Moldova (2001) | Samoa (2001) | |
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Administrative divisions | 10 juletule (singular - juletul), 1 municipality*, and 1 autonomous territorial unit**; Balti, Cahul, Chisinau, Chisinau*, Dubasari, Edinet, Gagauzia**, Lapusna, Orhei, Soroca, Tighina, Ungheni | 11 districts; A'ana, Aiga-i-le-Tai, Atua, Fa'asaleleaga, Gaga'emauga, Gagaifomauga, Palauli, Satupa'itea, Tuamasaga, Va'a-o-Fonoti, Vaisigano |
Age structure | 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.) |
0-14 years:
31.88% (male 29,009; female 28,069) 15-64 years: 62.44% (male 70,491; female 41,304) 65 years and over: 5.68% (male 4,739; female 5,446) (2001 est.) |
Agriculture - products | vegetables, fruits, wine, grain, sugar beets, sunflower seed, tobacco; beef, milk | coconuts, bananas, taro, yams |
Airports | 30 (2000 est.) | 3 (2000 est.) |
Airports - with paved runways | 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.) |
total:
1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2000 est.) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | 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.) |
total:
2 under 914 m: 2 (2000 est.) |
Area | total:
33,843 sq km land: 33,371 sq km water: 472 sq km |
total:
2,860 sq km land: 2,850 sq km water: 10 sq km |
Area - comparative | slightly larger than Maryland | slightly smaller than Rhode Island |
Background | 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. | New Zealand occupied the German protectorate of Western Samoa at the outbreak of World War I in 1914. It continued to administer the islands as a mandate and then as a trust territory until 1962, when the islands became the first Polynesian nation to reestablish independence in the 20th century. The country dropped the "Western" from its name in 1997. |
Birth rate | 13.35 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) | 15.59 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Budget | revenues:
$536 million expenditures: $594 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1998 est.) |
revenues:
$74.8 million expenditures: $81.4 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1999 est.) |
Capital | Chisinau | Apia |
Climate | moderate winters, warm summers | tropical; rainy season (October to March), dry season (May to October) |
Coastline | 0 km (landlocked) | 403 km |
Constitution | new constitution adopted 28 July 1994; replaces old Soviet constitution of 1979 | 1 January 1962 |
Country name | 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 |
conventional long form:
Independent State of Samoa conventional short form: Samoa former: Western Samoa |
Currency | Moldovan leu (MDL) | tala (WST) |
Death rate | 12.6 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) | 6.29 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Debt - external | $900 million (2000) | $180 million (1998 est.) |
Diplomatic representation from the US | 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 |
chief of mission:
Ambassador Carol MOSELEY BRAUN (Ambassador to New Zealand and Samoa, resides in Wellington, New Zealand) embassy: 5th floor, Beach Road, Apia mailing address: P. O. Box 3430, Apia telephone: [685] 21631 FAX: [685] 22030 |
Diplomatic representation in the US | chief of mission:
Ambassador Ceslav CIOBANU chancery: 2101 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 667-1130 FAX: [1] (202) 667-1204 |
chief of mission:
Ambassador Tuiloma Neroni SLADE chancery: 800 Second Avenue, Suite 400D, New York, NY 10017 telephone: [1] (212) 599-6196, 6197 FAX: [1] (212) 599-0797 |
Disputes - international | separatist Transnistria region, comprising the area between the Nistru (Dniester) River and Ukraine, has its own de facto government, dominated by Moldovan Slavs | none |
Economic aid - recipient | $100.8 million (1995); note - $547 million from the IMF and World Bank (1992-99) | $42.9 million (1995) |
Economy - overview | 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. | The economy of Samoa has traditionally been dependent on development aid, family remittances from overseas, and agricultural exports. The country is vulnerable to devastating storms. Agriculture employs two-thirds of the labor force, and furnishes 90% of exports, featuring coconut cream, coconut oil, and copra. The manufacturing sector mainly processes agricultural products. Tourism is an expanding sector, accounting for 15% of GDP; about 85,000 tourists visited the islands in 2000. The Samoan Government has called for deregulation of the financial sector, encouragement of investment, and continued fiscal discipline. Observers point to the flexibility of the labor market as a basic strength for future economic advances. Foreign reserves are in a relatively healthy state, the external debt is stable, and inflation is low. |
Electricity - consumption | 5.78 billion kWh (1999) | 93 million kWh (1999) |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (1999) | 0 kWh (1999) |
Electricity - imports | 1.916 billion kWh (1999) | 0 kWh (1999) |
Electricity - production | 4.155 billion kWh (1999) | 100 million kWh (1999) |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel:
93.62% hydro: 6.38% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1999) |
fossil fuel:
60% hydro: 40% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1999) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point:
Nistru (Dnister) River 2 m highest point: Dealul Balanesti 430 m |
