|
Home
Missions
Ministries
Bible
Institute & School
Contact
Us
Careers,
Opportunities in Ministry
|
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 Dniester River supporting the Slavic majority
population, mostly Ukrainians and Russians, who have
proclaimed a "Transnistria" republic. The poorest
nation in Europe, Moldova became the first former Soviet state
to elect a Communist as its president in 2001. It should be
noted that with recent elections that Moldova has returned to
communism. It is reported that there are may restrictions to
outside ministries coming into Moldova. |
|
Location:
|
Eastern Europe,
northeast of Romania |
|
Map references:
|
Europe |
|
Area:
|
total:
33,843 sq km
water: 472 sq km
land: 33,371 sq km |
|
Area - comparative:
|
slightly larger
than Maryland |
|
Land boundaries:
|
total:
1,389 km
border countries: Romania 450 km, Ukraine 939 km |
|
Coastline:
|
0 km (landlocked) |
|
Climate:
|
moderate winters,
warm summers |
|
Terrain:
|
rolling steppe,
gradual slope south to Black Sea |
|
Elevation extremes:
|
lowest point:
Dniester River 2 m
highest point: Dealul Balanesti 430 m |
|
Natural resources:
|
lignite,
phosphorites, gypsum, arable land, limestone |
|
Land use:
|
arable land:
54.08%
permanent crops: 12.1%
other: 33.82% (1998 est.) |
|
Irrigated land:
|
3,070 sq km (1998
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, Climate
Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection
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 |
|
Population:
|
4,446,455 (July
2004 est.) |
|
Age structure:
|
0-14 years:
20.6% (male 466,485; female 449,645)
15-64 years: 69.1% (male 1,478,220; female 1,595,695)
65 years and over: 10.3% (male 169,026; female 287,384)
(2004 est.) |
|
Median age:
|
total:
32.1 years
male: 29.9 years
female: 34.3 years (2004 est.) |
|
Population growth rate:
|
0.18% (2004 est.) |
|
Birth rate:
|
14.81
births/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
|
Death rate:
|
12.76
deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
|
Net migration rate:
|
-0.26 migrant(s)/1,000
population (2004 est.) |
|
Sex ratio:
|
at birth:
1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.59 male(s)/female
total population: 0.91 male(s)/female (2004 est.) |
|
Infant mortality rate:
|
total: 41
deaths/1,000 live births
female: 37.89 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 43.96 deaths/1,000 live births |
|
Life expectancy at birth:
|
total
population: 65.03 years
male: 60.88 years
female: 69.39 years (2004 est.) |
|
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
|
0.2% (2001 est.) |
|
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
|
5,500 (2001 est.) |
|
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
|
less than 300
(2001 est.) |
|
Nationality:
|
noun:
Moldovan(s)
adjective: Moldovan |
|
Ethnic groups:
|
Moldovan/Romanian
64.5%, Ukrainian 13.8%, Russian 13%, Jewish 1.5%, Bulgarian
2%, Gagauz and other 5.2% (1989 est.)
note: internal disputes with ethnic Slavs in the
Transnistrian region |
|
Religions:
|
Eastern
Orthodox 98%, Jewish 1.5%, Baptist and other 0.5% (2000) |
|
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: 99.1%
male: 99.6%
female: 98.7% (2003 est.) |
|
Country name:
|
conventional
long form: Republic of Moldova (communistic form of
government due to recent elections and separation from the
Soviet Union)
conventional short form: Moldova
local short form: none
former: Soviet Socialist Republic of Moldova; Moldavia
local long form: Republica Moldova |
|
Government type:
|
republic |
|
Capital:
|
Chisinau |
|
Administrative divisions:
|
9 counties (judetele,
singular - judetul), 1 municipality* (municipiul), 1
autonomous territorial unit** (unitate teritoriala autonoma),
and 1 territorial unit*** (unitate teritoriala); Balti, Cahul,
Chisinau, Chisinau*, Edinet, Gagauzia**, Lapusna, Orhei,
Soroca, Stinga Nistrului***, Tighina, Ungheni |
|
Independence:
|
27 August 1991
(from Soviet Union) |
|
National holiday:
|
Independence Day,
27 August (1991) |
|
Constitution:
|
new constitution
adopted 28 July 1994; replaces old Soviet constitution of 1979 |
