Introduction

Background: |  |

`
Part of Romania during the interwar period, Moldova was incorporated into the Soviet Union at the close of World War II. Although the country has been 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, Vladimir VORONIN, as its president in 2001. VORONIN served as Moldova's president until he resigned in September 2009, following the opposition's gain of a narrow majority in July parliamentary elections and the Communist Party's (PCRM) subsequent inability to attract the three-fifths of parliamentary votes required to elect a president. Moldova's four opposition parties formed a new coalition, the Alliance for European Integration (AIE), which acted as Moldova's governing coalition until December 2010. Moldova experienced significant political uncertainty in 2009 and 2010, holding three general elections (in April 2009, July 2009, and November 2010) and four presidential ballots in parliament, all of which failed to secure a president. Following the November 2010 parliamentary elections, a reconstituted AIE-coalition of three parties formed a government, but remains two votes short of the three-fifths majority required to elect a president.
`

Geography

Location: |  |
`Eastern Europe, northeast of Romania`
Geographic coordinates: |  |
`47 00 N, 29 00 E`
Map references: |  |
`Europe`
Area: |  |
`total: 33,851 sq km country comparison to the world: 139 land: 32,891 sq km water: 960 sq km`
Area - comparative: |  |
`slightly larger than Maryland`
Land boundaries: |  |
`total: 1,390 km border countries: Romania 450 km, Ukraine 940 km`
Coastline: |  |
`0 km (landlocked)`
Maritime claims: |  |
`none (landlocked)`
Climate: |  |
`moderate winters, warm summers`
Terrain: |  |
`rolling steppe, gradual slope south to Black Sea`
Elevation extremes: |  |
`lowest point: Dniester (Nistru) 2 m highest point: Dealul Balanesti 430 m`
Natural resources: |  |
`lignite, phosphorites, gypsum, arable land, limestone`
Land use: |  |
`arable land: 54.52% permanent crops: 8.81% other: 36.67% (2005)`
Irrigated land: |  |
`3,000 sq km (2003)`
Total renewable water resources: |  |
`11.7 cu km (1997)`
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic / industrial / agricultural): |  |
`total: 2.31 cu km/yr (10%/58%/33%) per capita: 549 cu m/yr (2000)`
Natural hazards: |  |
`landslides`
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`
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`
Geography - note: |  |
`landlocked; well endowed with various sedimentary rocks and minerals including sand, gravel, gypsum, and limestone`

People

Population: |  |
`4,314,377 (July 2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 124`
Age structure: |  |
`0-14 years: 15.5% (male 344,101/female 325,995) 15-64 years: 74% (male 1,550,386/female 1,643,108) 65 years and over: 10.4% (male 164,512/female 286,275) (2011 est.)`
Median age: |  |
`total: 35.4 years male: 33.5 years female: 37.4 years (2011 est.)`
Population growth rate: |  |
`-0.072% (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 202`
Birth rate: |  |
`11.16 births/1,000 population (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 173`
Death rate: |  |
`10.74 deaths/1,000 population (July 2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 43`
Net migration rate: |  |
`-1.13 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 151`
Urbanization: |  |
`urban population: 47% of total population (2010) rate of urbanization: 0.9% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)`
Major cities - population: |  |
`CHISINAU (capital) 650,000 (2009)`
Sex ratio: |  |
`at birth: 1.059 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.58 male(s)/female total population: 0.91 male(s)/female (2011 est.)`
Infant mortality rate: |  |
`total: 12.43 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 131 male: 13.85 deaths/1,000 live births female: 10.92 deaths/1,000 live births (2011 est.)`
Life expectancy at birth: |  |
`total population: 71.37 years country comparison to the world: 136 male: 67.68 years female: 75.28 years (2011 est.)`
Total fertility rate: |  |
`1.29 children born/woman (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 210`
HIV / AIDS - adult prevalence rate: |  |
`0.4% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 70`
HIV / AIDS - people living with HIV / AIDS: |  |
`12,000 (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 94`
HIV / AIDS - deaths: |  |
`fewer than 1,000 (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 76`
Drinking water source: |  |
`improved: urban: 96% of population rural: 85% of population total: 90% of population unimproved: urban: 4% of population rural: 15% of population total: 10% of population (2008)`
Sanitation facility access: |  |
`improved: urban: 85% of population rural: 74% of population total: 79% of population unimproved: urban: 15% of population rural: 26% of population total: 21% of population (2008)`
Nationality: |  |
`noun: Moldovan(s) adjective: Moldovan`
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`
Religions: |  |
`Eastern Orthodox 98%, Jewish 1.5%, Baptist and other 0.5% (2000)`
Languages: |  |
`Moldovan (official, virtually the same as the Romanian language), Russian, Gagauz (a Turkish dialect)`
Literacy: |  |
`definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99.1% male: 99.7% female: 98.6% (2005 est.)`
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education): |  |
`total: 12 years male: 12 years female: 12 years (2009)`
Education expenditures: |  |
`9.6% of GDP (2009) country comparison to the world: 7`

