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NAVIGATION
Republic of Moldova
Republica Moldova
former: Soviet Socialist Republic of Moldova; Moldavia
INTRODUCTION
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Background:
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Formerly ruled by Romania, Moldova became part of the Soviet Union at the close of World War II. Although independent from the USSR since 1991, Russian forces have remained on Moldovan territory east of the Dniester River supporting the Slavic majority population, mostly Ukrainians and Russians, who have proclaimed a "Transnistria" republic. One of the poorest nations in Europe, Moldova became the first former Soviet state to elect a Communist as its president in 2001. |
GEOGRAPHY
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Location:
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Eastern Europe, northeast of Romania |
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Geographic coordinates:
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47 00 N, 29 00 E |
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Map references:
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Europe |
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Area:
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total: 33,843 sq km
water: 472 sq km land: 33,371 sq km |
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Area - comparative:
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slightly larger than Maryland |
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Land boundaries:
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total: 1,389 km
border countries: Romania 450 km, Ukraine 939 km |
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Coastline:
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0 km (landlocked) |
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Maritime claims:
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none (landlocked) |
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Climate:
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moderate winters, warm summers |
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Terrain:
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rolling steppe, gradual slope south to Black Sea |
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point: Dniester River 2 m
highest point: Dealul Balanesti 430 m |
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Natural resources:
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lignite, phosphorites, gypsum, arable land, limestone |
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Land use:
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arable land: 54.08%
permanent crops: 12.1% other: 33.82% (1998 est.) |
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Irrigated land:
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3,070 sq km (1998 est.) |
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Natural hazards:
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landslides (57 cases in 1998) |
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Environment - current issues:
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heavy use of agricultural chemicals, including banned pesticides such as DDT, has contaminated soil and groundwater; extensive soil erosion from poor farming methods |
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Environment - international agreements:
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party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants |
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Geography - note:
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landlocked; well endowed with various sedimentary rocks and minerals including sand, gravel, gypsum, and limestone |
PEOPLE
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Population:
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4,434,547 (July 2002 est.) |
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Age structure:
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0-14 years: 21.7% (male 490,414; female 472,912)
15-64 years: 68.2% (male 1,451,962; female 1,572,561) 65 years and over: 10.1% (male 165,860; female 280,838) (2002 est.) |
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Population growth rate:
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0.09% (2002 est.) |
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Birth rate:
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13.82 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
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Death rate:
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12.64 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
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Net migration rate:
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-0.28 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
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Sex ratio:
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at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.59 male(s)/female total population: 0.91 male(s)/female (2002 est.) |
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Infant mortality rate:
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42.16 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) |
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total population: 64.74 years
female: 69.31 years (2002 est.) male: 60.39 years |
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Total fertility rate:
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1.71 children born/woman (2002 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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0.2% (1999 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
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4,500 (1999 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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less than 100 (1999 est.) |
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Nationality:
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noun: Moldovan(s)
adjective: Moldovan |
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Ethnic groups:
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Moldovan/Romanian 64.5%, Ukrainian 13.8%, Russian 13%, Jewish 1.5%, Bulgarian 2%, Gagauz and other 5.2% (1989 est.)
note: internal disputes with ethnic Slavs in the Transnistrian region |
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Religions:
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Eastern Orthodox 98%, Jewish 1.5%, Baptist and other 0.5% (2000) |
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Languages:
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Moldovan (official, virtually the same as the Romanian language), Russian (official), Gagauz (a Turkish dialect) |
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Literacy:
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definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 96% male: 99% female: 94% (1989 est.) |