Moldova (2003) | Netherlands Antilles (2001) | |
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Administrative divisions | 9 counties (judetele, singular - judetul), 1 municipality* (municipiul), 1 autonomous territorial unit** (unitate teritoriala autonoma), and 1 territorial unit*** (unitate teritoriala); Balti, Cahul, Chisinau, Chisinau*, Edinet, Gagauzia**, Lapusna, Orhei, Soroca, Stinga Nistrului***, Tighina, Ungheni | none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)
note: each island has its own government |
Age structure | 0-14 years: 21.1% (male 477,063; female 459,992)
15-64 years: 68.7% (male 1,465,248; female 1,584,402) 65 years and over: 10.2% (male 168,068; female 284,729) (2003 est.) |
0-14 years:
25.21% (male 27,332; female 26,169) 15-64 years: 66.99% (male 67,562; female 74,599) 65 years and over: 7.8% (male 6,874; female 9,690) (2001 est.) |
Agriculture - products | vegetables, fruits, wine, grain, sugar beets, sunflower seed, tobacco; beef, milk | aloes, sorghum, peanuts, vegetables, tropical fruit |
Airports | 36 (2002) | 5 (2000 est.) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 8
over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 under 914 m: 2 (2002) |
total:
5 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2000 est.) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 28
2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 11 under 914 m: 12 (2002) |
- |
Area | total: 33,843 sq km
land: 33,371 sq km water: 472 sq km |
total:
960 sq km land: 960 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes Bonaire, Curacao, Saba, Sint Eustatius, and Sint Maarten (Dutch part of the island of Saint Martin) |
Area - comparative | slightly larger than Maryland | more than five times the size of Washington, DC |
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 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. | Once the center of the Caribbean slave trade, the island of Curacao was hard hit by the abolition of slavery in 1863. Its prosperity (and that of neighboring Aruba) was restored in the early 20th century with the construction of oil refineries to service the newly discovered Venezuelan oil fields. The island of Sint Maarten is shared with France; its northern portion is named Saint Martin and is part of Guadeloupe. |
Birth rate | 14.31 births/1,000 population (2003 est.) | 16.55 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $536 million
expenditures: $594 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1998 est.) |
revenues:
$710.8 million expenditures: $741.6 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1997 est.) |
Capital | Chisinau | Willemstad |
Climate | moderate winters, warm summers | tropical; ameliorated by northeast trade winds |
Coastline | 0 km (landlocked) | 364 km |
Constitution | new constitution adopted 28 July 1994; replaces old Soviet constitution of 1979 | 29 December 1954, Statute of the Realm of the Netherlands, as amended |
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:
none conventional short form: Netherlands Antilles local long form: none local short form: Nederlandse Antillen former: Curacao and Dependencies |
Currency | Moldovan leu (MDL) | Netherlands Antillean guilder (ANG) |
Death rate | 12.7 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.) | 6.41 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Debt - external | $1.3 billion (2002) | $1.35 billion (1996) |
Dependency status | - | part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands; full autonomy in internal affairs granted in 1954; Dutch Government responsible for defense and foreign affairs |
Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission: Ambassador Pamela Hyde SMITH
embassy: 103 Alexei Mateevici Street, Chisinau MD-2009 mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [373] (2) 23-37-72 FAX: [373] (2) 23-30-44 |
chief of mission:
Consul General Barbara J. STEPHENSON consulate(s) general: J. B. Gorsiraweg #1, Willemstad AN, Curacao mailing address: P. O. Box 158, Willemstad, Curacao telephone: [599] (9) 4613066 FAX: [599] (9) 4616489 |
Diplomatic representation in the US | chief of mission: Ambassador Mihail MANOLI
chancery: 2101 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 667-1130 FAX: [1] (202) 667-1204 |
none (represented by the Kingdom of the Netherlands) |
Disputes - international | difficulties with the Transnistria region complicate border crossing and customs with Ukraine, facilitating smuggling, arms transfers, and other illegal activities | none |
Economic aid - recipient | $100 million (2000) | IMF provided $61 million in 2000, and the Netherlands continued its support with $40 million |