|
Legal system:
|
based on civil
law system; Constitutional Court reviews legality of
legislative acts and governmental decisions of resolution; it
is unclear if Moldova accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction but
accepts many UN and Organization for Security and Cooperation
in Europe (OSCE) documents |
|
Executive branch:
|
chief of
state: President Vladimir VORONIN (since 4 April 2001)
head of government: Prime Minister Vasile TARLEV (since
15 April 2001), First Deputy Prime Minister Vasile IOVV (since
29 January 2002); Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry TODOROGLO
(since 19 April 2001)
cabinet: selected by president, subject to approval of
Parliament
elections: president elected by Parliament for a
four-year term; election last held 4 April 2001 (next to be
held NA 2005); note - presidential elections were scheduled
for December 2000, but in July 2000, Parliament canceled
direct, popular elections; Parliament's failure to choose a
new president in December 2000 led to early parliamentary
elections in February 2001; prime minister designated by the
president, upon consultation with Parliament; note - 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
designated 15 April 2001, cabinet received a vote of
confidence 19 April 2001
election results: Vladimir VORONIN elected president;
parliamentary votes - Vladimir VORONIN 71, Dumitru BRAGHIS 15,
Valerian CRISTEA 3; Vasile TARLEV designated prime minister;
parliamentary votes of confidence - 75 of 101 |
|
Legislative branch:
|
unicameral
Parliament or Parlamentul (101 seats; parties and electoral
blocs elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 25 February 2001 (next to be held
NA 2005)
election results: percent of vote by party - PCM 50.1%,
Braghis Alliance (now Our Moldova Alliance) 13.4%, PPCD 8.2%,
other parties 28.3%; seats by party - PCM 71, Braghis Alliance
(now Our Moldova Alliance) 19, PPCD 11 |
|
Judicial branch:
|
Supreme Court;
Constitutional Court (the sole authority for constitutional
judicature) |
|
Political parties and leaders:
|
Democratic Party
[Dumitru DIACOV]; Communist Party of Moldova or PCM [Vladimir
VORONIN, first chairman]; Our Moldova Alliance [Dumitru
BRAGHIS, Serafim URECHEANU]; Popular Christian Democratic
Party or PPCD [Iurie ROSCA]; Social Liberal Party [Oleg
SEREBRIAN] |
|
Political pressure groups and leaders:
|
NA |
|
Diplomatic representation in the US:
|
chief of
mission: Ambassador Mihail MANOLI
FAX: [1] (202) 667-1204
telephone: [1] (202) 667-1130
chancery: 2101 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 |
|
Diplomatic representation from the US:
|
chief of
mission: Ambassador Heather M. HODGES
embassy: 103 Alexei Mateevici Street, Chisinau MD-2009
mailing address: use embassy street address
telephone: [373] (22) 23-37-72
FAX: [373] (22) 23-30-44 |
|
Economy - overview:
|
Moldova
remains the poorest country 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 from Russia. Energy
shortages contributed to sharp production declines after the
breakup of the Soviet Union in 1991. As part of an ambitious
reform effort, Moldova introduced a convertible currency,
freed prices, stopped issuing preferential credits to state
enterprises, backed steady land privatization, removed export
controls, and freed interest rates. The government entered
into agreements with the World Bank and the IMF to promote
growth and reduce poverty. The economy returned to positive
growth, of 2.1% in 2000, 6.1% in 2001, 7.2% in 2002, and 6.3%
in 2003. Further reforms will come slowly because of strong
political forces backing government controls. The economy
remains vulnerable to higher fuel prices, poor agricultural
weather, and the skepticism of foreign investors. |
|
GDP:
|
purchasing
power parity - $7.792 billion (2003 est.) |
|
GDP - real growth rate:
|
6.3%
(2003 est.) |
|
GDP - per capita:
|
purchasing
power parity - $1,800 (2003 est.) |
|
GDP - composition by sector:
|
agriculture:
28%
industry: 23%
services: 49% (2000) |
|
Population below poverty line:
|
80%
(2001 est.) |
|
