from
CIA World Factbook 2006
Moldova
Introduction
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
Location: Eastern Europe, northeast of Romania
Geographic 47 00 N, 29 00 E
coordinates:
Map Europe
references:
Area: total: 33,843 sq km
land: 33,371 sq km
water: 472 sq km
Area - slightly larger than Maryland
comparative:
Land total: 1,389 km
boundaries: border countries: Romania 450 km, Ukraine 939 km
Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)
Maritime none (landlocked)
claims:
Climate: moderate winters, warm summers
Terrain: rolling steppe, gradual slope south to Black Sea
Elevation lowest point: Dniester River 2 m
extremes: highest point: Dealul Balanesti 430 m
Natural lignite, phosphorites, gypsum, arable land, limestone
resources:
Land use: arable land: 54.52%
permanent crops: 8.81%
other: 36.67% (2005)
Irrigated 3,000 sq km (2003)
land:
Natural landslides (57 cases in 1998)
hazards:
Environment - heavy use of agricultural chemicals, including banned
current pesticides such as DDT, has contaminated soil and
issues: groundwater; extensive soil erosion from poor farming
methods
Environment - party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Persistent
international Organic Pollutants, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
agreements: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification,
Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer
Protection
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected
agreements
Geography - landlocked; well endowed with various sedimentary rocks
note: and minerals including sand, gravel, gypsum, and
limestone
People
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 0.28% (2006 est.)
growth rate:
Birth rate: 15.7 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Death rate: 12.64 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Net migration -0.23 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)
rate:
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 total: 38.38 deaths/1,000 live births
mortality male: 41.44 deaths/1,000 live births
rate: female: 35.17 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
Life total population: 65.65 years
expectancy at male: 61.61 years
birth: female: 69.88 years (2006 est.)
Total 1.85 children born/woman (2006 est.)
fertility
rate:
HIV/AIDS - 0.2% (2001 est.)
adult
prevalence
rate:
HIV/AIDS - 5,500 (2001 est.)
people living
with HIV/AIDS:
HIV/AIDS - less than 300 (2001 est.)
deaths:
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
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 republic
type:
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 32 raions (raioane, singular - raionul), 3
divisions: 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 Independence Day, 27 August (1991)
holiday:
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 chief of state: President Vladimir VORONIN (since 4
branch: 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 unicameral Parliament or Parlamentul (101 seats;
branch: 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 Supreme Court; Constitutional Court (the sole authority
branch: for constitutional judicature)
Political Braghis Faction [Dumitru BRAGHIS]; Christian Democratic
parties and People's Party or PPCD [Iurie ROSCA]; Communist Party
leaders: 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 NA
pressure
groups and
leaders:
International ACCT, BSEC, CE, CEI, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, FAO, GUAM, IAEA,
organization IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC,
participation: 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 chief of mission: Ambassador Nicolae CHIRTOACA
representation chancery: 2101 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
in the US: telephone: [1] (202) 667-1130
FAX: [1] (202) 667-1204
Diplomatic chief of mission: Ambasador Michael D. KIRBY
representation embassy: 103 Mateevici Street, Chisinau MD-2009
from the US: mailing address: use embassy street address
telephone: [373] (22) 40-8300
FAX: [373] (22) 23-3044
Flag same color scheme as Romania - three equal vertical
description: 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
Economy - Moldova remains one of the poorest countries in Europe
overview: 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 $8.41 billion (2005 est.)
(purchasing
power parity):
GDP (official $2.416 billion (2005 est.)
exchange
rate):
GDP - real 7.1% (2005 est.)
growth rate:
GDP - per $1,900 (2005 est.)
capita (PPP):
GDP - agriculture: 21.3%
composition by industry: 23.3%
sector: services: 55.5% (2005 est.)
Labor force: 1.34 million (2005 est.)
Labor force - agriculture: 40%
by occupation: industry: 14%
services: 46% (1998)
Unemployment 8%; note - roughly 25% of working age Moldovans are
rate: employed abroad (2002 est.)
Population 80% (2001 est.)
below poverty
line:
Household lowest 10%: 2.2%
income or highest 10%: 30.7% (1997)
consumption by
percentage
share:
Distribution 36.2 (2001)
of family
income - Gini
index:
Inflation rate 11.9% (2005 est.)
