Moldova

Introduction ::Moldova

Background:

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 a Transnistrian separatist region 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. 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 was finally able to elect an independent as president.

Geography ::Moldova

Location:

Eastern Europe, northeast of Romania

Geographic coordinates:

47 00 N, 29 00 E

Area:

total: 33,851 sq km

country comparison to the world: 140

land: 32,891 sq km

water: 960 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly larger than Maryland

Land boundaries:

total: 1,390 km

border countries: Romania 450 km, Ukraine 940 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: Dniester (Nistru) 2 m

highest point: Dealul Balanesti 430 m

Natural resources:

lignite, phosphorites, gypsum, arable land, limestone

Land use:

arable land: 53.47%

permanent crops: 8.77%

other: 37.75% (2011)

Irrigated land:

2,283 sq km (2011)

Total renewable water resources:

11.65 cu km (2011)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 1.07 cu km/yr (14%/83%/4%)

per capita: 290 cu m/yr (2010)

Natural hazards:

landslides

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 ::Moldova

Nationality:

noun: Moldovan(s)

adjective: Moldovan

Ethnic groups:

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

Languages:

Moldovan (official, virtually the same as the Romanian language), Russian, Gagauz (a Turkish dialect)

Religions:

Eastern Orthodox 98%, Jewish 1.5%, Baptist and other 0.5% (2000)

Population:

3,619,925 (July 2013 est.)

country comparison to the world: 130

Age structure:

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.)

Dependency ratios:

total dependency ratio: 38.8 %

youth dependency ratio: 23 %

elderly dependency ratio: 15.8 %

potential support ratio: 6.3 (2013)

Median age:

total: 35.4 years

male: 33.5 years

female: 37.4 years (2013 est.)

Population growth rate:

-1.02% (2013 est.)

country comparison to the world: 232

Birth rate:

12.38 births/1,000 population (2013 est.)

country comparison to the world: 160

Death rate:

12.61 deaths/1,000 population (2013 est.)

country comparison to the world: 24

Net migration rate:

-9.92 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2013 est.)

country comparison to the world: 210

Urbanization:

urban population: 47.7% of total population (2011)

rate of urbanization: 0.79% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

Major urban areas - population:

CHISINAU (capital) 650,000 (2009)

Sex ratio:

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.)

Mother's mean age at first birth:

23.5 (2010 est.)

Maternal mortality rate:

41 deaths/100,000 live births (2010)

country comparison to the world: 115

Infant mortality rate:

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.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 69.82 years

country comparison to the world: 153

male: 65.95 years

female: 73.94 years (2013 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.55 children born/woman (2013 est.)

country comparison to the world: 183

Contraceptive prevalence rate:

67.8% (2005)

Health expenditures:

11.7% of GDP (2010)

country comparison to the world: 10

Physicians density:

2.67 physicians/1,000 population (2007)

Hospital bed density:

6.2 beds/1,000 population (2009)

Drinking water source:

improved:

urban: 99% of population

rural: 93% of population

total: 96% of population

unimproved:

urban: 1% of population

rural: 7% of population

total: 4% of population (2010 est.)

Sanitation facility access:

improved:

urban: 89% of population

rural: 82% of population

total: 85% of population

unimproved:

urban: 11% of population

rural: 18% of population

total: 15% of population (2010 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.4% (2009 est.)

country comparison to the world: 78

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

12,000 (2009 est.)

country comparison to the world: 92

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

fewer than 1,000 (2009 est.)

country comparison to the world: 79

Obesity - adult prevalence rate:

21.2% (2008)

country comparison to the world: 91

Children under the age of 5 years underweight:

3.2% (2005)

country comparison to the world: 110

Education expenditures:

8.6% of GDP (2011)

country comparison to the world: 8

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 99%

male: 99.5%

female: 98.5% (2011 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 12 years

male: 12 years

female: 12 years (2011)

Child labor - children ages 5-14:

total number: 72,364

percentage: 16 % (2009 est.)

