{
  "Introduction": {
    "Background": {
      "text": "<p>A large portion of present day Moldovan territory became a province of the Russian Empire in 1812 and then unified with Romania in 1918 in the aftermath of World War I. This territory was then incorporated into the Soviet Union at the close of World War II. Although Moldova has been independent from the Soviet Union since 1991, Russian forces have remained on Moldovan territory east of the Nistru River in the breakaway region of Transnistria.</p> <p>Years of Communist Party rule in Moldova from 2001-09 ultimately ended with election-related violent protests and a rerun of parliamentary elections in 2009. A series of pro-Europe ruling coalitions governed Moldova from 2010-19, but pro-Russia Igor DODON won the presidency in 2016 and his Socialist Party of the Republic of Moldova won a plurality in the legislative election in 2019. Pro-EU reformist candidate Maia SANDU defeated DODON in his reelection bid in November 2020 and the Party of Action and Solidarity, which SANDU founded in 2015, won a parliamentary majority in an early legislative election in July 2021. Prime Minister Natalia GAVRILITA and her cabinet took office in August 2021. In February 2023, Moldova's parliament confirmed a new cabinet led by Prime Minister Dorin RECEAN, which retained the majority of the former ministers.</p> <p> </p>"
    }
  },
  "Geography": {
    "Location": {
      "text": "Eastern Europe, northeast of Romania"
    },
    "Geographic coordinates": {
      "text": "47 00 N, 29 00 E"
    },
    "Map references": {
      "text": "Europe"
    },
    "Area": {
      "total": {
        "text": "33,851 sq km"
      },
      "land": {
        "text": "32,891 sq km"
      },
      "water": {
        "text": "960 sq km"
      }
    },
    "Area - comparative": {
      "text": "slightly larger than Maryland"
    },
    "Land boundaries": {
      "total": {
        "text": "1,885 km"
      },
      "border countries": {
        "text": "Romania 683 km; Ukraine 1202 km"
      }
    },
    "Coastline": {
      "text": "0 km (landlocked)"
    },
    "Maritime claims": {
      "text": "none (landlocked)"
    },
    "Climate": {
      "text": "moderate winters, warm summers"
    },
    "Terrain": {
      "text": "rolling steppe, gradual slope south to Black Sea"
    },
    "Elevation": {
      "highest point": {
        "text": "Dealul Balanesti 430 m"
      },
      "lowest point": {
        "text": "Dniester (Nistru) 2 m"
      },
      "mean elevation": {
        "text": "139 m"
      }
    },
    "Natural resources": {
      "text": "lignite, phosphorites, gypsum, limestone, arable land"
    },
    "Land use": {
      "agricultural land": {
        "text": "74.9% (2018 est.)"
      },
      "agricultural land: arable land": {
        "text": "arable land: 55.1% (2018 est.)"
      },
      "agricultural land: permanent crops": {
        "text": "permanent crops: 9.1% (2018 est.)"
      },
      "agricultural land: permanent pasture": {
        "text": "permanent pasture: 10.7% (2018 est.)"
      },
      "forest": {
        "text": "11.9% (2018 est.)"
      },
      "other": {
        "text": "13.2% (2018 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Irrigated land": {
      "text": "2,155 sq km (2020)"
    },
    "Major rivers (by length in km)": {
      "text": "Danube (shared with Germany [s], Austria, Slovakia, Czechia, Hungary, Croatia, Serbia, Bulgaria, Ukraine, and Romania [m]) - 2,888 km; Dniester (shared with Ukraine [s/m]) - 1,411 km<br><strong>note</strong> – [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth"
    },
    "Major watersheds (area sq km)": {
      "text": "Atlantic Ocean drainage: <em>(Black Sea)</em> Danube (795,656 sq km)"
    },
    "Population distribution": {
      "text": "pockets of agglomeration exist throughout the country, the largest being in the center of the country around the capital of Chisinau, followed by Tiraspol and Balti"
    },
    "Natural hazards": {
      "text": "landslides"
    },
    "Geography - note": {
      "text": "landlocked; well endowed with various sedimentary rocks and minerals including sand, gravel, gypsum, and limestone"
    }
  },
  "People and Society": {
    "Population": {
      "text": "3,250,532 (2023 est.)"
    },
    "Nationality": {
      "noun": {
        "text": "Moldovan(s)"
      },
      "adjective": {
        "text": "Moldovan"
      }
    },
    "Ethnic groups": {
      "text": "Moldovan 75.1%, Romanian 7%, Ukrainian 6.6%, Gagauz 4.6%, Russian 4.1%, Bulgarian 1.9%, other 0.8% (2014 est.)"