(consumer
prices):
Investment 24.4% of GDP (2005 est.)
(gross fixed):
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 - vegetables, fruits, wine, grain, sugar beets, sunflower
products: seed, tobacco; beef, milk
Industries: sugar, vegetable oil, food processing, agricultural
machinery; foundry equipment, refrigerators and
freezers, washing machines; hosiery, shoes, textiles
Industrial 17% (2003 est.)
production
growth rate:
Electricity - 2.942 billion kWh (2003)
production:
Electricity - fossil fuel: 90.6%
production by hydro: 9.4%
source: nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (2001)
Electricity - 3.036 billion kWh (2003)
consumption:
Electricity - 300 million kWh (2003)
exports:
Electricity - 600 million kWh (2003)
imports:
Oil - 0 bbl/day (2003 est.)
production:
Oil - 37,000 bbl/day (2003 est.)
consumption:
Oil - exports: NA bbl/day
Oil - imports: NA bbl/day
Natural gas - 0 cu m (2003 est.)
production:
Natural gas - 2.38 billion cu m (2003 est.)
consumption:
Natural gas - 0 cu m (2001 est.)
exports:
Natural gas - 2.05 billion cu m (2001 est.)
imports:
Current $-285 million (2005 est.)
account
balance:
Exports: $1.04 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)
Exports - foodstuffs, textiles, machinery
commodities:
Exports - Russia 32.9%, Italy 12.7%, Romania 10.6%, Ukraine 9.5%,
partners: Belarus 6.7%, Germany 4.5% (2005)
Imports: $2.23 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)
Imports - mineral products and fuel, machinery and equipment,
commodities: chemicals, textiles (2000)
Imports - Ukraine 20.9%, Russia 11.7%, Romania 11.2%, Germany
partners: 8.3%, Italy 6.6%, Turkey 4.1% (2005)
Reserves of $597.5 million (2005 est.)
foreign
exchange and
gold:
Debt - $1.986 billion (2005 est.)
external:
Economic aid - $100 million (2000)
recipient:
Currency Moldovan leu (MDL)
(code):
Currency code: MDL
Exchange lei per US dollar - 12.6 (2005), 12.33 (2004), 13.945
rates: (2003), 13.571 (2002), 12.865 (2001)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones - 929,400 (2005)
main lines in
use:
Telephones - 1.09 million (2005)
mobile
cellular:
Telephone general assessment: inadequate, outmoded, poor service
system: 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 AM 7, FM 50, shortwave 3 (1998)
broadcast
stations:
Radios: 3.22 million (1997)
Television 1 (plus 30 repeaters) (1995)
broadcast
stations:
Televisions: 1.26 million (1997)
Internet .md
country code:
Internet 58,886 (2006)
hosts:
Internet 2 (1999)
Service
Providers
(ISPs):
Internet 406,000 (2005)
users:
Transportation
Airports: 12 (2006)
Airports - total: 6
with paved over 3,047 m: 1
runways: 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
under 914 m: 1 (2006)
Airports - total: 6
with unpaved 914 to 1,523 m: 3
runways: 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 total: 7 ships (1000 GRT or over) 13,831 GRT/15,003 DWT
marine: by type: cargo 7
foreign-owned: 3 (Ukraine 3) (2006)
Military
Military National Army: Ground Forces, Rapid Reaction Forces,
branches: Air and Air Defense Forces (2006)
Military 18 years of age for compulsory military service;
service age national service obligation - 12 months (2004)
and
obligation:
Manpower males age 18-49: 1,066,459
available for females age 18-49: 1,117,070 (2005 est.)
military
service:
Manpower fit males age 18-49: 693,913
for military females age 18-49: 911,568 (2005 est.)
service:
Manpower males age 18-49: 43,729
reaching females age 18-49: 42,354 (2005 est.)
military
service age
annually:
Military $8.7 million (2004)
expenditures -
dollar figure:
Military 0.4% (FY02)
expenditures -
percent of
GDP:
Transnational
Issues
Disputes - Moldova and Ukraine have established joint customs
international: posts to monitor transit through Moldova's break-away
Transnistria region which remains under OSCE
supervision
Refugees and IDPs: 1,000 (internal secessionist uprising in
internally Transnistrian region in 1991) (2005)
displaced
persons:
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