Compare Moldova (2008) - Sudan (2005)

Compare Moldova (2008) z Sudan (2005)

	Moldova (2008)	Sudan (2005)

Administrative divisions	32 raions (raioane, singular - raionul), 3 municipalities (municipiul), 1 autonomous territorial unit (unitatea teritoriala autonoma), and 1 territorial unit (unitatea teritoriala) raions: Anenii Noi, Basarabeasca, Briceni, Cahul, Cantemir, Calarasi, Causeni, Cimislia, Criuleni, Donduseni, Drochia, Dubasari, Edinet, Falesti, Floresti, Glodeni, Hincesti, Ialoveni, Leova, Nisporeni, Ocnita, Orhei, Rezina, Riscani, Singerei, Soldanesti, Soroca, Stefan-Voda, Straseni, Taraclia, Telenesti, Ungheni municipalities: Balti, Bender, Chisinau autonomous territorial unit: Gagauzia territorial unit: Stinga Nistrului	26 states (wilayat, singular - wilayah); A'ali an Nil (Upper Nile), Al Bahr al Ahmar (Red Sea), Al Buhayrat (Lakes), Al Jazirah (El Gezira), Al Khartum (Khartoum), Al Qadarif (Gedaref), Al Wahdah (Unity), An Nil al Abyad (White Nile), An Nil al Azraq (Blue Nile), Ash Shamaliyah (Northern), Bahr al Jabal (Bahr al Jabal), Gharb al Istiwa'iyah (Western Equatoria), Gharb Bahr al Ghazal (Western Bahr al Ghazal), Gharb Darfur (Western Darfur), Gharb Kurdufan (Western Kordofan), Janub Darfur (Southern Darfur), Janub Kurdufan (Southern Kordofan), Junqali (Jonglei), Kassala (Kassala), Nahr an Nil (Nile), Shamal Bahr al Ghazal (Northern Bahr al Ghazal), Shamal Darfur (Northern Darfur), Shamal Kurdufan (Northern Kordofan), Sharq al Istiwa'iyah (Eastern Equatoria), Sinnar (Sinnar), Warab (Warab)
Age structure	0-14 years: 16.5% (male 365,733/female 347,305) 15-64 years: 72.6% (male 1,520,094/female 1,616,014) 65 years and over: 10.9% (male 175,113/female 296,231) (2007 est.)	0-14 years: 43.2% (male 8,865,331/female 8,488,982) 15-64 years: 54.5% (male 10,952,566/female 10,930,218) 65 years and over: 2.4% (male 513,679/female 436,710) (2005 est.)
Agriculture - products	vegetables, fruits, wine, grain, sugar beets, sunflower seed, tobacco; beef, milk	cotton, groundnuts (peanuts), sorghum, millet, wheat, gum arabic, sugarcane, cassava (tapioca), mangos, papaya, bananas, sweet potatoes, sesame; sheep, livestock
Airports	10 (2007)	75 (2004 est.)
Airports - with paved runways	total: 6 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 under 914 m: 1 (2007)	total: 12 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 8 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways	total: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2007)	total: 63 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 17 914 to 1,523 m: 33 under 914 m: 11 (2004 est.)
Area	total: 33,843 sq km land: 33,371 sq km water: 472 sq km	total: 2,505,810 sq km land: 2.376 million sq km water: 129,810 sq km
Area - comparative	slightly larger than Maryland	slightly more than one-quarter the size of the US
Background	Formerly part of Romania, Moldova was incorporated into 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.	Military regimes favoring Islamic-oriented governments have dominated national politics since independence from the UK in 1956. Sudan was embroiled in two prolonged civil wars during most of the remainder of the 20th century. These conflicts were rooted in northern economic, political, and social domination of non-Muslim, non-Arab southern Sudanese. The first civil war ended in 1972, but broke out again in 1983. The second war and famine-related effects resulted in more than 2 million deaths and over 4 million people displaced over a period of two decades. Peace talks gained momentum in 2002-04 with the signing of several accords; a final Naivasha peace treaty of January 2005 granted the southern rebels autonomy for six years, after which a referendum for independence is scheduled to be held. A separate conflict that broke out in the western region of Darfur in 2003 resulted in tens of thousands of deaths and over 1 million displaced, but by early 2005, peackeeping troops had stabilized the situation.