    },
    "Languages": {
      "Languages": {
        "text": "Moldovan/Romanian 80.2% (official) (56.7% identify their mother tongue as Moldovan, which is virtually the same as Romanian; 23.5% identify Romanian as their mother tongue), Russian 9.7%, Gagauz 4.2% (a Turkish language), Ukrainian 3.9%, Bulgarian 1.5%, Romani 0.3%, other 0.2% (2014 est.); note - data represent mother tongue; as of March 2023, Romanian replaced Moldovan as the name of Moldova's official language"
      },
      "major-language sample(s)": {
        "text": "<br>Cartea informativa a lumii, sursa indispensabila pentru informatii de baza. (Moldovan/Romanian)<br><br>The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information."
      }
    },
    "Religions": {
      "text": "Orthodox 90.1%, other Christian 2.6%, other 0.1%, agnostic &lt;0.1%, atheist 0.2%, unspecified 6.9% (2014 est.)"
    },
    "Age structure": {
      "0-14 years": {
        "text": "18.01% (male 301,432/female 284,034)"
      },
      "15-64 years": {
        "text": "66.37% (male 1,087,397/female 1,069,902)"
      },
      "65 years and over": {
        "text": "15.62% (2023 est.) (male 203,889/female 303,878)"
      }
    },
    "Dependency ratios": {
      "total dependency ratio": {
        "text": "39.6"
      },
      "youth dependency ratio": {
        "text": "29.7"
      },
      "elderly dependency ratio": {
        "text": "20.4"
      },
      "potential support ratio": {
        "text": "4.9 (2021 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Median age": {
      "total": {
        "text": "37.7 years"
      },
      "male": {
        "text": "36.2 years"
      },
      "female": {
        "text": "39.5 years (2020 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Population growth rate": {
      "text": "-1.14% (2023 est.)"
    },
    "Birth rate": {
      "text": "9.94 births/1,000 population (2023 est.)"
    },
    "Death rate": {
      "text": "12.51 deaths/1,000 population (2023 est.)"
    },
    "Net migration rate": {
      "text": "-8.8 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2023 est.)"
    },
    "Population distribution": {
      "text": "pockets of agglomeration exist throughout the country, the largest being in the center of the country around the capital of Chisinau, followed by Tiraspol and Balti"
    },
    "Urbanization": {
      "urban population": {
        "text": "43.4% of total population (2023)"
      },
      "rate of urbanization": {
        "text": "0.09% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Major urban areas - population": {
      "text": "488,000 CHISINAU (capital) (2023)"
    },
    "Sex ratio": {
      "at birth": {
        "text": "1.06 male(s)/female"
      },
      "0-14 years": {
        "text": "1.06 male(s)/female"
      },
      "15-64 years": {
        "text": "1.02 male(s)/female"
      },
      "65 years and over": {
        "text": "0.67 male(s)/female"
      },
      "total population": {
        "text": "0.96 male(s)/female (2023 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Mother's mean age at first birth": {
      "text": "25.2 years (2019 est.)"
    },
    "Maternal mortality ratio": {
      "text": "12 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)"
    },
    "Infant mortality rate": {
      "total": {
        "text": "11.38 deaths/1,000 live births"
      },
      "male": {
        "text": "13.29 deaths/1,000 live births"
      },
      "female": {
        "text": "9.35 deaths/1,000 live births (2023 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Life expectancy at birth": {
      "total population": {
        "text": "72.72 years"
      },
      "male": {
        "text": "68.9 years"
      },
      "female": {
        "text": "76.77 years (2023 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Total fertility rate": {
      "text": "1.59 children born/woman (2023 est.)"
    },
    "Gross reproduction rate": {
      "text": "0.77 (2023 est.)"
    },
    "Contraceptive prevalence rate": {
      "text": "56% (2020)"
    },
    "Drinking water source": {
      "improved: urban": {
        "text": "urban: 98.9% of population"
      },
      "improved: rural": {
        "text": "rural: 87% of population"
      },
      "improved: total": {
        "text": "total: 92.1% of population"
      },
      "unimproved: urban": {
        "text": "urban: 1.1% of population"
      },
      "unimproved: rural": {
        "text": "rural: 13% of population"
      },
      "unimproved: total": {
        "text": "total: 7.9% of population (2020 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Current health expenditure": {
      "text": "6.8% of GDP (2020)"
    },
    "Physicians density": {
      "text": "3.1 physicians/1,000 population (2020)"
    },
    "Hospital bed density": {
      "text": "5.7 beds/1,000 population (2014)"
    },
    "Sanitation facility access": {
      "improved: urban": {
        "text": "urban: 99% of population"
      },
      "improved: rural": {
        "text": "rural: 83.1% of population"
      },
      "improved: total": {
        "text": "total: 89.9% of population"
      },
      "unimproved: urban": {
        "text": "urban: 1% of population"
      },
      "unimproved: rural": {
        "text": "rural: 16.9% of population"
      },
      "unimproved: total": {
        "text": "total: 10.1% of population (2020 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Obesity - adult prevalence rate": {
      "text": "18.9% (2016)"
    },
    "Alcohol consumption per capita": {
      "total": {
        "text": "7.45 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)"
      },
      "beer": {
        "text": "1.53 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)"
      },
      "wine": {
        "text": "3.57 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)"
      },
      "spirits": {
        "text": "2.25 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)"
      },
      "other alcohols": {
        "text": "0.1 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Tobacco use": {
      "total": {
        "text": "29% (2020 est.)"
