Moldova
Republic of MoldovaRepublica Moldova
republicIndependence 27 August 1991 (from the Soviet Union)
Moldova as the 2012 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 156 fields, one of 34 editions from 1992 to 2025.
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Introduction
1 fieldBackground
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 Dniester River supporting a Transnistrian separatist region with a Slavic majority population of mostly Ukrainians and Russians. 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. Four Moldovan opposition parties formed a new coalition, the Alliance for European Integration (AEI), which has acted as Moldova's governing coalition 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 were finally able to elect an independent as president.
Geography
Eastern Europe, northeast of Romania
20 fieldsLand useshare of 33,851 sq km
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)
- total:
- 2.31 cu km/yr (10%/58%/33%)
- per capita:
- 549 cu m/yr (2000)
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, 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
Geography - note
landlocked; well endowed with various sedimentary rocks and minerals including sand, gravel, gypsum, and limestone
People and Society
30 fieldsAge structuremale left, female right · (2012 est.)
Per 1,000 population
Male · female
Ethnic groups(2004 census)
Religions(2000)
Government
Republic; President Nicolae TIMOFTI (since 23 March 2012); Prime Minister Vladimir FILAT (since 25 September 2009)
21 fieldsPresidential electionpercent of vote
Parliament or Parlamentul, 101 seats, elected 28 November 2010one dot, one seat
Percent of vote
Country name
- 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
Capital
- 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
Administrative divisions
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)
Constitution
- adopted 29 July 1994;
- effective 27 August 1994;
- note - replaced 1979 Soviet Constitution
Legal system
civil law system with Germanic law influences; Constitutional Court review of legislative acts
International law organization participation
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
Executive branch
- chief of state:
- President Nicolae TIMOFTI (since 23 March 2012)
- head of government:
- Prime Minister Vladimir FILAT (since 25 September 2009); reelected/confirmed on 14 January 2011
- cabinet:
- Cabinet selected by president, subject to approval of Parliament; (For more information visit theWorld Leaders website)
- 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;
- prime minister (re)designated on 31 December 2010;
- the prime minister and cabinet received a vote of confidence 14 January 2011
- election results:
- Nicolae TIMOFTI elected president;
- parliamentary votes - 62 of 101 votes Vladimir FILAT (re)designated prime minister;
- parliamentary votes of confidence - 59 of 101
Legislative branch
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 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 agree on a presidential candidate
- 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 three former PCRM legislators are now aligned with the Party of Socialists, and in 2012 an additional 5 legislators defected from the PCRM
Judicial branch
Supreme Court; Constitutional Court (the sole authority for constitutional judicature)
Political parties and leaders
- represented in Parliament:
- Communist Party of the Republic of Moldova or PCRM [Vladimir VORONIN];
- Democratic Party or PD [Marian LUPU];
- Liberal Democratic Party or PLDM [Vladimir FILAT];
- Liberal Party or PL [Mihai GHIMPU];
- Alliance for European Integration or AEI (coalition of the PD, PLDM, and PL)
- not represented in Parliament:
- Christian Democratic People's Party or PPCD [Iurie ROSCA];
- Conservative Party or PC [Natalia NIRCA];
- Ecological Party of Moldova "Green Alliance" or PEMAVE [Vladimir BRAGA];
- European Action Movement or MAE [Veaceslav UNTILA];
- For Nation and Country Party or PpNT [Sergiu MOCANU];
- Humanist Party of Moldova or PUM [Valeriu PASAT];
- Labor Party or PM [Gheorghe SIMA];
- National Liberal Party or PNL [Vitalia PAVLICENKO];
- Party of Socialists or PSRM [Igor DODON];
- Patriots of Moldova Party or PPM [Mihail GARBUZ];
- Popular Republican Party or PPR [Nicolae ANDRONIC];
- Republican Party of Moldova or PRM [Andrei STRATAN];
- Roma Social Political Movement of the Republic of Moldova or MRRM [Ion BUCUR];
- Social Democratic Party or PSD [Victor SELIN];
- Social Political Movement "Equality" or MR [Valeriy KLIMENCO];
- United Moldova Party or PMUEM [Vladimir TURCAN]
International organization participation
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
Diplomatic representation in the US
- chief of mission:
- Ambassador Igor MUNTEANU
- chancery:
- 2101 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
- telephone:
- [1] (202) 667-1130
- FAX:
- [1] (202) 667-1204
Diplomatic representation from the US
- chief of mission:
- Ambassador William H. MOSER
- embassy:
- 103 Mateevici Street, Chisinau MD-2009
- mailing address:
- use embassy street address
- telephone:
- [373] (22) 40-8300
- FAX:
- [373] (22) 23-3044
Flag description
- 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
National anthem
- name:
- "Limba noastra" (Our Language)
- lyrics/music:
- Alexei MATEEVICI/Alexandru CRISTEA
note: adopted 1994
Economy
Moldova remains one of the poorest countries in Europe despite recent progress from its small economic base.
