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 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

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

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)

Economy

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.)

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.)

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.)

Investment (gross fixed): 17.1% of GDP (2004 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 - 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 (code): Moldovan leu (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

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)

Television broadcast stations: 1 (plus 30 repeaters) (1995)

Internet country code: .md

Internet hosts: 11,984 (2003)

Internet users: 150,000 (2002)

Transportation

Railways: total: 1,138 km; broad gauge: 1,124 km 1.520-m gauge; standard gauge: 14 km 1.435-m gauge (2004)

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.)

Transnational Issues

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.