Ecuador (2001) | Moldova (2001) | |
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Administrative divisions | 22 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia); Azuay, Bolivar, Canar, Carchi, Chimborazo, Cotopaxi, El Oro, Esmeraldas, Galapagos, Guayas, Imbabura, Loja, Los Rios, Manabi, Morona-Santiago, Napo, Orellana, Pastaza, Pichincha, Sucumbios, Tungurahua, Zamora-Chinchipe | 10 juletule (singular - juletul), 1 municipality*, and 1 autonomous territorial unit**; Balti, Cahul, Chisinau, Chisinau*, Dubasari, Edinet, Gagauzia**, Lapusna, Orhei, Soroca, Tighina, Ungheni |
Age structure | 0-14 years:
35.8% (male 2,398,801; female 2,320,537) 15-64 years: 59.81% (male 3,900,193; female 3,984,797) 65 years and over: 4.39% (male 269,372; female 310,278) (2001 est.) |
0-14 years:
22.44% (male 506,303; female 488,311) 15-64 years: 67.62% (male 1,437,492; female 1,559,090) 65 years and over: 9.94% (male 163,473; female 276,901) (2001 est.) |
Agriculture - products | bananas, coffee, cocoa, rice, potatoes, manioc (tapioca), plantains, sugarcane; cattle, sheep, pigs, beef, pork, dairy products; balsa wood; fish, shrimp | vegetables, fruits, wine, grain, sugar beets, sunflower seed, tobacco; beef, milk |
Airports | 180 (2000 est.) | 30 (2000 est.) |
Airports - with paved runways | total:
59 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 1,524 to 2,437 m: 18 914 to 1,523 m: 15 under 914 m: 19 (2000 est.) |
total:
7 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 under 914 m: 1 (2000 est.) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total:
121 914 to 1,523 m: 32 under 914 m: 89 (2000 est.) |
total:
23 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 14 (2000 est.) |
Area | total:
283,560 sq km land: 276,840 sq km water: 6,720 sq km note: includes Galapagos Islands |
total:
33,843 sq km land: 33,371 sq km water: 472 sq km |
Area - comparative | slightly smaller than Nevada | slightly larger than Maryland |
Background | The "Republic of the Equator" was one of three countries that emerged from the collapse of Gran Colombia in 1830 (the others being Colombia and Venezuela). Between 1904 and 1942, Ecuador lost territories in a series of conflicts with its neighbors. A border war with Peru that flared in 1995 was resolved in 1999. | 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 Nistru (Dnister) River supporting the Slavic majority population, mostly Ukrainians and Russians, who have proclaimed a "Transnistria" republic. One of the poorest nations in Europe and plagued by a moribund economy, in 2001 Moldova became the first former Soviet state to elect a communist as its president. |
Birth rate | 25.99 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) | 13.35 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Budget | revenues:
planned $5.1 billion (not including revenue from potential privatizations) expenditures: $5.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1999) |
revenues:
$536 million expenditures: $594 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1998 est.) |
Capital | Quito | Chisinau |
Climate | tropical along coast, becoming cooler inland at higher elevations; tropical in Amazonian jungle lowlands | moderate winters, warm summers |
Coastline | 2,237 km | 0 km (landlocked) |
Constitution | 10 August 1998 | new constitution adopted 28 July 1994; replaces old Soviet constitution of 1979 |
Country name | conventional long form:
Republic of Ecuador conventional short form: Ecuador local long form: Republica del Ecuador local short form: Ecuador |
conventional long form:
Republic of Moldova conventional short form: Moldova local long form: Republica Moldova local short form: none former: Soviet Socialist Republic of Moldova; Moldavia |
Currency | US dollar (USD) | Moldovan leu (MDL) |
Death rate | 5.44 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) | 12.6 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Debt - external | $15 billion (1999) | $900 million (2000) |
Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission:
Ambassador Gwen C. CLARE embassy: Avenida 12 de Octubre y Avenida Patria, Quito mailing address: APO AA 34039 telephone: [593] (2) 562-890 FAX: [593] (2) 502-052 consulate(s) general: Guayaquil |
chief of mission:
Ambassador Rudolf Vilem PERINA embassy: Strada Alexei Mateevicie, #103, Chisinau 2009 mailing address: use embassy street address; pouch address - American Embassy Chisinau, Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-7080 telephone: [373] (2) 23-37-72 FAX: [373] (2) 23-30-44 |
