Moldova

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Moldova

General Information
Geography
Government
Economy
Population
Health
Communications and media
Chronology


GENERAL INFORMATION

National name Republica Moldova/Republic of Moldova Area 33,700 sq km/13,011 sq mi Capital Chisinau (Russian Kishinev) Language Moldovan (official), Russian, Gaganz (a Turkish dialect) Religion Eastern Orthodox 98.5%; remainder Jewish Time difference GMT +2 Major holidays 1, 7–8 January, 8 March, 9 May, 27, 31 August; variable: Mertsishor (Spring Festival, first week in March), Good Friday, Easter Monday


GEOGRAPHY

Major towns/cities Tiraspol, Balti, Tighina Physical features hilly land lying largely between the rivers Prut and Dniester; northern Moldova comprises the level plain of the Balti Steppe and uplands; the climate is warm and moderately continental Airports two international airports; total passengers carried: 179,000 (2003 est) Railways total length: 1,328km/825 mi; total passenger journeys: 5.1 million (2002) Roads total road network: 12,730 km/7,910 mi, of which 86.2% paved (2003 est); passenger cars: 77.9 per 1,000 people (2003 est)


GOVERNMENT

Head of state Vladimir Voronin from 2001 Head of government Vasile Tarlev from 2001 Political system emergent democracy Political executive limited presidency Administrative divisions 11 counties, one municipality (Chisinau), and two autonomous regions – Gauguz (Gagauzi Yeri) and Trans-Dniestr Political parties Agrarian Democratic Party (ADP), nationalist, centrist; Socialist Party and Yedinstvo/Unity Movement, reform-socialist; Peasants and Intellectuals, Romanian nationalist; Christian Democratic Popular Front (CDPF), Romanian nationalist; Gagauz-Khalky (GKPM; Gagauz People's Movement), Gagauz separatist; Moldovan Party of Communists (MPC), former Communist Party of Moldova (banned in 1991, revived under new name in 1994) Death penalty abolished in 1995 Armed forces 6,800; plus 66,000 reservists and paramilitary forces of 3,000 (2006 est) Conscription military service is compulsory for 12 months Defence spend (% GDP) 0.3 (2005 est) Education spend (% GDP) 4.9 (2003 est) Health spend (% GDP) 3.9 (2004)


ECONOMY

Currency leu GDP (US$) 2.9 billion (2005 est) Real GDP growth (% change on previous year) 3 (2006 est) GNI (US$) 3.2 billion (2005 est) GNI per capita (PPP) (US$) 2,150 (2005 est) Consumer price inflation 11.5% (2006 est) Unemployment 1.3% (2005 est) Labour force 40.6% agriculture, 16% industry, 43.4% services (2005) Foreign debt (US$) 2 billion (2005 est) Major trading partners Russia, Ukraine, Italy, Romania, Germany Resources lignite, phosphorites, gypsum, building materials; petroleum and natural gas deposits discovered in the early 1990s were not yet exploited in 2001 (although exploration was underway) Industries food processing, wine, tobacco, metalworking, light industry, machine building, cement, textiles, footwear Exports wine, food and agricultural products, machinery and equipment, textiles, clothing. Principal market: Russia 31.9% (2005) Imports mineral fuels, energy and mineral products, mechanical engineering products, foodstuffs, chemicals, textiles, clothing. Principal source: Ukraine 23.3% (2005) Arable land 54.5% (2006 est) Agricultural products grain, sugar beet, potatoes, vegetables, wine grapes and other fruit, tobacco; livestock products (milk, pork, and beef)


POPULATION

Population 4,195,000 (2006 est) Population growth rate -0.2% (2005–10) Population density (per sq km) 126 (2005 est) Urban population (% of total) 46 (2005 est) Age distribution (% of total population) 0–14 18%, 15–59 68%, 60+ 14% (2005 est) Ethnic groups 65% ethnic Moldovan (Romanian), 14% Ukrainian, 13% ethnic Russian, 4% Gagauzi, 2% Bulgarian, 2% Jewish Life expectancy 66 (men); 73 (women) (2005–10) Child mortality rate (under 5, per 1,000 live births) 28 (2004) Education (compulsory years) 11 Literacy rate 99% (men); 99% (women) (2004 est)


HEALTH

Physicians (per 10,000 people) 26.9 (2004 est) Hospital beds (per 1,000 people) 6.7 (2003 est) HIV infection (% of population aged 15–49) 1.1 (2005 est) AIDS deaths 1,400 (2005 est) Access to drinking-water source (% of total population) 97 (urban); 88 (rural) (2002)


COMMUNICATIONS AND MEDIA

Landline telephones (per 100 people) 22.1 (2005 est) Mobile phone subscribers (per 100 people) 25.9 (2005 est) Radios (per 1,000 people) 758 (20001 est) TV sets (per 1,000 people) 307 (2004 est) Personal computer users (per 100 people) 2.6 (2005 est) Internet users (per 100 people) 9.6 (2005 est)


CHRONOLOGY

AD 106 Conquered by Roman Emperor Trajan and became part of Roman province of Dacia. Known in earlier times as Bessarabia. mid-14th century Formed part of independent Moldovan principality. late 15th century Under Stephen IV the Great principality reached height of its power. 16th century Became a tributary of the Ottoman Turks. 1774–75 Moldovan principality, though continuing to recognize Turkish overlordship, was placed under Russian protectorship; Bukovina lost to Austria. 1812 Bessarabia ceded to tsarist Russia. 1856 Remainder of Moldovan principality became largely independent of Turkish control. 1859 Moldovan Assembly voted to unite with Wallachia, to the southwest, to form state of Romania, ruled by Prince Alexandru Ion Cuza. The state became fully independent in 1878. 1918 Following the Russian Revolution, Bessarabia was seized and incorporated within Romania. 1924 Moldovan autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic (SSR) created, as part of Soviet Union, comprising territory east of Dniestr River. 1940 Romania returned Bessarabia, east of Prut River, to Soviet Union, which divided it between Moldovan SSR and Ukraine, with Trans-Dniestr region transferred from Ukraine to Moldova. 1941 Moldovan SSR occupied by Romania and its wartime ally Germany. 1944 Red Army reconquered Bessarabia. 1946–47 Widespread famine as agriculture collectivized. 1950 Immigration by settlers from Russia and Ukraine as industries developed. late 1980s Upsurge in Moldovan nationalism, encouraged by glasnost initiative of reformist Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev. 1988 Moldovan Movement in Support of Perestroika (economic restructuring) campaigned for accelerated political reform. 1989 Nationalist demonstrations in Kishinev (now Chisinau). The Moldovan Popular Front (MPF) founded; Moldovan made state language. Campaigns for autonomy among ethnic Russians and Turkish-speaking (but Orthodox Christian) Gagauz minority. 1991 Independence declared and Communist Party outlawed; Moldova joined Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). Insurrection in Russian-speaking Trans-Dniestr region. 1992 Admitted to United Nations and Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe. Russian-Moldovan agreement provided for special constitutional status for Trans-Dniestr. 1993 New currency (the leu) introduced. Privatization programme launched. 1994 Plebiscite rejected nationalist demands for merger with Romania. 1995 Joined Council of Europe. 1999 Communist Vladimir Voronin became prime minister. 2000 Constitutional changes empowered parliament to elect state president rather than by popular vote. 2001 Communist Party regained power in parliamentary elections. Voronin became president and Vasile Tarlev became prime minister. 2005 Communist Party retained power in elections; Voronin returned for second term. 2006 Trade disputes with Russia over gas import prices and wine exports. Referendum in Trans-Dniestr backed independence from Moldova and future union with Russia.


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