@Moldova, Economy
Overview:
Moldova has pushed ahead boldly on economic reform since gaining its
independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. It introduced a
convertible currency - the leu - in late 1993 that has remained stable
against the dollar, removed price controls on most products,
eliminated licenses and quotas on most imports and exports, and freed
interest rates. In 1994, Moldova aims to privatize at least one-third
of state enterprises, lower inflation to 1% per month, and reduce the
budget deficit to 3.5% of GDP. Moldova enjoys a favorable climate and
good farmland but has no major mineral deposits. As a result,
Moldova's economy is primarily based on agriculture, featuring fruits,
vegetables, wine, and tobacco. Moldova, however, must import all of
its supplies of oil, coal, and natural gas, and energy shortages have
contributed to sharp production declines since the break-up of the
Soviet Union. Activities by separatist groups in the Dniester region
have held back economic development in that area. Foreign economic
assistance has been a tangible plus for Moldova, whereas direct
foreign investment has been lacking.
National product:
GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $16.3 billion (1993 estimate from
the UN International Comparison Program, as extended to 1991 and
published in the World Bank's World Development Report 1993; and as
extrapolated to 1993 using official Moldovan statistics, which are
very uncertain because of major economic changes since 1990)
National product real growth rate:
-4% (1993 est.)
National product per capita:
$3,650 (1993 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
30% per month (1993)
Unemployment rate:
less than 1% (includes only officially registered unemployed; large
numbers of underemployed workers)
Budget:
revenues:
$NA
expenditures:
$NA, including capital expenditures of $NA
note:
budget deficit for 1993 approximately 6% of GDP
Exports:
$108 million to outside the FSU countries (January-September 1993);
over 70% of exports go to FSU countries
commodities:
foodstuffs, wine, tobacco, textiles and footwear, machinery, chemicals
(1991)
partners:
Russia, Kazakhstan, Ukraine, Romania, Germany
Imports:
$145 million from outside the FSU countries (January-September 1993);
over 70% of imports are from FSU countries
commodities:
oil, gas, coal, steel machinery, foodstuffs, automobiles, and other
consumer durables
partners:
Russia, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Romania, Germany
External debt:
$325 million (end of 1993)
Industrial production:
growth rate -10% (1993)
Electricity:
capacity:
3,115,000 kW
production:
11.1 billion kWh
consumption per capita:
2,491 kWh (1992)
Industries:
key products are canned food, agricultural machinery, foundry
equipment, refrigerators and freezers, washing machines, hosiery,
refined sugar, vegetable oil, shoes, textiles
Agriculture:
Moldova's principal economic activity; products are vegetables,
fruits, wine, grain, sugar beets, sunflower seed, meat, milk, tobacco
Illicit drugs:
illicit cultivator of opium poppy and cannabis; mostly for CIS
consumption; transshipment point for illicit drugs to Western Europe
Economic aid:
recipient:
Joint EC-US loan (1993), $127 million; IMF STF credit (1993), $64
million; IMF stand-by loan (1993), $72 million; US commitments
(1992-93), $61 million in humanitarian aid, $11 million in technical
assistance; World Bank loan (1993), $60 million; Russia (1993), 50
billion ruble credit; Romania (1993), 20 billion lei credit
Currency:
the leu (plural lei) was introduced in late 1993
Exchange rates:
NA
Fiscal year:
calendar year
@Moldova, Communications
Railroads:
1,150 km; does not include industrial lines (1990)
Highways:
total:
20,000 km
paved or gravelled:
13,900 km
unpaved:
earth 6,100 km (1990)
Pipelines:
natural gas 310 km (1992)
Ports:
none; landlocked
Airports:
total:
26
usable:
15
with permanent-surface runways:
6
with runways over 3,659 m:
0
with runways 2,440-3,659 m:
5
with runways 1,060-2,439 m:
8
note:
a C-130 can land on a 1,060-m airstrip
Telecommunications:
The telecommunication system of Moldova is not well developed; number
of telephone subscribers 577,000 (1991); number of subscribers per
1,000 persons 134 (1991); number of unsuccessful requests for
telephone service 215,000 (1991); international connections to the
other former Soviet republics by land line and microwave radio relay
through Ukraine, and to other countries by leased connections to the
Moscow international gateway switch; 2 satellite earth stations - 1
EUTELSAT and 1 INTELSAT; broadcast services NA
@Moldova, Defense Forces
Branches:
Ground Forces, Air and Air Defence Force, Security Forces (internal
and border troops)
Manpower availability:
males age 15-49 1,098,156; fit for military service 869,866; reach
military age (18) annually 35,814 (1994 est.)
Defense expenditures:
$NA, NA% of GDP
@Monaco, Geography
Location:
Western Europe, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, in southern France
near the border with Italy
Map references:
Europe, Standard Time Zones of the World
Area:
total area:
1.9 sq km
land area:
1.9 sq km
comparative area:
about three times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
total 4.4 km, France 4.4 km
Coastline:
4.1 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea:
12 nm
International disputes:
none
Climate:
Mediterranean with mild, wet winters and hot, dry summers
Terrain:
hilly, rugged, rocky
Natural resources:
none
Land use:
arable land:
0%
permanent crops:
0%
meadows and pastures:
0%
forest and woodland:
0%
other:
100%
Irrigated land:
NA sq km
Environment:
current issues:
NA
natural hazards:
NA
international agreements:
party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Hazardous Wastes, Marine
Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling; signed, but
not ratified - Law of the Sea
Note:
second smallest independent state in world (after Holy See); almost
entirely urban
@Monaco, People
Population: 31,278 (July 1994 est.) Population growth rate: 0.81% (1994 est.) Birth rate: 10.71 births/1,000 population (1994 est.) Death rate: 12.21 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.) Net migration rate: 9.59 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.) Infant mortality rate: 7.2 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 77.69 years male: 73.94 years female: 81.64 years (1994 est.) Total fertility rate: 1.7 children born/woman (1994 est.) Nationality: noun: Monacan(s) or Monegasque(s) adjective: Monacan or Monegasque Ethnic divisions: French 47%, Monegasque 16%, Italian 16%, other 21% Religions: Roman Catholic 95% Languages: French (official), English, Italian, Monegasque Literacy: total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA% Labor force: NA