Diplomatic representation in the US | chief of mission:
Ambassador Ivonne A-BAKI chancery: 2535 15th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 234-7200 FAX: [1] (202) 667-3482 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, Newark, Philadelphia, and San Francisco |
chief of mission:
Ambassador Ceslav CIOBANU chancery: 2101 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 667-1130 FAX: [1] (202) 667-1204 |
Disputes - international | none | separatist Transnistria region, comprising the area between the Nistru (Dniester) River and Ukraine, has its own de facto government, dominated by Moldovan Slavs |
Economic aid - recipient | $695.7 million (1995) | $100.8 million (1995); note - $547 million from the IMF and World Bank (1992-99) |
Economy - overview | Ecuador has substantial oil resources and rich agricultural areas. Because the country exports primary products such as oil, bananas, and shrimp, fluctuations in world market prices can have a substantial domestic impact. Ecuador joined the World Trade Organization in 1996, but has failed to comply with many of its accession commitments. In recent years, growth has been uneven due to ill-conceived fiscal stabilization measures. The aftermath of El Nino and depressed oil market of 1997-98 drove Ecuador's economy into a free-fall in 1999. The beginning of 1999 saw the banking sector collapse, which helped precipitate an unprecedented default on external loans later that year. Continued economic instability drove a 70% depreciation of the currency throughout 1999, which eventually forced a desperate government to "dollarize" the currency regime in 2000. The move stabilized the currency, but did not stave off the ouster of the government. The new president, Gustavo NOBOA has yet to complete negotiations for a long sought IMF accord. He will find it difficult to push through the reforms necessary to make "dollarization" work in the long run. | Moldova enjoys a favorable climate and good farmland but has no major mineral deposits. As a result, the economy depends heavily on agriculture, featuring fruits, vegetables, wine, and tobacco. Moldova must import all of its supplies of oil, coal, and natural gas, largely from Russia. Energy shortages contributed to sharp production declines after the breakup of the Soviet Union in 1991. As part of an ambitious reform effort, Moldova introduced a convertible currency, freed all prices, stopped issuing preferential credits to state enterprises, backed steady land privatization, removed export controls, and freed interest rates. Yet these efforts could not offset the impact of political and economic difficulties, both internal and regional. In 1998, the economic troubles of Russia, by far Moldova's leading trade partner, were a major cause of the 8.6% drop in GDP. In 1999, GDP fell again, by 4.4%, the fifth drop in the past seven years; exports were down, and energy supplies continued to be erratic. GDP declined slightly in 2000, with a serious drought hurting agriculture. Growth should turn positive in 2001. |
Electricity - consumption | 9.386 billion kWh (1999) | 5.78 billion kWh (1999) |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (1999) | 0 kWh (1999) |
Electricity - imports | 25 million kWh (1999) | 1.916 billion kWh (1999) |
Electricity - production | 10.065 billion kWh (1999) | 4.155 billion kWh (1999) |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel:
29.51% hydro: 70.49% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1999) |
fossil fuel:
93.62% hydro: 6.38% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1999) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point:
Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Chimborazo 6,267 m |
lowest point:
Nistru (Dnister) River 2 m highest point: Dealul Balanesti 430 m |
Environment - current issues | deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; water pollution; pollution from oil production wastes | 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:
Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
party to:
Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants |
Ethnic groups | mestizo (mixed Amerindian and white) 65%, Amerindian 25%, Spanish and others 7%, black 3% | Moldovan/Romanian 64.5%, Ukrainian 13.8%, Russian 13%, Gagauz 3.5%, Jewish 1.5%, Bulgarian 2%, other 1.7% (1989 est.)