lowest point:
Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Mauga Silisili 1,857 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 | soil erosion |
Environment - international agreements | party to:
Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants |
party to:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
Ethnic groups | 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 |
Samoan 92.6%, Euronesians 7% (persons of European and Polynesian blood), Europeans 0.4% |
Exchange rates | 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 | tala per US dollar - 3.3400 (January 2001), 3.2712 (2000), 3.0120 (1999), 2.9429 (1998), 2.5562 (1997), 2.4618 (1996) |
Executive branch | 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 |
chief of state:
Chief Susuga MALIETOA Tanumafili II (cochief of state from 1 January 1962 until becoming sole chief of state 5 April 1963) head of government: Prime Minister TUILA'EPA Sailele Malielegaoi (since 24 November 1998); note - TUILA'EPA served as deputy prime minister since 1992; he assumed the prime ministership in November 1998 when former Prime Minister TOFILAU Eti Alesana resigned in poor health; the post of deputy prime minister is currently vacant cabinet: Cabinet consists of 12 members, appointed by the chief of state with the prime minister's advice elections: upon the death of Chief Susuga MALIETOA Tanumafili II, a new chief of state will be elected by the Legislative Assembly to serve a five-year term; prime minister appointed by the chief of state with the approval of the Legislative Assembly |
Exports | $500 million (f.o.b., 2000) | $17 million (f.o.b., 2000) |
Exports - commodities | foodstuffs 57%, wine, tobacco; textiles and footwear, machinery (1999) | coconut oil and cream, copra, fish, beer |
Exports - partners | Russia 41%, Romania 9%, Germany 8%, Ukraine 7%, Italy, Belarus (1999) | American Samoa 59%, US 18%, Germany 9%, New Zealand 8% (2000 est.) |
Fiscal year | calendar year | calendar year |
Flag description | 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 | red with a blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side quadrant bearing five white five-pointed stars representing the Southern Cross constellation |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $11.3 billion (2000 est.) | purchasing power parity - $571 million (2000 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture:
31% industry: 35% services: 34% (1998) |
agriculture:
15% industry: 24% services: 61% (2000 est.) |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $2,500 (2000 est.) | purchasing power parity - $3,200 (2000 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | -1.5% (2000 est.) | 6.8% (2000 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 47 00 N, 29 00 E | 13 35 S, 172 20 W |
Geography - note | landlocked | - |
Highways | 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) |
total:
835 km paved: 267 km unpaved: 569 km (1983) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%:
2.7% highest 10%: 25.8% (1992) |
lowest 10%:
NA% highest 10%: NA% |
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 | - |
Imports | $761 million (f.o.b., 2000) | $90 million (f.o.b., 2000) |
Imports - commodities | mineral products and fuel 38%, machinery and equipment, chemicals, textiles (1999) | machinery and equipment, industrial supplies, foodstuffs |
Imports - partners | Russia 21%, Romania 16%, Ukraine 14%, Germany 12%, Italy 6%, Belarus (1999) | New Zealand 37%, Australia 24%, Fiji 14%, US 14% (2000 est.) |
Independence | 27 August 1991 (from Soviet Union) | 1 January 1962 (from New Zealand-administered UN trusteeship) |
Industrial production growth rate | 3% (2000 est.) | 10% (2000 est.) |
Industries | food processing, agricultural machinery, foundry equipment, refrigerators and freezers, washing machines, hosiery, sugar, vegetable oil, shoes, textiles | food processing, building materials, auto parts |
Infant mortality rate | 42.74 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) | 31.75 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 32% (2000 est.) | 0.8% (2000 est.) |
International organization participation | 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) | ACP, AsDB, C, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IMF, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), IOC, ITU, OPCW, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO (observer) |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 2 (1999) | 2 (2000) |
Irrigated land | 3,110 sq km (1993 est.) | NA sq km |
Judicial branch | Supreme Court; Constitutional Court (the sole authority for constitutional judicature) | Supreme Court; Court of Appeal |
Labor force | 1.7 million (1998) | 90,000 (2000 est.) |
Labor force - by occupation | agriculture 40%, industry 14%, other 46% (1998) | agriculture 65%, services 30%, industry 5% (1995 est.) |
Land boundaries | total:
1,389 km border countries: Romania 450 km, Ukraine 939 km |
0 km |
Land use | arable land:
53% permanent crops: 14% permanent pastures: 13% forests and woodland: 13% other: 7% (1993 est.) |
arable land:
19% permanent crops: 24% permanent pastures: 0% forests and woodland: 47% other: 10% |
Languages | Moldovan (official, virtually the same as the Romanian language), Russian, Gagauz (a Turkish dialect) | Samoan (Polynesian), English |