Unemployment, youth ages 15-24:

total: 14.9%

country comparison to the world: 84

male: 14.2%

female: 15.8% (2011)

Government ::Moldova

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

Government type:

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)

Independence:

27 August 1991 (from the Soviet Union)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 27 August (1991)

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

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

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

(For more information visit the World 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; 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

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 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

Judicial branch:

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)

note - the Constitutional Court is autonomous to the other branches of government; the Court interprets the Constitution and reviews the constitutionality of parliamentary laws and decisions, decrees of the president, and acts of the government.

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

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]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

NA

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] [phone]

FAX: [1] [phone]

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 symbol(s):

aurochs (a type of wild cattle)

National anthem:

name: ""Limba noastra"" (Our Language)

lyrics/music: Alexei MATEEVICI/Alexandru CRISTEA

note: adopted 1994

Economy ::Moldova

Economy - overview:

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.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$12.36 billion (2012 est.)

country comparison to the world: 149

$12.46 billion (2011 est.)

$11.66 billion (2010 est.)

note: data are in 2012 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$7.252 billion (2012 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

-0.8% (2012 est.)

country comparison to the world: 195

6.8% (2011 est.)

7.1% (2010 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$3,500 (2012 est.)

country comparison to the world: 172

$3,500 (2011 est.)

$3,300 (2010 est.)

note: data are in 2012 US dollars

Gross national saving:

16.2% of GDP (2012 est.)

country comparison to the world: 94

11.9% of GDP (2011 est.)

15.9% of GDP (2010 est.)

GDP - composition, by end use:

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%

(2012 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin:

agriculture: 13.1%

industry: 19.8%

services: 67.1% (2012 est.)

Agriculture - products:

vegetables, fruits, grapes, grain, sugar beets, sunflower seed, tobacco; beef, milk; wine

Industries:

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

Industrial production growth rate:

-3% (2012 est.)

country comparison to the world: 161

Labor force:

1.215 million (2012 est.)

country comparison to the world: 138

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 27.5%

industry: 13.1%

services: 59.4% (2011)

Unemployment rate:

5.6% (2012 est.)

country comparison to the world: 55

6.7% (2011 est.)

Population below poverty line:

21.9% (2010 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 3.3%

highest 10%: 26% (2010 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

38 (2008)

country comparison to the world: 72

33.2 (2003)

Budget:

revenues: $2.768 billion

expenditures: $2.92 billion (2012 est.)

Taxes and other revenues:

38.2% of GDP (2012 est.)

country comparison to the world: 50

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-):

-2.1% of GDP (2012 est.)

country comparison to the world: 91

Public debt:

17.9% of GDP (2012 est.)

country comparison to the world: 131

19% of GDP (2011 est.)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

4.5% (2012 est.)

country comparison to the world: 134

7.6% (2011 est.)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

13.4% (31 December 2012 est.)

country comparison to the world: 51

14.44% (31 December 2011 est.)

Stock of narrow money:

$1.54 billion (31 December 2012 est.)

country comparison to the world: 132

$1.475 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

Stock of broad money:

$3.498 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

country comparison to the world: 140

$3.049 billion (31 December 2010 est.)

Stock of domestic credit:

$2.877 billion (31 December 2012 est.)

country comparison to the world: 131

$2.755 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$20.7 million (31 December 2010 est.)

country comparison to the world: 118

$22 million (31 December 2010)

Current account balance:

-$837.3 million (2012 est.)

country comparison to the world: 107

-$790.4 million (2011 est.)

Exports:

$2.228 billion (2012 est.)

country comparison to the world: 139

$2.277 billion (2011 est.)

Exports - commodities:

foodstuffs, textiles, machinery

Exports - partners:

Russia 20.9%, Romania 19.8%, Italy 11.6%, Ukraine 6.6%, Turkey 6%, Germany 4.7% (2012)

Imports:

$5.152 billion (2012 est.)

country comparison to the world: 128

$5.147 billion (2011 est.)

