Moldova

Internet country code

.md

Internet hosts

11,984 (2003)

Internet users

150,000 (2002)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 7, FM 50, shortwave 3 (1998)

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

Telephones - main lines in use

706,900 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular

338,200 (2002)

Television broadcast stations

1 (plus 30 repeaters) (1995)

Agriculture - products

vegetables, fruits, wine, grain, sugar beets, sunflower seed, tobacco; beef, milk

Budget

revenues: $474.8 million expenditures: $443.4 million, including capital expenditures of NA (2003 est.)

Currency

Moldovan leu (MDL)

Currency code

MDL

Current account balance

$-135 million (2003)

Debt - external

$1.515 billion (2003)

Distribution of family income - Gini index

40.6 (1997)

Economic aid - recipient

$100 million (2000)

Economy - overview

Moldova remains the poorest country 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 1991. As part of an ambitious reform effort, 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, and 6.3% in 2003. 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.

Electricity - consumption

3.216 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports

60 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - production

3.394 billion kWh (2001)

Exchange rates

lei per US dollar - 13.9449 (2003), 13.5705 (2002), 12.8651 (2001), 12.4342 (2000), 10.5158 (1999)

Exports

$790 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities

foodstuffs, textiles, machinery

Exports - partners

Russia 39%, Romania 11.4%, Italy 10.4%, Germany 7.1%, Ukraine 7.1%, Belarus 5.2%, US 4.3% (2003)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP

purchasing power parity - $7.792 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 21% industry: 27% services: 52% (2003)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $1,800 (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

6.3% (2003 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 2.2% highest 10%: 30.7% (1997)

Imports

$1.34 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities

mineral products and fuel 32%, machinery and equipment, chemicals, textiles (2000)

Imports - partners

Ukraine 22%, Russia 13%, Germany 9.7%, Italy 8.3%, Romania 7% (2003)

Industrial production growth rate

17% (2003 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

11.6% (2003 est.)

Investment (gross fixed)

17.2% of GDP (2003)

Labor force

1.383 million (2003)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture 40%, industry 14%, services 46% (1998)

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.)

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption

24,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports

NA (2001)

Oil - imports

NA (2001)

Oil - production

0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line

80% (2001 est.)

Public debt

88.4% of GDP (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold

$302.3 million (2003)

Unemployment rate

8% (roughly 25% of working age Moldovans are employed abroad) (2002 est.)

Area

total: 33,843 sq km land: 33,371 sq km water: 472 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly larger than Maryland

Climate

moderate winters, warm summers

Coastline

0 km (landlocked)

Elevation extremes

lowest point: Dniester River 2 m highest point: Dealul Balanesti 430 m

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, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants

Geographic coordinates

47 00 N, 29 00 E

Geography - note

landlocked; well endowed with various sedimentary rocks and minerals including sand, gravel, gypsum, and limestone

Irrigated land

3,070 sq km (1998 est.)

Land boundaries

total: 1,389 km border countries: Romania 450 km, Ukraine 939 km

Land use

arable land: 55.3% permanent crops: 10.79% other: 33.91% (2001)

Location

Eastern Europe, northeast of Romania

Map references

Europe

Maritime claims

none (landlocked)

Natural hazards

landslides (57 cases in 1998)

Natural resources

lignite, phosphorites, gypsum, arable land, limestone

Terrain

rolling steppe, gradual slope south to Black Sea

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

Capital

Chisinau

Constitution

new constitution adopted 28 July 1994; replaces old Soviet constitution of 1979

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

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

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

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 2001 (next to be held NA 2005); note - presidential elections were scheduled for December 2000, but in July 2000, Parliament canceled direct, popular elections; Parliament's failure to choose a new president in December 2000 led to early parliamentary elections in February 2001; prime minister designated by the president, upon consultation with Parliament; note - 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 elected president; parliamentary votes - Vladimir VORONIN 71, Dumitru BRAGHIS 15, Valerian CRISTEA 3; Vasile TARLEV designated prime minister; parliamentary votes of confidence - 75 of 101

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

Government type

republic

Independence

27 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)

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

Judicial branch

Supreme Court; Constitutional Court (the sole authority for constitutional judicature)

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

Legislative branch

unicameral Parliament or Parlamentul (101 seats; parties and electoral blocs elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 25 February 2001 (next to be held NA 2005) election results: percent of vote by party - PCRM 50.1%, Braghis Alliance (now Our Moldova Alliance) 13.4%, PPCD 8.2%, other parties 28.3%; seats by party - PCRM 71, Braghis Alliance (now Our Moldova Alliance) 19, PPCD 11

National holiday

Independence Day, 27 August (1991)

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

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

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.

Military branches

National Army: Ground Forces, Air Force

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$9.5 million (FY03)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

0.4% (FY02)

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49: 1,186,818 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service

males age 15-49: 942,071 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - military age and obligation

18 years of age for compulsory military service; national service obligation - 12 months (2004)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually

males: 44,466 (2004 est.)

Age structure

0-14 years: 20.6% (male 466,485; female 449,645) 15-64 years: 69.1% (male 1,478,220; female 1,595,695) 65 years and over: 10.3% (male 169,026; female 287,384) (2004 est.)

Birth rate

14.81 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate

12.76 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

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

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

0.2% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

less than 300 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

5,500 (2001 est.)

Infant mortality rate

total: 41 deaths/1,000 live births male: 43.96 deaths/1,000 live births female: 37.89 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Languages

Moldovan (official, virtually the same as the Romanian language), Russian, Gagauz (a Turkish dialect)

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 65.03 years male: 60.88 years female: 69.39 years (2004 est.)

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99.1% male: 99.6% female: 98.7% (2003 est.)

Median age

total: 32.1 years male: 29.9 years female: 34.3 years (2004 est.)

Nationality

noun: Moldovan(s) adjective: Moldovan

Net migration rate

-0.26 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Population

4,446,455 (July 2004 est.)

Population growth rate

0.18% (2004 est.)

Religions

Eastern Orthodox 98%, Jewish 1.5%, Baptist and other 0.5% (2000)

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 (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.78 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Disputes - international

difficulties with the Transnistria region complicate controlling border crossing and customs regimes with Ukraine, despite concordance on 2003 delimitation and customs protocols and OSCE assistance

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

Refugees and internally displaced persons

IDPs: 1,000 (internal secessionist uprising in Transdniestrian region in 1991) (2004)

Airports

24 (2003 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 (2003 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 18 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 11 (2003 est.)

Highways

total: 12,657 km paved: 11,012 km unpaved: 1,645 km (1999)

Merchant marine

total: 1 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,636 GRT/1,088 DWT by type: cargo 1 foreign-owned: 2 Russia 1 registered in other countries: 4

Pipelines

gas 606 km (2004)

Ports and harbors

none

Railways

total: 1,138 km broad gauge: 1,124 km 1.520-m gauge standard gauge: 14 km 1.435-m gauge (2003)

Waterways

424 km (2004)