Government

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`
Government type: |  |
`republic`
Capital: |  |
`name: Chisinau in Romanian (Kishinev in Russian) note: pronounced KEE-shee-now (KIH-shi-nyev) 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`
Administrative divisions: |  |

`
32 raions (raioane, singular - raion), 3 municipalities (municipii, singular - 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 (Transnistria)
`

Independence: |  |
`27 August 1991 (from the Soviet Union)`
National holiday: |  |
`Independence Day, 27 August (1991)`
Constitution: |  |
`adopted 29 July 1994; effective 27 August 1994; note - replaced 1979 Soviet Constitution`
Legal system: |  |
`civil law system with Germanic law influences; Constitutional Court review of legislative acts`
International law organization participation: |  |
`has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction`
Suffrage: |  |
`18 years of age; universal`
Executive branch: |  |

`
chief of state: Acting President Marian LUPU (since 30 December 2010)
note: Vladimir VORONIN, president since 4 April 2001, resigned on 11 September 2009; during the first AEI government, Speaker of Parliament Mihai GHIMPU served as acting president; Marian LUPU, the Speaker of Parliament, is serving as acting president until new elections can be held
head of government: Prime Minister Vladimir FILAT (since 25 September 2009); reelected/confirmed on 14 January 2011
note: Vladimir Filat resigned on 27 December 2010, but was reappointed on 31 December 2010
cabinet: Cabinet selected by president, subject to approval of Parliament
(For more information visit theWorld Leaders website )
elections: president elected by Parliament for a four-year term (eligible for a second term); last successful election held on 4 April 2005, most recent (failed) election held on 10 December 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 (re)designated on 31 December 2010; the prime minister and cabinet received a vote of confidence 14 January 2011
election results: Vladimir VORONIN reelected president (2005); parliamentary votes - Vladimir VORONIN 75, Gheorghe DUCA 1; Vladimir FILAT (re)designated prime minister; parliamentary votes of confidence - 59 of 101
`

Legislative branch: |  |

`
unicameral Parliament or Parlamentul (101 seats; members elected on an at-large basis by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held on 28 November 2010 (next to be held in 2014, unless Parliament fails to elect a president); note - this was the third parliamentary election in less than two years; the earlier parliaments (elected 5 April 2009 and 29 July 2009) were dissolved after they could not agree on a presidential candidate
election results: percent of vote by party - PCRM 39.3%, PLDM 29.4%, PD 12.7%, PL 10%, other 8.6%; seats by party - PCRM 42, PLDM 32, PD 15, PL 12; note - the PLDM, PD, and PL governing coalition, termed the Alliance for European Integration, has 59 seats; it remains 2 votes short of the 61 needed to elect a new president
`

Judicial branch: |  |
`Supreme Court; Constitutional Court (the sole authority for constitutional judicature)`
Political parties and leaders: |  |