Legal system | 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 | based on English common law and local customs; judicial review of legislative acts with respect to fundamental rights of the citizen; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction |
Legislative branch | 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 |
unicameral Legislative Assembly or Fono (49 seats - 47 elected by Samoans, 2 elected by non-Samoans; only chiefs (matai) may stand for election to the Fono; members serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 4 March 2001 (next to be held by March 2006) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - HRPP 23, SNDP 13, independents 13 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population:
64.6 years male: 60.15 years female: 69.26 years (2001 est.) |
total population:
69.5 years male: 66.77 years female: 72.37 years (2001 est.) |
Literacy | definition:
age 15 and over can read and write total population: 96% male: 99% female: 94% (1989 est.) |
definition:
age 15 and over can read and write total population: 97% male: 97% female: 97% (1971 est.) |
Location | Eastern Europe, northeast of Romania | Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand |
Map references | Commonwealth of Independent States | Oceania |
Maritime claims | none (landlocked) | exclusive economic zone:
200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM |
Military - note | - | Samoa has no formal defense structure or regular armed forces; informal defense ties exist with NZ, which is required to consider any Samoan request for assistance under the 1962 Treaty of Friendship |
Military branches | Ground Forces, Air and Air Defense Forces, Republic Security Forces (internal and border troops) | no regular armed services; Samoa Police Force |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | $6 million (FY99) | $NA |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 1% (FY99) | NA% |
Military manpower - availability | males age 15-49:
1,164,018 (2001 est.) |
- |
Military manpower - fit for military service | males age 15-49:
921,210 (2001 est.) |
- |
Military manpower - military age | 18 years of age | - |
Military manpower - reaching military age annually | males:
42,268 (2001 est.) |
- |
National holiday | Independence Day, 27 August (1991) | Independence Day Celebration, 1 June (1962); note - 1 January 1962 is the date of independence from the New Zealand-administered UN trusteeship, 1 June 1962 is the date that independence is celebrated |
Nationality | noun:
Moldovan(s) adjective: Moldovan |
noun:
Samoan(s) adjective: Samoan |
Natural hazards | landslides (57 cases in 1998) | occasional typhoons; active volcanism |
Natural resources | lignite, phosphorites, gypsum, arable land | hardwood forests, fish, hydropower |
Net migration rate | -0.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) | -11.62 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Pipelines | natural gas 310 km (1992) | - |
Political parties and leaders | Braghis Alliance [Dumitru BRAGHIS]; Popular Christian Democratic Party or PPCD [Iurie ROSCA]; Communist Party or PCM [Vladimir VORONIN, first chairman] | Human Rights Protection Party or HRPP [TUILA'EPA Sailele Malielegaoi, chairman]; Samoa All People's Party or SAPP [Matatumua NAIMOAGA]; Samoan National Development Party or SNDP [TAPUA Tamasese Efi, chairman] (opposition); Samoa National Party [FETU Tiatia, party secretary]; Samoan Progressive Conservative Party [LEOTA Ituau Ale] |
Political pressure groups and leaders | NA | NA |
Population | 4,431,570 (July 2001 est.) | 179,058 (July 2001 est.) |
Population below poverty line | 75% (1999 est.) | NA% |
Population growth rate | 0.05% (2001 est.) | -0.23% (2001 est.) |
Ports and harbors | none | Apia, Asau, Mulifanua, Salelologa |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 7, FM 50, shortwave 3 (1998) | AM 1, FM 3, shortwave 0 (1998) |
Radios | 3.22 million (1997) | 178,000 (1997) |
Railways | total:
1,328 km broad gauge: 1,328 km 1.520-m gauge (1992) |
0 km |
Religions | Eastern Orthodox 98.5%, Jewish 1.5%, Baptist (only about 1,000 members) (1991) | Christian 99.7% (about one-half of population associated with the London Missionary Society; includes Congregational, Roman Catholic, Methodist, Latter-Day Saints, Seventh-Day Adventist) |
Sex ratio | 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.) |
at birth:
1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.71 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.87 male(s)/female total population: 1.39 male(s)/female (2001 est.) |
Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | 21 years of age; universal |
Telephone system | 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 |
general assessment:
adequate domestic: NA international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) |
Telephones - main lines in use | 627,000 (1997) | 8,000 (1997) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 2,200 (1997) | 1,545 (February 1998) |
Television broadcast stations | 1 (plus 30 repeaters) (1995) | 6 (1997) |
Terrain | rolling steppe, gradual slope south to Black Sea | narrow coastal plain with volcanic, rocky, rugged mountains in interior |
Total fertility rate | 1.67 children born/woman (2001 est.) | 3.4 children born/woman (2001 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 1.9% (includes only officially registered unemployed; large numbers of underemployed workers) (November 2000) | NA%; note - substantial underemployment |
Waterways | 424 km (1994) | none |