      },
      "male": {
        "text": "51.7% (2020 est.)"
      },
      "female": {
        "text": "6.2% (2020 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Children under the age of 5 years underweight": {
      "text": "2.2% (2012)"
    },
    "Currently married women (ages 15-49)": {
      "text": "67% (2023 est.)"
    },
    "Education expenditures": {
      "text": "6.4% of GDP (2020 est.)"
    },
    "Literacy": {
      "definition": {
        "text": "age 15 and over can read and write"
      },
      "total population": {
        "text": "99.6%"
      },
      "male": {
        "text": "99.7%"
      },
      "female": {
        "text": "99.5% (2021)"
      }
    },
    "School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)": {
      "total": {
        "text": "14 years"
      },
      "male": {
        "text": "14 years"
      },
      "female": {
        "text": "15 years (2021)"
      }
    },
    "Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)": {
      "total": {
        "text": "8.6%"
      },
      "male": {
        "text": "5.3%"
      },
      "female": {
        "text": "14.7% (2021 est.)"
      }
    }
  },
  "Environment": {
    "Environment - current issues": {
      "text": "heavy use of agricultural chemicals has contaminated soil and groundwater; extensive soil erosion and declining soil fertility from poor farming methods"
    },
    "Environment - international agreements": {
      "party to": {
        "text": "Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Heavy Metals, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands"
      },
      "signed, but not ratified": {
        "text": "Air Pollution-Multi-effect Protocol"
      }
    },
    "Climate": {
      "text": "moderate winters, warm summers"
    },
    "Land use": {
      "agricultural land": {
        "text": "74.9% (2018 est.)"
      },
      "agricultural land: arable land": {
        "text": "arable land: 55.1% (2018 est.)"
      },
      "agricultural land: permanent crops": {
        "text": "permanent crops: 9.1% (2018 est.)"
      },
      "agricultural land: permanent pasture": {
        "text": "permanent pasture: 10.7% (2018 est.)"
      },
      "forest": {
        "text": "11.9% (2018 est.)"
      },
      "other": {
        "text": "13.2% (2018 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Urbanization": {
      "urban population": {
        "text": "43.4% of total population (2023)"
      },
      "rate of urbanization": {
        "text": "0.09% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Revenue from forest resources": {
      "text": "0.26% of GDP (2018 est.)"
    },
    "Revenue from coal": {
      "text": "0% of GDP (2018 est.)"
    },
    "Air pollutants": {
      "particulate matter emissions": {
        "text": "15.97 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.)"
      },
      "carbon dioxide emissions": {
        "text": "5.12 megatons (2016 est.)"
      },
      "methane emissions": {
        "text": "3.29 megatons (2020 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Waste and recycling": {
      "municipal solid waste generated annually": {
        "text": "3,981,200 tons (2015 est.)"
      },
      "municipal solid waste recycled annually": {
        "text": "609,920 tons (2015 est.)"
      },
      "percent of municipal solid waste recycled": {
        "text": "15.3% (2015 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Major rivers (by length in km)": {
      "text": "Danube (shared with Germany [s], Austria, Slovakia, Czechia, Hungary, Croatia, Serbia, Bulgaria, Ukraine, and Romania [m]) - 2,888 km; Dniester (shared with Ukraine [s/m]) - 1,411 km<br><strong>note</strong> – [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth"
    },
    "Major watersheds (area sq km)": {
      "text": "Atlantic Ocean drainage: <em>(Black Sea)</em> Danube (795,656 sq km)"
    },
    "Total water withdrawal": {
      "municipal": {
        "text": "160 million cubic meters (2020 est.)"
      },
      "industrial": {
        "text": "580 million cubic meters (2020 est.)"