note: internal disputes with ethnic Slavs in the Transnistrian region |
Exchange rates | sucres per US dollar - 25,000 (January 2001), 24,988.4 (2000), 11,786.8 (1999), 5,446.6 (1998), 3,988.3 (1997), 3,189.5 (1996)
note: on 7 January 2000, the government passed a decree "dollarizing" the economy; on 13 March 2000, the National Congress approved a new exchange system whereby the US dollar is adopted as the main legal tender in Ecuador for all purposes; on 20 March 2000, the Central Bank of Ecuador started to exchange sucres for US dollars at a fixed rate of 25,000 sucres per US dollar; since 30 April 2000, all transactions are denominated in US dollars |
lei per US dollar - 12.3728 (January 2001), 12.4342 (2000), 10.5158 (1999), 5.3707 (1998), 4.6236 (1997), 4.6045 (1996); note - lei is the plural form of leu |
Executive branch | chief of state:
President Gustavo NOBOA Bejarano (since 22 January 2000) selected president following coup that deposed President MAHUAD; Vice President Pedro PINTO Rubianes (since 28 January 2000) elected by National Congress from a slate of candidates submitted by President NABOA; note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Gustavo NOBOA Bejarano (since 22 January 2000) selected president following coup that deposed President MAHUAD; Vice President Pedro PINTO Rubianes (since 28 January 2000) elected by National Congress from a slate of candidates submitted by President NABOA; note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year term (no reelection); election last held 31 May 1998; runoff election held 12 July 1998 (next to be held NA 2002) election results: results of the last election prior to the coup were: Jamil MAHUAD elected president; percent of vote - 51% note: a military-indigenous coup toppled democratically elected President Jamil MAHAUD on 21 January 2000; the military quickly handed power over to Vice President Gustavo NOBOA on 22 January; National Congress then elected a new vice president from a slate of candidates submitted by NOBOA; the new administration is scheduled to complete the remainder of MAHAUD's term, due to expire in January 2003 |
chief of state:
President Vladimir VORONIN (since 4 April 2001) head of government: Prime Minister Vasile TARLEV (since 15 April 2001), three Deputy Prime Ministers: Valerian CRISTEA, Andrei CUCU, and Dmitri TODOROGLO (all since 19 April 2001) cabinet: selected by prime minister, subject to approval of Parliament elections: president elected by Parliament for a four-year term; election last held 4 April 2001; presidential elections were scheduled for December 2000, but in July 2000, Parliament canceled direct popular elections; Parliament's failure to chose a new president in December 2000 led to early parliamentary elections (moved up a year to February 2001); according to the Moldovan constitution, the president, on consulting with Parliament, will designate a candidate for the office of prime minister; within 15 days from designation, the prime minister-designate will request a vote of confidence from the Parliament regarding his/her work program and entire cabinet; prime minister designated on 15 April 2001, cabinet received vote of confidence on 19 April 2001 election results: Vladimir VORONIN elected president; parliamentary votes - Vladimir VORONIN 71, Dumitru BRAGHIS 15, Valerian CHRISTEA 3; Vasile TARLEV elected Prime Minister; parliamentary votes of confidence - 75 of 101 |
Exports | $5.6 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.) | $500 million (f.o.b., 2000) |
Exports - commodities | petroleum, bananas, shrimp, coffee, cocoa, cut flowers, fish | foodstuffs 57%, wine, tobacco; textiles and footwear, machinery (1999) |
Exports - partners | US 37%, Colombia 5%, Italy 5%, Chile 5%, Peru 4% (1999) | Russia 41%, Romania 9%, Germany 8%, Ukraine 7%, Italy, Belarus (1999) |
Fiscal year | calendar year | calendar year |
Flag description | three horizontal bands of yellow (top, double width), blue, and red with the coat of arms superimposed at the center of the flag; similar to the flag of Colombia which is shorter and does not bear a coat of arms | same color scheme as Romania - three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), yellow, and red; emblem in center of flag is of a Roman eagle of gold 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 ox head, star, rose, and crescent all in black-outlined yellow |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $37.2 billion (2000 est.) | purchasing power parity - $11.3 billion (2000 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture:
14% industry: 36% services: 50% (1999 est.) |
agriculture:
31% industry: 35% services: 34% (1998) |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $2,900 (2000 est.) | purchasing power parity - $2,500 (2000 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | 0.8% (2000 est.) | -1.5% (2000 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 2 00 S, 77 30 W | 47 00 N, 29 00 E |
Geography - note | Cotopaxi in Andes is highest active volcano in world | landlocked |
Heliports | 1 (2000 est.) | - |
Highways | total:
43,197 km paved: 8,165 km unpaved: 35,032 km (1999 est.) |
total:
