Moldova

Broadcast media

state-owned national radio-TV broadcaster operates 1 TV and 1 radio stations; a total of nearly 70 terrestrial TV channels and some 50 radio stations are in operation; Russian and Romanian channels also are available (2016)

Internet country code

.md

Internet users

total: 1.768 million | percent of population: 49.8% (July 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 106

Telephone system

general assessment: the mobile market has extended the reach of service to outside the cities and across most of the country | domestic: competition among mobile telephone providers has spurred subscriptions; little interest in expanding fixed-line service; mobile-cellular teledensity exceeds 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) (2015)

Telephones - fixed lines

total subscriptions: 1,202,466 | subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 34 (July 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 69

Telephones - mobile cellular

total: 3.713 million | subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 105 (July 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 127

Agriculture - products

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

Budget

revenues: $2.158 billion | expenditures: $2.292 billion | note: National Public Budget (2015 est.)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

-2.1% of GDP (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 91

Central bank discount rate

19.5% (31 December 2015) | 6.5% (31 December 2014) | note: this is the basic rate on short-term operations | country comparison to the world: 7

Commercial bank prime lending rate

14.2% (31 December 2015 est.) | 11.01% (31 December 2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 47

Current account balance

-$426 million (2015 est.) | -$294 million (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 91

Debt - external

$6.207 billion (31 December 2015 est.) | $6.464 billion (31 December 2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 122

Distribution of family income - Gini index

28.5 (2013) | 33.2 (2003) | country comparison to the world: 129

Economy - overview

Despite recent progress, Moldova remains one of the poorest countries in Europe. With a moderate climate and productive farmland, Moldova's economy relies heavily on its agriculture sector, featuring fruits, vegetables, wine, and tobacco. Moldova also depends on annual remittances of about $1.12 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 more than $5 billion debt to Russian natural gas supplier Gazprom, largely the result of unreimbursed natural gas consumption in the breakaway region of Transnistria. Moldova and Romania inaugurated the Ungheni-Iasi natural gas interconnector project in August 2014. The 43-kilometer pipeline between Moldova and Romania, allows for both the import and export of natural gas. Several technical and regulatory delays kept gas from flowing into Moldova until March 2015. Romanian gas exports to Moldova are largely symbolic. Moldova hopes to build a pipeline connecting Ungheni to Chisinau, bringing the gas to Moldovan population centers. | The government's stated goal of EU integration has resulted in some market-oriented progress. Moldova experienced better than expected economic growth in 2014 due to increased agriculture production, to economic policies adopted by the Moldovan government since 2009, and to the receipt of EU trade preferences. Moldova signed 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, a $1 billion asset-stripping heist of Moldovan banks in late 2014 delivered a significant shock to the economy in 2015; a subsequent bank bailout increased inflationary pressures and contributed to the depreciation of the leu. Moldova’s growth has also been hampered by endemic corruption and a Russian import ban on Moldova’s agricultural products. | Over the longer term, Moldova's economy remains vulnerable to corruption, political uncertainty, weak administrative capacity, vested bureaucratic interests, higher fuel prices, Russian political and economic pressure, and unresolved separatism in Moldova's Transnistria region.

Exchange rates

Moldovan lei (MDL) per US dollar - | 19.83 (2015 est.) | 15.435 (2014 est.) | 14.036 (2013 est.) | 12.11 (2012 est.) | 11.738 (2011 est.)

