Moldova

• Dunărea (Danube) (shared with Germany [s], Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Croatia, Serbia, Bulgaria, Ukraine, and Romania [m]) - 2,888 km;
• Nistru (Dniester) (shared with Ukraine [s/m]) - 1,411 km

note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth

noun:

Moldovan(s)

adjective:

Moldovan

total:

40.4 years (2025 est.)

male:

38.6 years

female:

41.3 years

at birth:

1.07 male(s)/female

0-14 years:

1 male(s)/female

15-64 years:

0.94 male(s)/female

65 years and over:

0.62 male(s)/female

total population:

0.89 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

total:

13.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)

male:

16 deaths/1,000 live births

female:

11.5 deaths/1,000 live births

total population:

70.1 years (2024 est.)

male:

66.1 years

female:

74.4 years

total:

7.45 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

beer:

1.53 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine:

3.57 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits:

2.25 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols:

0.1 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

total:

28.7% (2025 est.)

male:

54.2% (2025 est.)

female:

6.4% (2025 est.)

urban population:

43.4% of total population (2023)

rate of urbanization:

0.09% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

municipal solid waste generated annually:

3.981 million tons (2024 est.)

percent of municipal solid waste recycled:

36.9% (2022 est.)

municipal:

160 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

industrial:

583 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

agricultural:

55 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

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

etymology:

named for the Moldova River in neighboring eastern Romania; the river's name probably comes from the Indoeuropean root word mel , meaning "dark" or "black"

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)

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

citizenship by birth:

no

citizenship by descent only:

at least one parent must be a citizen of Moldova

dual citizenship recognized:

no

residency requirement for naturalization:

10 years

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

• Common Action Party - Civil Congress or PAC-CC
• Democracy at Home Party or PPDA
• Future of Moldova Party or PVM
• National Alternative Movement or MAN
• Our Party or PN
• Party of Action and Solidarity or PAS
• Party of Communists of the Republic of Moldova or PCRM
• Party of Development and Consolidation of Moldova or PDCM
• Party of Socialists of the Republic of Moldova or PSRM

chief of mission:

Ambassador Vladislav KULMINSKI (since 5 September 2025)

chancery:

2101 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone:

[1] (202) 667-1130

FAX:

[1] (202) 667-2624

email address and website:

[email protected]; https://sua.mfa.gov.md/en

chief of mission:

Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires Nick PIETROWICZ (since 2025)

embassy:

103 Mateevici Street, Chisinau MD-2009

mailing address:

7080 Chisinau Place, Washington DC 20521-7080

telephone:

[373] (22) 408-300

FAX:

[373] (22) 233-044

email address and website:

[email protected]; https://md.usembassy.gov/

description:

• three equal vertical bands of Prussian blue (left side), chrome yellow, and vermilion red;
• the Moldavan coat of arms in the center is a dark gold Roman eagle outlined in black, with a red beak and talons;
• the eagle carries a yellow cross in its beak, a green olive branch in its right talons, and a yellow scepter in its left talons;
• on the eagle's breast is a red-and-blue shield divided horizontally, with a stylized aurochs head, star, rose, and crescent in black and outlined yellow;
• the reverse of the flag displays a mirror image of the coat of arms

history:

replaced the communist flag in 1990; the coat of arms is based on traditional designs

note 1: colors are based on the Romanian flag, but Moldova's blue band is lighter

note 2: one of three national flags that differ on each side -- the others are Paraguay and Saudi Arabia

title:

"Limba noastra" (Our Tongue)

lyrics/music:

Alexei MATEEVICI/Alexandru CRISTEA

history:

adopted 1994; originally a 12-verse poem, but only stanzas 1, 2, 5, 9, and 12 are included in the anthem

total World Heritage Sites:

1 (cultural)

selected World Heritage Site locales:

Struve Geodetic Arc

• upper middle-income Eastern European economy;
• sustained growth reversed by COVID-19;
• significant remittances;
• Russian energy and regional dependence;
• agricultural exporter;
• declining workforce due to emigration and low fertility

agriculture:

7.1% (2024 est.)

industry:

16.8% (2024 est.)

services:

62.3% (2024 est.)

note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

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

total:

3.3% (2024 est.)

male:

3.4% (2024 est.)

female:

3.3% (2024 est.)

note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

lowest 10%:

4.5% (2022 est.)

highest 10%:

22.5% (2022 est.)

note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population

consumption:

90,000 metric tons (2023 est.)

imports:

86,000 metric tons (2023 est.)

production:

10,000 cubic meters (2021 est.)

consumption:

2.223 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

imports:

2.223 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

• state-owned national radio-TV broadcaster operates 1 TV and 1 radio station;
• total of nearly 70 terrestrial TV channels and about 50 radio stations;
• Russian and Romanian channels are available (2019)

total:

1,171 km (2014)

standard gauge:

14 km (2014) 1.435-m gauge

broad gauge:

1,157 km (2014) 1.520-m gauge

• the military's inventory is limited and almost entirely comprised of Soviet-era equipment;
• in recent years, it has received small amounts of donated equipment from some Western European nations and the US (2025)

• 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

refugees:

136,845 (2024 est.)

IDPs:

6 (2024 est.)

stateless persons:

3,164 (2024 est.)