Page last updated on January 31, 2014
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 Nistru River supporting the separatist region of Transnistria, composed of a Slavic majority population (mostly Ukrainians and Russians), but with a sizeable ethnic Moldovan minority. 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 and, by doing so, put into place a permanent government. Four Moldovan opposition parties formed a new coalition, the Alliance for European Integration (AEI), iterations of which have acted as Moldova's governing coalitions since. Moldova experienced significant political uncertainty between 2009 and early 2012, holding three general elections and numerous presidential ballots in parliament, all of which failed to secure a president. Following November 2010 parliamentary elections, a reconstituted AEI-coalition consisting of three of the four original AEI parties formed a government, and in March 2012 was finally able to elect an independent as president. As of late May 2013, the ruling coalition - comprised of two of the original AEI parties and a splinter group from a third - is called the Pro-European Coalition. In November 2013, the Moldovan Government initialed an Association Agreement with the European Union (EU), advancing the coalition's policy priority of EU integration.
Eastern Europe, northeast of Romania
total: 33,851 sq km
country comparison to the world: 140
land: 32,891 sq km
water: 960 sq km
slightly larger than Maryland
total: 1,390 km
border countries: Romania 450 km, Ukraine 940 km
moderate winters, warm summers
rolling steppe, gradual slope south to Black Sea
lowest point: Dniester (Nistru) 2 m
highest point: Dealul Balanesti 430 m
lignite, phosphorites, gypsum, arable land, limestone
arable land: 53.47%
permanent crops: 8.77%
other: 37.75% (2011)
total: 1.07 cu km/yr (14%/83%/4%)
per capita: 290 cu m/yr (2010)
heavy use of agricultural chemicals, including banned pesticides such as DDT, has contaminated soil and groundwater; extensive soil erosion from poor farming methods
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
landlocked; well endowed with various sedimentary rocks and minerals including sand, gravel, gypsum, and limestone
noun: Moldovan(s)
adjective: Moldovan
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
Moldovan (official, virtually the same as the Romanian language), Russian, Gagauz (a Turkish dialect)
Eastern Orthodox 98%, Jewish 1.5%, Baptist and other 0.5% (2000)
3,619,925 (July 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 131
0-14 years: 17.6% (male 327,843/female 307,780)
15-24 years: 15% (male 279,814/female 263,202)
25-54 years: 43.9% (male 790,723/female 796,997)
55-64 years: 12.9% (male 213,256/female 252,907)
65 years and over: 10.7% (male 145,796/female 241,607) (2013 est.)
total dependency ratio: 38.8 %
youth dependency ratio: 23 %
elderly dependency ratio: 15.8 %
potential support ratio: 6.3 (2013)
total: 35.4 years
male: 33.5 years
female: 37.4 years (2013 est.)
-1.02% (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 232
12.38 births/1,000 population (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 160
12.61 deaths/1,000 population (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 24
-9.92 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 210
urban population: 47.7% of total population (2011)
rate of urbanization: 0.79% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)
CHISINAU (capital) 650,000 (2009)
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 0.84 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.6 male(s)/female
total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2013 est.)
41 deaths/100,000 live births (2010)
country comparison to the world: 115
total: 13.28 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 125
male: 15.2 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 11.25 deaths/1,000 live births (2013 est.)
total population: 69.82 years
country comparison to the world: 153
male: 65.95 years
female: 73.94 years (2013 est.)
1.55 children born/woman (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 183
11.4% of GDP (2011)
country comparison to the world: 11
3.64 physicians/1,000 population (2011)
6.2 beds/1,000 population (2011)
0.4% (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 78
12,000 (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 92
fewer than 1,000 (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 79
21.2% (2008)
country comparison to the world: 91
3.2% (2005)
country comparison to the world: 110
8.6% of GDP (2011)
country comparison to the world: 8
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99%
male: 99.5%
female: 98.5% (2011 est.)
total: 12 years
male: 12 years
female: 12 years (2011)
total number: 72,364
percentage: 16 % (2009 est.)