Birth rate	10.88 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)	35.17 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Budget	revenues: $1.764 billion expenditures: $1.771 billion (2007 est.)	revenues: $3.057 billion expenditures: $2.965 billion, including capital expenditures of $304 million (2004 est.)
Capital	name: Chisinau (Kishinev) note: pronounced kee-shee-now geographic coordinates: 47 00 N, 28 51 E time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October	Khartoum
Climate	moderate winters, warm summers	tropical in south; arid desert in north; rainy season varies by region (April to November)
Coastline	0 km (landlocked)	853 km
Constitution	new constitution adopted 29 July 1994, effective 27 August 1994; replaced old Soviet constitution of 1979	12 April 1973; suspended following coup of 6 April 1985; interim constitution of 10 October 1985 suspended following coup of 30 June 1989; new constitution implemented on 30 June 1998 partially suspended 12 December 1999 by President BASHIR
Country name	conventional long form: Republic of Moldova conventional short form: Moldova local long form: Republica Moldova local short form: Moldova former: Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic, Moldovan Soviet Socialist Republic	conventional long form: Republic of the Sudan conventional short form: Sudan local long form: Jumhuriyat as-Sudan local short form: As-Sudan former: Anglo-Egyptian Sudan
Death rate	10.85 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)	9.16 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Debt - external	$2.774 billion (30 June 2007)	$21 billion (2004 est.)
Diplomatic representation from the US	chief of mission: Ambassador Michael D. KIRBY embassy: 103 Mateevici Street, Chisinau MD-2009 mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [373] (22) 40-8300 FAX: [373] (22) 23-3044	chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Gerard M. GALLUCCI embassy: Sharia Abdul Latif Avenue, Khartoum mailing address: P. O. Box 699, Khartoum; APO AE 09829 telephone: [249] (11) 774611 or 774700 FAX: [249] (11) 774137 note: US Consul in Cairo is providing backup service for Khartoum
Diplomatic representation in the US	chief of mission: Ambassador Nicolae CHIRTOACA chancery: 2101 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 667-1130 FAX: [1] (202) 667-1204	chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires, Ad Interim Khidir Haroun AHMED (since April 2001) chancery: 2210 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 338-8565 FAX: [1] (202) 667-2406
Disputes - international	Moldova and Ukraine operate joint customs posts to monitor the transit of people and commodities through Moldova's break-away Transnistria region, which remains under OSCE supervision	the effects of Sudan's almost constant ethnic and rebel militia fighting since the mid-twentieth century have penetrated all of its border states who provide shelter for fleeing refugees and cover to disparate domestic and foreign conflicting elements; since 2003, Janjawid armed militia and Sudanese military have driven about 200,000 Darfur region refugees into eastern Chad; large numbers of Sudanese refugees have also fled to Uganda, Ethiopia, Kenya, the Central African Republic, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo; southern Sudan provides shelter to Ugandans seeking periodic protection from soldiers of the Lord's Resistance Army; Sudan accuses Eritrea of supporting Sudanese rebel groups; efforts to demarcate the porous boundary with Ethiopia have been delayed by civil and ethnic fighting in Sudan; Kenya's administrative boundary extends into the southern Sudan, creating the "Ilemi Triangle"; Egypt and Sudan retain claims to administer triangular areas that extend north and south of the 1899 Treaty boundary along the 22nd Parallel, but have withdrawn their military presence; Egypt is economically developing the "Hala'ib Triangle" north of the Treaty Line; periodic violent skirmishes with Sudanese residents over water and grazing rights persist among related pastoral populations from the Central African Republic along the border
Economic aid - recipient	$191.8 million (2005)	$172 million (2001)