Economy - overview | Moldova remains a very poor country despite recent progress from its small economic base. It 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. The government entered into agreements with the World Bank and the IMF to promote growth and reduce poverty. The economy returned to positive growth, of 2.1% in 2000, 6.1% in 2001, 7.2% in 2002, and 5.3% in 2003. Further reforms will come slowly because of strong political forces backing government controls. The economy remains vulnerable to higher fuel prices, poor agricultural weather, and the skepticism of foreign investors. | Tourism, petroleum refining, and offshore finance are the mainstays of this small economy, which is closely tied to the outside world. Although GDP has declined slightly in each of the past five years, the islands enjoy a high per capita income and a well-developed infrastructure as compared with other countries in the region. Almost all consumer and capital goods are imported, with Venezuela, the US, and Mexico being the major suppliers. Poor soils and inadequate water supplies hamper the development of agriculture. |
Electricity - consumption | 3.216 billion kWh (2001) | 1.032 billion kWh (1999) |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2001) | 0 kWh (1999) |
Electricity - imports | 60 million kWh (2001) | 0 kWh (1999) |
Electricity - production | 3.394 billion kWh (2001) | 1.11 billion kWh (1999) |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel: 90.6%
hydro: 9.4% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) |
fossil fuel:
100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1999) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Dniester River 2 m
highest point: Dealul Balanesti 430 m |
lowest point:
Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Mount Scenery 862 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 | NA |
Environment - international agreements | 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 |
- |
Ethnic groups | 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 |
mixed black 85%, Carib Amerindian, white, East Asian |
Exchange rates | lei per US dollar - NA (2002), 12.87 (2001), 12.43 (2000), 10.52 (1999), 5.37 (1998) | Netherlands Antillean guilders per US dollar - 1.790 (fixed rate since 1989) |
Executive branch | chief of state: President Vladimir VORONIN (since 4 April 2001)
head of government: Prime Minister Vasile TARLEV (since 15 April 2001), First Deputy Prime Minister Vasile IOVV (since NA 2002), Deputy Prime Minister Stefan ODAGIU (since NA 2002) 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 (next to be held NA 2005); note - 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 in February 2001; prime minister designated by the president, upon consultation with Parliament; note - within 15 days from designation, the prime minister-designate must request a vote of confidence from the Parliament regarding his/her work program and entire cabinet; prime minister designated 15 April 2001, cabinet received a vote of confidence 19 April 2001 election results: Vladimir VORONIN elected president; parliamentary votes - Vladimir VORONIN 71, Dumitru BRAGHIS 15, Valerian CHRISTEA 3; Vasile TARLEV designated prime minister; parliamentary votes of confidence - 75 of 101 |
chief of state:
Queen BEATRIX of the Netherlands (since 30 April 1980), represented by Governor General Jaime SALEH (since NA October 1989) head of government: Prime Minister Miguel POURIER (since 8 November 1999); Deputy Prime Minister Susanne CAMELIA-ROMER (since NA) note: Miguel POURIER assumed prime ministership following the resignation of Susanne CAMELIA-ROMER cabinet: Council of Ministers elected by the Staten elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch for a six-year term; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party is usually elected prime minister by the Staten; election last held 30 January 1998 (next to be held by NA 2002) note: government coalition - PDB, DP-St. M, FOL, PLKP, PNP |
Exports | NA (2001) | $276 million (f.o.b., 2000) |
Exports - commodities | foodstuffs, textiles, machinery | petroleum products |
Exports - partners | Russia 35%, Italy 11.7%, Germany 8.8%, Ukraine 8.5%, Romania 5.7%, US 5.2%, Belarus 4.5%, Spain 4.1% (2002) | US 17.5%, Guatemala 8%, Costa Rica 6.5%, The Bahamas 4.6%, Jamaica 4.1%, Chile 3.4% (1998) |
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 | white, with a horizontal blue stripe in the center superimposed on a vertical red band, also centered; five white, five-pointed stars are arranged in an oval pattern in the center of the blue band; the five stars represent the five main islands of Bonaire, Curacao, Saba, Sint Eustatius, and Sint Maarten |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $11.51 billion (2002 est.) | purchasing power parity - $2.4 billion (2000 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 28%
industry: 23% services: 49% (2000) |
agriculture:
1% industry: 15% services: 84% (1996 est.) |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $2,600 (2002 est.) | purchasing power parity - $11,400 (2000 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | 6.5% (2002 est.) | -3.5% (2000 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 47 00 N, 29 00 E | 12 15 N, 68 45 W |
Geography - note | landlocked; well endowed with various sedimentary rocks and minerals including sand, gravel, gypsum, and limestone | - |
