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Communications

Airports [time series]

total: 26 usable: 15 with permanent-surface runways: 6 with runways over 3,659 m: 0 with runways 2,440-3,659 m: 5 with runways 1,060-2,439 m: 8 note: a C-130 can land on a 1,060-m airstrip

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

total: 20,000 km paved or gravelled: 13,900 km unpaved: earth 6,100 km (1990)

Pipelines [time series]

natural gas 310 km (1992)

Ports [time series]

none; landlocked

Railways (Railroads) [time series]

1,150 km; does not include industrial lines (1990)

Telecommunication systems (Telecommunications) [time series]

The telecommunication system of Moldova is not well developed; number of telephone subscribers 577,000 (1991); number of subscribers per 1,000 persons 134 (1991); number of unsuccessful requests for telephone service 215,000 (1991); international connections to the other former Soviet republics by land line and microwave radio relay through Ukraine, and to other countries by leased connections to the Moscow international gateway switch; 2 satellite earth stations - 1 EUTELSAT and 1 INTELSAT; broadcast services NA

Defense Forces

Military and security forces (Branches) [time series]

Ground Forces, Air and Air Defence Force, Security Forces (internal and border troops)

Military expenditures (Defense expenditures) [time series]

$NA, NA% of GDP

Manpower availability [time series]

males age 15-49 1,098,156; fit for military service 869,866; reach military age (18) annually 35,814 (1994 est.)

Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture) [time series]

Moldova's principal economic activity; products are vegetables, fruits, wine, grain, sugar beets, sunflower seed, meat, milk, tobacco

Budget [time series]

revenues: $NA expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA note: budget deficit for 1993 approximately 6% of GDP

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

the leu (plural lei) was introduced in late 1993

Economic aid [time series]

recipient: Joint EC-US loan (1993), $127 million; IMF STF credit (1993), $64 million; IMF stand-by loan (1993), $72 million; US commitments (1992-93), $61 million in humanitarian aid, $11 million in technical assistance; World Bank loan (1993), $60 million; Russia (1993), 50 billion ruble credit; Romania (1993), 20 billion lei credit

Electricity [time series]

capacity: 3,115,000 kW production: 11.1 billion kWh consumption per capita: 2,491 kWh (1992)

Exchange rates [time series]

Exports [time series]

$108 million to outside the FSU countries (January-September 1993); over 70% of exports go to FSU countries commodities: foodstuffs, wine, tobacco, textiles and footwear, machinery, chemicals (1991) partners: Russia, Kazakhstan, Ukraine, Romania, Germany

Debt - external (External debt) [time series]

$325 million (end of 1993)

Fiscal year [time series]

calendar year

Illicit drugs [time series]

illicit cultivator of opium poppy and cannabis; mostly for CIS consumption; transshipment point for illicit drugs to Western Europe

Imports [time series]

$145 million from outside the FSU countries (January-September 1993); over 70% of imports are from FSU countries commodities: oil, gas, coal, steel machinery, foodstuffs, automobiles, and other consumer durables partners: Russia, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Romania, Germany

Industrial production growth rate (Industrial production) [time series]

growth rate -10% (1993)

Industries [time series]

key products are canned food, agricultural machinery, foundry equipment, refrigerators and freezers, washing machines, hosiery, refined sugar, vegetable oil, shoes, textiles

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

30% per month (1993)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (National product) [time series]

GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $16.3 billion (1993 estimate from the UN International Comparison Program, as extended to 1991 and published in the World Bank's World Development Report 1993; and as extrapolated to 1993 using official Moldovan statistics, which are very uncertain because of major economic changes since 1990)

Real GDP per capita (National product per capita) [time series]

$3,650 (1993 est.)

Real GDP growth rate (National product real growth rate) [time series]

-4% (1993 est.)

Economic overview (Overview) [time series]

Moldova has pushed ahead boldly on economic reform since gaining its independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. It introduced a convertible currency - the leu - in late 1993 that has remained stable against the dollar, removed price controls on most products, eliminated licenses and quotas on most imports and exports, and freed interest rates. In 1994, Moldova aims to privatize at least one-third of state enterprises, lower inflation to 1% per month, and reduce the budget deficit to 3.5% of GDP. Moldova enjoys a favorable climate and good farmland but has no major mineral deposits. As a result, Moldova's economy is primarily based on agriculture, featuring fruits, vegetables, wine, and tobacco. Moldova, however, must import all of its supplies of oil, coal, and natural gas, and energy shortages have contributed to sharp production declines since the break-up of the Soviet Union. Activities by separatist groups in the Dniester region have held back economic development in that area. Foreign economic assistance has been a tangible plus for Moldova, whereas direct foreign investment has been lacking.

Unemployment rate [time series]

less than 1% (includes only officially registered unemployed; large numbers of underemployed workers)

Geography

Area [time series]

total area: 33,700 sq km land area: 33,700 sq km comparative area: slightly more than twice the size of Hawaii

Climate [time series]

moderate winters, warm summers

Coastline [time series]

0 km (landlocked)

Environment - current issues (Environment) [time series]

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 natural hazards: NA international agreements: signed, but not ratified - Biodiversity, Climate Change

Disputes - international (International disputes) [time series]

no official territorial claims by either Moldova or Romania, but nationalists in Romania seek the merger of Moldova into Romania; potential future dispute by Moldova and Romania against Ukraine over former southern and northern Bessarabian areas and Northern Bukovina ceded to Ukraine upon Moldova's incorporation into USSR

Irrigated land [time series]

2,920 sq km (1990)

Land boundaries [time series]

total 1,389 km, Romania 450 km, Ukraine 939 km

Land use [time series]

arable land: 50% permanent crops: 13% meadows and pastures: 9% forest and woodland: 0% other: 28%