Economy - overview	Moldova remains one of the poorest countries in Europe 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 almost all of its energy supplies. Moldova's dependence on Russian energy was underscored at the end of 2005, when a Russian-owned electrical station in Moldova's separatist Transnistria region cut off power to Moldova and Russia's Gazprom cut off natural gas in disputes over pricing. Russia's decision to ban Moldovan wine and agricultural products, coupled with its decision to double the price Moldova paid for Russian natural gas, slowed GDP growth in 2006. However, in 2007 growth returned to the 6% level Moldova had achieved in 2000-05, boosted by Russia's partial removal of the bans, solid fixed capital investment, and strong domestic demand driven by remittances from abroad. Economic reforms have been slow because of corruption and strong political forces backing government controls. Nevertheless, the government's primary goal of EU integration has resulted in some market-oriented progress. The granting of EU trade preferences and increased exports to Russia will encourage higher growth rates in 2008, but the agreements are unlikely to serve as a panacea, given the extent to which export success depends on higher quality standards and other factors. The economy remains vulnerable to higher fuel prices, poor agricultural weather, and the skepticism of foreign investors. Also, the presence of an illegal separatist regime in Moldova's Transnistria region continues to be a drag on the Moldovan economy.	Sudan has turned around a struggling economy with sound economic policies and infrastructure investments, but it still faces formidable economic problems, starting from its low level of per capita output. From 1997 to date, Sudan has been implementing IMF macroeconomic reforms. In 1999, Sudan began exporting crude oil and in the last quarter of 1999 recorded its first trade surplus, which, along with monetary policy, has stabilized the exchange rate. Increased oil production, revived light industry, and expanded export processing zones helped sustain GDP growth at 6.4% in 2004. Agriculture production remains Sudan's most important sector, employing 80% of the work force, contributing 39% of GDP, and accounting for most of GDP growth, but most farms remain rain-fed and susceptible to drought. Chronic instability - including the long-standing civil war between the Muslim north and the Christian/pagan south, adverse weather, and weak world agricultural prices - ensure that much of the population will remain at or below the poverty line for years.
Electricity - consumption	5.551 billion kWh (2005)	2.4 billion kWh (2002)
Electricity - exports	220 million kWh (2005)	0 kWh (2002)
Electricity - imports	3.361 billion kWh (2005)	0 kWh (2002)
Electricity - production	3.881 billion kWh (2005)	2.581 billion kWh (2002)
Elevation extremes	lowest point: Dniester River 2 m highest point: Dealul Balanesti 430 m	lowest point: Red Sea 0 m highest point: Kinyeti 3,187 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	inadequate supplies of potable water; wildlife populations threatened by excessive hunting; soil erosion; desertification; periodic drought
Environment - international agreements	party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements	party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Ethnic groups	Moldovan/Romanian 78.2%, Ukrainian 8.4%, Russian 5.8%, Gagauz 4.4%, Bulgarian 1.9%, other 1.3% (2004 census) note: internal disputes with ethnic Slavs in the Transnistrian region	black 52%, Arab 39%, Beja 6%, foreigners 2%, other 1%
Exchange rates	lei per US dollar - 12.177 (2007), 13.131 (2006), 12.6 (2005), 12.33 (2004), 13.945 (2003)	Sudanese dinars per US dollar - 257.91 (2004), 260.98 (2003), 263.31 (2002), 258.7 (2001), 257.12 (2000)