38 fieldsGDP - composition by sector(2012 est.)
Trading partnersexports left, imports right
Economy - overview
Moldova remains one of the poorest countries 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. Moldova's dependence on Russian energy was underscored at the end of 2005, when a Russian-owned electrical station in Moldova's separatist Transnistria region cut off power to Moldova and Russia's Gazprom cut off natural gas in disputes over pricing.
In January 2009, gas supplies were cut during a dispute between Russia and Ukraine. Previous Russian decisions to ban Moldovan wine and agricultural products, coupled with its decision to double the price Moldova paid for Russian natural gas, have hurt economic growth in the past.
The onset of the global financial crisis and poor economic conditions in Moldova's main foreign markets caused GDP to fall 6% in 2009. Unemployment almost doubled and inflation dropped to -0.1%, a record low. Moldova's IMF agreement expired in May 2009. In fall 2009, the IMF allocated $186 million to Moldova to cover its immediate budgetary needs, and the government signed a new agreement with the IMF in January 2010 for a program worth $574 million.
In 2010, an upturn in the world economy boosted GDP growth to about 7% per year 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 should encourage 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 has made a modest recovery, growing by 6.4% in 2011 and 3% in 2012, but 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.
Distribution of family income - Gini index
38 (2008) · 33.2 (2003) country comparison to the world: 71
Commercial bank prime lending rate
12.5% (31 December 2012 est.) · 14.44% (31 December 2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 53
Stock of narrow money
$1.481 billion (31 December 2012 est.) · $1.475 billion (31 December 2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 136
Stock of broad money
$3.498 billion (31 December 2011 est.) · $3.049 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 139
Stock of domestic credit
$2.766 billion (31 December 2012 est.) · $2.755 billion (31 December 2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 132
Agriculture - products
- vegetables, fruits, grapes, grain, sugar beets, sunflower seed, tobacco;
- beef, milk;
- wine
Current account balance
-$837.3 million (2012 est.) · -$806.6 million (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 107
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
$2.2 billion (31 December 2012 est.) · $1.966 billion (31 December 2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 119
Debt - external
$5.167 billion (31 December 2012 est.) · $4.956 billion (31 December 2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 115
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home
$3.1 billion (30 September 2011 est.) · $2.649 billion (1 January 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 90
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad
$75.25 million (30 September 2011) · $62.44 million (1 January 2010) country comparison to the world: 85
Exchange rates
Moldovan lei (MDL) per US dollar - 12.2 (2012 est.) · 11.738 (2011 est.) · 12.369 (2010 est.) · 11.11 (2009) · 10.326 (2008)
Energy
23 fieldsInstalled generating capacity, 551,000 kW(2009 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy
7.38 million Mt (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 110
Communications
7 fieldsTelephone system
- 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)
Broadcast media
- 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)
Transportation
8 fieldsMerchant marine, 121 ships by type
Airports by runway lengthunpaved only
Networkskm
Military
National Army: Land Forces Command, Air Forces Command (includes air defense unit), Logistics Command (2010)
6 fieldsMilitary branches
National Army: Land Forces Command, Air Forces Command (includes air defense unit), Logistics Command (2010)
Military service age and obligation
- 18 years of age for compulsory military service;
- 17 years of age for voluntary service;
- male registration required at age 16;
- 12-month service obligation (2009)
Manpower available for military service
- males age 16-49:
- 1,143,440
- females age 16-49:
- 1,156,958 (2010 est.)
Transnational Issues
2 fieldsDisputes - international
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
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
Cite this entry
Central Intelligence Agency. “Moldova.” The World Factbook 2012. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/moldova/2012.