Location [time series]

Eastern Europe, between Ukraine and Romania

Map references [time series]

Asia, Europe, Standard Time Zones of the World

Maritime claims [time series]

none; landlocked

Natural resources [time series]

lignite, phosphorites, gypsum

Note [time series]

landlocked

Terrain [time series]

rolling steppe, gradual slope south to Black Sea

Government

Administrative divisions [time series]

previously divided into 40 rayons; new districts possible under new constitution in 1994

Capital [time series]

Chisinau

Constitution [time series]

old Soviet constitution (adopted NA 1979) is still in effect but has been heavily amended during the past few years; a new constitution is expected in 1994

Digraph [time series]

Diplomatic representation in the US (Diplomatic representation in US) [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador Nicolae TIU chancery: 1511 K Street NW, Room 329, Washington, DC telephone: (202) 783-3012 or -2807

Executive branch [time series]

chief of state: President Mircea SNEGUR (since 3 September 1990); election last held 8 December 1991 (next to be held NA 1996); results - Mircea SNEGUR ran unopposed and won 98.17% of vote; note - President SNEGUR was named executive president by the Supreme Soviet on 3 September 1990 and was confirmed by popular election on 8 December 1991 head of government: Prime Minister Andrei SANGHALI (since 1 July 1992; reappointed 5 April 1994 after elections for new legislature) cabinet: Council of Ministers; appointed by the president on recommendation of the prime minister

Diplomatic representation in the US (FAX) [time series]

7-0422-23-30-44

Flag [time series]

same color scheme as Romania - 3 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

Independence [time series]

27 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)

Judicial branch [time series]

Supreme Court

Legal system [time series]

based on civil law system; no judicial review of legislative acts; does not accept compulsory ICJ jurisdiction but accepts many UN and CSCE documents

Legislative branch [time series]

unicameral

International organization participation (Member of) [time series]

BSEC, CE (guest), CIS, CSCE, EBRD, ECE, IBRD, ICAO, ILO, IMF, INTELSAT (nonsignatory user), IOC, ITU, NACC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO

Country name (Names) [time series]

conventional long form: Republic of Moldova conventional short form: Moldova local long form: Republica Moldoveneasca local short form: none former: Soviet Socialist Republic of Moldova; Moldavia

National holiday [time series]

Independence Day, 27 August 1991

Political parties (Other political or pressure groups) [time series]

United Council of Labor Collectives (UCLC), Igor SMIRNOV, chairman; Congress of Intellectuals, Alexandru MOSANU; The Ecology Movement of Moldova (EMM), G. MALARCHUK, chairman; The Christian Democratic League of Women of Moldova (CDLWM), L. LARI, chairman; National Christian Party of Moldova (NCPM), D. TODIKE, M. BARAGA, V. NIKU, leaders; The Peoples Movement Gagauz Khalky (GKh), S. GULGAR, leader; The Democratic Party of Gagauzia (DPG), G. SAVOSTIN, chairman; The Alliance of Working People of Moldova (AWPM), G. POLOGOV, president; Christian Alliance for Greater Romania; Stefan the Great Movement; Liberal Convention of Moldova; Association of Victims of Repression; Christian Democratic Youth League

Legislative branch (Parliament) [time series]

elections last held 27 February 1994 (next to be held NA 1999); results - percent by party NA; seats - (104 total) Agrarian-Democratic Party 56, Socialist/Yedinstvo Bloc 28, Peasants and Intellectual Bloc 11, Christian Democratic Popular Front 9

Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]

Christian Democratic Popular Front (formerly Moldovan Popular Front), Iurie ROSCA, chairman; Yedinstvo Intermovement, V. YAKOVLEV, chairman; Social Democratic Party, Oazu NANTOI, chairman, two other chairmen; Agrarian-Democratic Party, Dumitru MOTPAN, chairman; Democratic Party, Gheorghe GHIMPU, chairman; Democratic Labor Party, Alexandru ARSENI, chairman; Reform Party, Anatol SELARU; Republican Party, Victor PUSCAS; Socialist Party, Valeriu SENIC, chairman; Communist Party, Vladimir VORONIN

Suffrage [time series]

18 years of age; universal

Government type (Type) [time series]

republic

Diplomatic representation from the US (US diplomatic representation) [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador Mary C. PENDLETON embassy: Strada Alexei Mateevich #103, Chisinau mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: 373 (2) 23-37-72 or 23-34-76

People

Birth rate [time series]

16.02 births/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Death rate [time series]

10.02 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Ethnic groups (Ethnic divisions) [time series]

Moldavian/Romanian 64.5%, Ukrainian 13.8%, Russian 13%, Gagauz 3.5%, Jewish 1.5%, Bulgarian 2%, other 1.7% (1989 figures) note: internal disputes with ethnic Russians and Ukrainians in the Dniester region and Gagauz Turks in the south

Infant mortality rate [time series]

30.3 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.)

Labor force [time series]

2.05 million (1992) by occupation: agriculture 34.4%, industry 20.1%, other 45.5% (1985 figures)

Languages [time series]

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

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 68.07 years male: 64.65 years female: 71.67 years (1994 est.)

Literacy [time series]

age 9-49 can read and write (1970) total population: 100% male: 100% female: 99%

Nationality [time series]

noun: Moldovan(s) adjective: Moldovan

Net migration rate [time series]

-2.2 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Population [time series]

4,473,033 (July 1994 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

0.38% (1994 est.)

Religions [time series]

Eastern Orthodox 98.5%, Jewish 1.5%, Baptist (only about 1,000 members) (1991) note: the large majority of churchgoers are ethnic Moldavian

Total fertility rate [time series]

2.18 children born/woman (1994 est.)