total: 13.1%
country comparison to the world: 95
male: 12.8%
female: 13.4% (2012)
conventional long form: Republic of Moldova
conventional short form: Moldova
local long form: Republica Moldova
local short form: Moldova
former: Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic, Moldovan Soviet Socialist Republic
name: Chisinau in Romanian (Kishinev in Russian)
note: pronounced KEE-shee-now (KIH-shi-nyev)
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
32 raions (raioane, singular - raion), 3 municipalities (municipii, singular - municipiul), 1 autonomous territorial unit (unitatea teritoriala autonoma), and 1 territorial unit (unitatea teritoriala)
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
municipalities: Balti, Bender, Chisinau
autonomous territorial unit: Gagauzia
territorial unit: Stinga Nistrului (Transnistria)
27 August 1991 (from the Soviet Union)
Independence Day, 27 August (1991)
previous 1978; latest adopted 29 July 1994, effective 27 August 1994; amended 2003 (2011)
civil law system with Germanic law influences; Constitutional Court review of legislative acts
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
18 years of age; universal
chief of state: President Nicolae TIMOFTI (since 23 March 2012)
head of government: Prime Minister Iurie LEANCA (since 25 April 2013; acting until 30 May 2013, sworn in on 31 May 2013)
cabinet: Cabinet selected by president, subject to approval of Parliament
elections: president elected by Parliament for a four-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 16 March 2012 (next to be held in March 2016); 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; the prime minister and Cabinet received a vote of confidence 30 May 2013
election results: Nicolae TIMOFTI elected president; parliamentary votes - 62 of 101 votes Iurie LEANCA designated prime minister; parliamentary votes of confidence - 58 of 101
unicameral Parliament or Parlamentul (101 seats; members elected on an at-large basis by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held on 28 November 2010 (next to be held in November 2014); note - this was the third parliamentary election in less than two years; the earlier parliaments (elected 5 April 2009 and 29 July 2009) were dissolved after they could not elect a presidential candidate with the necessary three-fifths majority
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 - in November of 2011, 3 legislators defected from the Communist Party (PCRM) and voted with the PLDM, PD, and PL governing coalition - termed the Alliance for European Integration (AEI) - to reach a 62-seat majority sufficient to elect a new president; the 3 former PCRM legislators are now aligned with the Party of Socialists, and in 2012 an additional 5 legislators defected from the PCRM; 1 PLDM legislator also defected and is independent
highest court(s): Supreme Court of Justice (consists of a chief judges, 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 Parliament upon the recommendation of the Supreme Council of the Magistracy; all judges serve 4-year renewable terms; Constitutional Court judges appointed 2 each by Parliament, the Moldovan president, and the Higher Council of Magistracy; court president elected by other court judges for a 3-year term; other judges appointed for 6-year terms
subordinate courts: Courts of Appeal; Court of Business Audit; municipal courts
represented in Parliament:
not represented in Parliament:
BSEC, CD, CE, CEI, CIS, EAEC (observer), EAPC, EBRD, FAO, GCTU, GUAM, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), 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
chief of mission: Ambassador Igor MUNTEANU (since 7 September 2010)
chancery: 2101 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 667-1130
FAX: [1] (202) 667-2624
chief of mission: Ambassador William H. MOSER (since 6 September 2011)
embassy: 103 Mateevici Street, Chisinau MD-2009
mailing address: use embassy street address
telephone: [373] (22) 40-8300
FAX: [373] (22) 23-3044
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 aurochs head, star, rose, and crescent all in black-outlined yellow; based on the color scheme of the flag of Romania - with which 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
aurochs (a type of wild cattle)
name: "Limba noastra" (Our Language)
lyrics/music: Alexei MATEEVICI/Alexandru CRISTEA
note: adopted 1994
Moldova remains one of the poorest countries in Europe despite recent progress from its small economic base. With its moderate climate and good farmland, Moldova's economy relies heavily on its agriculture sector, featuring fruits, vegetables, wine, and tobacco. With few natural energy resources, Moldova imports almost all of its energy supplies from Russia and Ukraine. Moldova's dependence on Russian energy is underscored by an estimated $4.3 billion debt to Russian natural gas supplier Gazprom due largely to unreimbursed natural gas consumption in the separatist Transnistria region. Previous Russian decisions to ban Moldovan wine and agricultural products, coupled with their decision to double the price Moldova paid for Russian natural gas and the large debt continue to hamper economic growth. Moldova also depends heavily on the annual $1 billion in remittances from the estimated one million Moldovans working in Europe and former Soviet Bloc countries. During the global financial crisis in 2009, Moldova experienced a 6% contraction of its GDP, a shrinkage due to increased unemployment and decrease in remittances. To stabilize the country, the IMF allocated $186 million to Moldova to cover its immediate budgetary needs in the fall of 2009, and the Moldovan Government agreeing with the IMF to a new program worth $574 million. In 2010, an upturn in the world economy boosted GDP growth to about 7% and inflation to more than 7%. 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 has encouraged 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 had modest growth in 2011, expanding by 6.8%. However, in 2012, with the Euro crisis and a devastating drought, Moldova's GDP stalled at an estimated 0.3% growth over 2011. Moldova's economic future remains vulnerable to political uncertainty, weak administrative capacity, vested bureaucratic interests, higher fuel prices and the concerns of foreign investors as well as the presence of an illegal separatist regime in Moldova's Transnistria region.
$12.03 billion (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 150
note: data are in 2012 US dollars
$7.154 billion (2012 est.)
