Background: Formerly ruled by Romania, Moldova became part of
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 Nistru (Dnister) 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 as its
president in 2001.
Government type: republic
Capital: Chisinau
Currency: Moldovan leu (MLD) (plural lei)
Geography of Moldova
Location: Eastern Europe, northeast of Romania
Geographic coordinates: 47 00 N, 29 00 E
Area:
total: 33,843 sq km
land: 33,371 sq km
water: 472 sq km
Land boundaries:
total: 1,389 km
border countries: Romania 450 km, Ukraine 939 km
Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims: none (landlocked)
Climate: moderate winters, warm summers
Terrain: rolling steppe, gradual slope south to Black Sea
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Nistru River 2 m
highest point: Dealul Balanesti 430 m
Natural resources: lignite, phosphorites, gypsum, arable land
Land use:
arable land: 53%
permanent crops: 14%
permanent pastures: 13%
forests and woodland: 13%
other: 7% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 3,110 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: landslides (57 cases in 1998)
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,
Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants
Geography - note: landlocked; well endowed with various sedimentary
rocks and minerals including sand, gravel, gypsum, and limestone.
People of Moldova
Population: 4,455,421 (July 2005 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 22.44%
15-64 years: 67.62%
65 years and over: 9.94%
Population growth rate: 0.05%
Birth rate: 13.35 births/1,000 population
Death rate: 12.6 deaths/1,000 population
Net migration rate: -0.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population
Infant mortality rate: 42.74 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 64.6 years
male: 60.15 years
female: 69.26 years
Total fertility rate: 1.67 children born/woman
Nationality:
noun: Moldovan(s)
adjective: Moldovan
Ethnic groups: Moldavian/Romanian 64.5%, Ukrainian 13.8%, Russian 13%, Gagauz
3.5%, Jewish 1.5%, Bulgarian 2%, other 1.7% (1989 est.)
note: internal disputes with ethnic Slavs in the Transnistrian region
Religions: Eastern Orthodox 98.5%, Jewish 1.5%, Baptist (only about 1,000
members) (1991)
Languages: Moldovan (official, virtually the same as the Romanian language),
Russian, Gagauz (a Turkish dialect)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 96%
male: 99%
female: 94% (1989 est.)
SOURCE: The World Factbook |