Moldova

Broadcast media

state-owned national radio-TV broadcaster operates 1 TV and 1 radio station; a total of nearly 70 terrestrial TV channels and some 50 radio stations are in operation; Russian and Romanian channels also are available (2017)

Internet country code

.md

Internet users

total: 2,492,444 | percent of population: 71.0% (July 2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 106

Telephone system

general assessment: the mobile market has extended the reach of service to outside the cities and across most of the country | domestic: competition among mobile telephone providers has spurred subscriptions; little interest in expanding fixed-line service; mobile-cellular teledensity exceeds 105 per 100 persons | international: country code - 373; service through Romania and Russia via landline; satellite earth stations - at least 3 (Intelsat, Eutelsat, and Intersputnik) (2016)

Telephones - fixed lines

total subscriptions: 1,171,287 | subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 33 (July 2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 69

Telephones - mobile cellular

total: 3,788,490 | subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 108 (July 2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 127

Agriculture - products

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

Budget

revenues: $2.306 billion | expenditures: $2.431 billion | note: National Public Budget (2016 est.)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

-1.8% of GDP (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 84

Central bank discount rate

9% (31 December 2016) | 19.5% (31 December 2015) | note: this is the basic rate on short-term operations | country comparison to the world: 36

Commercial bank prime lending rate

14.28% (31 December 2016 est.) | 14.15% (31 December 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 48

Current account balance

$-258 million (2016 est.) | $-414.8 million (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 90

Debt - external

$6.138 billion (31 December 2016 est.) | $6.338 billion (31 December 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 127

Distribution of family income - Gini index

26.8 (2015 est.) | 26.8 (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 138

Economy - overview

Despite recent progress, Moldova remains one of the poorest countries in Europe. With a moderate climate and productive farmland, Moldova's economy relies heavily on its agriculture sector, featuring fruits, vegetables, wine, and tobacco. Moldova also depends on annual remittances of about $1.12 billion from the roughly one million Moldovans working in Europe, Russia, and other former Soviet Bloc countries. | 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 a more than $5 billion debt to Russian natural gas supplier Gazprom, largely the result of unreimbursed natural gas consumption in the breakaway region of Transnistria. Moldova and Romania inaugurated the Ungheni-Iasi natural gas interconnector project in August 2014. The 43-kilometer pipeline between Moldova and Romania, allows for both the import and export of natural gas. Several technical and regulatory delays kept gas from flowing into Moldova until March 2015. Romanian gas exports to Moldova are largely symbolic. Moldova hopes to build a pipeline connecting Ungheni to Chisinau, bringing the gas to Moldovan population centers. | The government's stated goal of EU integration has resulted in some market-oriented progress. Moldova experienced better than expected economic growth in 2014 due to increased agriculture production, to economic policies adopted by the Moldovan government since 2009, and to the receipt of EU trade preferences. During fall 2014, Moldova signed an Association Agreement and a Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement with the EU, connecting Moldovan products to the world’s largest market. Still, a $1 billion asset-stripping heist of Moldovan banks in late 2014 delivered a significant shock to the economy in 2015; a subsequent bank bailout increased inflationary pressures and contributed to the depreciation of the leu. Moldova’s growth has also been hampered by endemic corruption and a Russian import ban on Moldova’s agricultural products. The government’s push to restore stability and implement meaningful reform led to the approval of a $179 million three-year IMF program focused on improving the banking and fiscal environments. | Over the longer term, Moldova's economy remains vulnerable to corruption, political uncertainty, weak administrative capacity, vested bureaucratic interests, higher fuel prices, Russian political and economic pressure, and unresolved separatism in Moldova's Transnistria region.

Exchange rates

Moldovan lei (MDL) per US dollar - | 19.924 (2016 est.) | 19.924 (2015 est.) | 19.83 (2014 est.) | 14.036 (2013 est.) | 12.11 (2012 est.)

