2010 Edition

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 Dniester River supporting the Slavic majority population, mostly Ukrainians and Russians, who have proclaimed a "Transnistria" republic. 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. Moldova's four opposition parties formed a new coalition, the Alliance for European Integration (AEI), which acted as Moldova's governing coalition until parliamentary elections were held in November 2010 and a new governing coalition could be formed. Moldova experienced significant political uncertainty in 2009 and 2010, holding three general elections (in April 2009, July 2009, and November 2010) and four presidential ballots in parliament, all of which failed to secure a president.

Area

land

32,891 sq km

total

33,851 sq km

water

960 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly larger than Maryland

Climate

moderate winters, warm summers

Coastline

0 km (landlocked)

Elevation extremes

highest point

Dealul Balanesti 430 m

lowest point

Dniester (Nistru) 2 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

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)

per capita

549 cu m/yr (2000)

total

2.31 cu km/yr (10%/58%/33%)

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

3,000 sq km (2003)

Land boundaries

border countries

Romania 450 km, Ukraine 940 km

total

1,390 km

Land use

arable land

54.52%

other

36.67% (2005)

permanent crops

8.81%

Location

Eastern Europe, northeast of Romania

Map references

Europe

Maritime claims

none (landlocked)

Natural hazards

landslides

Natural resources

lignite, phosphorites, gypsum, arable land, limestone

Terrain

rolling steppe, gradual slope south to Black Sea

Total renewable water resources

11.7 cu km (1997)

Age structure

0-14 years: 15.9% (male 353,495/female 334,592) 15-64 years: 73.3% (male 1,536,263/female 1,629,882) 65 years and over: 10.8% (male 172,070/female 294,446) (2010 est.)

Birth rate

11.16 births/1,000 population (2010 est.)

Death rate

10.76 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.)

Education expenditures

8.2% of GDP (2008)

Ethnic groups

Moldovan/Romanian 78.2%, Ukrainian 8.4%, Russian 5.8%, Gagauz 4.4%, Bulgarian 1.9%, other 1.3% (2004 census) note: internal disputes with ethnic Slavs in the Transnistrian region

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

0.4% (2007 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

fewer than 100 (2007 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

8,900 (2007 est.)

Infant mortality rate

female

11.25 deaths/1,000 live births (2010 est.)

male

14.2 deaths/1,000 live births

total

12.77 deaths/1,000 live births

Languages

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

Life expectancy at birth

female

75 years (2010 est.)

male

67.39 years

total population

71.09 years

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

female

98.6% (2005 est.)

male

99.7%

total population

99.1%

Median age

female

37.1 years (2010 est.)

male

33.1 years

total

35 years

Nationality

adjective

Moldovan

noun

Moldovan(s)

Net migration rate

-1.13 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.)

Population

4,317,483 (July 2010 est.)

Population growth rate

-0.072% (2010 est.)

Religions

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

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

female

13 years (2008)

male

12 years

total

12 years

Sex ratio

at birth

1.059 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.58 male(s)/female

total population

0.91 male(s)/female (2010 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.28 children born/woman (2010 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

-1.5% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

urban population

42% of total population (2008)

Administrative divisions

32 raions (raioane, singular - raion), 3 municipalities (municipii, singular - municipiu), 1 autonomous territorial unit (unitatea teritoriala autonoma), and 1 territorial unit (unitatea teritoriala)

autonomous territorial unit

Gagauzia

municipalities

Balti, Bender, Chisinau

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

territorial unit

Stinga Nistrului (Transnistria)

Capital

daylight saving time

+1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

geographic coordinates

47 00 N, 28 51 E

name

Chisinau (Kishinev) note: pronounced KEE-shee-now

time difference

UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Constitution

adopted 29 July 1994; effective 27 August 1994; note - replaced 1979 Soviet constitution

Country name

conventional long form

Republic of Moldova

conventional short form

Moldova

former

Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic, Moldovan Soviet Socialist Republic

local long form

Republica Moldova

local short form

Moldova

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador Asif J. CHAUDHRY

embassy

103 Mateevici Street, Chisinau MD-2009

FAX

[373] (22) 23-3044

mailing address

use embassy street address

telephone

[373] (22) 40-8300

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

2101 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

chief of mission

Ambassador Igor MUNTEANU

FAX

[1] (202) 667-1204

telephone

[1] (202) 667-1130

Executive branch

cabinet

Cabinet selected by president, subject to approval of Parliament (For more information visit the World Leaders website )

chief of state

Acting President Marian LUPU (since 30 December 2010) note: Vladimir VORONIN, president since 4 April 2001, resigned on 11 September 2009; Marian LUPU, the Speaker of Parliament, is serving as acting president until new elections can be held

election results

Vladimir VORONIN reelected president (2005); parliamentary votes - Vladimir VORONIN 75, Gheorghe DUCA 1; Vladimir FILAT (re)designated prime minister; parliamentary votes of confidence - 59 of 101

elections

president elected by Parliament for a four-year term (eligible for a second term); last successful election held on 4 April 2005, most recent (failed) election held on 10 December 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 (re)designated on 31 December 2010; cabinet received a vote of confidence on 14 January 2011

head of government

Prime Minister Vladimir FILAT (since 25 September 2009) note: Vladimir Filat resigned on 27 December 2010, but was reappointed on 31 December 2010