      },
      "agricultural": {
        "text": "60 million cubic meters (2020 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Total renewable water resources": {
      "text": "12.27 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)"
    }
  },
  "Government": {
    "Country name": {
      "conventional long form": {
        "text": "Republic of Moldova"
      },
      "conventional short form": {
        "text": "Moldova"
      },
      "local long form": {
        "text": "Republica Moldova"
      },
      "local short form": {
        "text": "Moldova"
      },
      "former": {
        "text": "Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic, Moldovan Soviet Socialist Republic"
      },
      "etymology": {
        "text": "named for the Moldova River in neighboring eastern Romania"
      }
    },
    "Government type": {
      "text": "parliamentary republic"
    },
    "Capital": {
      "name": {
        "text": "Chisinau in Romanian (Kishinev in Russian)"
      },
      "geographic coordinates": {
        "text": "47 00 N, 28 51 E"
      },
      "time difference": {
        "text": "UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)"
      },
      "daylight saving time": {
        "text": "+1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October"
      },
      "etymology": {
        "text": "origin unclear but may derive from the archaic Romanian word <em>chisla</em> (\"spring\" or \"water source\") and <em>noua</em> (\"new\") because the original settlement was built at the site of a small spring"
      },
      "note": "<strong>note:</strong> pronounced KEE-shee-now (KIH-shi-nyov)"
    },
    "Administrative divisions": {
      "text": "<p>32 raions (raioane, singular - raion), 3 municipalities (municipii, singular - municipiul), 1 autonomous territorial unit (unitatea teritoriala autonoma), and 1 territorial unit (unitatea teritoriala)</p> <p><strong>raions:</strong> Anenii Noi, Basarabeasca, Briceni, Cahul, Cantemir, Calarasi, Causeni, Cimislia, Criuleni, Donduseni, Drochia, Dubasari, Edinet, Falesti, Floresti, Glodeni, Hincesti, Ialoveni, Leova, Nisporeni, Ocnita, Orhei, Rezina, Riscani, Singerei, Soldanesti, Soroca, Stefan Voda, Straseni, Taraclia, Telenesti, Ungheni</p> <p><strong>municipalities:</strong> Balti, Bender, Chisinau</p> <p><strong>autonomous territorial unit:</strong> Gagauzia</p> <p><strong>territorial unit:</strong> Stinga Nistrului (Transnistria)</p>"
    },
    "Independence": {
      "text": "27 August 1991 (from the Soviet Union)"
    },
    "National holiday": {
      "text": "Independence Day, 27 August (1991)"
    },
    "Constitution": {
      "history": {
        "text": "previous 1978; latest adopted 29 July 1994, effective 27 August 1994"
      },
      "amendments": {
        "text": "proposed by voter petition (at least 200,000 eligible voters), by at least one third of Parliament members, or by the government; passage requires two-thirds majority vote of Parliament within one year of initial proposal; revisions to constitutional articles on sovereignty, independence, and neutrality require majority vote by referendum; articles on fundamental rights and freedoms cannot be amended; amended many times, last in 2018"
      }
    },
    "Legal system": {
      "text": "civil law system with Germanic law influences; Constitutional Court review of legislative acts"
    },
    "International law organization participation": {
      "text": "has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction"
    },
    "Citizenship": {
      "citizenship by birth": {
        "text": "no"
      },
      "citizenship by descent only": {
        "text": "at least one parent must be a citizen of Moldova"
      },
      "dual citizenship recognized": {
        "text": "no"
      },
      "residency requirement for naturalization": {
        "text": "10 years"
      }
    },
    "Suffrage": {
      "text": "18 years of age; universal"
    },
    "Executive branch": {
      "chief of state": {
        "text": "President Maia SANDU (since 24 December 2020)"
      },
      "head of government": {
        "text": "Prime Minister Dorin RECEAN (since 16 February 2023)"
      },
      "cabinet": {
        "text": "Cabinet proposed by the prime minister-designate, nominated by the president, approved through a vote of confidence in Parliament"
      },
      "elections/appointments": {
        "text": "president directly elected for a 4-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 15 November 2020 (next to be held in fall 2024); prime minister designated by the president upon consultation with Parliament; within 15 days from designation, the prime minister-designate must request a vote of confidence for his/her proposed work program from the Parliament"
      },
      "election results": {
        "text": "2020: Maia SANDU elected president; percent of vote (second round results) - Maia SANDU (PAS) 57.7%, Igor DODON (PSRM) 42.3%<br><br>2016: Igor DODON elected president; percent of vote 52.1%, and Maia SANDU 47.9%"
      }
    },
    "Legislative branch": {
      "description": {
        "text": "unicameral Parliament (101 seats; 51 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote and 50 members directly elected in a single, nationwide constituency by closed party-list proportional representation vote; all members serve 4-year terms"
      },
      "elections": {
        "text": "last held on 11 July 2021 (next scheduled in July 2025)"
      },
      "election results": {
        "text": "<em><br></em>2021<em>: </em>percent of vote by party - PAS 52.8%, BECS (PSRM+PCRM) 27.1%, SOR 5.7%; seats by party - PAS 63, BECS 32, SOR 6; composition as of April 2023 - men 62, women 39, percent of women 38.6%"
      }
    },
    "Judicial branch": {
      "highest court(s)": {
        "text": "Supreme Court of Justice (consists of the chief judge, 3 deputy-chief judges, 45 judges, and 7 assistant judges); Constitutional Court (consists of the court president and 6 judges); note - the Constitutional Court is autonomous to the other branches of government; the Court interprets the Constitution and reviews the constitutionality of parliamentary laws and decisions, decrees of the president, and acts of the government"