Exports

$1.547 billion (2016 est.) | $1.507 billion (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 146

Exports - commodities

foodstuffs, textiles, machinery

Exports - partners

Romania 25.5%, Russia 11.6%, Italy 9.9%, Germany 6.3%, UK 5.7%, Belarus 5.2% (2016)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP (official exchange rate)

$6.773 billion (2016 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$18.96 billion (2016 est.) | $17.96 billion (2015 est.) | $17.84 billion (2014 est.) | note: data are in 2016 dollars | country comparison to the world: 148

GDP - composition, by end use

household consumption: 86.7% | government consumption: 19% | investment in fixed capital: 22.3% | investment in inventories: 0.1% | exports of goods and services: 43.6% | imports of goods and services: -71.8% (2016 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture: 14.3% | industry: 20.9% | services: 64.8% (2016 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$5,300 (2016 est.) | $5,100 (2015 est.) | $5,100 (2014 est.) | note: data are in 2016 dollars | country comparison to the world: 169

GDP - real growth rate

4.3% (2016 est.) | -0.4% (2015 est.) | 4.8% (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 63

Gross national saving

18.6% of GDP (2016 est.) | 18% of GDP (2015 est.) | 20.8% of GDP (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 108

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 4.2% | highest 10%: 22.1% (2014 est.)

Imports

$3.604 billion (2016 est.) | $3.595 billion (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 133

Imports - commodities

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

Imports - partners

Romania 13.7%, Russia 13.3%, China 9.8%, Ukraine 9.5%, Germany 7.9%, Italy 7%, Turkey 6.8% (2016)

Industrial production growth rate

2% (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 111

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

6.4% (2016 est.) | 9.7% (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 182

Labor force

1.273 million (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 136

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture: 33.7% | industry: 12.1% | services: 54.2% (2016 est.)

Market value of publicly traded shares

$9.723 million (31 December 2014 est.) | $50.47 million (31 December 2014 est.) | $65.29 million (31 December 2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 122

Population below poverty line

20.8% (2013 est.)

Public debt

43.3% of GDP (2016 est.) | 44.2% of GDP (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 122

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$2.206 billion (31 December 2016 est.) | $1.757 billion (31 December 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 115

Stock of broad money

$3.529 billion (31 December 2016 est.) | $3.256 billion (31 December 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 139

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad

$206.1 million (31 December 2016) | $197.1 million (31 December 2015) | country comparison to the world: 99

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home

$3.581 billion (31 December 2016 est.) | $3.466 billion (31 December 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 108

Stock of domestic credit

$1.942 billion (31 December 2016 est.) | $2.191 billion (31 December 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 147

Stock of narrow money

$1.406 billion (31 December 2016 est.) | $1.199 billion (31 December 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 142

Taxes and other revenues

34.2% of GDP (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 61

Unemployment rate

4.2% (2016 est.) | 4.9% (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 52

Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy

4.976 million Mt (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 127

Crude oil - exports

0 bbl/day (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 158

Crude oil - imports

20 bbl/day (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 86

Crude oil - production

0 bbl/day (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 165

Crude oil - proved reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2017 es) | country comparison to the world: 162

Electricity - consumption

4.611 billion kWh (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 125

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 165

Electricity - from fossil fuels

85.7% of total installed capacity (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 75

Electricity - from hydroelectric plants

13.3% of total installed capacity (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 112

Electricity - from nuclear fuels

0% of total installed capacity (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 135

Electricity - from other renewable sources

1.2% of total installed capacity (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 135

Electricity - imports

18 million kWh (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 110

Electricity - installed generating capacity

483,000 kW | note: excludes Transnistria (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 147

Electricity - production

5.741 billion kWh (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 117

Electricity access

electrification - total population: 100% (2016)

Natural gas - consumption

3.48 billion cu m | note: excludes breakaway Transnistria (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 74

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 143

Natural gas - imports

2.72 billion cu m | note: excludes breakaway Transnistria (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 48

Natural gas - production

10 million cu m (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 94

Natural gas - proved reserves

0 cu m (42370 est.) | country comparison to the world: 166

Refined petroleum products - consumption

15,570 bbl/day (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 149

Refined petroleum products - exports

261 bbl/day (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 117

Refined petroleum products - imports

15,560 bbl/day (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 130

Refined petroleum products - production

262 bbl/day (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 109

Area

total: 33,851 sq km | land: 32,891 sq km | water: 960 sq km | country comparison to the world: 140

