Map of Moldova | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
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Background: Part of Romania during the interwar period Moldova was incorporated into the Soviet Union at the close of World War II. Although the country has been independent from the USSR since 1991 Russian forces have remained on Moldovan territory east of the Nistru River supporting the separatist region of Transnistria composed of a Slavic majority population (mostly Ukrainians and Russians) but with a sizeable ethnic Moldovan minority. One of the poorest nations in Europe Moldova became the first former Soviet state to elect a communist Vladimir VORONIN as its president in 2001. VORONIN served as Moldova's president until he resigned in September 2009 following the opposition's gain of a narrow majority in July parliamentary elections and the Communist Party's (PCRM) subsequent inability to attract the three-fifths of parliamentary votes required to elect a president and by doing so put into place a permanent government. Four Moldovan opposition parties formed a new coalition the Alliance for European Integration (AEI) iterations of which have acted as Moldova's governing coalitions since. Moldova experienced significant political uncertainty between 2009 and early 2012 holding three general elections and numerous presidential ballots in parliament all of which failed to secure a president. Following November 2010 parliamentary elections a reconstituted AEI-coalition consisting of three of the four original AEI parties formed a government and in March 2012 was finally able to elect an independent as president. As of late May 2013 the ruling coalition - comprised of two of the original AEI parties and a splinter group from a third - is called the Pro-European Coalition. In November 2013 the Moldovan Government initialed an Association Agreement with the European Union (EU) advancing the coalition's policy priority of EU integration.


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Location: Eastern Europe northeast of Romania

Geographic coordinates: 47 00 N 29 00 E

Map reference

Area
Rank: 140
Land: 32,891 km²
Water: 960 km²
Comparative: slightly larger than Maryland

Land boundaries
Border countries: (2) Romania 450 km; Ukraine 940 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 highest point: Dealul Balanesti 430 m

Natural resources: lignite phosphorites gypsum arable land: limestone

Land use
Permanent crops: 8.77%
Other: 37.75% (2011)

Irrigated land: 2,283 km² (2011)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources: 11.65 km³ (2011)

Natural hazards: landslides

Geography
Note: landlocked; well endowed with various sedimentary rocks and minerals including sand gravel gypsum and limestone


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Population: 3,583,288 (July 2014 est.)
Rank: 132
Growth rate: -1.02% (2014 est.)
Growth rate rank: 231
Below poverty line: 21.9% (2010 est.)

Nationality
Adjective: Moldovan

Ethnic groups: Moldovan 75.8% Ukrainian 8.4% Russian 5.9% Gagauz 4.4% Romanian 2.2% Bulgarian 1.9% other 1% unspecified 0.4%

Languages: Moldovan 58.8% (official; virtually the same as the Romanian language) Romanian 16.4% Russian 16% Ukrainian 3.8% Gagauz 3.1% (a Turkish language) Bulgarian 1.1% other 0.3% unspecified 0.4%

Religions: Orthodox 93.3% Baptist 1% other Christian 1.2% other 0.9% atheist 0.4% none 1% unspecified 2.2% (2004 est.)

Demographic profile

Age structure
15-24 years: 14.2% (male 262,559/female 246,283)
25-54 years: 43.9% (male 785,392/female 786,421)
55-64 years: 13.1% (male 214,899/female 255,046)
65 years and over: 10.7% (male 151,629/female 247,143) (2014 est.)

Dependency ratios
Youth dependency ratio: 23.2 %
Elderly dependency ratio: 16.1 %
Potential support ratio: 6.2 (2014 est.)

Median age
Male: 33.9 years
Female: 37.7 years (2014 est.)

Population growth rate: -1.02% (2014 est.)
Rank: 231

Birth rate: 12.21 births/1000 population (2014 est.)
Rank: 161

Death rate: 12.6 deaths/1000 population (2014 est.)
Rank: 24

Net migration rate: -9.8 migrant(s)/1000 population (2014 est.)
Rank: 215

Population distribution

Urbanization
Rate of urbanization: 0.79% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

Major urban areas
Population: CHISINAU (capital) 677,000 (2011)

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
International agreements signed but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Air pollutants

Sex ratio
0-14 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 1 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.6 male(s)/female
Total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2014 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth: 23.7 (2011 est.)

