Facts

Country name:
Official form: Republic of Moldova (Republica Moldova)
Short form: Moldova
Former: Moldovan Soviet Socialist Republic

Language:
Official language: Romanian, officially called Moldovan (though it is a Romanian dialect)
Recognised regional languages: Russian, Gagauz, Ukrainian

Geography:

Climate: moderate winters, warm summers
Location:
Eastern Europe
Geographic coordinates
: 47 00 N, 29 00 E
Capital:
Chişinău (Kishinev): 717,000 (2010)

Other cities:
Tiraspol: 159,000 (2010)
Bălţi: 143,000 (2010)
Bender: 94,000 (2008)

Area:
Total: 33,843 sq km
Land: 33,371 sq km
Water: 472 sq km

Land boundaries: total: 1,389 km
Border countries: Romania 450 km, Ukraine 939 km

Government:

Type: Republic (since 1991)
Independence:
August 27, 1991 (from Soviet Union)
Head of State:
President Mihai Ghimpu
Head of Government:
Prime Ministers Zinaida Greceanîi, Vitali Pîrlog, Vlad Filat
Constitution:
new constitution adopted on July 29, 1994, effective on August 27, 1994; it replaced the old Soviet constitution of 1979
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court; Constitutional Court (the sole authority for constitutional judicature)
Military branches:
National Army: Ground Forces, Rapid Reaction Forces, Air and Air Defense Forces (2008)

Administrative divisions: 32 raions (raioane), 3 municipalities (municipiul), 1 autonomous territorial unit (unitatea teritoriala autonoma), and 1 territorial unit (unitatea teritoriala)
municipalities: Chişinău, Bălţi, Bender
autonomous territorial unit: Gagauzia (Gagauz Yeri)
territorial unit: Transnistria (full name: Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic – PMR)

Population:

Population: 3,500,000 + 555.000 PMR (2010); PMR1,000,000 abroad (2008 est.)
Population Density
: 127.2 per sq km
Population growth rate
: -0.092% (2008)
Birth rate
: 10.9 births/1,000 population (2008)
Death rate:
11.8 deaths/1,000 population (2008)
Life expectancy: 65 years (men), 72 years (women)

Ethnic groups:
Moldovan 78.2%, Ukrainian 8.4%, Russian 5.8%, Gagauz 4.4%, Bulgarian 1.9%, other 1.3% (2004 census)

Religions:
Eastern Orthodox 98%, Jewish 1.5%, Baptist and other 0.5%

Economy:

GDP:
total: $9.821 billion
per capita: $2,900
GDP – real growth rate
: 6% (2007 est.)
Public debt:
23.3% of GDP (2007 est.)
Inflation rate:
12.6% (2007 est.)

Exports:
$1.361 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)

Exports – partners:
Russia 20.8%, Romania 13.9%, Italy 10.7%, Ukraine 9.3%, Germany 9%, Poland 6.7%, Belarus 4.5% (2006)

Imports:
$3.677 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)

Imports – partners:
Russia 20%, Ukraine 15.8%, Romania 15%, Germany 8.8%, Italy 5.7%, Poland 4.1% (2006)

Agriculture – products:
vegetables, fruits, wine, grain, sugar beets, sunflower seed, tobacco; beef, milk

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

Currency (code): Moldovan Leu (MDL)

Public holidays:

1 Jan New Year’s Day
8 Jan Orthodox Christmas
8
Mar International Women’s Day
4 Apr
Orthodox Easter
1 May Labour Day
9 May Victory and Commemoration Day
27 Aug
Independence Day (National Holiday)
31 Aug
Limba Noastră (National Language Day)

PMR:

23 Feb Day of Defenders of Motherland
7 Nov October Revolution
24 Dec Constitution Day

Gagauz Yeri:

May Hederlez
19 Aug
Independence Day
23 Dec
Independence Day

Sources:
www.statistica.md

www.gagauzia.md
pridnestrovie.net