Area - comparative

slightly larger than Maryland

Climate

moderate winters, warm summers

Coastline

0 km (landlocked)

Elevation

mean elevation: 139 m | elevation extremes: lowest point: Dniester (Nistru) 2 m | highest point: Dealul Balanesti 430 m

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

Geographic coordinates

47 00 N, 29 00 E

Geography - note

landlocked; well endowed with various sedimentary rocks and minerals including sand, gravel, gypsum, and limestone

Irrigated land

2,283 sq km (2012)

Land boundaries

total: 1,885 km | border countries (2): Romania 683 km, Ukraine 1,202 km

Land use

agricultural land: 74.9% | arable land 55.1%; permanent crops 9.1%; permanent pasture 10.7% | forest: 11.9% | other: 13.2% (2011 est.)

Location

Eastern Europe, northeast of Romania

Map references

Europe

Maritime claims

none (landlocked)

Natural hazards

landslides

Natural resources

lignite, phosphorites, gypsum, limestone, arable land

Population - distribution

pockets of agglomeration exist throughout the country, the largest being in the center of the country around the capital of Chisinau, followed by Tiraspol and Balti

Terrain

rolling steppe, gradual slope south to Black Sea

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)

Capital

name: Chisinau in Romanian (Kishinev in Russian) | note: pronounced KEE-shee-now (KIH-shi-nyov) | 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

Citizenship

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

Constitution

history: previous 1978; latest adopted 29 July 1994, effective 27 August 1994 | amendments: proposed by voter petition (at least 200,000 eligible voters), by 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; amended several times, last in 2010; note – in early 2016, the Moldovan Constitutional Court decision returned the country to direct presidential elections, reversing a 2000 constitutional amendment that allowed Parliament to select the president (2016)

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 | etymology: named for the Moldova River in neighboring eastern Romania

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador James D. PETTIT (since 30 January 2015) | embassy: 103 Mateevici Street, Chisinau MD-2009 | mailing address: use embassy street address | telephone: [373] (22) 40-8300 | FAX: [373] (22) 23-3044

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Aureliu CIOCOI (since 8 September 2017) | chancery: 2101 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 | telephone: [1] (202) 667-1130 | FAX: [1] (202) 667-1204

Executive branch

chief of state: President Igor DODON (since 23 December 2016) | head of government: Prime Minister Pavel FILIP (since 20 January 2016) | cabinet: Cabinet proposed by the prime minister-designate, nominated by the president, approved through a vote of confidence in Parliament | elections/appointments: president directly elected for a 4-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 13 November 2016 (next to be held in fall 2020); 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 for his/her proposed work program from the Parliament | election results: Igor DODON elected president; percent of vote - Igor DODON (PSRM) 52.2%, Maia SANDU (PAS) 47.8%; Pavel FILIP (PDM) designated prime minister; Parliament vote - 57 of 101

Flag description

three equal vertical bands of Prussian blue (hoist side), chrome yellow, and vermilion red; emblem in center of flag is of a Roman eagle of dark gold (brown) 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 displays a mirrored image of the 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

Government type

parliamentary republic

Independence

27 August 1991 (from the Soviet Union)

International law organization participation

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

International organization participation

BSEC, CD, CE, CEI, CIS, EAEC (observer), EAPC, EBRD, FAO, GCTU, GUAM, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICCt, 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

Judicial branch

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); 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 the president of the republic upon 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 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

Legal system

civil law system with Germanic law influences; Constitutional Court review of legislative acts

Legislative branch

description: unicameral Parliament (101 seats; members directly elected in a single, nationwide constituency by proportional representation vote to serve 4-year terms) | elections: last held on 30 November 2014 (next to be held in November 2018) | election results: percent of vote by party - PSRM 20.5%, PLDM 20.2%, PCRM 17.5%, PDM 15.8%, PL 9.7%, other 16.3%; seats by party - PSRM 25, PLDM 23, PCRM 21, PDM 19, PL 13

