Achaotic year in Moldova began with the appoint-ment of a new government, headed by ChirilGaburici, in February 2015. In May it was

revealed that more than $1 billion—roughly 15% of thecountry’s GDP—had disappeared from a trio of Moldovanbanks, causing a wave of protests to sweep the country.The following month Gaburici stepped down, when inves-tigators questioned the legitimacy of his academic cre-dentials, and a caretaker government held power until theelection of Valeriu Strele† as prime minister on July 30. InOctober the Associated Press reported that Moldovanpolice and the FBI had disrupted four attempts by smug-glers to sell nuclear materials over the previous five years.

Vital statisticsBirth rate per 1,000 population (2013): 10.6 (world avg. 19.5).Death rate per 1,000 population (2013): 10.7 (world avg. 8.1).Life expectancy at birth (2013): male 68.1 years; female 75.6years.

DemographyArea: 13,067 sq mi, 33,843 sq km3.Population (2015): 4,080,0005, 6.Density (2015)5, 6: persons per sq mi

312.2, persons per sq km 120.6.Sex distribution (20147)4: male48.11%; female 51.89%.

Population projection5, 6: (2020)3,873,000; (2030) 3,436,000.

Major cities (20147): Chi&in+u674,500; B+l†i 144,900; Tiraspol133,8078; Bender (Tighina) 91,8828;Rybnitsa (Rîbni†a) 47,9498.

Urban-rural (2014)4:

Moldova

Official name: Republica Moldova(Republic of Moldova).

Form of government: unitary parliamen-tary republic with a single legislativehouse (Parliament [101]).

Head of state: President Nicolae Timofti.Head of government: Prime MinisterValeriu Strele†.

Capital: Chi&in+u.Official language: Romanian1.Official religion: none.Monetary unit: Moldovan leu (plural lei);

valuation (Sept. 1, 2015) 1 U.S.$ = 19.23Moldovan lei; 1 £ = 29.47 Moldovanlei2.

Ethnic composition (2004)4, 11:

Age breakdown (20147)4, 9:

Religious affiliation (2005):

Population (20117 estimate)Districts population Districts population Districts population

Anenii-Noi 82,100Basarabeasca 28,500Briceni 75,200Cahul 119,300C+l+ra&i 73,500Cantemir 61,000C+u&eni 89,400Cimi&lia 59,400Criuleni 72,300Dondu&eni 43,900Drochia 85,200Dub+sari (rural) 35,100Edine† 81,200F+le&ti 88,800

Flore&ti 86,400Glodeni 59,200Hînce&ti 118,200Ialoveni 98,800Leova 51,700Nisporeni 64,600Ocni†a 54,800Orhei 115,300Rezina 50,000Rî&cani 67,100Sîngerei 86,700,old+ne&ti 41,200Soroca 99,000,tefan-Vod+ 69,800

Str+&eni 88,600Taraclia 42,300Telene&ti 69,500Ungheni 110,700

MunicipalitiesB+l†i 127,800Chi&in+u 759,800

Autonomous RegionG+g+uzia 156,700

Disputed Territory10

Transdniestria (Stînga Nistrului) 518,000

TOTAL 3,931,1005

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National economyBudget (2011)12. Revenue: 30,139,700,000 Moldovan lei (tax revenue

84.9%, of which VAT 45.1%, social insurance 21.8%;nontax revenue 3.9%). Expenditures: 32,100,900,000Moldovan lei (social assistance 34.5%; education 21.4%;health care 13.3%; public order and defense 6.7%).

Production (metric tons except as noted). Agriculture,forestry, fishing (2013): corn (maize) 1,419,193, sugarbeets 1,009,038, wheat 1,008,647, grapes 613,000, sun-flower seeds 504,497, apples 281,84914, potatoes 239,464;livestock (number of live animals) 695,100 sheep,410,400 pigs, 110,600 beehives; roundwood 551,300 cum, of which fuelwood 95%; fisheries production (2012)9,550 (from aquaculture 99%). Mining and quarrying(2012): limestone 264,500; gypsum 115,100. Manufactur-ing (value added in U.S.$’000,000; 2010)4: food and bev-

erages 250; textiles and wearing apparel 81; bricks, tiles, andceramics 54; printing and publishing 22; fabricated metal products19. Energy production (consumption): electricity (kW-hr; 2013–14)875,000,000 ([2012] 4,211,000,000), by source (2012): fossil fuels95.1%; renewable energy 4.9%, of which hydroelectric 4.9%; coal(metric tons; 2011) none (198,000); crude petroleum (barrels; 2012)81,000 ([2011] 87,000); petroleum products (metric tons; 2011)17,000 (752,000); natural gas (cu m; 2012) none (1,095,000,000).