20,000 km paved: 13,900 km (these roads are said to be hard-surfaced, and include, in addition to conventionally paved roads, some that are surfaced with gravel or other coarse aggregate, making them trafficable in all weather) unpaved: 6,100 km (these roads are made of unstabilized earth and are difficult to negotiate in wet weather) (1990) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%:
2.2% highest 10%: 33.8% (1995) |
lowest 10%:
2.7% highest 10%: 25.8% (1992) |
Illicit drugs | significant transit country for cocaine and derivatives of coca originating in Colombia and Peru; importer of precursor chemicals used in production of illicit narcotics; important money-laundering hub; increased activity on the northern frontier by trafficking groups and Colombian insurgents | 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 |
Imports | $3.4 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.) | $761 million (f.o.b., 2000) |
Imports - commodities | machinery and equipment, raw materials, fuels; consumer goods | mineral products and fuel 38%, machinery and equipment, chemicals, textiles (1999) |
Imports - partners | US 30%, Colombia 13%, Venezuela 6%, Japan 5%, Venezuela 6%, Mexico 3% (1998) | Russia 21%, Romania 16%, Ukraine 14%, Germany 12%, Italy 6%, Belarus (1999) |
Independence | 24 May 1822 (from Spain) | 27 August 1991 (from Soviet Union) |
Industrial production growth rate | 2.4% (1997 est.) | 3% (2000 est.) |
Industries | petroleum, food processing, textiles, metal work, paper products, wood products, chemicals, plastics, fishing, lumber | food processing, agricultural machinery, foundry equipment, refrigerators and freezers, washing machines, hosiery, sugar, vegetable oil, shoes, textiles |
Infant mortality rate | 34.08 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) | 42.74 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 96% (2000 est.) | 32% (2000 est.) |
International organization participation | CAN, CCC, ECLAC, FAO, G-11, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO | ACCT, BIS, BSEC, CCC, CE, CEI, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO (correspondent), ITU, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer) |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 13 (2000) | 2 (1999) |
Irrigated land | 5,560 sq km (1993 est.) | 3,110 sq km (1993 est.) |
Judicial branch | Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (new justices are elected by the full Supreme Court) | Supreme Court; Constitutional Court (the sole authority for constitutional judicature) |
Labor force | 4.2 million | 1.7 million (1998) |
Labor force - by occupation | agriculture 30%, industry 25%, services 45% (1999 est.) | agriculture 40%, industry 14%, other 46% (1998) |
Land boundaries | total:
2,010 km border countries: Colombia 590 km, Peru 1,420 km |
total:
1,389 km border countries: Romania 450 km, Ukraine 939 km |
Land use | arable land:
6% permanent crops: 5% permanent pastures: 18% forests and woodland: 56% other: 15% (1993 est.) |
arable land:
53% permanent crops: 14% permanent pastures: 13% forests and woodland: 13% other: 7% (1993 est.) |
Languages | Spanish (official), Amerindian languages (especially Quechua) | Moldovan (official, virtually the same as the Romanian language), Russian, Gagauz (a Turkish dialect) |
Legal system | based on civil law system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction | based on civil law system; Constitutional Court reviews legality of legislative acts and governmental decisions of resolution; it is unclear if Moldova accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction but accepts many UN and Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) documents |
Legislative branch | unicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional (121 seats; 79 members are popularly elected at-large nationally to serve four-year terms; 42 members are popularly elected by province - two per province - for four-year terms)
elections: last held 31 May 1998 (next to be held NA 2002) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - DP 32, PSC 27, PRE 24, ID 18, P-NP 9, FRA 5, PCE 3, MPD 2, CFP 1; note - defections by members of National Congress are commonplace, resulting in frequent changes in the numbers of seats held by the various parties |
unicameral Parliament or Parlamentul (101 seats; parties and electoral blocs, as well as independent candidates, elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 25 February 2001 (next to be held NA 2005) election results: percent of vote by party - PCM 50.1%, Braghis Alliance 13.4%, PPCD 8.2%, other parties 28.3%; seats by party - PCM 71, Braghis Alliance 19, PPCD 11 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population:
71.33 years male: 68.52 years female: 74.28 years (2001 est.) |
total population:
64.6 years male: 60.15 years female: 69.26 years (2001 est.) |
Literacy | definition:
age 15 and over can read and write total population: 90.1% male: 92% female: 88.2% (1995 est.) |
definition:
age 15 and over can read and write total population: 96% male: 99% female: 94% (1989 est.) |
Location | Western South America, bordering the Pacific Ocean at the Equator, between Colombia and Peru | Eastern Europe, northeast of Romania |
Map references | South America | Commonwealth of Independent States |
Maritime claims | continental shelf:
