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. The poorest nation in Europe, Moldova became the first former Soviet state to elect a Communist as its president in 2001.
Full Name: Republic of Moldova
Area: 33,843 sq km (land: 33,371 sq km , water: 472 sq km)
Population: 4,317,483 (July 2010 est.)
Capital City: Chisinau (Kishinev)
People: 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
Language: Moldovan (official, virtually the same as the Romanian language), Russian, Gagauz (a Turkish dialect)
Religion: Eastern Orthodox 98%, Jewish 1.5%, Baptist and other 0.5% (2000)
Government Type: Republic
Chief of State Acting President Mihai GHIMPU (since 11 September 2009)
note: Vladimir VORONIN, president since 4 April 2001, resigned on 11 September 2009; Mihai GHIMPU, the Speaker of Parliament, is serving as acting president until new elections can be held, possibly in 2010; the parliament twice failed to elect a president in 2009 and must wait until at least late 2010 to dissolve itself and hold new presidential elections, given that the constitution forbids parliament from being dissolved more than twice in a 12-month period
Head of Government: Prime Minister Vladimir FILAT (since 25 September 2009); Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration Iurie LEANCA (since 25 September 2009), Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy Valeriu LAZAR (since 25 September 2009), Deputy Prime Minister Ion NEGREI (since 25 September 2009) and Deputy Prime Minister Victor OSIPOV (since 25 September 2009)
GDP: $US 9.956 billion (2009 est.)
GDP per Capita: $US 2,300 (2009 est.)
Inflation: -0.1% (2009 est.)
Unemployment: 3.1% (2009 est.)
Industries: Sugar, vegetable oil, food processing, agricultural machinery; foundry equipment, refrigerators and freezers, washing machines; hosiery, shoes, textiles
Currency: Moldovan leu (MDL)
Member of EU: No
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Info provided by the CIA World Factbook
Updated 10/2010
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