held NA 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 NA 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: | Democratic Modova Bloc [Serafim URECHEANU] includes: Democratic Party [Dumitru DIACOV], Our Moldova Alliance [Dumitru BRAGHIS, Serafim URECHEANU], Social Liberal Party [Oleg SEREBRIAN]; Communist Party of the Republic of Moldova or PCRM [Vladimir VORONIN, first chairman]; Popular Christian Democratic Party or PPCD [Iurie ROSCA]
Political pressure groups and leaders: | NA
International organization participation: | ACCT, BSEC, CE, CEI, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, FAO, GUUAM, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNOCI, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US: | chief of mission: Ambassador Mihail MANOLI 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: Ambassador Heather M. HODGES embassy: 103 Mateevici Street, Chisinau MD-2009 mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [373] (22) 408-300 FAX: [373] (22) 23-30-44

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

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 from Russia. 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 of 2.1% in 2000, 6.1% in 2001, 7.2% in 2002, 6.3% in 2003, and 6.8% in 2004. 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 - $8.581 billion (2004 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: | 6.8% (2004 est.)
GDP - per capita: | purchasing power parity - $1,900 (2004 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: | agriculture: 22.4% industry: 24.8% services: 52.8% (2004 est.)
Investment (gross fixed): | 17.1% of GDP (2004 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: | 40.6 (1997)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): | 11.5% (2004 est.)
Labor force: | 1.36 million (2004 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: | agriculture 40%, industry 14%, services 46% (1998)
Unemployment rate: | 8% (roughly 25% of working age Moldovans are employed abroad) (2002 est.)
Budget: | revenues: $648.1 million expenditures: $634.8 million, including capital expenditures of NA (2004 est.)
Public debt: | 63.4% of GDP (2004 est.)
Agriculture - products: | vegetables, fruits, wine, grain, sugar beets, sunflower seed, tobacco; beef, milk
Industries: | food processing, agricultural machinery, foundry equipment, refrigerators and freezers, washing machines, hosiery, sugar, vegetable oil, shoes, textiles
Industrial production growth rate: | 17% (2003 est.)
Electricity - production: | 3.876 billion kWh (2002)
Electricity - production by source: | fossil fuel: 90.6% hydro: 9.4% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Electricity - consumption: | 4.605 billion kWh (2002)
Electricity - exports: | 0 kWh (2002)
Electricity - imports: | 1 billion kWh (2002)
Oil - production: | 0 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption: | 24,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports: | NA
Oil - imports: | NA
Natural gas - production: | 0 cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - consumption: | 2.05 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - exports: | 0 cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - imports: | 2.05 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Current account balance: | $-148.4 million (2004 est.)
Exports: | $1.03 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Exports - commodities: | foodstuffs, textiles, machinery
Exports - partners: | Russia 31.4%, Italy 10.7%, Germany 9.5%, Romania 9.4%, France 6.9%, Ukraine 5.8%, Belarus 4.3% (2004)
Imports: | $1.83 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Imports - commodities: | mineral products and fuel, machinery and equipment, chemicals, textiles (2000)
Imports - partners: | Ukraine 16.8%, Russia 14.7%, Germany 12.5%, France 9.9%, Italy 8%, Romania 5.3% (2004)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: | $390 million (2004 est.)
Debt - external: | $1.4 billion (2004 est.)
Economic aid - recipient: | $100 million (2000)
Currency: | Moldovan leu (MDL)
Currency code: | MDL
Exchange rates: | lei per US dollar - 12.33 (2004), 13.945 (2003), 13.571 (2002), 12.865 (2001), 12.434 (2000)
Fiscal year: | calendar year

Communications | Moldova

Telephones - main lines in use: | 706,900 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular: | 338,200 (2002)
Telephone system: | general assessment: inadequate, outmoded, poor service outside Chisinau; some effort to modernize 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)
Radios: | 3.22 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations: | 1 (plus 30 repeaters) (1995)
Televisions: | 1.26 million (1997)
Internet country code: | .md
Internet hosts: | 11,984 (2003)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): | 2 (1999)
Internet users: | 150,000 (2002)

Transportation | Moldova

Railways: | total: 1,138 km broad gauge: 1,124 km 1.520-m gauge standard gauge: 14 km 1.435-m gauge (2003)
Highways: | total: 12,719 km paved: 10,977 km unpaved: 1,742 km (2002)
Waterways: | 424 km (2004)
Pipelines: | gas 606 km (2004)
Merchant marine: | total: 2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,636 GRT/1,088 DWT by type: cargo 2 (2005)
Airports: | 23 (2004 est.)
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 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways: | total: 17 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 5 under 914 m: 11 (2004 est.)

Military | Moldova

Military branches: | National Army: Ground Forces, Air Force
Military manpower - military age and obligation: | 18 years of age for compulsory military service; national service obligation - 12 months (2004)
Military manpower - availability: | males age 18-49: 1,066,459 (2005 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service: | males age 18-49: 693,913 (2005 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually: | males: 43,729 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: | $8.7 million (2004)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: | 0.4% (FY02)

Transnational Issues | Moldova

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 Transdniestrian region in 1991) (2004)
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 30 June, 2005