`
represented in Parliament: Communist Party of the Republic of Moldova or PCRM [Vladimir VORONIN]; Democratic Party or PD [Marian LUPU]; Liberal Democratic Party or PLDM [Vladimir FILAT]; Liberal Party or PL [Mihai GHIMPU]; Alliance for European Integration or AIE (coalition of the PD, PLDM, and PL)
not represented in Parliament: Christian Democratic People's Party or PPCD [Iurie ROSCA]; Conservative Party or PC [Natalia NIRCA]; Ecological Party of Moldova "Green Alliance" or PEMAVE [Vladimir BRAGA]; European Action Movement or MAE [Veaceslav UNTILA]; For Nation and Country Party or PpNT [Sergiu MOCANU]; Humanist Party of Moldova or PUM [Valeriu PASAT]; Labor Party or PM [Gheorghe SIMA]; National Liberal Party or PNL [Vitalia PAVLICENKO]; Our Moldova Alliance or AMN [Serafim URECHEAN]; Patriots of Moldova Party or PPM [Mihail GARBUZ]; Popular Republican Party or PPR [Nicolae ANDRONIC]; Republican Party of Moldova or PRM [Andrei STRATAN]; Roma Social Political Movement of the Republic of Moldova or MRRM [Ion BUCUR]; Social Democratic Party or PSD [Victor SELIN]; Social Political Movement "Equality" or MR [Valeriy KLIMENCO]; United Moldova Party or PMUEM [Vladimir TURCAN]
`

Political pressure groups and leaders: |  |
`NA`
International organization participation: |  |
`BSEC, CE, CEI, CIS, EAEC (observer), EAPC, EBRD, FAO, GCTU, GUAM, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, SECI, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO`
Diplomatic representation in the US: |  |
`chief of mission: Ambassador Igor MUNTEANU chancery: 2101 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 667-1130 FAX: [1] (202) 667-1204`
Diplomatic representation from the US: |  |
`chief of mission: Ambassador Asif J. CHAUDHRY embassy: 103 Mateevici Street, Chisinau MD-2009 mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [373] (22) 40-8300 FAX: [373] (22) 23-3044`
Flag description: |  |

`
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 aurochs head, star, rose, and crescent all in black-outlined yellow; based on the color scheme of the flag of Romania - with which Moldova shares a history and culture - but Moldova's blue band is lighter; the reverse of the flag does not display any coat of arms
note: one of only three national flags that differ on their obverse and reverse sides - the others are Paraguay and Saudi Arabia
`

National anthem: |  |
`name: "Limba noastra" (Our Language) lyrics/music: Alexei MATEEVICI/Alexandru CRISTEA note: adopted 1994`

Economy

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. In January 2009, gas supplies were cut during a dispute between Russia and Ukraine. Russia's decision to ban Moldovan wine and agricultural products, coupled with its decision to double the price Moldova paid for Russian natural gas, have hurt growth. The onset of the global financial crisis and poor economic conditions in Moldova's main foreign markets caused GDP to fall 6% in 2009. Unemployment almost doubled and inflation disappeared - at -0.1%, a record low. Moldova's IMF agreement expired in May 2009. In fall 2009, the IMF allocated $186 million to Moldova to cover its immediate budgetary needs, and the government signed a new agreement with the IMF in January 2010 for a program worth $574 million. In 2010, an upturn in the world economy boosted GDP growth to 6.5% and inflation to 7.3%. 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, 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 has made a modest recovery, but remains vulnerable to political uncertainty, weak administrative capacity, vested bureaucratic interests, higher fuel prices, poor agricultural weather, and the skepticism of foreign investors as well as the presence of an illegal separatist regime in Moldova's Transnistria region.
`

