Elevation extremes: lowest point: Dniester River 2 m highest point: Dealul Balanesti 430 m
Natural resources: lignite, phosphorites, gypsum, arable land, limestone
Land use: arable land: 55.3% permanent crops: 10.79% other: 33.91% (2001)
Irrigated land:
3,070 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:
landslides (57 cases in 1998)
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
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 Moldova
Population:
4,455,421 (July 2005 est.)