Highways | total: 12,657 km
paved: 11,012 km unpaved: 1,645 km (1999) |
total:
600 km paved: 300 km unpaved: 300 km (1992) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: 2.2%
highest 10%: 30.7% (1997) |
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; widespread crime and underground economic activity | money-laundering center; transshipment point for South American drugs bound for the US and Europe |
Imports | NA (2001) | $1.5 billion (f.o.b., 2000) |
Imports - commodities | mineral products and fuel 32%, machinery and equipment, chemicals, textiles (2000) | crude petroleum, food, manufactures |
Imports - partners | Russia 23.9%, Ukraine 13.4%, Germany 12.6%, Italy 8.3%, Romania 8.2% (2002) | Venezuela 35.3%, US 21%, Mexico 9.8%, Italy 5.4%, Netherlands 4.8%, Brazil 3.1% (1998) |
Independence | 27 August 1991 (from Soviet Union) | none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands) |
Industrial production growth rate | 9% (2002 est.) | NA% |
Industries | food processing, agricultural machinery, foundry equipment, refrigerators and freezers, washing machines, hosiery, sugar, vegetable oil, shoes, textiles | tourism (Curacao, Sint Maarten, and Bonaire), petroleum refining (Curacao), petroleum transshipment facilities (Curacao and Bonaire), light manufacturing (Curacao) |
Infant mortality rate | total: 41.58 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 44.81 deaths/1,000 live births female: 38.19 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.) |
11.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 5.5% (2002 est.) | 6.4% (2000 est.) |
International organization participation | ACCT, BIS, BSEC, CE, CEI, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, FAO, GUUAM, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO (correspondent), ITU, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO | Caricom (observer), ECLAC (associate), Interpol, IOC, UNESCO (associate), UPU, WCL, WMO, WToO (associate) |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 2 (1999) | 6 |
Irrigated land | 3,070 sq km (1998 est.) | NA sq km |
Judicial branch | Supreme Court; Constitutional Court (the sole authority for constitutional judicature) | Joint High Court of Justice (judges appointed by the monarch) |
Labor force | 1.7 million (1998) | 89,000 |
Labor force - by occupation | agriculture 40%, industry 14%, services 46% (1998) | agriculture 1%, industry 13%, services 86% (1994 est.) |
Land boundaries | total: 1,389 km
border countries: Romania 450 km, Ukraine 939 km |
total:
10.2 km border countries: Guadeloupe (Saint Martin) 10.2 km |
Land use | arable land: 54.08%
permanent crops: 12.1% other: 33.82% (1998 est.) |
arable land:
10% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 0% forests and woodland: 0% other: 90% (1993 est.) |
Languages | Moldovan (official, virtually the same as the Romanian language), Russian, Gagauz (a Turkish dialect) | Dutch (official), Papiamento (a Spanish-Portuguese-Dutch-English dialect) predominates, English widely spoken, Spanish |
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 Dutch civil law system, with some English common law influence |
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 States or Staten (22 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 30 January 1998 (next to be held by NA 2002) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PAR 4, PNP 3, SPA 1, PDB 2, UPB 1, MAN 2, PLKP 3, WIPM 1, SEA 1, DP-St. M 2, FOL 2; no party won enough seats to form a government note: the government of Prime Minister Miguel POURIER is a coalition of several parties; current seats by party - PAR 4, PNP 3, FOL 2, MAN 2, UPB 2, DP-St. M 2, PDB 1, SEA 1, WIPM 1, other 4 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 64.88 years
male: 60.63 years female: 69.35 years (2003 est.) |
total population:
74.94 years male: 72.76 years female: 77.22 years (2001 est.) |
Literacy | definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99.1% male: 99.6% female: 98.7% (2003 est.) |
definition:
age 15 and over can read and write total population: 98% male: 98% female: 99% (1981 est.) |
Location | Eastern Europe, northeast of Romania | Caribbean, two island groups in the Caribbean Sea - one includes Curacao and Bonaire north of Venezuela; the other is east of the Virgin Islands |
Map references | Europe | Central America and the Caribbean |
Maritime claims | none (landlocked) | exclusive fishing zone:
12 NM territorial sea: 12 NM |
Merchant marine | - | total:
123 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,113,774 GRT/1,397,841 DWT ships by type: bulk 1, cargo 35, chemical tanker 2, combination ore/oil 3, container 19, liquefied gas 4, multi-functional large-load carrier 19, passenger 1, petroleum tanker 4, refrigerated cargo 28, roll on/roll off 7 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Belgium 8, Germany 1, Italy 1 (2000 est.) |
Military - note | - | defense is the responsibility of the Kingdom of the Netherlands |