GDP (purchasing power parity): |  |
`$10.99 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 149 $10.28 billion (2009 est.) $10.93 billion (2008 est.) note: data are in 2010 US dollars`
GDP (official exchange rate): |  |
`$5.81 billion (2010 est.)`
GDP - real growth rate: |  |
`6.9% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 38 -6% (2009 est.) 7.8% (2008 est.)`
GDP - per capita (PPP): |  |
`$2,500 (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 177 $2,400 (2009 est.) $2,500 (2008 est.) note: data are in 2010 US dollars`
GDP - composition by sector: |  |
`agriculture: 16.3% industry: 20.1% services: 63.6% (2010 est.)`
Labor force: |  |
`1.203 million (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 138`
Labor force - by occupation: |  |
`agriculture: 40.6% industry: 16% services: 43.3% (2005)`
Unemployment rate: |  |
`6.5% (3rd quarter, 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 64 3.1% (2009 est.)`
Population below poverty line: |  |
`26.3% (2009)`
Household income or consumption by percentage share: |  |
`lowest 10%: 3% highest 10%: 28.2% (2004)`
Distribution of family income - Gini index: |  |
`37.4 (2007) country comparison to the world: 75 33.2 (2003)`
Investment (gross fixed): |  |
`21.7% of GDP (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 71`
Budget: |  |
`revenues: $2.164 billion expenditures: $2.462 billion (2010 est.)`
Public debt: |  |
`25% of GDP (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 100 28.9% of GDP (2009)`
Inflation rate (consumer prices): |  |
`7.3% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 180 -0.1% (2009 est.)`
Commercial bank prime lending rate: |  |
`20.54% (31 December 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 15 21.06% (31 December 2008 est.)`
Stock of narrow money: |  |
`$1.293 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 130 $1.073 billion (31 December 2009 est.)`
Stock of broad money: |  |
`$2.038 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 141 $1.702 billion (31 December 2009 est.)`
Stock of domestic credit: |  |
`$2.097 billion (31 December 2010) country comparison to the world: 125 $1.823 billion (31 December 2009)`
Market value of publicly traded shares: |  |
`$573.9 million (2004)`
Agriculture - products: |  |
`vegetables, fruits, grapes, grain, sugar beets, sunflower seed, tobacco; beef, milk; wine`
Industries: |  |
`sugar, vegetable oil, food processing, agricultural machinery; foundry equipment, refrigerators and freezers, washing machines; hosiery, shoes, textiles`
Industrial production growth rate: |  |
`7% (2010) country comparison to the world: 43`
Electricity - production: |  |
`3.617 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 122`
Electricity - consumption: |  |
`4.37 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 116`
Electricity - exports: |  |
`240 million kWh (2007 est.)`
Electricity - imports: |  |
`2.931 billion kWh (2007 est.)`
Oil - production: |  |
`0 bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 200`
Oil - consumption: |  |
`19,000 bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 125`
Oil - exports: |  |
`36.49 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 135`
Oil - imports: |  |
`14,230 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 130`
Oil - proved reserves: |  |
`0 bbl (1 January 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 158`
Natural gas - production: |  |
`60,000 cu m (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 92`
Natural gas - consumption: |  |
`3.176 billion cu m (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 72`
Natural gas - exports: |  |
`0 cu m (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 135`
Natural gas - imports: |  |
`3.176 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 40`
Natural gas - proved reserves: |  |
`0 cu m (1 January 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 159`
Current account balance: |  |
`$-565 million (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 119 $-439.3 million (2009)`
Exports: |  |
`$1.45 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 140 $1.297 billion (2009)`
Exports - commodities: |  |
`foodstuffs, textiles, machinery`
Exports - partners: |  |
`Russia 23.77%, Italy 14.11%, Romania 12.74%, Germany 6.92%, Turkey 6.08%, Belarus 5.38% (2009)`
Imports: |  |
`$3.66 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 132 $3.278 billion (2009 est.)`
Imports - commodities: |  |
`mineral products and fuel, machinery and equipment, chemicals, textiles`
Imports - partners: |  |
`Ukraine 19.9%, Romania 15.1%, Russia 14.52%, Germany 8.69%, Italy 5.7%, Belarus 4.38% (2009)`
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: |  |
`$1.71 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 108 $1.48 billion (31 December 2009 est.)`
Debt - external: |  |
`$4.618 billion (30 September 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 109 $4.364 billion (31 December 2009 est.)`
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home: |  |
`$2.649 billion (1 January 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 87 $1.813 billion (2008)`
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad: |  |
`$62.44 million (1 January 2010) country comparison to the world: 82`
Exchange rates: |  |
`Moldovan lei (MDL) per US dollar - 12.37 (2010) 11.11 (2009) 10.326 (2008) 12.177 (2007) 13.131 (2006)`