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 ox head, star, rose, and crescent all in black-outlined yellow; based on the color scheme of the flag of Romania - with whom 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

republic

Independence

27 August 1991 (from the Soviet Union)

International organization participation

BSEC, CE, CEI, CIS, EAEC (observer), EAPC, EBRD, FAO, GCTU, GUAM, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, SECI, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, 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; accepts many UN and Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) documents; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Legislative branch

unicameral Parliament or Parlamentul (101 seats; members elected on an at-large basis by popular vote to serve four-year terms)

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 - the PLDM, PD, and PL governing coalition, termed the Alliance for European Integration, has 59 seats; it remains 2 votes short of the 61 needed to elect a new president

elections

last held on 28 November 2010 (next to be held in 2014); note - this was the third parliamentary election in less than two years; the earlier parliaments (elected 5 April 2009 and 29 July 2009) could not agree on a presidential candidate

National anthem

lyrics/music

Alexei MATEEVICI/Alexandru CRISTEA note: adopted 1994

name

"Limba noastra" (Our Tongue)

National holiday

Independence Day, 27 August (1991)

Political parties and leaders

not represented in Parliament

Christian Democratic People's Party or PPCD [Iurie ROSCA]; Conservative Party or PC [Natalia NIRCA]; Ecological Party of Moldova "Green Alliance" or PEMAVE [Vladimir BRAGA]; European Action Movement or MAE [Veaceslav UNTILA]; For Nation and Country Party or PpNT [Sergiu MOCANU]; Humanist Party of Moldova or PUM [Valeriu PASAT]; Labor Party or PM [Gheorghe SIMA]; National Liberal Party or PNL [Vitalia PAVLICENKO]; Our Moldova Alliance or AMN [Serafim URECHEAN]; Patriots of Moldova Party or PPM [Mihail GARBUZ]; Popular Republican Party or PPR [Nicolae ANDRONIC]; Republican Party of Moldova or PRM [Andrei STRATAN]; 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]

represented in Parliament

Communist Party of the Republic of Moldova or PCRM [Vladimir VORONIN]; Democratic Party or PD [Mihai LUPU]; Liberal Democratic Party or PLDM [Vladmir FILAT]; Liberal Party or PL [Mihai GHIMPU]

Political pressure groups and leaders

NA

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agriculture - products

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

Commercial bank prime lending rate

20.54% (31 December 2009 est.) 21.06% (31 December 2008 est.)

Current account balance

-$565 million (2010 est.) -$464.6 million (2009 est.)

Debt - external

$4.146 billion (31 December 2010 est.) $3.844 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index

33.2 (2003) 40.6 (1997)

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. Moldova's dependence on Russian energy was underscored at the end of 2005, when a Russian-owned electrical station in Moldova's separatist Transnistria region cut off power to Moldova and Russia's Gazprom cut off natural gas in disputes over pricing. In January 2009, gas supplies were cut during a dispute between Russia and Ukraine. Russia's decision to ban Moldovan wine and agricultural products, coupled with its decision to double the price Moldova paid for Russian natural gas, have hurt growth. The onset of the global financial crisis and poor economic conditions in Moldova's main foreign markets, caused GDP to fall 6.5% in 2009. Unemployment almost doubled and inflation disappeared - at -0.1%, a record low. Moldova's IMF agreement expired in May 2009. In fall 2009, the IMF allocated $186 million to Moldova to cover its immediate budgetary needs, and the government signed an new agreement with the IMF in January 2010 for a program worth $574 million. In 2010, an upturn in the world economy boosted GDP growth to 3.1% and inflation to 7.3%. Economic reforms have been slow because of corruption and strong political forces backing government controls. Nevertheless, the government's primary goal of EU integration has resulted in some market-oriented progress. The granting of EU trade preferences and increased exports to Russia will encourage higher growth rates, but the agreements are unlikely to serve as a panacea, given the extent to which export success depends on higher quality standards and other factors. The economy has made a modest recovery, but remains vulnerable to political uncertainty, weak administrative capacity, vested bureaucratic interests, higher fuel prices, poor agricultural weather, and the skepticism of foreign investors as well as the presence of an illegal separatist regime in Moldova's Transnistria region.

Electricity - consumption

4.37 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - exports

240 million kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - imports

2.931 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - production

3.617 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Exchange rates

Moldovan lei (MDL) per US dollar - 12.443 (2010), 11.11 (2009), 10.326 (2008), 12.177 (2007), 13.131 (2006)

Exports

$1.45 billion (2010 est.) $1.332 billion (2009 est.)