Military branches | Ground Forces (includes Air and Air Defense Forces), Republic Security Forces (includes paramilitary Internal Troops and Border Troops) | Royal Netherlands Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, National Guard, Police Force |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | $6.4 million (FY02) | - |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 0.4% (FY02) | - |
Military manpower - availability | males age 15-49: 1,180,874 (2003 est.) | males age 15-49:
54,284 (2001 est.) |
Military manpower - fit for military service | males age 15-49: 936,629 (2003 est.) | males age 15-49:
30,405 (2001 est.) |
Military manpower - military age | 18 years of age (2003 est.) | 20 years of age |
Military manpower - reaching military age annually | males: 44,084 (2003 est.) | males:
1,610 (2001 est.) |
National holiday | Independence Day, 27 August (1991) | Queen's Day (Birthday of Queen-Mother JULIANA in 1909 and accession to the throne of her oldest daughter BEATRIX in 1980), 30 April |
Nationality | noun: Moldovan(s)
adjective: Moldovan |
noun:
Dutch Antillean(s) adjective: Dutch Antillean |
Natural hazards | landslides (57 cases in 1998) | Curacao and Bonaire are south of Caribbean hurricane belt and are rarely threatened; Sint Maarten, Saba, and Sint Eustatius are subject to hurricanes from July to October |
Natural resources | lignite, phosphorites, gypsum, arable land, limestone | phosphates (Curacao only), salt (Bonaire only) |
Net migration rate | -0.27 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.) | -0.42 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Pipelines | gas 606 km (2003) | - |
Political parties and leaders | Braghis Alliance [Dumitru BRAGHIS]; Communist Party or PCM [Vladimir VORONIN, first chairman]; Popular Christian Democratic Party or PPCD [Iurie ROSCA]; Social Democratic Union (composed of Braghis Alliance and the Democratic Party of Moldova) [leader NA] | Antillean Restructuring Party or PAR [Miguel POURIER]; C 93 [Stanley BROWN]; Democratic Party of Bonaire or PDB [Jopi ABRAHAM]; Democratic Party of Curacao or DP [Errol HERNANDEZ]; Democratic Party of Sint Eustatius or DP-St. E [Julian WOODLEY]; Democratic Party of Sint Maarten or DP-St. M [Sarah WESCOTT-WILLIAMS]; Foundation Energetic Management Anti-Narcotics or FAME [Eric LODEWIJKS]; Labor Party People's Crusade or PLKP [Errol COVA]; National People's Party or PNP [Susanne F. C. CAMELIA-ROMER]; New Antilles Movement or MAN [Kenneth GIJSBERTHA]; Patriotic Union of Bonaire or UPB [Ramon BOOI]; Patriotic Movement of Sint Maarten or SPA [Vance JAMES, Jr.]; People's Party or PAPU [Richard Hodi]; Pro Curacao Party or PPK [Winston LOURENS]; Saba Democratic Labor Movement [Steve HASSELL]; Saba Unity Party [Carmen SIMMONDS]; St. Eustatius Alliance or SEA [Kenneth VAN PUTTEN]; Serious Alternative People's Party or Sapp [Julian ROLLOCKS]; Social Action Cause or KAS [Benny DEMEI]; Windward Islands People's Movement or WIPM [Will JOHNSTON]; Workers' Liberation Front or FOL [Anthony GODETT, Rignald LAK, Editha WRIGHT]
note: political parties are indigenous to each island |
Political pressure groups and leaders | NA | NA |
Population | 4,439,502 (July 2003 est.) | 212,226 (July 2001 est.) |
Population below poverty line | 80% (2001 est.) | NA% |
Population growth rate | 0.13% (2003 est.) | 0.97% (2001 est.) |
Ports and harbors | none | Kralendijk, Philipsburg, Willemstad |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 7, FM 50, shortwave 3 (1998) | AM 9, FM 4, shortwave 0 (1998) |
Radios | - | 217,000 (1997) |
Railways | total: 1,300 km
broad gauge: 1,300 km 1.520-m gauge (2002) |
0 km |
Religions | Eastern Orthodox 98%, Jewish 1.5%, Baptist and other 0.5% (2000) | Roman Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, 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 (2003 est.) |
at birth:
1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female total population: 0.92 male(s)/female (2001 est.) |
Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | 18 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:
generally adequate facilities domestic: extensive interisland microwave radio relay links international: submarine cables - 2; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) |
Telephones - main lines in use | 627,000 (1997) | 76,000 (1995) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 2,200 (1997) | 13,977 (1996) |
Television broadcast stations | 1 (plus 30 repeaters) (1995) | 3 (there is also a cable service which supplies programs received from various US satellite networks and two Venezuelan channels) (1997) |
Terrain | rolling steppe, gradual slope south to Black Sea | generally hilly, volcanic interiors |
Total fertility rate | 1.74 children born/woman (2003 est.) | 2.07 children born/woman (2001 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 8% (roughly 25% of working age Moldovans are employed abroad) (2002 est.) | 14.9% (1998 est.) |
Waterways | 424 km (1994) | none |