      },
      "judge selection and term of office": {
        "text": "Supreme Court of Justice judges appointed by the president upon the recommendation of the Superior Council of Magistracy, an 11-member body of judicial officials; all judges serve 4-year renewable terms; Constitutional Court judges appointed 2 each by Parliament, the president, and the Higher Council of Magistracy for 6-year terms; court president elected by other court judges for a 3-year term"
      },
      "subordinate courts": {
        "text": "Courts of Appeal; Court of Business Audit; municipal courts"
      }
    },
    "Political parties and leaders": {
      "text": "<p>Party of Action and Solidarity or PAS [Igor GROSU]<br>Communist Party or PCRM [Vladimir VORONIN]<br>Socialist Party or PSRM [Igor DODON]<br>SOR Party [llan SHOR]</p>"
    },
    "International organization participation": {
      "text": "BSEC, CD, CE, CEI, CIS, EAEU (observer), EAPC, EBRD, FAO, GCTU, GUAM, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, SELEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNMIL, UNMISS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO",
      "note": "<strong>note</strong>: Moldova is an EU candidate country whose satisfactory completion of accession criteria is required before being granted full EU membership"
    },
    "Diplomatic representation in the US": {
      "chief of mission": {
        "text": "Ambassador Viorel URSU (since 12 December 2022)"
      },
      "chancery": {
        "text": "2101 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008"
      },
      "telephone": {
        "text": "[1] (202) 667-1130"
      },
      "FAX": {
        "text": "[1] (202) 667-2624"
      },
      "email address and website": {
        "text": "<br>washington@mfa.gov.md<br><br>https://sua.mfa.gov.md/en"
      }
    },
    "Diplomatic representation from the US": {
      "chief of mission": {
        "text": "Ambassador Kent D. LOGSDON (since 16 February 2022)"
      },
      "embassy": {
        "text": "103 Mateevici Street, Chisinau MD-2009"
      },
      "mailing address": {
        "text": "7080 Chisinau Place, Washington DC&nbsp; 20521-7080"
      },
      "telephone": {
        "text": "[373] (22) 408-300"
      },
      "FAX": {
        "text": "[373] (22) 233-044"
      },
      "email address and website": {
        "text": "<br>ChisinauACS@state.gov<br><br>https://md.usembassy.gov/"
      }
    },
    "Flag description": {
      "text": "three equal vertical bands of Prussian blue (hoist side), chrome yellow, and vermilion red; emblem in center of flag is of a Roman eagle of dark gold (brown) 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 aurochs head, star, rose, and crescent all in black-outlined yellow; based on the color scheme of the flag of Romania - with which Moldova shares a history and culture - but Moldova's blue band is lighter; the reverse of the flag displays a mirrored image of the coat of arms",
      "note": "<strong>note:</strong> one of only three national flags that differ on their obverse and reverse sides - the others are Paraguay and Saudi Arabia"
    },
    "National symbol(s)": {
      "text": "aurochs (a type of wild cattle); national colors: blue, yellow, red"
    },
    "National anthem": {
      "name": {
        "text": "\"Limba noastra\" (Our Language)"
      },
      "lyrics/music": {
        "text": "Alexei MATEEVICI/Alexandru CRISTEA"
      },
      "note": "<strong>note:</strong> adopted 1994"
    },
    "National heritage": {
      "total World Heritage Sites": {
        "text": "1 (cultural)"
      },
      "selected World Heritage Site locales": {
        "text": "Struve Geodetic Arc"
      }
    }
  },
  "Economy": {
    "Economic overview": {
      "text": "upper middle-income Eastern European economy; sustained growth reversed by COVID-19; significant remittances; Russian energy and regional dependence; agricultural exporter; declining workforce due to emigration and low fertility"
    },
    "Real GDP (purchasing power parity)": {
      "Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2021": {
        "text": "$36.637 billion (2021 est.)"
      },
      "Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2020": {
        "text": "$32.153 billion (2020 est.)"
      },
      "Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2019": {
        "text": "$34.715 billion (2019 est.)"
      },
      "note": "<strong>note:</strong> data are in 2017 dollars"
    },
    "Real GDP growth rate": {
      "Real GDP growth rate 2021": {
        "text": "13.94% (2021 est.)"
      },
      "Real GDP growth rate 2020": {
        "text": "-7.38% (2020 est.)"
      },
      "Real GDP growth rate 2019": {
        "text": "3.68% (2019 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Real GDP per capita": {
      "Real GDP per capita 2021": {
        "text": "$14,000 (2021 est.)"
      },
      "Real GDP per capita 2020": {
        "text": "$12,200 (2020 est.)"
      },
      "Real GDP per capita 2019": {
        "text": "$13,000 (2019 est.)"
      },
      "note": "<strong>note:</strong> data are in 2017 dollars"
    },
    "GDP (official exchange rate)": {
      "text": "$11.982 billion (2019 est.)"
    },
    "Inflation rate (consumer prices)": {
      "Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2021": {
        "text": "5.11% (2021 est.)"
      },
      "Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2020": {
        "text": "3.77% (2020 est.)"
      },
      "Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2019": {
        "text": "4.84% (2019 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Credit ratings": {
      "Moody's rating": {
        "text": "B3 (2010)"
      },
      "note": "<strong>note: </strong>The year refers to the year in which the current credit rating was first obtained."
    },
    "GDP - composition, by sector of origin": {
      "agriculture": {
        "text": "17.7% (2017 est.)"