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 Zinaida GRECIANII (since 10 October 2005) cabinet: Cabinet selected by president, subject to approval of Parliament elections: president elected by Parliament for a four-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 4 April 2005 (next to be held in 2009); note - prime minister designated by the president upon consultation with Parliament; 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 reelected president; parliamentary votes - Vladimir VORONIN 75, Gheorghe DUCA 1; Vasile TARLEV designated prime minister; parliamentary votes of confidence - 75 of 101	chief of state: President Lt. Gen. Umar Hassan Ahmad al-BASHIR (since 16 October 1993); First Vice President Salva KIIR (since 4 August 2005), Second Vice President Ali Osman TAHA (since 20 September 2005); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Lt. Gen. Umar Hassan Ahmad al-BASHIR (since 16 October 1993); First Vice President Salva KIIR (since 4 August 2005), Second Vice President Ali Osman TAHA (since 20 September 2005); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president; note - the National Congress Party or NCP (formerly the National Islamic Front or NIF) dominates al-BASHIR's cabinet elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 13-23 December 2000 (next to be held NA) election results: Field Marshall Umar Hassan Ahmad al-BASHIR reelected president; percent of vote - Umar Hassan Ahmad al-BASHIR 86.5%, Ja'afar Muhammed NUMAYRI 9.6%, three other candidates received a combined vote of 3.9%; election widely viewed as rigged; all popular opposition parties boycotted elections because of a lack of guarantees for a free and fair election note: al-BASHIR assumed power as chairman of Sudan's Revolutionary Command Council for National Salvation (RCC) in June 1989 and served concurrently as chief of state, chairman of the RCC, prime minister, and minister of defense until mid-October 1993 when he was appointed president by the RCC; he was elected president by popular vote for the first time in March 1996
Exports	31.69 bbl/day (2004)	275,000 bbl/day (2004)
Exports - commodities	foodstuffs, textiles, machinery	oil and petroleum products; cotton, sesame, livestock, groundnuts, gum arabic, sugar
Exports - partners	Russia 22.8%, Germany 12.2%, Italy 11.1%, Romania 9.7%, Ukraine 9.6%, Belarus 5.7% (2006)	China 66.9%, Japan 10.7%, Saudi Arabia 4.4% (2004)
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	three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black with a green isosceles triangle based on the hoist side
GDP - composition by sector	agriculture: 18.4% industry: 22.4% services: 59.2% (2007 est.)	agriculture: 38.7% industry: 20.3% services: 41% (2003 est.)
GDP - per capita	-	purchasing power parity - $1,900 (2004 est.)
GDP - real growth rate	6% (2007 est.)	6.4% (2004 est.)
Geographic coordinates	47 00 N, 29 00 E	15 00 N, 30 00 E
Geography - note	landlocked; well endowed with various sedimentary rocks and minerals including sand, gravel, gypsum, and limestone	largest country in Africa; dominated by the Nile and its tributaries
Heliports	-	2 (2004 est.)
Highways	-	total: 11,900 km paved: 4,320 km unpaved: 7,580 km (1999 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share	lowest 10%: 3.2% highest 10%: 26.4% (2003)	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	-
Imports	14,200 bbl/day (2004)	0 bbl/day (2004)
Imports - commodities	mineral products and fuel, machinery and equipment, chemicals, textiles	foodstuffs, manufactured goods, refinery and transport equipment, medicines and chemicals, textiles, wheat
Imports - partners	Russia 20.8%, Ukraine 16.9%, Romania 13.4%, Germany 8.7%, Italy 6.1%, Poland 4.4% (2006)	China 13%, Saudi Arabia 11.5%, UAE 5.9%, Egypt 5.1%, India 4.8%, Germany 4.5%, Australia 4.1%, Japan 4% (2004)
Independence	27 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)	1 January 1956 (from Egypt and UK)
Industrial production growth rate	6% (2007 est.)	8.5% (1999 est.)
Industries	sugar, vegetable oil, food processing, agricultural machinery; foundry equipment, refrigerators and freezers, washing machines; hosiery, shoes, textiles	oil, cotton ginning, textiles, cement, edible oils, sugar, soap distilling, shoes, petroleum refining, pharmaceuticals, armaments, automobile/light truck assembly
Infant mortality rate	total: 13.88 deaths/1,000 live births male: 15.35 deaths/1,000 live births female: 12.33 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)	total: 62.5 deaths/1,000 live births male: 63.29 deaths/1,000 live births female: 61.67 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)	12.5% (2007 est.)	9% (2004 est.)