Exports

$1.507 billion (2015 est.) | $1.805 billion (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 146

Exports - commodities

foodstuffs, textiles, machinery

Exports - partners

Romania 23.1%, Italy 10.2%, Turkey 9.4%, Russia 8%, Germany 6.6%, Belarus 6.4% (2015)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP (official exchange rate)

$6.414 billion (2015 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$17.79 billion (2015 est.) | $17.99 billion (2014 est.) | $17.17 billion (2013 est.) | note: data are in 2015 US dollars | country comparison to the world: 149

GDP - composition, by end use

household consumption: 89.7% | government consumption: 20.7% | investment in fixed capital: 23.6% | investment in inventories: 1.3% | exports of goods and services: 43.2% | imports of goods and services: -78.5% (2015 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture: 14.1% | industry: 21.1% | services: 64.7% (2015 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$5,000 (2015 est.) | $5,100 (2014 est.) | $4,800 (2013 est.) | note: data are in 2015 US dollars | country comparison to the world: 170

GDP - real growth rate

-1.1% (2015 est.) | 4.8% (2014 est.) | 9.4% (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 201

Gross national saving

17.1% of GDP (2015 est.) | 18.2% of GDP (2014 est.) | 18.1% of GDP (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 101

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 3.3% | highest 10%: 26% (2010 est.)

Imports

$3.595 billion (2015 est.) | $4.858 billion (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 134

Imports - commodities

mineral products and fuel, machinery and equipment, chemicals, textiles

Imports - partners

Russia 22.7%, Romania 18.1%, Ukraine 11.5%, Germany 7%, Italy 4.8%, Turkey 4.4% (2015)

Industrial production growth rate

1% (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 146

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

9.7% (2015 est.) | 5.1% (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 208

Labor force

1.228 million (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 136

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture: 30.5% | industry: 12.2% | services: 57.3% (2014 est.)

Market value of publicly traded shares

$9.723 million (31 December 2014 est.) | $50.47 million (31 December 2014 est.) | $51.46 million (31 December 2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 121

Population below poverty line

20.8% (2013 est.)

Public debt

39.4% of GDP (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 116

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$1.757 billion (31 December 2015 est.) | $2.157 billion (31 December 2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 121

Stock of broad money

$3.402 billion (31 December 2015 est.) | $4.685 billion (31 December 2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 144

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad

$108.2 million (31 December 2012) | $88.42 million (31 December 2011) | country comparison to the world: 97

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home

$3.647 billion (31 December 2014 est.) | $3.615 billion (31 December 2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 103

Stock of domestic credit

$2.162 billion (31 December 2015 est.) | $2.643 billion (31 December 2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 139

Stock of narrow money

$1.188 billion (31 December 2015 est.) | $1.698 billion (31 December 2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 145

Taxes and other revenues

33.6% of GDP (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 68

Unemployment rate

5.2% (2015 est.) | 3.9% (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 55

Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy

9.3 million Mt (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 103

Crude oil - exports

0 bbl/day (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 156

Crude oil - imports

20 bbl/day (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 92

Crude oil - production

0 bbl/day (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 163

Crude oil - proved reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2016 es) | country comparison to the world: 162

Electricity - consumption

4.305 billion kWh (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 121

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 165

Electricity - from fossil fuels

96.4% of total installed capacity (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 61

Electricity - from hydroelectric plants

3.6% of total installed capacity (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 129

Electricity - from nuclear fuels

0% of total installed capacity (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 135

Electricity - from other renewable sources

0% of total installed capacity (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 197

Electricity - imports

731 million kWh (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 70

Electricity - installed generating capacity

500,000 kW | note: excludes Transnistria (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 143

Electricity - production

4.3 billion kWh (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 128

Electricity access

electrification - total population: 100% (2016)

Natural gas - consumption

3.15 billion cu m | note: includes Transnistria; excluding Transnistria, consumption amounted to 2.92 billion cu m in 2015 (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 68

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 140

Natural gas - imports

3.15 billion cu m | note: includes Transnistria; excluding Transnistria, imports amounted to 2.92 billion cu m in 2015 (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 38

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 97

Natural gas - proved reserves

0 cu m (1 January 2014 es) | country comparison to the world: 165

Refined petroleum products - consumption

17,000 bbl/day (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 140

Refined petroleum products - exports

586.1 bbl/day (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 114

Refined petroleum products - imports

16,700 bbl/day (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 121

Refined petroleum products - production

354.3 bbl/day (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 112

Area

total: 33,851 sq km | land: 32,891 sq km | water: 960 sq km | country comparison to the world: 140