      },
      "industry": {
        "text": "20.3% (2017 est.)"
      },
      "services": {
        "text": "62% (2017 est.)"
      }
    },
    "GDP - composition, by end use": {
      "household consumption": {
        "text": "85.8% (2017 est.)"
      },
      "government consumption": {
        "text": "19% (2017 est.)"
      },
      "investment in fixed capital": {
        "text": "21.9% (2017 est.)"
      },
      "investment in inventories": {
        "text": "1.4% (2017 est.)"
      },
      "exports of goods and services": {
        "text": "42.5% (2017 est.)"
      },
      "imports of goods and services": {
        "text": "-70.7% (2017 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Agricultural products": {
      "text": "maize, wheat, sunflower seeds, grapes, apples, sugar beets, milk, potatoes, barley, plums/sloes"
    },
    "Industries": {
      "text": "sugar processing, vegetable oil, food processing, agricultural machinery; foundry equipment, refrigerators and freezers, washing machines; hosiery, shoes, textiles"
    },
    "Industrial production growth rate": {
      "text": "-0.67% (2021 est.)"
    },
    "Labor force": {
      "text": "810,000 (2021 est.)"
    },
    "Labor force - by occupation": {
      "agriculture": {
        "text": "32.3%"
      },
      "industry": {
        "text": "12%"
      },
      "services": {
        "text": "55.7% (2017 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Unemployment rate": {
      "Unemployment rate 2021": {
        "text": "3.96% (2021 est.)"
      },
      "Unemployment rate 2020": {
        "text": "3.82% (2020 est.)"
      },
      "Unemployment rate 2019": {
        "text": "5.1% (2019 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)": {
      "total": {
        "text": "8.6%"
      },
      "male": {
        "text": "5.3%"
      },
      "female": {
        "text": "14.7% (2021 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Population below poverty line": {
      "text": "7.3% (2018 est.)"
    },
    "Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income": {
      "Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2019": {
        "text": "26 (2019 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Household income or consumption by percentage share": {
      "lowest 10%": {
        "text": "4.2%"
      },
      "highest 10%": {
        "text": "22.1% (2014 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Budget": {
      "revenues": {
        "text": "$3.582 billion (2019 est.)"
      },
      "expenditures": {
        "text": "$3.754 billion (2019 est.)"
      },
      "note": "<strong>note:</strong> National Public Budget"
    },
    "Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)": {
      "text": "-0.6% (of GDP) (2017 est.)"
    },
    "Public debt": {
      "Public debt 2020": {
        "text": "33.01% of GDP (2020 est.)"
      },
      "Public debt 2019": {
        "text": "24.95% of GDP (2019 est.)"
      },
      "Public debt 2018": {
        "text": "27.02% of GDP (2018 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Taxes and other revenues": {
      "text": "17.41% (of GDP) (2020 est.)"
    },
    "Fiscal year": {
      "text": "calendar year"
    },
    "Current account balance": {
      "Current account balance 2021": {
        "text": "-$1.699 billion (2021 est.)"
      },
      "Current account balance 2020": {
        "text": "-$886.899 million (2020 est.)"
      },
      "Current account balance 2019": {
        "text": "-$1.106 billion (2019 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Exports": {
      "Exports 2021": {
        "text": "$4.197 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars"
      },
      "Exports 2020": {
        "text": "$3.222 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars"
      },
      "Exports 2019": {
        "text": "$3.662 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars"
      }
    },
    "Exports - partners": {
      "text": "Romania 27%, Russia 9%, Italy 9%, Germany 9%, Turkey 6%, Poland 5% (2019)"
    },
    "Exports - commodities": {
      "text": "insulated wiring, wheat, sunflower seeds, rolled iron, wine, corn, seats (2021)"
    },
    "Imports": {
      "Imports 2021": {
        "text": "$7.915 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars"
      },
      "Imports 2020": {
        "text": "$5.918 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars"
      },
      "Imports 2019": {
        "text": "$6.608 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars"
      }
    },
    "Imports - partners": {
      "text": "Romania 20%, Russia 10%, Ukraine 9%, Germany 8%, China 7%, Turkey 6%, Italy 6% (2019)"
    },
    "Imports - commodities": {
      "text": "refined petroleum, cars, insulated wiring, packaged medicines, broadcasting equipment (2019)"
    },
    "Reserves of foreign exchange and gold": {
      "Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2021": {
        "text": "$3.902 billion (31 December 2021 est.)"
      },
      "Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2020": {
        "text": "$3.784 billion (31 December 2020 est.)"
      },
      "Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2019": {
        "text": "$3.06 billion (31 December 2019 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Debt - external": {
      "Debt - external 2019": {
        "text": "$7.232 billion (2019 est.)"
      },
      "Debt - external 2018": {
        "text": "$7.16 billion (2018 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Exchange rates": {
      "Currency": {
        "text": "Moldovan lei (MDL) per US dollar -"
      },
      "Exchange rates 2021": {
        "text": "17.68 (2021 est.)"