International organization participation	ACCT, BSEC, CE, CEI, CIS, EAEC (observer), EAPC, EBRD, FAO, GCTU, GUAM, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, SECI, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNOMIG, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO	ABEDA, ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AU, CAEU, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO (observer)
Irrigated land	3,000 sq km (2003)	19,500 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch	Supreme Court; Constitutional Court (the sole authority for constitutional judicature)	Supreme Court; Special Revolutionary Courts
Labor force	1.333 million (2007 est.)	11 million (1996 est.)
Labor force - by occupation	agriculture: 40.7% industry: 12.1% services: 47.2% (2005 est.)	agriculture 80%, industry and commerce 7%, government 13% (1998 est.)
Land boundaries	total: 1,389 km border countries: Romania 450 km, Ukraine 939 km	total: 7,687 km border countries: Central African Republic 1,165 km, Chad 1,360 km, Democratic Republic of the Congo 628 km, Egypt 1,273 km, Eritrea 605 km, Ethiopia 1,606 km, Kenya 232 km, Libya 383 km, Uganda 435 km
Land use	arable land: 54.52% permanent crops: 8.81% other: 36.67% (2005)	arable land: 6.83% permanent crops: 0.18% other: 92.99% (2001)
Languages	Moldovan (official, virtually the same as the Romanian language), Russian, Gagauz (a Turkish dialect)	Arabic (official), Nubian, Ta Bedawie, diverse dialects of Nilotic, Nilo-Hamitic, Sudanic languages, English note: program of "Arabization" in process
Legal system	based on civil law system; Constitutional Court reviews legality of legislative acts and governmental decisions of resolution; accepts many UN and Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) documents; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction	based on English common law and Islamic law; as of 20 January 1991, the now defunct Revolutionary Command Council imposed Islamic law in the northern states; Islamic law applies to all residents of the northern states regardless of their religion; some separate religious courts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
Legislative branch	unicameral Parliament or Parlamentul (101 seats; parties and electoral blocs elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 6 March 2005 (next to be held in 2009) election results: percent of vote by party - PCRM 46.1%, Democratic Moldova Bloc 28.4%, PPCD 9.1%, other parties 16.4%; seats by party - PCRM 56, Democratic Moldova Bloc 34, PPCD 11	unicameral National Assembly (360 seats; 270 popularly elected, 90 elected by supra assembly of interest groups known as National Congress; members serve four-year terms) elections: last held 13-22 December 2000 (next to be held NA) election results: NCP 355, others 5
Life expectancy at birth	total population: 70.2 years male: 66.51 years female: 74.11 years (2007 est.)	total population: 58.54 years male: 57.33 years female: 59.8 years (2005 est.)
Literacy	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99.1% male: 99.7% female: 98.6% (2005 est.)	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 61.1% male: 71.8% female: 50.5% (2003 est.)
Location	Eastern Europe, northeast of Romania	Northern Africa, bordering the Red Sea, between Egypt and Eritrea
Map references	Europe	Africa
Maritime claims	none (landlocked)	territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 18 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
Merchant marine	total: 8 ships (1000 GRT or over) 15,668 GRT/17,585 DWT by type: cargo 8 foreign-owned: 3 (Ukraine 3) (2007)	total: 2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 20,466 GRT/26,973 DWT by type: cargo 1, livestock carrier 1 registered in other countries: 2 (2005)
Military branches	National Army: Ground Forces, Rapid Reaction Forces, Air and Air Defense Forces (2006)	Sudanese People's Armed Forces (SPAF): Army, Navy, Air Force, Popular Defense Force
Military expenditures - dollar figure	-	$587 million (2001 est.) (2004)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP	0.4% (2005 est.)	3% (1999) (2004)
National holiday	Independence Day, 27 August (1991)	Independence Day, 1 January (1956)
Nationality	noun: Moldovan(s) adjective: Moldovan	noun: Sudanese (singular and plural) adjective: Sudanese
Natural hazards	landslides (57 cases in 1998)	dust storms and periodic persistent droughts