claims continental shelf between mainland and Galapagos Islands territorial sea: 200 NM |
none (landlocked) |
Merchant marine | total:
30 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 233,312 GRT/385,784 DWT ships by type: cargo 2, chemical tanker 1, liquefied gas 1, passenger 3, petroleum tanker 22, specialized tanker 1 (2000 est.) |
- |
Military branches | Army (Ejercito Ecuatoriano), Navy (Armada Ecuatoriana, includes Marines), Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Ecuatoriana), National Police (Policia Nacional) | Ground Forces, Air and Air Defense Forces, Republic Security Forces (internal and border troops) |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | $720 million (FY98) | $6 million (FY99) |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 3.4% (FY98) | 1% (FY99) |
Military manpower - availability | males age 15-49:
3,382,567 (2001 est.) |
males age 15-49:
1,164,018 (2001 est.) |
Military manpower - fit for military service | males age 15-49:
2,280,899 (2001 est.) |
males age 15-49:
921,210 (2001 est.) |
Military manpower - military age | 20 years of age | 18 years of age |
Military manpower - reaching military age annually | males:
132,978 (2001 est.) |
males:
42,268 (2001 est.) |
National holiday | Independence Day (independence of Quito), 10 August (1809) | Independence Day, 27 August (1991) |
Nationality | noun:
Ecuadorian(s) adjective: Ecuadorian |
noun:
Moldovan(s) adjective: Moldovan |
Natural hazards | frequent earthquakes, landslides, volcanic activity; periodic droughts | landslides (57 cases in 1998) |
Natural resources | petroleum, fish, timber, hydropower | lignite, phosphorites, gypsum, arable land |
Net migration rate | -0.55 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) | -0.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Pipelines | crude oil 800 km; petroleum products 1,358 km | natural gas 310 km (1992) |
Political parties and leaders | Concentration of Popular Forces or CFP [Averroes BUCARAM]; Democratic Left or ID [Rodrigo BORJA Cevallos]; Ecuadorian Conservative Party or PCE [Sixto DURAN Ballen]; Independent National Movement or MIN [leader NA]; Pachakutik-New Country or P-NP [Rafael PANDAM]; Popular Democracy or DP [Ramiro RIVERA]; Popular Democratic Movement or MPD [leader NA]; Radical Alfarista Front or FRA [Fabian ALARCON, director]; Roldosist Party or PRE [Abdala BUCARAM Ortiz, director]; Social Christian Party or PSC [Jaime NEBOT Saadi, president] | Braghis Alliance [Dumitru BRAGHIS]; Popular Christian Democratic Party or PPCD [Iurie ROSCA]; Communist Party or PCM [Vladimir VORONIN, first chairman] |
Political pressure groups and leaders | Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador or CONAIE [Antonio VARGAS]; Coordinator of Social Movements or CMS [F. Napoleon SANTOS]; Popular Front or FP [Luis VILLACIS] | NA |
Population | 13,183,978 (July 2001 est.) | 4,431,570 (July 2001 est.) |
Population below poverty line | 50% (1999 est.) | 75% (1999 est.) |
Population growth rate | 2% (2001 est.) | 0.05% (2001 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Esmeraldas, Guayaquil, La Libertad, Manta, Puerto Bolivar, San Lorenzo | none |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 392, FM 27, shortwave 29 (1998) | AM 7, FM 50, shortwave 3 (1998) |
Radios | 4.15 million (1997) | 3.22 million (1997) |
Railways | total:
965 km narrow gauge: 965 km 1.067-m gauge (2000) |
total:
1,328 km broad gauge: 1,328 km 1.520-m gauge (1992) |
Religions | Roman Catholic 95% | Eastern Orthodox 98.5%, Jewish 1.5%, Baptist (only about 1,000 members) (1991) |
Sex ratio | at birth:
1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.87 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2001 est.) |
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 (2001 est.) |
Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal, compulsory for literate persons ages 18-65, optional for other eligible voters | 18 years of age; universal |
Telephone system | general assessment:
NA domestic: facilities generally inadequate and unreliable international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) |
general assessment:
inadequate, outmoded, poor service outside Chisinau, some effort to modernize is under way domestic: new subscribers face long wait for service; mobile cellular telephone service being introduced international: service through Romania and Russia via landline; satellite earth stations - Intelsat, Eutelsat, and Intersputnik |
Telephones - main lines in use | 899,000 (1997) | 627,000 (1997) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 160,061 (1997) | 2,200 (1997) |
Television broadcast stations | 15 (including one station on the Galapagos Islands) (1997) | 1 (plus 30 repeaters) (1995) |
Terrain | coastal plain (costa), inter-Andean central highlands (sierra), and flat to rolling eastern jungle (oriente) | rolling steppe, gradual slope south to Black Sea |
Total fertility rate | 3.12 children born/woman (2001 est.) | 1.67 children born/woman (2001 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 13%; note - widespread underemployment (2000 est.) | 1.9% (includes only officially registered unemployed; large numbers of underemployed workers) (November 2000) |
Waterways | 1,500 km | 424 km (1994) |