      },
      "Exchange rates 2020": {
        "text": "17.322 (2020 est.)"
      },
      "Exchange rates 2019": {
        "text": "17.573 (2019 est.)"
      },
      "Exchange rates 2018": {
        "text": "16.802 (2018 est.)"
      },
      "Exchange rates 2017": {
        "text": "18.499 (2017 est.)"
      }
    }
  },
  "Energy": {
    "Electricity access": {
      "electrification - total population": {
        "text": "100% (2021)"
      }
    },
    "Electricity": {
      "installed generating capacity": {
        "text": "594,000 kW (2020 est.)"
      },
      "consumption": {
        "text": "4.591 billion kWh (2019 est.)"
      },
      "exports": {
        "text": "0 kWh (2020 est.)"
      },
      "imports": {
        "text": "629 million kWh (2020 est.)"
      },
      "transmission/distribution losses": {
        "text": "571 million kWh (2019 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Electricity generation sources": {
      "fossil fuels": {
        "text": "93.6% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)"
      },
      "nuclear": {
        "text": "0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)"
      },
      "solar": {
        "text": "0.1% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)"
      },
      "wind": {
        "text": "1.2% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)"
      },
      "hydroelectricity": {
        "text": "4.5% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)"
      },
      "tide and wave": {
        "text": "0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)"
      },
      "geothermal": {
        "text": "0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)"
      },
      "biomass and waste": {
        "text": "0.6% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Coal": {
      "production": {
        "text": "0 metric tons (2020 est.)"
      },
      "consumption": {
        "text": "133,000 metric tons (2020 est.)"
      },
      "exports": {
        "text": "0 metric tons (2020 est.)"
      },
      "imports": {
        "text": "133,000 metric tons (2020 est.)"
      },
      "proven reserves": {
        "text": "0 metric tons (2019 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Petroleum": {
      "total petroleum production": {
        "text": "0 bbl/day (2021 est.)"
      },
      "refined petroleum consumption": {
        "text": "22,000 bbl/day (2019 est.)"
      },
      "crude oil and lease condensate exports": {
        "text": "0 bbl/day (2018 est.)"
      },
      "crude oil and lease condensate imports": {
        "text": "0 bbl/day (2018 est.)"
      },
      "crude oil estimated reserves": {
        "text": "0 barrels (2021 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Refined petroleum products - production": {
      "text": "232 bbl/day (2015 est.)"
    },
    "Refined petroleum products - exports": {
      "text": "275 bbl/day (2015 est.)"
    },
    "Refined petroleum products - imports": {
      "text": "18,160 bbl/day (2015 est.)"
    },
    "Natural gas": {
      "production": {
        "text": "57,000 cubic meters (2019 est.)"
      },
      "consumption": {
        "text": "2.802 billion cubic meters (2019 est.)"
      },
      "exports": {
        "text": "0 cubic meters (2021 est.)"
      },
      "imports": {
        "text": "2.802 billion cubic meters (2019 est.)"
      },
      "proven reserves": {
        "text": "0 cubic meters (2021 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Carbon dioxide emissions": {
      "total emissions": {
        "text": "8.114 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)"
      },
      "from coal and metallurgical coke": {
        "text": "374,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)"
      },
      "from petroleum and other liquids": {
        "text": "2.968 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)"
      },
      "from consumed natural gas": {
        "text": "4.773 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Energy consumption per capita": {
      "Total energy consumption per capita 2019": {
        "text": "40.398 million Btu/person (2019 est.)"
      }
    }
  },
  "Communications": {
    "Telephones - fixed lines": {
      "total subscriptions": {
        "text": "1,000,228 (2021 est.)"
      },
      "subscriptions per 100 inhabitants": {
        "text": "33 (2021 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Telephones - mobile cellular": {
      "total subscriptions": {
        "text": "3,900,179 (2021 est.)"
      },
      "subscriptions per 100 inhabitants": {
        "text": "127 (2021 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Telecommunication systems": {
      "general assessment": {
        "text": "the telecom market has been affected by a combination of high unemployment and economic difficulties which have led to constraints on consumer spending; this has resulted in telecom revenue having fallen steadily in recent years; this decline continued into 2020, with a 6.3% in revenue from the important mobile sector alone, year-on-year; Moldova&rsquo;s aspirations to join the EU have encouraged the government and regulator to adopt a range of measures to bring the country&rsquo;s telecoms sector into line with EU principles and standards; in July 2017 the Electronic Communications Act was amended to accommodate the 2009 European regulatory framework, while further amendments were adopted in December 2017 and additional changes were proposed in 2019; Moldova is also part of the Eastern Partnership group of countries, and as such has set in train a glide path to reducing roaming charges, effective between 2022 and 2026; the country&rsquo;s broadband strategy through to 2025 has been supported by the ITU and industry counterparts from South Korea; the internet market is developing rapidly; the market is highly competitive, with 101 active ISPs as of early 2021; the number of cable broadband subscribers is increasing steadily, though fiber is now by far the strongest sector; by the end of 2020 fiber accounted for about 72.3% of all fixed broadband connections; the mobile market has also grown rapidly; the near comprehensive geographical reach of their mobile networks, market brand recognition and existing customer relationships will make for steady subscriber growth in coming years (2022)"
      },
      "domestic": {
        "text": "fixed-line service is 33 per 100; mobile-cellular teledensity is 127 per 100 persons (2021)"
      },
      "international": {
        "text": "country code - 373; service through Romania and Russia via landline; satellite earth stations - at least 3 - Intelsat, Eutelsat, and Intersputnik"
      }
    },
    "Broadcast media": {
      "text": "state-owned national radio-TV broadcaster operates 1 TV and 1 radio station; a total of nearly 70 terrestrial TV channels and some 50 radio stations are in operation; Russian and Romanian channels also are available (2019)"
    },
    "Internet country code": {
      "text": ".md"
    },
    "Internet users": {
      "total": {
        "text": "1.891 million (2021 est.)"