Area - comparative

slightly larger than Maryland

Climate

moderate winters, warm summers

Coastline

0 km (landlocked)

Elevation

mean elevation: 139 m | elevation extremes: lowest point: Dniester (Nistru) 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, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands | signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

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

2,283 sq km (2012)

Land boundaries

total: 1,885 km | border countries (2): Romania 683 km, Ukraine 1,202 km

Land use

agricultural land: 74.9% | arable land 55.1%; permanent crops 9.1%; permanent pasture 10.7% | forest: 11.9% | other: 13.2% (2011 est.)

Location

Eastern Europe, northeast of Romania

Map references

Europe

Maritime claims

none (landlocked)

Natural hazards

landslides

Natural resources

lignite, phosphorites, gypsum, limestone, arable land

Population - distribution

pockets of agglomeration exist throughout the country, the largest being in the center of the country around the capital of Chisinau, followed by Tiraspol and Balti

Terrain

rolling steppe, gradual slope south to Black Sea

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)

Capital

name: Chisinau in Romanian (Kishinev in Russian) | note: pronounced KEE-shee-now (KIH-shi-nyov) | 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

Citizenship

citizenship by birth: no | citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Moldova | dual citizenship recognized: no | residency requirement for naturalization: 10 years

Constitution

previous 1978; latest adopted 29 July 1994, effective 27 August 1994; amended several times, last in 2010; note – in early 2016, a Moldovan Constitutional Court decision allows for direct presidential elections, reversing a constitutional amendment allowing Parliament to select the president (2016)

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 | etymology: named for the Moldova River in neighboring eastern Romania

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador James D. PETTIT (since 29 January 2015) | embassy: 103 Mateevici Street, Chisinau MD-2009 | mailing address: use embassy street address | telephone: [373] (22) 40-8300 | FAX: [373] (22) 23-3044

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Veaceslav PITUSCAN (since 26 August 2015) | chancery: 2101 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 | telephone: [1] (202) 667-1130 | FAX: [1] (202) 667-1204

Executive branch

chief of state: President Nicolae TIMOFTI (since 23 March 2012) | head of government: Prime Minister Pavel FILIP (since 20 January 2016) | cabinet: Cabinet proposed by the prime minister-designate, nominated by the president, approved through a vote of confidence in Parliament | elections/appointments: president directly elected for a 4-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 13 November 2016 (next to be held in fall 2020); 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 for his/her proposed work program from the Parliament | election results: Igor DODON elected president; percent of vote - Igor DODON (Socialist Party) 52.3%, Maia SANDU (Action and Solidarity Party) 47.7%; Pavel FILIP (Democratic Party) designated prime minister; Parliament vote - 57 of 101; note - Igor DODON will assume office on 23 March 2017

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 | note: one of only three national flags that differ on their obverse and reverse sides - the others are Paraguay and Saudi Arabia

Government type

parliamentary republic

Independence

27 August 1991 (from the Soviet Union)

International law organization participation

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

International organization participation

BSEC, CD, CE, CEI, CIS, EAEC (observer), EAPC, EBRD, FAO, GCTU, GUAM, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICCt, 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

Judicial branch

highest court(s): Supreme Court of Justice (consists of a chief judge, 3 deputy-chief judges, 45 judges, and 7 assistant judges); Constitutional Court (consists of the court president and 6 judges); 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

Legal system

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

Legislative branch

description: unicameral Parliament (101 seats; members directly elected in a single, nationwide constituency by proportional representation vote to serve 4-year terms) | elections: last held on 30 November 2014 (next to be held in November 2018) | election results: percent of vote by party - PSRM 20.5%, PLDM 20.2%, PCRM 17.5%, PDM 15.8%, PL 9.7%, other 16.3%; seats by party - PSRM 25, PLDM 23, PCRM 21, PDM 19, PL 13