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate
Rank: 122
Male: 14.82 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 10.93 deaths/1000 live births (2014 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Rank: 152
Male: 66.25 years
Female: 74.24 years (2014 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.56 children born/woman (2014 est.)
Rank: 183

Contraceptive prevalence rate: 67.8% (2005)

Drinking water source:

Current health expenditure

Physicians density: 3.64 physicians/1000 population (2011)

Hospital bed density: 6.2 beds/1000 population (2011)

Sanitation facility access:

Hiv/Aids
Adult prevalence rate: 0.7% (2012 est.)
Adult prevalence rate rank: 59
People living with hivaids: 18,700 (2012 est.)
People living with hivaids rank: 83
Deaths: 1300 (2012 est.)
Deaths rank: 68

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate: 21.2% (2008)
Rank: 91

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 3.2% (2005)
Rank: 111

Education expenditures: 8.4% of GDP (2012)
Rank: 10

Literacy
Total population: 99%
Male: 99.5%
Female: 98.5% (2011 est.)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Male: 12 years
Female: 12 years (2012)

Youth unemployment


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Country name
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
Geographic coordinates: 47 00 N 28 51 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 - raion) 3 municipalities (municipii singular - 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 (Transnistria)

Dependent areas

Independence: 27 August 1991 (from the Soviet Union)

National holiday: Independence Day 27 August (1991)

Constitution: previous 1978; latest adopted 29 July 1994 effective 27 August 1994; amended 2003 (2011)

Legal system: civil law system with Germanic law influences; Constitutional Court review of legislative acts

International law organization participation: has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

Citizenship

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Head of government: Prime Minister Iurie LEANCA (since 25 April 2013; acting until 30 May 2013 sworn in on 31 May 2013)
Cabinet: Cabinet selected by president with approval of Parliament
Elections: president elected by Parliament for a four-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 16 March 2012 (next to be held in March 2016); 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; the prime minister and Cabinet received a vote of confidence on 30 May 2013
Election results: Nicolae TIMOFTI elected president; parliamentary votes - 62 of 101 votes Iurie LEANCA designated prime minister; parliamentary votes of confidence - 58 of 101

Legislative branch: unicameral Parliament or Parlamentul (101 seats; members elected on an at-large basis by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
Elections: last held on 28 November 2010 (next to be held in November 2014); note - this was the third parliamentary election in less than two years; the earlier parliaments (elected 5 April 2009 and 29 July 2009) were dissolved after they could not elect a presidential candidate with the necessary three-fifths majority
Election results: percent of vote by party - PCRM 39.3% PLDM 29.4% PD 12.7% PL 10% other 8.6%; seats by party - PCRM 42 PLDM 32 PD 15 PL 12; note - in November of 2011 3 legislators defected from the Communist Party (PCRM) and voted with the PLDM PD and PL governing coalition - termed the Alliance for European Integration (AEI) - to reach a 62-seat majority sufficient to elect a new president; the 3 former PCRM legislators are now aligned with the Party of Socialists and in 2012 an additional 5 legislators defected from the PCRM; 1 PLDM legislator also defected and is independent

Judicial branch: note - the Constitutional Court is autonomous to the other branches of government; the Court interprets the Constitution and reviews the constitutionality of parliamentary laws and decisions decrees of the president and acts of the government.
Judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court of Justice judges appointed by Parliament upon the recommendation of the Supreme Council of the Magistracy; all judges serve 4-year renewable terms; Constitutional Court judges appointed 2 each by Parliament the Moldovan president and the Higher Council of Magistracy; court president elected by other court judges for a 3-year term; other judges appointed for 6-year terms
Subordinate courts: Courts of Appeal; Court of Business Audit; municipal courts

Political parties and leaders:

International organization participation: BSEC CD CE CEI CIS EAEC (observer) EAPC EBRD FAO GCTU GUAM IAEA IBRD ICAO ICC (NGOs) ICRM IDA IFAD IFC IFRCS ILO IMF IMO Interpol IOC IOM IPU ISO (correspondent) ITU ITUC (NGOs) MIGA OIF OPCW OSCE PFP SELEC UN UNCTAD UNESCO UNHCR UNIDO Union Latina UNMIL UNMISS UNOCI UNWTO UPU WCO WHO WIPO WMO WTO

Diplomatic representation
In the us chancery: 2,101 S Street NW Washington DC 20,008
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 667-1130
In the us FAX: [1] (202) 667-2,624
From the us embassy: 103 Mateevici Street Chisinau MD-2009
From the us mailing address: use embassy street address
From the us telephone: [373] (22) 40-8,300
From the us FAX: [373] (22) 23-3,044