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
|
11.7%
(2003 est.) |
|
Labor force:
|
1.7
million (1998) |
|
Labor force - by occupation:
|
agriculture
40%, industry 14%, services 46% (1998) |
|
Unemployment rate:
|
8%
(roughly 25% of working age Moldovans are employed abroad)
(2002 est.) |
|
Budget:
|
revenues:
$536 million
expenditures: $594 million, including capital
expenditures of $NA (1998 est.) |
|
Industries:
|
food
processing, agricultural machinery, foundry equipment,
refrigerators and freezers, washing machines, hosiery, sugar,
vegetable oil, shoes, textiles |
|
Industrial production growth rate:
|
17%
(2003 est.) |
|
Electricity - production:
|
3.394
billion kWh (2001) |
|
Electricity - production by source:
|
fossil
fuel: 90.6%
hydro: 9.4%
other: 0% (2001)
nuclear: 0% |
|
Electricity - consumption:
|
3.216
billion kWh (2001) |
|
Oil - production:
|
0
bbl/day (2001 est.) |
|
Oil - consumption:
|
24,000
bbl/day (2001 est.) |
|
Natural gas - production:
|
0 cu
m (2001 est.) |
|
Natural gas - consumption:
|
2.05
billion cu m (2001 est.) |
|
Agriculture - products:
|
vegetables,
fruits, wine, grain, sugar beets, sunflower seed, tobacco;
beef, milk |
|
Exports:
|
$790
million f.o.b. (2003 est.) |
|
Exports - commodities:
|
foodstuffs,
textiles, machinery |
|
Exports - partners:
|
Russia
34.6%, Italy 11.5%, Germany 9.1%, Ukraine 6.9%, Romania 6.2%,
US 5.2%, Belarus 4.5%, Spain 4.1% (2002) |
|
Imports:
|
$1.34
billion f.o.b. (2003 est.) |
|
Imports - commodities:
|
mineral
products and fuel 32%, machinery and equipment, chemicals,
textiles (2000) |
|
Imports - partners:
|
Ukraine
22.6%, Russia 20.2%, Germany 10.7%, Romania 8.3%, Italy 7%
(2002) |
|
Debt - external:
|
$1.3
billion (2002) |
|
Economic aid - recipient:
|
$100
million (2000) |
|
Currency:
|
Moldovan
leu (MDL) |
|
Currency code:
|
MDL |
|
Exchange rates:
|
lei
per US dollar - 13.94 (2003), 13.57 (2002), 12.87 (2001),
12.43 (2000), 10.52 (1999) |
|
Fiscal year:
|
calendar
year |
|
Telephones - main lines in use:
|
706,900 (2002) |
|
Telephones - mobile cellular:
|
338,200 (2002) |
|
Telephone system:
|
general
assessment: inadequate, outmoded, poor service outside
Chisinau; some effort to modernize is under way
domestic: new subscribers face long wait for service;
mobile cellular telephone service being introduced
international: country code - 373; service through
Romania and Russia via landline; satellite earth stations -
Intelsat, Eutelsat, and Intersputnik |
|
Radio broadcast stations:
|
AM 7, FM 50,
shortwave 3 (1998) |
|
Television broadcast stations:
|
1 (plus 30
repeaters) (1995) |
|
Internet country code:
|
.md |
|
Internet hosts:
|
2,189 (2002) |
|
Internet users:
|
150,000 (2002) |
|
Railways:
|
total:
1,300 km
broad gauge: 1,300 km 1.520-m gauge (2002) |
|
Highways:
|
total:
12,657 km
paved: 11,012 km
unpaved: 1,645 km (1999) |
|
Waterways:
|
424 km (1994) |
|
Pipelines:
|
gas 606 km (2003) |
|
Ports and harbors:
|
none |
|
Airports:
|
24 (2003 est.) |
|
Airports - with paved runways:
|
total: 6
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
under 914 m: 1 (2003 est.) |
|
Airports - with unpaved runways:
|
total: 18
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 4
under 914 m: 11 (2003 est.) |
|
Military branches:
|
National Army:
Ground Forces, Air Force |
|
Military manpower - military age:
|
18 years of age
(12 months of national service required) (2004 est.) |
|
Military manpower - availability:
|
males age
15-49: 1,186,818 (2004 est.) |
|
Military manpower - fit for military service:
|
males age
15-49: 942,071 (2004 est.) |
|
Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
|
males:
44,466 (2004 est.) |
|
Military expenditures - dollar figure:
|
$6.4 million
(FY02) |
|
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
|
0.4% (FY02) |
|
Disputes - international:
|
difficulties with
the Transnistria region complicate controlling border crossing
and customs regimes with Ukraine, despite concordance on 2003
delimitation and customs protocols and OSCE assistance |
|
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 |
This page was last updated on 11 May, 2004
|