Imports - commodities:

mineral products and fuel, machinery and equipment, chemicals, textiles

Imports - partners:

Ukraine 20.9%, Romania 16.1%, Germany 9.4%, Russia 7.9%, Italy 5.7%, Belarus 5.3%, Turkey 4.7%, Poland 4.4% (2012)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$2.511 billion (31 December 2012 est.)

country comparison to the world: 117

$1.965 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

Debt - external:

$6.132 billion (31 December 2012 est.)

country comparison to the world: 113

$5.443 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$3.224 billion (30 September 2012 est.)

country comparison to the world: 90

$3.17 billion (30 September 2011 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

$88.42 million (1 January 2012)

country comparison to the world: 86

$67.85 million (1 January 2010)

Exchange rates:

Moldovan lei (MDL) per US dollar -

12.111 (2012 est.)

11.738 (2011 est.)

12.369 (2010 est.)

11.11 (2009)

10.326 (2008)

Energy ::Moldova

Electricity - production:

1.016 billion kWh (2011 est.)

country comparison to the world: 146

Electricity - consumption:

3.571 billion kWh (2011 est.)

country comparison to the world: 129

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2011 est.)

country comparison to the world: 95

Electricity - imports:

3.145 billion kWh (2011 est.)

country comparison to the world: 42

Electricity - installed generating capacity:

551,000 kW (2009 est.)

country comparison to the world: 134

Electricity - from fossil fuels:

88.4% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)

country comparison to the world: 79

Electricity - from nuclear fuels:

0% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)

country comparison to the world: 131

Electricity - from hydroelectric plants:

11.6% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)

country comparison to the world: 111

Electricity - from other renewable sources:

0% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)

country comparison to the world: 153

Crude oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2011 est.)

country comparison to the world: 160

Crude oil - exports:

0 bbl/day (2009 est.)

country comparison to the world: 146

Crude oil - imports:

0 bbl/day (2009 est.)

country comparison to the world: 90

Crude oil - proved reserves:

0 bbl (1 January 2012 est.)

country comparison to the world: 159

Refined petroleum products - production:

210 bbl/day (2008 est.)

country comparison to the world: 116

Refined petroleum products - consumption:

18,060 bbl/day (2011 est.)

country comparison to the world: 134

Refined petroleum products - exports:

110.4 bbl/day (2008 est.)

country comparison to the world: 119

Refined petroleum products - imports:

15,800 bbl/day (2008 est.)

country comparison to the world: 114

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2011 est.)

country comparison to the world: 159

Natural gas - consumption:

1.095 billion cu m (2011 est.)

country comparison to the world: 87

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2011 est.)

country comparison to the world: 138

Natural gas - imports:

1.152 billion cu m (2011 est.)

country comparison to the world: 56

Natural gas - proved reserves:

0 cu m (1 January 2012 est.)

country comparison to the world: 163

Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy:

7.38 million Mt (2010 est.)

country comparison to the world: 109

Communications ::Moldova

Telephones - main lines in use:

1.18 million (2011)

country comparison to the world: 72

Telephones - mobile cellular:

3.715 million (2011)

country comparison to the world: 118

Telephone 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) (2011)

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)

Internet country code:

.md

Internet hosts:

711,564 (2012)

country comparison to the world: 51

Internet users:

1.333 million (2009)

country comparison to the world: 89

Transportation ::Moldova

Airports:

7 (2013)

country comparison to the world: 169

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 5

over 3,047 m: 1

2,438 to 3,047 m: 2

1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2013)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 2

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

under 914 m:

1 (2013)

Pipelines:

gas 1,906 km (2013)

Railways:

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)

Roadways:

total: 9,343 km

country comparison to the world: 136

paved: 8,810 km

unpaved: 533 km (2008)

Waterways:

558 km (in public use on Danube, Dniester and Prut rivers) (2011)

country comparison to the world: 83

Merchant marine:

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)

Military ::Moldova

Military branches:

National Army: Land Forces Command, Air Forces Command (includes air defense unit), Logistics Command (2013)

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age for compulsory or voluntary military service; male registration required at age 16; 1-year service obligation (2012)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 1,143,440

females age 16-49: 1,156,958 (2010 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 875,224

females age 16-49: 969,903 (2010 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 28,213

female: 26,614 (2010 est.)

Military expenditures:

0.4% of GDP (2005 est.)

country comparison to the world: 167

Transnational Issues ::Moldova

Disputes - 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

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

stateless persons: 1,998 (2012)

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"