Flag description: 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 aurochs head star rose and crescent all in black-outlined yellow; based on the color scheme of the flag of Romania - with which Moldova shares a history and culture - but Moldova's blue band is lighter; the reverse of the flag does not display any coat of arms

National symbols: aurochs (a type of wild cattle)

National anthem
Lyrics and music: Alexei MATEEVICI/Alexandru CRISTEA

National heritage


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Economy overview: Despite recent progress Moldova remains one of the poorest countries in Europe. With a moderate climate and good farmland Moldova's economy relies heavily on its agriculture sector featuring fruits vegetables wine and tobacco. Moldova also depends on annual remittances of about $1.6 billion from the roughly one million Moldovans working in Europe Russia and other former Soviet Bloc countries. With few natural energy resources Moldova imports almost all of its energy supplies from Russia and Ukraine. Moldova's dependence on Russian energy is underscored by a growing $5 billion debt to Russian natural gas supplier Gazprom largely the result of unreimbursed natural gas consumption in the separatist Transnistria region. In August 2013 work began on a new pipeline between Moldova and Romania that may eventually break Russia's monopoly on Moldova's gas supplies. The government's goal of EU integration has resulted in some market-oriented progress. Moldova experienced better than expected economic growth in 2013 due to increased agriculture production to economic policies adopted by the Moldovan government since 2009 and to the receipt of EU trade preferences. Moldova is poised to sign an Association Agreement and a Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement with the EU during fall 2014 connecting Moldovan products to the world’s largest market. Still growth has been hampered by high prices for Russian natural gas a Russian import ban on Moldovan wine increased foreign scrutiny of Moldovan agricultural products and by Moldova’s large external debt. Over the longer term Moldova's economy remains vulnerable to political uncertainty weak administrative capacity vested bureaucratic interests corruption higher fuel prices Russian pressure and the illegal separatist regime in Moldova's Transnistria region.

Real gdp purchasing power parity:
Rank: 149

Real gdp growth rate:
Rank: 8

Real gdp per capita:
Rank: 172

Gross national saving:
Rank: 98

Gdp composition by end use
Government consumption: 20.6%
Investment in fixed capital: 22.6%
Investment in inventories: 1.7%
Exports of goods and services: 44.1%
Imports of goods and services: -81.9%: (2013 est.)

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Industry: 19.9%
Services: 66.2% (2013 est.)

Agriculture products: vegetables fruits grapes grain sugar beets sunflower seeds tobacco; beef milk; wine

Industries: sugar vegetable oil food processing agricultural machinery; foundry equipment refrigerators and freezers washing machines; hosiery shoes textiles

Industrial production growth rate: 6.8% (2013 est.)
Rank: 38

Labor force: 1.206 million (2013 est.)
Rank: 139
By occupation industry: 13.2%
By occupation services: 60.4% (2012 est.)

Unemployment rate: 5.6% (2012 est.)
Rank: 57

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line: 21.9% (2010 est.)

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Highest 10: 26% (2010 est.)

Distribution of family income gini index: 33.2 (2003)
Rank: 100

Budget
Expenditures: $3.071 billion
Surplus or deficit: -1.8% of GDP (2013 est.)
Surplus or deficit rank: 79

Taxes and other revenues: 37% of GDP (2013 est.)
Rank: 57

Public debt: 17.8% of GDP (2012 est.)
Rank: 141

Revenue

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices: 4.6% (2012 est.)
Rank: 151

Central bank discount rate: 4.5% (31 December 2012)
Rank: 79

Commercial bank prime lending rate: 13.34% (31 December 2012 est.)
Rank: 56

Stock of narrow money: $1.701 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
Rank: 124

Stock of broad money: $4.088 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
Rank: 129

Stock of domestic credit: $2.908 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
Rank: 124

Market value of publicly traded shares:
Rank: 110

Current account balance: -$495.3 million (2012 est.)
Rank: 101

Exports: $2.162 billion (2012 est.)
Rank: 139
Commodities: foodstuffs textiles machinery
Partners: Russia 26.3% Romania 17.2% Italy 7.7% Ukraine 5.9% Turkey 5.3% Germany 4.7% GB 4.4% (2012 est.)

