Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador John Todd STEWART embassy: Strada Alexei Mateevicie #103, Chisinau 277014 mailing address: use embassy street address; pouch address-American Embassy Chisinau, Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-7080 telephone: [373] (2) 23-37-72, RNX 548 (plus extension) FAX: [373] (2) 23-30-44
Flag description: same color scheme as Romania-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 ox head, star, rose, and crescent all in black-outlined yellow
@Moldova:Economy
Economy-overview: Moldova 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 all of its supplies of oil, coal, and natural gas, largely from Russia. Energy shortages contributed to sharp production declines after the breakup of the Soviet Union in 1991. The Moldovan Government has recently been making progress on an ambitious economic reform agenda. As part of its reform efforts, Moldova introduced a stable convertible currency, freed all prices, stopped issuing preferential credits to state enterprises and backed steady land privatization, removed export controls, and freed interest rates. The IMF has suspended payment on Moldova's Extended Fund Facility since November 1997, due to concerns about the budget deficit and money supply growth. In late December Parliament agreed to a lower 1998 budget deficit to address IMF and World Bank concerns.
GDP: purchasing power parity-$10.8 billion (1997 est.)
GDP-real growth rate: -2% (1997 est.)
GDP-per capita: purchasing power parity-$2,400 (1997 est.)
GDP-composition by sector: agriculture: 42% industry: 36% services: 22% (1995)
Inflation rate-consumer price index: 11.2% (1997 est.)
Labor force: total: 2.42 million (1995) by occupation: agriculture 46.1%, industry 13.9%, other 40.0% (1996)