-0.8% (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 193
$3,400 (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 171
note: data are in 2012 US dollars
16.1% of GDP (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 97
household consumption: 97.2%
government consumption: 22.3%
investment in fixed capital: 21.8%
investment in inventories: 1.5%
exports of goods and services: 45.2%
imports of goods and services: -88%
agriculture: 13.1%
industry: 19.8%
services: 67.1% (2012 est.)
vegetables, fruits, grapes, grain, sugar beets, sunflower seed, tobacco; beef, milk; wine
sugar, vegetable oil, food processing, agricultural machinery; foundry equipment, refrigerators and freezers, washing machines; hosiery, shoes, textiles
-3% (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 166
1.215 million (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 140
agriculture: 27.5%
industry: 13.1%
services: 59.4% (2011 est.)
5.6% (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 55
lowest 10%: 3.3%
highest 10%: 26% (2010 est.)
38 (2008)
country comparison to the world: 72
revenues: $2.749 billion
expenditures: $2.9 billion (2012 est.)
38.4% of GDP (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 55
-2.1% of GDP (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 88
17.8% of GDP (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 133
4.5% (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 134
13.4% (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 51
$1.708 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 131
$3.498 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 140
$2.908 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 125
$20.7 million (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 118
$-510.9 million (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 105
$2.228 billion (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 139
foodstuffs, textiles, machinery
Russia 20.8%, Romania 19.8%, Italy 11.5%, Turkey 5.9%, Ukraine 5.4%, Germany 4.7% (2012)
$5.152 billion (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 128
mineral products and fuel, machinery and equipment, chemicals, textiles
Ukraine 17.6%, Romania 16.6%, Germany 9.7%, Russia 8.2%, Italy 5.8%, Belarus 5.4%, Turkey 4.8%, Poland 4.6% (2012)
$2.515 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 116
$5.888 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 114
$3.224 billion (30 September 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 92
$88.42 million (1 January 2012)
country comparison to the world: 90
Moldovan lei (MDL) per US dollar -
1.016 billion kWh (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 145
3.571 billion kWh (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 125
0 kWh (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 98
3.145 billion kWh (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 44
552,000 kW (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 134
88.4% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 80
0% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 131
11.6% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 110
0% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 198
0 bbl/day (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 190
0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 149
0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 87
0 bbl (1 January 2013 es)
country comparison to the world: 158
412.5 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 113
18,060 bbl/day (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 134
240.1 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 117
16,200 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 114
0 cu m (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 160
1.095 billion cu m (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 87
0 cu m (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 140
2.11 billion cu m (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 46
0 cu m (1 January 2013 es)
country comparison to the world: 164
6.467 million Mt (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 121
1.206 million (2012)
country comparison to the world: 69
4.08 million (2012)
country comparison to the world: 120
general assessment: poor service outside Chisinau; some modernization is under way
domestic: 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 100 per 100 persons
international: country code - 373; service through Romania and Russia via landline; satellite earth stations - at least 3 (Intelsat, Eutelsat, and Intersputnik) (2011)
state-owned national radio-TV broadcaster operates 2 TV 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)
711,564 (2012)
country comparison to the world: 51
1.333 million (2009)
country comparison to the world: 89
7 (2013)
country comparison to the world: 169
total: 5
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2013)
total: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
under 914 m:
total: 1,190 km
country comparison to the world: 86
broad gauge: 1,176 km 1.520-m gauge
standard gauge: 14 km 1.435-m gauge (2008)
total: 9,352 km
country comparison to the world: 136
paved: 8,835 km
unpaved: 517 km (2012)
558 km (in public use on Danube, Dniester and Prut rivers) (2011)
country comparison to the world: 83
total: 121
country comparison to the world: 45
by type: bulk carrier 7, cargo 88, carrier 1, chemical tanker 3, passenger/cargo 7, petroleum tanker 2, refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 11, specialized tanker 1
foreign-owned: 63 (Bulgaria 1, Denmark 1, Egypt 5, Greece 1, Israel 2, Lebanon 1, Pakistan 1, Romania 2, Russia 5, Syria 5, Turkey 18, UK 3, Ukraine 14, Yemen 4) (2010)
National Army: Land Forces Command, Air Forces Command (includes air defense unit), Logistics Command (2013)
18 years of age for compulsory or voluntary military service; male registration required at age 16; 1-year service obligation (2012)
males age 16-49: 1,143,440
females age 16-49: 1,156,958 (2010 est.)
males age 16-49: 875,224
females age 16-49: 969,903 (2010 est.)
male: 28,213
female: 26,614 (2010 est.)
0.3% of GDP (2012)
country comparison to the world: 387
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 the auspices of an Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe-mandated peacekeeping mission comprised of Moldovan, Transnistrian, Russian, and Ukrainian troops
stateless persons: 1,998 (2012)