Imports: $5.213 billion (2012 est.)
Rank: 125
Commodities: mineral products and fuel machinery and equipment chemicals textiles
Partners: Russia 14.3% Romania 13.1% Ukraine 12% China 8.7% Germany 7.2% Turkey 6.9% Italy 6.3% (2012 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $2.513 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
Rank: 112

Debt external: $5.984 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
Rank: 113

Stock of direct foreign investment at home: $3.262 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 94

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad: $88.42 million (31 December 2011)
Rank: 86

Exchange rates:


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Electricity
Production: 932 million kWh (2012 est.)
Production rank: 149
Consumption: 4.211 billion kWh (2012 est.)
Consumption rank: 123
Exports: 0 kWh (2012 est.)
Exports rank: 163
Imports: 3.297 billion kWh (2012 est.)
Imports rank: 44
Installed generating capacity: 439,900 kW
Installed generating capacity rank: 143
Generation sources fossil fuels: 96.4% of total installed capacity (2013 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels rank: 66
Generation sources nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2013 est.)
Generation sources nuclear rank: 132
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 3.6% of total installed capacity (2013 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity rank: 127
Generation sources other renewable sources: 0% of total installed capacity (2013 est.)
Generation sources other renewable sources rank: 198

Coal

Petroleum
Petroleum total petroleum production: 221 bbl/day (2012 est.)
Petroleum total petroleum production rank: 117
Crude oil exports: 0 bbl/day (2012 est.)
Crude oil exports rank: 148
Crude oil imports: 0 bbl/day (2012 est.)
Crude oil imports rank: 87
Crude oil proven reserves: 7,330 bbl (1 January 2013 est.)
Crude oil proven reserves rank: 100

Crude oil

Refined petroleum
Products production: 321 bbl/day (2012 est.)
Products production rank: 114
Products consumption: 15,320 bbl/day (2012 est.)
Products consumption rank: 142
Products exports: 552 bbl/day (2012 est.)
Products exports rank: 111
Products imports: 15,280 bbl/day (2012 est.)
Products imports rank: 120

Natural gas
Production: 0 m³ (2012 est.)
Production rank: 160
Consumption: 1.095 billion m³ (2012 est.)
Consumption rank: 87
Exports: 0 m³ (2012 est.)
Exports rank: 141
Imports: 1.095 billion m³
Imports rank: 56
Proven reserves: 0 m³ (1 January 2013 est.)
Proven reserves rank: 164

Carbon dioxide emissions
From consumption of energy: 6.467 million Mt (2011 est.)

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones
Main lines in use: 1.206 million (2012)
Main lines in use rank: 69
Mobile cellular: 4.08 million (2012)
Mobile cellular rank: 120

Telephone system
Domestic: multiple private operators of GSM mobile-cellular telephone service are operating; GPRS system is being introduced; a CDMA mobile telephone network began operations in 2007; combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity 100 per 100 persons
International: country code - 373; service through Romania and Russia via landline; satellite earth stations - at least 3 (Intelsat Eutelsat and Intersputnik) (2011)

Broadcast media: state-owned national radio-TV broadcaster operates 2 TV and 2 radio stations; a total of nearly 40 terrestrial TV channels and some 50 radio stations are in operation; Russian and Romanian channels also are available (2007)

Internet
Country code: .md
Hosts: 711,564 (2012)
Hosts rank: 51
Users: 1.333 million (2009)
Users rank: 89

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures:
Rank: 128

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for compulsory or voluntary military service; male registration required at age 16; 1-year service obligation (2012)

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 7 (2013)
Rank: 169
With paved runways over 3047 m: 1
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 2
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 2 (2013)
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 1
With unpaved runways: 1 (2013)

Heliports

Pipelines: gas 1906 km (2013)

Railways
Rank: 86
Broad gauge: 1176 km 1.520-m gauge
Standard gauge: 14 km 1.435-m gauge (2008)

Roadways
Rank: 136
Paved: 8,835 km
Unpaved: 517 km (2012)

Waterways: 558 km (in public use on Danube Dniester and Prut rivers) (2011)
Rank: 83

Merchant marine
Rank: 45
By type: bulk carrier 7 cargo 88 carrier 1 chemical tanker 3 passenger/cargo 7 petroleum tanker 2 refrigerated cargo 1 roll on/roll off 11 specialized tanker 1
Foreign owned: 63 (Bulgaria 1 Denmark 1 Egypt 5 Greece 1 Israel 2 Lebanon 1 Pakistan 1 Romania 2 Russia 5 Syria 5 Turkey 18 UK 3 Ukraine 14 Yemen 4) (2010)

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international: Moldova and Ukraine operate joint customs posts to monitor the transit of people and commodities through Moldova's break-away Transnistria region which remains under the auspices of an Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe-mandated peacekeeping mission comprised of Moldovan Transnistrian Russian and Ukrainian troops

Refugees and internally 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