Moldova

parliamentary republic

name: Chisinau in Romanian (Kishinev in Russian) 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 etymology: origin unclear but may derive from the Old Moldovan word kishineu ("spring" or "artesian well") note: pronounced KEE-shee-now (KIH-shi-nyov)

chief of state: President Maia SANDU (since 24 December 2020) head of government: Prime Minister Alexandru MUNTEANU (since 1 November 2025) cabinet: Cabinet proposed by the prime minister-designate, nominated by the president, approved through a vote of confidence in Parliament election/appointment process: president directly elected for a 4-year term (eligible for a second term); prime minister designated by the president in 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 most recent election date: 3 November 2024 election results: 2024: In the second round of presidential elections, incumbent Maia SANDU (PAS) wins 55.4% of the vote, Alexandr STOIANOGLO (PSRM) 44.6; turnout is 54.3% 2020: Maia SANDU elected president in second round; percent of vote in second round - Maia SANDU (PAS) 57.7%, Igor DODON (PSRM) 42.3% expected date of next election: 2028

legislature name: Parliament (Parlament) legislative structure: unicameral number of seats: 101 (all directly elected) electoral system: proportional representation scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 4 years most recent election date: 9/28/2025 parties elected and seats per party: Action and Solidarity Party (PAS) (55); Electoral Bloc “Patriotic of Socialists, Communists, Heart and Future of Moldova” (26); Alternative Bloc (8); Our Party (6); Democracy at Home Party (6) percentage of women in chamber: 37.6% expected date of next election: September 2029

highest court(s): Supreme Court of Justice (consists of the chief judge, 3 deputy-chief judges, 45 judges, and 7 assistant judges); Constitutional Court (consists of the court president and 6 judges) judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court of Justice judges appointed by the president on the recommendation of the Superior Council of Magistracy, an 11-member body of judicial officials; all judges serve 4-year renewable terms; Constitutional Court judges appointed 2 each by Parliament, the president, and the Higher Council of Magistracy for 6-year terms; court president elected by other court judges for a 3-year term subordinate courts: Courts of Appeal; Court of Business Audit; municipal courts note: the Constitutional Court is autonomous; it interprets the Constitution and reviews the constitutionality of parliamentary laws and decisions, decrees of the president, and acts of the government

history: previous 1978; latest adopted 29 July 1994, effective 27 August 1994 amendment process: proposed by voter petition (at least 200,000 eligible voters), by at least one third of Parliament members, or by the government; passage requires two-thirds majority vote of Parliament within one year of initial proposal; revisions to constitutional articles on sovereignty, independence, and neutrality require majority vote by referendum; articles on fundamental rights and freedoms cannot be amended

BSEC, CD, CE, CEI, CIS, EAEU (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 note : Moldova is an EU candidate country whose satisfactory completion of accession criteria is required before being granted full EU membership

0.6% of GDP (2024 est.) 0.6% of GDP (2023 est.) 0.4% of GDP (2022 est.) 0.4% of GDP (2021 est.) 0.4% of GDP (2020 est.)

Armed Forces of the Republic of Moldova (Forțele Armate ale Republicii Moldova): National Army (comprised of Land Forces, Air Force) Ministry of Internal Affairs: General Inspectorate of Police (GPI), Border Police Department, Carabinieri Troops Department (2025) note: the Carabinieri is a quasi-militarized gendarmerie responsible for protecting public buildings, maintaining public order, and other national security functions; the GPI is the primary law enforcement body, responsible for internal security, public order, traffic, and criminal investigations