Natural resources	lignite, phosphorites, gypsum, arable land, limestone	petroleum; small reserves of iron ore, copper, chromium ore, zinc, tungsten, mica, silver, gold, hydropower
Net migration rate	-1.13 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)	-0.02 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Pipelines	gas 1,980 km (2007)	gas 156 km; oil 2,365 km; refined products 810 km (2004)
Political parties and leaders	Christian Democratic People's Party or PPCD [Iurie ROSCA]; Communist Party of the Republic of Moldova or PCRM [Vladimir VORONIN]; Democratic Party or PD [Dumitru DIACOV]; Liberal Democratic Party or PLDM [Vladmir FILAT]; National Liberal Party or PNL [Vitalia PAVLICENKO]; Our Moldova Alliance or AMN [Serafim URECHEAN]; Party for Social Democracy or PDSM [Dumitru BRAGHIS]; Social Liberal Party or PSL [Oleg SEREBRIAN]	the government allows political "associations" under a 1998 law revised in 2000; to obtain government approval parties must accept the constitution and refrain from advocating or using violence against the regime; approved parties include the National Congress Party or NCP [Ibrahim Ahmed UMAR], Popular National Congress or PNC [Hassan al-TURABI], and over 20 minor, pro-government parties
Political pressure groups and leaders	NA	Democratic Unionist Party [Muhammed Uthman AL-MIRGHANI]; National Democratic Alliance [Muhammed Uthman AL-MIRGHANI, chairman]; Sudan People's Liberation Movement/Army [Dr. John GARANG]; Umma Party [Sadiq al-MAHDI]
Population	4,320,490 (July 2007 est.)	40,187,486 (July 2005 est.)
Population below poverty line	29.5% (2005)	40% (2004 est.)
Population growth rate	-0.11% (2007 est.)	2.6% (2005 est.)
Ports and harbors	-	Port Sudan
Radio broadcast stations	AM 2, FM 29, shortwave NA (2006)	AM 12, FM 1, shortwave 1 (1998)
Railways	total: 1,138 km broad gauge: 1,124 km 1.520-m gauge standard gauge: 14 km 1.435-m gauge (2006)	total: 5,995 km narrow gauge: 4,595 km 1.067-m gauge; 1,400 km .600-m gauge for cotton plantations (2004)
Religions	Eastern Orthodox 98%, Jewish 1.5%, Baptist and other 0.5% (2000)	Sunni Muslim 70% (in north), indigenous beliefs 25%, Christian 5% (mostly in south and Khartoum)
Sex ratio	at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.053 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.941 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.591 male(s)/female total population: 0.912 male(s)/female (2007 est.)	at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.18 male(s)/female total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
Suffrage	18 years of age; universal	17 years of age; universal, but noncompulsory
Telephone system	general assessment: inadequate, outmoded, poor service outside Chisinau; some modernization is under way domestic: depending on location, new subscribers may face long wait for service; multiple private operators of GSM mobile cellular telephone service are operating; GPRS system is being introduced; a CDMA mobile telephone network began operations in 2007 international: country code - 373; service through Romania and Russia via landline; satellite earth stations - Intelsat, Eutelsat, and Intersputnik (2006)	general assessment: large, well-equipped system by regional standards and being upgraded; cellular communications started in 1996 and have expanded substantially domestic: consists of microwave radio relay, cable, radiotelephone communications, tropospheric scatter, and a domestic satellite system with 14 earth stations international: country code - 249; satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 1 Arabsat (2000)
Telephones - main lines in use	1.018 million (2006)	900,000 (2003)
Telephones - mobile cellular	1.358 million (2006)	650,000 (2003)
Television broadcast stations	40 (2006)	3 (1997)
Terrain	rolling steppe, gradual slope south to Black Sea	generally flat, featureless plain; mountains in far south, northeast and west; desert dominates the north
Total fertility rate	1.25 children born/woman (2007 est.)	4.85 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Unemployment rate	2.1%; note - roughly 25% of working age Moldovans are employed abroad (2007 est.)	18.7% (2002 est.)
Waterways	424 km (on Dniester and Prut rivers) (2007)	4,068 km (1,723 km open year round on White and Blue Nile rivers) (2004)

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