National anthem

name: "Limba noastra" (Our Language) | lyrics/music: Alexei MATEEVICI/Alexandru CRISTEA | note: adopted 1994

National holiday

Independence Day, 27 August (1991)

National symbol(s)

aurochs (a type of wild cattle); national colors: blue, yellow, red

Political parties and leaders

Communist Party of the Republic of Moldova or PCRM [Vladimir VORONIN] | Democratic Party of Moldova or PDM [Vladimir PLAHOTNIUC] | Liberal Democratic Party of Moldova or PLDM [Viorel CIBOTARU] | Liberal Party or PL [Mihai GHIMPU] | Socialist Party of the Republic of Moldova or PSRM [Zinaida GRECEANII] | Action and Solidarity Party or PAS [Maia SANDU] | Anti-Mafia Movement or MPA [Sergiu MOCANU] | Centrist Union of Moldova or UCM [Mihai PETRACHE] | Christian Democratic People's Party or PPCD [Iurie ROSCA] | Conservative Party or PC [Natalia NIRCA] | Democracy at Home Party or PPDA [Vasile COSTIUC] | Democratic Action Party or PAD [Mihai GODEA] | Dignity and Truth Platform or PDA [Andrei NASTASE] | Ecologist Green Party or PVE [Anatolie PROHNITCHI] | European People’s Party of Moldova or EPPM [Iurie LEANCA] | Law and Justice Party or PLD [Nicolae ALEXEI] | "Motherland" Party or PP [Emilian CIOTU] | National Liberal Party or PNL [Vitalia PAVLICENKO] | Our Home Moldova or PCNM [Grigore PETRENCO] | Our Party or PN [Renato USATII] | People’s Party of Moldova or PPRM [Alexandru OLEINIC] | Regions Party of Moldova or PRM [Alexandr KALININ] | “Right” Party or PD [Ana GUTU] | Shor Party or PS [Ilan SHOR] | Socialist People’s Party of Moldova or PPSM [Victor STEPANIUC]

Political pressure groups and leaders

NA

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

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 the breakaway region of Transnistria, composed of a Slavic majority population (mostly Ukrainians and Russians), but with a sizable ethnic Moldovan minority. Years of Communist Party rule post-independence ultimately ended with election-related violent protests and a rerun of parliamentary elections in 2009. Since then, a series of pro-European ruling coalitions have governed Moldova. As a result of the country's most recent legislative election in November 2014, the three pro-European parties that entered Parliament won a total of 55 of the body's 101 seats. Infighting among coalition members led to prolonged legislative gridlock and political instability, as well as the collapse of two governments, all ruled by pro-European coalitions centered around the Liberal Democratic Party (PLDM) and the Democratic Party (PDM). A political impasse ended in January 2016 when a new parliamentary majority led by PDM, joined by defectors from the Communists and PLDM, supported Pavel FILIP as prime minister. Moldova remains Europe's poorest economy; the country signed and ratified an Association Agreement with the EU in 2014, which fully entered into force in July 2016 after ratification by all EU member states.

Military branches

National Army: Land Forces Command, Air Forces Command (includes air defense unit); Carabinieri Troops: a component of the Ministry of Internal Affairs that also has official status as a service of the Armed Forces (2016)

Military expenditures

0.44% of GDP (2016) | 0.35% of GDP (2015) | 0.35% of GDP (2014) | 0.33% of GDP (2013) | 0.33% of GDP (2012) | country comparison to the world: 128

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 (2016)

Age structure

0-14 years: 18.18% (male 325,501/female 305,931) | 15-24 years: 12.32% (male 221,582/female 206,458) | 25-54 years: 43.4% (male 760,511/female 747,352) | 55-64 years: 13.46% (male 214,565/female 252,924) | 65 years and over: 12.64% (male 171,347/female 267,950) (2017 est.)

Birth rate

11.5 births/1,000 population (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 171

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

2.2% (2012) | country comparison to the world: 111

Contraceptive prevalence rate

59.5% (2012)

Death rate

12.6 deaths/1,000 population (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 18

Dependency ratios

total dependency ratio: 34.5 | youth dependency ratio: 21.2 | elderly dependency ratio: 13.4 | potential support ratio: 7.5 (2015 est.)

