Statistical information Moldova 1993

Moldova in the World
top of pageBackground: Formerly ruled by Romania Moldova became part of 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 Nistru (Dnister) River supporting the Slavic majority population (mostly Ukrainians and Russians) who have proclaimed a 'Transnistria' republic.
top of pageLocation: Eastern Europe, between Ukraine and Romania
Geographic coordinatesMap reference:
Asia, Europe, Standard Time Zones of the WorldAreaTotal: 33,700 km²
Land: 33,700 km²
Land boundaries: total 1,389 km, Romania 450 km, Ukraine 939 km
Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims: none; landlocked
Climate: mild winters, warm summers
Terrain: rolling steppe, gradual slope south to Black Sea
ElevationNatural resources: lignite, phosphorites, gypsum
Land usePermanent crops: 0%
Meadows and pastures: 9%
Forest and woodland: 0%
Other: 41%
Irrigated land: 2,920 km² (1990)
Major riversMajor watersheds area km²Total water withdrawalTotal renewable water resourcesNatural hazardsGeographytop of pagePopulation: 4,455,645 (July 1993 est.)
Growth rate: 0.4% (1993 est.)
NationalityNoun: Moldovan(s)
Adjective: Moldovan
Ethnic groups:
Moldovan/Romanian 64.5%, Ukrainian 13.8%, Russian 13%,
Gagauz 3.5%, Jewish 1.5%, Bulgarian 2%, other 1.7% (1989 figures)
Languages: Moldovan (official; note - virtually the same as the Romanian
Religions: Eastern Orthodox 98.5%, Jewish 1.5%, Baptist (only about 1,000 members) (1991)
Demographic profileAge structureDependency ratiosMedian agePopulation growth rate: 0.4% (1993 est.)
Birth rate: 16.15 births/1000 population (1993 est.)
Death rate: 10.01 deaths/1000 population (1993 est.)
Net migration rate: -2.15 migrant(s)/1000 population (1993 est.)
Population distributionUrbanizationMajor urban areasEnvironmentCurrent issues: heavy use of agricultural chemicals, including banned pesticides such as DDT, has contaminated soil and groundwater; extensive erosion from poor farming methods
Current issues note: landlocked
Air pollutantsSex ratioMothers mean age at first birthMaternal mortality ratioInfant mortality rate: 30.8 deaths/1000 live births (1993 est.)
Life expectancy at birthTotal population: 67.92 years
Male: 64.49 years
Female: 71.53 years (1993 est.)
Total fertility rate: 2.2 children born/woman (1993 est.)
Contraceptive prevalence rateDrinking water sourceCurrent health expenditurePhysicians densityHospital bed densitySanitation facility accessHiv/AidsMajor infectious diseasesObesity adult prevalence rateAlcohol consumptionTobacco useChildren under the age of 5 years underweightEducation expendituresLiteracy: age 9-49 can read and write (1970)
Total population: 100%
Male: 100%
Female: 99%
School life expectancy primary to tertiary educationYouth unemploymenttop of pageCountry nameConventional long form: Republic of Moldova
Conventional short form: Moldova
Local long form: Republica Moldoveneasca
Local short form: none
Former: Soviet Socialist Republic of Moldova; Moldavia
Government type: republic
Capital: Chisinau (Kishinev)
Administrative divisions: previously divided into 40 rayons; to be divided into fewer, larger districts at some future point
Dependent areasIndependence: 27 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)
National holiday: Independence Day, 27 August 1991
Constitution: as of mid-1993 the new constitution had not been adopted; old constitution (adopted NA 1979) is still in effect but has been heavily amended during the past few years
Legal system: based on civil law system; no judicial review of legislative acts; does not accept compulsory ICJ jurisdiction but accepts many UN and CSCE documents
International law organization participationCitizenshipSuffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: president, prime minister, Cabinet of Ministers
Legislative branch: unicameral Parliament
Judicial branch: Supreme Court
Political parties and leadersInternational organization participation:
BSEC, CIS, CSCE, EBRD, ECE, IBRD, ICAO, ILO, IMF, NACC, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, WHO
Diplomatic representationIn the us chief of mission: Permanent Representative to the UN Tudor PANTIRU (also acts as representative to US)
In the us chancery: NA
In the us telephone: NA
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Mary C. PENDLETON
From the us embassy: Strada Alexei Mateevich #103, Chisinau
From the us mailing address: APO AE 9,862
From the us telephone: 7-0422-23-37-72 or 23-34-94
From the us fax: 7-0422-23-34-94
Flag description
: same color scheme as Romania - 3 equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), yellow, and red; emblem in center of flag is of a Roman eagle of gold 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
National symbolsNational anthemNational heritagetop of pageEconomy overview: Moldova, the next-to-smallest of the former Soviet republics in area, is the most densely inhabited. Moldova has a little more than 1% of the population, labor force, capital stock, and output of the former Soviet Union. Living standards have been below average for the European USSR. The country enjoys a favorable climate, and economic development has been primarily based on agriculture, featuring fruits, vegetables, wine, and tobacco. Industry accounts for 20% of the labor force, whereas agriculture employs more than one-third. Moldova has no major mineral resources and has depended on other former Soviet republics for coal, oil, gas, steel, most electronic equipment, machine tools, and major consumer durables such as automobiles. Its industrial and agricultural products, in turn, have been exported to the other republics. Moldova has freed prices on most goods and has legalized private ownership of property. Moldova's near-term economic prospects are dimmed, however, by the difficulties of moving toward a market economy, the political problems of redefining ties to the other former Soviet republics and Romania, and the ongoing separatist movements in the Dniester and Gagauz regions. In 1992, national output fell substantially for the second consecutive year - down 22% in the industrial sector and 20% in agriculture. The decline is mainly attributable to the drop in energy supplies.