Population economically active (2013)4: total 1,235,800; participationrates (2014): age 15 and over, male 44.1%; female 38.6%; unem-ployed 3.9%, of which youth (ages 15–24) 9.8%.

Gross national income (GNI; 2014)4: U.S.$9,052,000,000 (U.S.$2,550per capita); purchasing power parity GNI (U.S.$5,480 per capita).

Public debt (external, outstanding; 2013): U.S.$973,000,000.Average household size (2011): 2.6.Land use as % of total land area (2011): in temporary crops or leftfallow 55.1%, in permanent crops 9.0%, in pasture 10.7%, forestarea 11.9%.

MilitaryTotal active duty personnel (November

2014): 5,350 (army 60.7%, air force15.0%, logistic support 24.3%);reserve 58,000. Russian troops inTransdniestria (November 2014) c. 1,500. Military expenditure as per-centage of GDP (2014): 0.3%; percapita expenditure U.S.$7.

Foreign trade17

Imports (2013): U.S.$5,492,000,000 (mineral products22.9%, machinery and electrical equipment 15.3%,chemicals and chemical products 11.4%, agriculturalproducts and food 11.1%, textiles 7.0%). Major import sources:

Exports (2013): U.S.$2,428,300,000 (agricultural prod-ucts and food 44.2%, textiles 13.6%, machinery andelectrical equipment 13.0%, beverages and spirits10.4%, chemicals and chemical products 6.9%). Major export destinations:

Transport and communicationsTransport. Railroads (2013): route length 719 mi, 1,157km; passenger-km 329,800,000; metric ton-km cargo

1,227,500,000. Roads (2013): total length5,811 mi, 9,352 km (paved 94%); passenger-km 3,075,800,000; metric ton-km cargo3,193,000,000. Vehicles (2010): passenger cars404,290; trucks and buses 152,638.

Education and healthLiteracy (2012): percentage of total populationage 15 and over literate, virtually 100%.

Health (2013): physicians4 12,934 (1 per 314persons); hospital beds4 20,760 (1 per 195 per-sons); infant mortality rate 9.4; undernourishedpopulation (2006–08) less than 5% of totalpopulation based on the consumption of aminimum daily requirement of 1,930 calories.

1Moldovan, a form of Romanian, is the state (official) language per the constitution (1994), but in 2013 theConstitutional Court ruled in favour of Romanian, as so noted in the Declaration of Independence (1991), asthe state language. 2The Transdniestrian ruble is the official currency of Transdniestria. 3Of whichTransdniestria 1,607 sq mi (4,163 sq km). 4Excludes Transdniestria. 5Excludes Moldovans abroad. 6IncludesTransdniestria. 7January 1. 8Within Transdniestria. 9Includes Moldovans abroad. 10Breakaway area from 1991also known as Transnistria or Pridnestrovye. 11Transdniestria ethnic composition (2004): Moldovan 31.9%;Russian 30.4%; Ukrainian 28.8%; other 8.9%. 12Consolidated (“national public”) budget. 13Excludes unem-ployed previously employed. 142012. 15Taxes less imputed bank service charges. 16Detail does not add to totalgiven because of rounding. 17Imports c.i.f.; exports f.o.b. 18Subscribers.

Internet resources for further information:• National Bureau of Statistics www.statistica.md• National Bank of Moldova www.bnm.org/en/search

Structure of gross domestic product and labour force20114

in value’000,000 % of total labour % of labour

Moldovan lei value force13 force13

Agriculture, forestry, fishing 10,095 12.3 323,000 25.7Mining and quarrying 349 0.4 153,000 12.2Manufacturing 9,355 11.4Public utilities 1,815 2.2 … …Construction 2,720 3.3 67,000 5.3Transp. and commun. 9,002 10.9 67,000 5.3Trade, hotels 12,126 14.7 223,000 17.7Finance, real estate 10,978 13.3 … …Pub. admin., defense 3,038 3.7 250,000 19.9Services 10,687 13.0Other 12,18515 14.815 174,500 13.9TOTAL 82,34916 100.0 1,257,500 100.0

Communications units unitsnumber per 1,000 number per 1,000

Medium date in ’000s persons Medium date in ’000s persons

TelephonesCellular 2014 3,73818 1,08018

Landline 2014 1,218 352

Internet users 2009 1,295 360Broadband 2014 50918 14718

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