National anthem

name: "Limba noastra" (Our Language) | lyrics/music: Alexei MATEEVICI/Alexandru CRISTEA | note: adopted 1994

National holiday

Independence Day, 27 August (1991)

National symbol(s)

aurochs (a type of wild cattle); national colors: blue, yellow, red

Political parties and leaders

Communist Party of the Republic of Moldova or PCRM [Vladimir VORONIN] | Democratic Party of Moldova or PDM [Marian LUPU] | Liberal Democratic Party of Moldova or PLDM [Valeriu STRELET, acting] | Liberal Party or PL [Mihai GHIMPU] | Socialist Party of the Republic of Moldova or PSRM [Igor DODON] | Action and Sloidarity Party or PAS [Maia SANDU] | Anti-Mafia Movement [Sergiu MOCANU] | Christian Democratic People's Party or PPCD [Victor CIOBANU] | Conservative Party or PC [Natalia NIRCA] | Dignity and Truth Party [Andrei NASTASE] | Ecological Party of Moldova "Green Alliance" or PEMAVE [Vladimir BRAGA] | European People’s Party of Moldova (EPPM) [Iurie LEANCA] | Humanist Party of Moldova or PUM [Valeriu PASAT] | Labor Party or PM [Gheorghe SIMA] | Liberal Reformers Party or PLR [Ion HADARCA] | National Liberal Party or PNL [Vitalia PAVLICENKO] | Our Home Moldova [Grigore PETRENCO] | Our Party [Renato USATII] | Patriots of Moldova Party or PPM [Mihail GARBUZ] | Republican Party of Moldova or PRM [Andrei STRATAN] | Revival Party [Vadim MISIN] | Roma Social Political Movement of the Republic of Moldova or MRRM [Ion BUCUR] | Social Democratic Party or PSD [Victor SELIN] | Social Political Movement "Equality" or MR [Valeriy KLIMENCO] | United Moldova Party or PMUEM [Vladimir TURCAN]

Political pressure groups and leaders

NA

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

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 breakaway region of Transnistria, composed of a Slavic majority population (mostly Ukrainians and Russians), but with a sizable ethnic Moldovan minority. Europe's poorest economy, 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. Four Moldovan opposition parties then formed a new coalition, the Alliance for European Integration (AEI), iterations of which acted as Moldova's governing coalitions over the next several years. In May 2013, two of the original AEI parties and a splinter group from a third re-formed a ruling coalition called the Pro-European Coalition. The Moldovan Government in summer 2014 signed and ratified an Association Agreement with the EU, advancing the Coalition's policy priority of EU integration. Following the country's most recent legislative election in November 2014, the three pro-European parties that entered Parliament won a total of 55 of the body's 101 seats. Infighting among coalition members led to prolonged legislative gridlock and political instability, as well as the collapse of two governments, all ruled by pro-European coalitions centered around the Liberal Democratic Party (PLDM) and the Democratic Party (PDM). A political impasse ended in January 2016 when a new parliamentary majority led by PDM, joined by defectors from the Communists and PLDM, supported Pavel FILIP as prime minister.

Military branches

National Army: Land Forces Command, Air Forces Command (includes air defense unit); Carabinieri Troops: a component of the Ministry of Internal Affairs that also has official status as a service of the Armed Forces (2016)

Military expenditures

0.3% of GDP (2015 projected) | 0.3% of GDP (2014) | 0.3% of GDP (2012) | 0.3% of GDP (2011) | 0.3% of GDP (2010) | country comparison to the world: 128

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 (2016)

Age structure

0-14 years: 18.03% (male 326,244/female 306,543) | 15-24 years: 12.87% (male 233,694/female 218,189) | 25-54 years: 43.55% (male 768,933/female 760,002) | 55-64 years: 13.36% (male 214,852/female 254,224) | 65 years and over: 12.19% (male 165,811/female 261,993) (2016 est.)