Real gdp purchasing power parityReal gdp growth rate: -26% (1992)
Real gdp per capita: $NA
Gross national savingGdp composition by sector of origin
Gdp composition by end useGdp composition by sector of originAgriculture products: Moldova's principal economic activity; products (shown in share of total output of the former Soviet republics): Grain (1.6%), sugar beets (2.6%), sunflower seed (4.4%), vegetables (4.4%), fruits and berries (9.7%), grapes (20.1%), meat (1.7%), milk (1.4%), eggs (1.4%)
Industries: key products (with share of total former Soviet output in parentheses where known): agricultural machinery, foundry equipment, refrigerators and freezers (2.7%), washing machines (5.0%), hosiery (2.0%), refined sugar (3.1%), vegetable oil (3.7%), canned food (8.6%), shoes, textiles
Industrial production growth rate: growth rate -22% (1992)
Labor force: 2.095 million
By occupation agriculture: 34.4%
By occupation industry: 20.1%
By occupation other: 45.5% (1985figures)
Unemployment rate: 0.7% (includes only officially registered unemployed; also large numbers of underemployed workers)
Youth unemploymentPopulation below poverty lineGini indexHousehold income or consumption by percentage shareDistribution of family income gini indexBudget: revenues $NA; expenditures $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA
Taxes and other revenuesPublic debtRevenueFiscal year: calendar year
Inflation rate consumer pricesCentral bank discount rateCommercial bank prime lending rateStock of narrow moneyStock of broad moneyStock of domestic creditMarket value of publicly traded sharesCurrent account balanceExports: 100 million to outside the successor states of the former USSR (1992)
Commodoties: foodstuffs, wine, tobacco, textiles and footwear, machinery, chemicals (1991)
Partners: Russia, Kazakhstan, Ukraine, Romania
Imports: 100 million from outside the successor states of the former USSR (1992)
Commodoties: oil, gas, coal, steel machinery, foodstuffs, automobiles, and other consumer durables
Partners: Russia, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Romania
Reserves of foreign exchange and goldDebt externalStock of direct foreign investment at homeStock of direct foreign investment abroadExchange rates: rubles per US$1 - 415 (24 December 1992) but subject to wide fluctuations
top of pageElectricityCoalPetroleumCrude oilRefined petroleumNatural gasCarbon dioxide emissionsEnergy consumption per capitatop of pageTelephonesTelephone systemBroadcast mediaInternetBroadband fixed subscriptionstop of pageMilitary expendituresPercent of gdp: exchange rate conversion - $NA, NA% of GDP
Military and security forcesMilitary service age and obligationSpace programTerrorist groupstop of pageNational air transport systemCivil aircraft registration country code prefixAirports: 26
Usable: 15
With permanentsurface runways: 6
With runways over 3659 m: 0
With runways 2440-3659 m: 5
With runways 1220-2439 m: 8
HeliportsPipelines: natural gas 310 km (1992)
RailwaysRoadwaysWaterwaysMerchant marinePorts and terminalsMoldova - Transnational issues 1993
top of pageDisputes international: potential dispute with Ukraine over former southern Bessarabian areas; northern Bukovina ceded to Ukraine upon Moldova's incorporation into USSR
Refugees and internally displaced personsIllicit drugs: illicit producer of opium and cannabis; mostly for CIS consumption; transshipment point for illicit drugs to Western Europe