Economic aid: recipient: ODA, $NA note: commitments, $1,335 million ($500 million disbursements), 1992-95

Currency: the Moldovan leu (MLD) (plural lei) was introduced in late 1993

Exchange rates: lei (MLD) per US$1 (end of period) - 4.6870 (January 1997), 4.6743 (1996), 4.4990 (1995), 4.2700 (1994), 3.6400 (1993), 0.4145 (1992); period average - 4.6121 (August 1996), 4.4958 (1995)

Fiscal year: calendar year

@Moldova:Communications

Telephones: 600,000 (1996 est.)

Telephone system: telecommunication system not well developed; 215,000 unsatisfied requests for telephone service (1991 est.); in early 1997, Chisinau was considering privatizing its state-owned telephone company domestic: NA international: international connections to other former Soviet republics by landline and microwave radio relay through Ukraine and to other countries by leased connections to the Moscow international gateway switch; satellite earth stations - 1 Eutelsat and 1 Intelsat

Radio broadcast stations: AM 9, FM 5, shortwave NA (1994)

Radios: NA

Television broadcast stations: 2 (one national and one private) (1995)