Drinking water source

urban: 96.9% of population | rural: 81.4% of population | total: 88.4% of population | urban: 3.1% of population | rural: 18.6% of population | total: 11.6% of population (2015 est.)

Education expenditures

7.5% of GDP (2014) | country comparison to the world: 10

Ethnic groups

Moldovan 75.1%, Romanian 7%, Ukrainian 6.6%, Gagauz 4.6%, Russian 4.1%, Bulgarian 1.9%, other 0.8% (2014 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

0.6% (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 56

HIV/AIDS - deaths

<500 (2016 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

15,000 (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 83

Health expenditures

10.3% of GDP (2014) | country comparison to the world: 22

Hospital bed density

6.2 beds/1,000 population (2012)

Infant mortality rate

total: 12 deaths/1,000 live births | male: 13.7 deaths/1,000 live births | female: 10.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 123

Languages

Romanian 80.2% (official) (56.7% identify their mother tongue as Moldovan, which is virtually the same as Romanian; 23.5% identify Romanian as their mother tongue), Russian 9.7%, Gagauz 4.2% (a Turkish language), Ukrainian 3.9%, Bulgarian 1.5%, Romani 0.3%, other 0.2% (2014 est.) | note: data represent mother tongue

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 71 years | male: 67.1 years | female: 75.1 years (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 155

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write | total population: 99.4% | male: 99.7% | female: 99.1% (2015 est.)

Major urban areas - population

CHISINAU (capital) 725,000 (2015)

Maternal mortality rate

23 deaths/100,000 live births (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 126

Median age

total: 36.7 years | male: 34.9 years | female: 38.6 years (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 71

Mother's mean age at first birth

24 years (2014 est.)

Nationality

noun: Moldovan(s) | adjective: Moldovan

Net migration rate

-9.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 212

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

18.9% (2016) | country comparison to the world: 115

Physicians density

2.54 physicians/1,000 population (2014)

Population

3,474,121 (July 2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 131

Population distribution

pockets of agglomeration exist throughout the country, the largest being in the center of the country around the capital of Chisinau, followed by Tiraspol and Balti

Population growth rate

-1.05% (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 229

Religions

Orthodox 90.1%, other Christian 2.6%, other 0.1%, agnostic <.1%, atheist 0.2%, unspecified 6.9% (2014 est.)

Sanitation facility access

urban: 87.8% of population | rural: 67.1% of population | total: 76.4% of population | urban: 12.2% of population | rural: 32.9% of population | total: 23.6% of population (2015 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

total: 12 years | male: 11 years | female: 12 years (2015)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female | 0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female | 15-24 years: 1.07 male(s)/female | 25-54 years: 1.01 male(s)/female | 55-64 years: 0.85 male(s)/female | 65 years and over: 0.62 male(s)/female | total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2016 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.57 children born/woman (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 187

Unemployment, youth ages 15-24

total: 12.8% | male: 12.4% | female: 13.5% (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 87

Urbanization

urban population: 45.2% of total population (2017) | rate of urbanization: -0.36% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)

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

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

Refugees and internally displaced persons

refugees (country of origin): 6,779 applicants for forms of legal stay other than asylum (Ukraine) (2015) | stateless persons: 4,776 (2016)

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 (2017)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 2 | 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 | under 914 m: 1 (2013)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

ER (2016)

Merchant marine

total: 121 | 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) | country comparison to the world: 45

National air transport system

number of registered air carriers: 3 | inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 12 | annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 1,005,942 | annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 489,630 mt-km (2015)

Pipelines

gas 1,916 km (2014)

Railways

total: 1,171 km | broad gauge: 1,157 km 1.520-m gauge | standard gauge: 14 km 1.435-m gauge (2014) | country comparison to the world: 87

Roadways

total: 9,352 km | paved: 8,835 km | unpaved: 517 km (2012) | country comparison to the world: 138

Waterways

558 km (in public use on Danube, Dniester and Prut Rivers) (2011) | country comparison to the world: 82