Birth rate

11.8 births/1,000 population (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 169

Child labor - children ages 5-14

total number: 72,364 | percentage: 16% (2009 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

2.2% (2012) | country comparison to the world: 111

Contraceptive prevalence rate

67.8% (2005)

Death rate

12.6 deaths/1,000 population (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 19

Dependency ratios

total dependency ratio: 34.6% | youth dependency ratio: 21.2% | elderly dependency ratio: 13.4% | potential support ratio: 7.5% (2015 est.)

Drinking water source

urban: 96.9% of population | rural: 81.4% of population | total: 88.4% of population | urban: 3.1% of population | rural: 18.6% of population | total: 11.6% of population (2015 est.)

Education expenditures

7.5% of GDP (2014) | country comparison to the world: 10

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% | note: internal disputes with ethnic Slavs in the Transnistrian region (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

0.64% (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 60

HIV/AIDS - deaths

800 (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 72

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

18,000 (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 81

Health expenditures

10.3% of GDP (2014) | country comparison to the world: 8

Hospital bed density

6.2 beds/1,000 population (2012)

Infant mortality rate

total: 12.3 deaths/1,000 live births | male: 14.1 deaths/1,000 live births | female: 10.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 118

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% | note: represents lanugage usually spoken (2004 est.)

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 70.7 years | male: 66.9 years | female: 74.8 years (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 154

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write | total population: 99.4% | male: 99.7% | female: 99.1% (2015 est.)

Major urban areas - population

CHISINAU (capital) 725,000 (2015)

Maternal mortality rate

23 deaths/100,000 live births (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 114

Median age

total: 36.3 years | male: 34.5 years | female: 38.3 years (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 71

Mother's mean age at first birth

24 (2013 est.)

Nationality

noun: Moldovan(s) | adjective: Moldovan

Net migration rate

-9.5 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 215

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

15.7% (2014) | country comparison to the world: 91

Physicians density

2.98 physicians/1,000 population (2013)

Population

3,510,485 (July 2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 133

Population distribution

pockets of agglomeration exist throughout the country, the largest being in the center of the country around the capital of Chisinau, followed by Tiraspol and Balti

Population growth rate

-1.04% (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 231

Religions

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

Sanitation facility access

urban: 87.8% of population | rural: 67.1% of population | total: 76.4% of population | urban: 12.2% of population | rural: 32.9% of population | total: 23.6% of population (2015 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

total: 12 years | male: 12 years | female: 12 years (2013)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female | 0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female | 15-24 years: 1.07 male(s)/female | 25-54 years: 1.01 male(s)/female | 55-64 years: 0.85 male(s)/female | 65 years and over: 0.62 male(s)/female | total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2016 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.56 children born/woman (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 188

Unemployment, youth ages 15-24

total: 9.8% | male: 9.6% | female: 10.2% (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 87

Urbanization

urban population: 45% of total population (2015) | rate of urbanization: -0.73% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

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

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

refugees (country of origin): 6,779 applicants for forms of legal stay other than asylum (Ukraine) (2015) | stateless persons: 5,014 (2015)

Airports

7 (2013) | country comparison to the world: 169

Airports - with paved runways

total: 5 | over 3,047 m: 1 | 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 | 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2013)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 2 | 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 | under 914 m: 1 (2013)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

ER (2016)

Merchant marine

total: 121 | 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) | country comparison to the world: 45

National air transport system

number of registered air carriers: 3 | inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 12 | annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 1,005,942 | annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 489,630 mt-km (2015)

Pipelines

gas 1,906 km (2013)

Railways

total: 1,171 km | broad gauge: 1,157 km 1.520-m gauge | standard gauge: 14 km 1.435-m gauge (2014) | country comparison to the world: 86

Roadways

total: 9,352 km | paved: 8,835 km | unpaved: 517 km (2012) | country comparison to the world: 137

Waterways

558 km (in public use on Danube, Dniester and Prut rivers) (2011) | country comparison to the world: 82