Exports - commodities

foodstuffs, textiles, machinery

Exports - partners

Russia 23.77%, Italy 14.11%, Romania 12.74%, Germany 6.92%, Turkey 6.08%, Belarus 5.38% (2009)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

16.3%

industry

20.1%

services

63.6% (2010 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$2,500 (2010 est.) $2,400 (2009 est.) $2,500 (2008 est.) note: data are in 2010 US dollars

GDP - real growth rate

3.1% (2010 est.) -6.5% (2009 est.) 7.8% (2008 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$5.357 billion (2010 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$10.6 billion (2010 est.) $10.28 billion (2009 est.) $10.99 billion (2008 est.) note: data are in 2010 US dollars

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 3% highest 10%: 28.2% (2004)

Imports

$3.66 billion (2010 est.) $3.276 billion (2009 est.)

Imports - commodities

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

Imports - partners

Ukraine 19.9%, Romania 15.1%, Russia 14.52%, Germany 8.69%, Italy 5.7%, Belarus 4.38% (2009)

Industrial production growth rate

4.5% (2010 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

7.3% (2010 est.) -0.1% (2009 est.)

Investment (gross fixed)

21.7% of GDP (2010 est.)

Labor force

1.203 million (2010 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture

40.6%

industry

16%

services

43.3% (2005 est.)

Market value of publicly traded shares

$NA (2004) $573.9 million (2004)

Natural gas - consumption

2.52 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2008 est.)

Natural gas - imports

2.52 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Natural gas - production

50 million cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

0 cu m (1 January 2010 est.)

Oil - consumption

19,000 bbl/day (2009 est.)

Oil - exports

36 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Oil - imports

14,230 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Oil - production

0 bbl/day (2009 est.)

Oil - proved reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2010 est.)

Population below poverty line

29.5% (2005)

Public debt

25% of GDP (2010 est.) 25.7% of GDP (2009 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$1.6 billion (31 December 2010 est.) $1.48 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of broad money

$2.889 billion (31 December 2010 est.) $2.942 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad

$NA

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home

$NA (31 December 2010) $1.813 billion (2008)

Stock of domestic credit

$2.11 billion (31 December 2010 est.) $2.251 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of narrow money

$1.221 billion (31 December 2010 est) $1.189 billion (31 December 2009 est)

Unemployment rate

3.4% (2010 est.) 3.1% (2009 est.)

Broadcast media

state-owned national radio-TV broadcaster operates 2 television 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

Internet hosts

492,181 (2010)

Internet users

1.333 million (2009)

Telephone system

domestic

depending on location, new subscribers may face long wait for service; 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 90 per 100 persons

general assessment

poor service outside Chisinau; some modernization is under way

international

country code - 373; service through Romania and Russia via landline; satellite earth stations - at least 3 (Intelsat, Eutelsat, and Intersputnik) (2009)

Telephones - main lines in use

1.139 million (2009)

Telephones - mobile cellular

2.785 million (2009)

Airports

11 (2010)

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 (2010)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total

6 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 under 914 m: 3 (2010)

Merchant marine

by type

bulk carrier 7, cargo 89, chemical tanker 2, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 6

foreign-owned

63 (Belgium 2, Egypt 5, Greece 4, Israel 4, Lebanon 1, Romania 2, Russia 5, Syria 3, Turkey 18, UK 6, Ukraine 12, Yemen 1) (2010)

total

107

Pipelines

gas 1,906 km (2009)

Railways

broad gauge

1,124 km 1.520-m gauge

standard gauge

14 km 1.435-m gauge (2008)

total

1,138 km

Roadways

paved

8,810 km

total

9,343 km

unpaved

533 km (2008)

Waterways

558 km (in public use on Danube, Dniester and Prut rivers) (2008)

Manpower available for military service

males age 16-49: 1,150,585 females age 16-49: 1,168,169 (2010 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 16-49: 877,031 females age 16-49: 979,128 (2010 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

female

28,450 (2010 est.)

male

30,012

Military branches

National Army

Land Forces Command (includes special forces), Air Forces Command (includes air defense unit), Logistics Command (2010)

Military expenditures

0.4% of GDP (2005 est.)

Military service age and obligation

18 years of age for compulsory military service; 17 years of age for voluntary service; male registration required at age 16; 12-month service obligation (2009)

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 OSCE supervision

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 page last updated on January 19, 2011 ======================================================================

Trafficking in persons

current situation

Moldova is a major source and, to a lesser extent, a transit country for women and girls trafficked for the purpose of commercial sexual exploitation; Moldovan women are trafficked to the Middle East, Eastern Europe, and Western Europe; girls and young women are trafficked within the country from rural areas to Chisinau; children are also trafficked to neighboring countries for forced labor and begging; labor trafficking of men to work in the construction, agriculture, and service sectors of Russia is increasingly a problem; according to an ILO report, Moldova's national Bureau of Statistics estimated that there were likely over 25,000 Moldovan victims of trafficking for forced labor in 2008

tier rating

Tier 2 Watch List - The Government of Moldova does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; however, it is making significant efforts to do so; despite initial efforts to combat trafficking-related complicity since the government's reassessment on the Tier 2 Watch List in September 2008, and increased victim assistance, the government did not demonstrate sufficiently meaningful efforts to curb trafficking-related corruption, which is a government-acknowledged problem in Moldova; the government improved victim protection efforts, deployed more law-enforcement officers in the effort and contributed direct financial assistance toward victim protection and assistance for the first time (2010)