Communications

Telephones - main lines in use: |  |
`1.139 million (2009) country comparison to the world: 73`
Telephones - mobile cellular: |  |
`2.785 million (2009) country comparison to the world: 116`
Telephone system: |  |

`
general assessment: 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; combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity 90 per 100 persons
international: country code - 373; service through Romania and Russia via landline; satellite earth stations - at least 3 (Intelsat, Eutelsat, and Intersputnik) (2009)
`

Broadcast media: |  |
`state-owned national radio-TV broadcaster operates 2 television and 2 radio stations; a total of nearly 40 terrestrial TV channels and some 50 radio stations are in operation; Russian and Romanian channels also are available (2007)`
Internet country code: |  |
`.md`
Internet hosts: |  |
`492,181 (2010) country comparison to the world: 50`
Internet users: |  |
`1.333 million (2009) country comparison to the world: 89`

Transportation

Airports: |  |
`11 (2010) country comparison to the world: 154`
Airports - with paved runways: |  |
`total: 5 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2010)`
Airports - with unpaved runways: |  |
`total: 6 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 under 914 m: 3 (2010)`
Pipelines: |  |
`gas 1,906 km (2010)`
Railways: |  |
`total: 1,190 km country comparison to the world: 85 broad gauge: 1,176 km 1.520-m gauge standard gauge: 14 km 1.435-m gauge (2010)`
Roadways: |  |
`total: 9,343 km country comparison to the world: 137 paved: 8,810 km unpaved: 533 km (2008)`
Waterways: |  |
`558 km (in public use on Danube, Dniester and Prut rivers) (2008) country comparison to the world: 83`
Merchant marine: |  |
`total: 107 country comparison to the world: 48 by type: bulk carrier 7, cargo 89, chemical tanker 2, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 6 foreign-owned: 63 (Belgium 2, Egypt 5, Greece 4, Israel 4, Lebanon 1, Romania 2, Russia 5, Syria 3, Turkey 18, UK 6, Ukraine 12, Yemen 1) (2010)`

Military

Military branches: |  |
`National Army: Land Forces Command (includes special forces), Air Forces Command (includes air defense unit), Logistics Command (2010)`
Military service age and obligation: |  |
`18 years of age for compulsory military service; 17 years of age for voluntary service; male registration required at age 16; 12-month service obligation (2009)`
Manpower available for military service: |  |
`males age 16-49: 1,143,440 females age 16-49: 1,156,958 (2010 est.)`
Manpower fit for military service: |  |
`males age 16-49: 875,224 females age 16-49: 969,903 (2010 est.)`
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually: |  |
`male: 28,213 female: 26,614 (2010 est.)`
Military expenditures: |  |
`0.4% of GDP (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 165`

Transnational Issues

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`
Trafficking in persons: |  |

`
current situation: Moldova is a major source and, to a lesser extent, a transit country for women and girls trafficked for the purpose of commercial sexual exploitation; Moldovan women are trafficked to the Middle East, Eastern Europe, and Western Europe; girls and young women are trafficked within the country from rural areas to Chisinau; children are also trafficked to neighboring countries for forced labor and begging; labor trafficking of men to work in the construction, agriculture, and service sectors of Russia is increasingly a problem; according to an ILO report, Moldova's national Bureau of Statistics estimated that there were likely over 25,000 Moldovan victims of trafficking for forced labor in 2008
tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - The Government of Moldova does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; however, it is making significant efforts to do so; despite initial efforts to combat trafficking-related complicity since the government's reassessment on the Tier 2 Watch List in September 2008, and increased victim assistance, the government did not demonstrate sufficiently meaningful efforts to curb trafficking-related corruption, which is a government-acknowledged problem in Moldova; the government improved victim protection efforts, deployed more law-enforcement officers in the effort and contributed direct financial assistance toward victim protection and assistance for the first time (2010)
`

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`

PAGE LAST UPDATED ON JUNE 7, 2011