Country name:
Official form: Republic of Moldova (Republica Moldova)
Short form: Moldova
Former: Moldovan Soviet Socialist Republic

Language:
Official language: Romanian, officially called Moldovan (though it is a Romanian dialect)
Recognized regional languages: Russian, Gagauz, Ukrainian

Geography:

Climate: moderate winters, warm summers
Location: Eastern Europe
Geographic coordinates: 47 00 N, 29 00 E
Capital: Chişinău (Kishinev): 700,000

Other cities:
Tiraspol: 130,000
Bălţi: 120,000
Bender: 94,000

Area:
Total: 33,843 sq km
Land: 33,371 sq km
Water: 472 sq km

Land boundaries: total: 1,389 km
Border countries: Romania 450 km, Ukraine 939 km

Government:

Type: Republic (since 1991)
Independence: August 27, 1991 (from Soviet Union)
Head of State: President Vladimir Voronin
Head of Government: Prime Minister Zinaida Greceanîi
Constitution: new constitution adopted on July 29, 1994, effective on August 27, 1994; it replaced the old Soviet constitution of 1979
Judicial branch: Supreme Court; Constitutional Court (the sole authority for constitutional judicature)
Military branches: National Army: Ground Forces, Rapid Reaction Forces, Air and Air Defense Forces (2008)

Administrative divisions: 32 raions (raioane), 3 municipalities (municipiul), 1 autonomous territorial unit (unitatea teritoriala autonoma), and 1 territorial unit (unitatea teritoriala)
municipalities: Chişinău, Bălţi, Bender
autonomous territorial unit: Gagauzia
territorial unit: Transnistria (full name: Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic)

Population:

Population: 3,300,000; plus 1,000,000 abroad (2008 est.)
Population Density: 127.2 per sq km
Population growth rate: -0.092% (2008 est.)
Birth rate: 11.01 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate: 10.8 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Life expectancy: 65 years (men), 72 years (women)

Ethnic groups:
Moldovan 78.2%, Ukrainian 8.4%, Russian 5.8%, Gagauz 4.4%, Bulgarian 1.9%, other 1.3% (2004 census)

Religions:
Eastern Orthodox 98%, Jewish 1.5%, Baptist and other 0.5%

Economy:

GDP:
total: $9.821 billion
per capita: $2,900
GDP - real growth rate: 6% (2007 est.)
Public debt: 23.3% of GDP (2007 est.)
Inflation rate: 12.6% (2007 est.)

Exports:
$1.361 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)

Exports - partners:
Russia 20.8%, Romania 13.9%, Italy 10.7%, Ukraine 9.3%, Germany 9%, Poland 6.7%, Belarus 4.5% (2006)

Imports:
$3.677 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)

Imports - partners:
Russia 20%, Ukraine 15.8%, Romania 15%, Germany 8.8%, Italy 5.7%, Poland 4.1% (2006)

Agriculture - products:
vegetables, fruits, wine, grain, sugar beets, sunflower seed, tobacco; beef, milk

Industries:
sugar, vegetable oil, food processing, agricultural machinery; foundry equipment, refrigerators and freezers, washing machines; hosiery, shoes, textiles

Currency (code): Moldovan Leu (MDL)

Public holidays:

1 Jan New Year's Day
7 Jan Orthodox Christmas
8 Mar International Women's Day
28 Apr Orthodox Easter Monday
1 May Labour Day
9 May Victory and Commemoration Day
27 Aug Independence Day (National Holiday)
31 Aug Limba Noastră (National Language Day)