18-27 years of age for compulsory or voluntary military service; male registration required at age 16; 12-month service obligation; conscientious objectors can perform non-military service in public institutions for a longer period (up to 24 months) (2025) note: as of 2024, women made up about 23% of the military's full-time personnel

the National Army is responsible for defense against external aggression, suppressing illegal military violence along the state border or inside the country, and supporting other internal security forces in maintaining public order if necessary; its primary focuses are Transnistrian separatist forces and their Russian backers; the 1992 war between Moldovan forces and the Transnistrian separatists backed by Russian troops ended with a cease-fire; the separatists maintain several armed paramilitary combat units, plus other security forces and reserves; Russia maintains approximately 1,500 troops in the breakaway region, including some Transnistrian locals who serve as Russian troops; some of those troops are under the authority of a peacekeeping force known as a Joint Control Commission that also includes Moldovan and separatist personnel, while the remainder of the Russian contingent guard a depot of Soviet-era ammunition and train separatist forces Moldova is constitutionally neutral but has maintained a relationship with NATO since 1992 and since 2022 has enhanced bilateral security cooperation with some NATO members; it has contributed small numbers of troops to NATO s Kosovo Force (KFOR) since 2014, and a civilian NATO liaison office was established in Moldova in 2017 at the request of the Moldovan Government to promote practical cooperation and facilitate support; in 2024, Moldova signed a security and defense partnership agreement with the EU; it maintains close security relations with Romania, a member of the EU and NATO (2025)

$39.342 billion (2024 est.) $39.301 billion (2023 est.) $38.835 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars

$16,500 (2024 est.) $16,000 (2023 est.) $15,400 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars

0.1% (2024 est.) 1.2% (2023 est.) -4.6% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

4.7% (2024 est.) 13.4% (2023 est.) 28.7% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices

34.3% of GDP (2023 est.) note: central government debt as a % of GDP

$5.717 billion (2024 est.) $5.866 billion (2023 est.) $5.981 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

$10.418 billion (2024 est.) $9.84 billion (2023 est.) $10.265 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

1.5% (2024 est.) 1.6% (2023 est.) 0.9% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment

revenues: $5.197 billion (2023 est.) expenditures: $6.037 billion (2023 est.) note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

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

wheat, maize, sunflower seeds, grapes, apples, sugar beets, barley, milk, rapeseed, potatoes (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

total: 3,578,930 (2025 est.) male: 1,687,496 female: 1,891,434

-0.57% (2025 est.)

0-14 years: 14.8% (male 266,493/female 266,166) 15-64 years: 70.2% (male 1,225,535/female 1,300,640) 65 years and over: 15% (2024 est.) (male 206,221/female 334,473)

8.35 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

14.06 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

total population: 70.1 years (2024 est.) male: 66.1 years female: 74.4 years

urban population: 43.4% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.09% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Moldovan 75.1%, Romanian 7%, Ukrainian 6.6%, Gagauz 4.6%, Russian 4.1%, Bulgarian 1.9%, other 0.8% (2014 est.)

Moldovan/Romanian 80.2% (official) (56.7% Moldovan; 23.5% Romanian), Russian 9.7%, Gagauz 4.2% (a Turkish language), Ukrainian 3.9%, Bulgarian 1.5%, Romani 0.3%, other 0.2% (2014) major-language sample(s): Cartea informativa a lumii, sursa indispensabila pentru informatii de baza. (Moldovan/Romanian) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. note: data represent mother tongue; as of March 2023, "Romanian" replaced "Moldovan" as the name of Moldova's official language

Orthodox 90.1%, other Christian 2.6%, other 0.1%, agnostic 0.1%, atheist 0.2%, unspecified 6.9% (2014 est.)

lignite, phosphorites, gypsum, limestone, arable land

refugees: 136,845 (2024 est.) IDPs: 6 (2024 est.) stateless persons: 3,164 (2024 est.)

10 (2025)

total: 1,171 km (2014) standard gauge: 14 km (2014) 1.435-m gauge broad gauge: 1,157 km (2014) 1.520-m gauge

total: 75 (2023) by type: bulk carrier 1, container ship 1, general cargo 44, oil tanker 7, other 22

total subscriptions: 3.64 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 120 (2024 est.)

percent of population: 80% (2023 est.)