      },
      "percent of population": {
        "text": "61% (2021 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Broadband - fixed subscriptions": {
      "total": {
        "text": "719,001 (2020 est.)"
      },
      "subscriptions per 100 inhabitants": {
        "text": "18 (2020 est.)"
      }
    }
  },
  "Transportation": {
    "National air transport system": {
      "number of registered air carriers": {
        "text": "6 (2020)"
      },
      "inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers": {
        "text": "21"
      },
      "annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers": {
        "text": "1,135,999 (2018)"
      },
      "annual freight traffic on registered air carriers": {
        "text": "640,000 (2018) mt-km"
      }
    },
    "Civil aircraft registration country code prefix": {
      "text": "ER"
    },
    "Airports": {
      "text": "7 (2021)"
    },
    "Airports - with paved runways": {
      "text": "5",
      "note": "<strong>note:</strong> paved runways have a concrete or asphalt surface but not all have facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control; the length of a runway required for aircraft to safely operate depends on a number of factors including the type of aircraft, the takeoff weight (including passengers, cargo, and fuel), engine types, flap settings, landing speed, elevation of the airport, and average maximum daily air temperature; paved runways can reach a length of 5,000 m (16,000 ft.), but the “typical” length of a commercial airline runway is between 2,500-4,000 m (8,000-13,000 ft.)"
    },
    "Airports - with unpaved runways": {
      "text": "2",
      "note": "<strong>note:</strong> unpaved runways have a surface composition such as grass or packed earth and are most suited to the operation of light aircraft; unpaved runways are usually short, often less than 1,000 m (3,280 ft.) in length; airports with unpaved runways often lack facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control"
    },
    "Pipelines": {
      "text": "2,026 km gas (2021) (2021)"
    },
    "Railways": {
      "total": {
        "text": "1,171 km (2014)"
      },
      "standard gauge": {
        "text": "14 km (2014) 1.435-m gauge"
      },
      "broad gauge": {
        "text": "1,157 km (2014) 1.520-m gauge"
      }
    },
    "Roadways": {
      "total": {
        "text": "9,352 km (2012)"
      },
      "paved": {
        "text": "8,835 km (2012)"
      },
      "unpaved": {
        "text": "517 km (2012)"
      }
    },
    "Waterways": {
      "text": "558 km (2011) (in public use on Danube, Dniester and Prut Rivers)"
    },
    "Merchant marine": {
      "total": {
        "text": "126"
      },
      "by type": {
        "text": "bulk carrier 5, container ship 2, general cargo 79, oil tanker 7, other 33 (2022)"
      }
    }
  },
  "Military and Security": {
    "Military and security forces": {
      "text": "Armed Forces of the Republic of Moldova ( Forțele Armate ale Republicii Moldova): National Army (comprised of a General Staff, a Land Forces Command, and an Air Force Command); Ministry of Internal Affairs: General Carabinieri Inspectorate (aka Carabinieri Troops or Trupele de Carabinieri) (2023)",
      "note": "<strong>note 1:</strong> the Carabinieri is a quasi-militarized gendarmerie responsible for protecting public buildings, maintaining public order, and other national security functions<br><br><strong>note 2:</strong> the national police force reports to the Ministry of Internal Affairs and is the primary law enforcement body, responsible for internal security, public order, traffic, border security, and criminal investigations; the Moldovan Border Police (Poliției de Frontieră) are under the Ministry of Internal Affairs; prior to 2012, Border Police were under the armed forces and known as the Border Troops"
    },
    "Military expenditures": {
      "Military Expenditures 2022": {
        "text": "0.4% of GDP (2022 est.)"
      },
      "Military Expenditures 2021": {
        "text": "0.4% of GDP (2021 est.)"
      },
      "Military Expenditures 2020": {
        "text": "0.4% of GDP (2020 est.)"
      },
      "Military Expenditures 2019": {
        "text": "0.4% of GDP (2019 est.)"
      },
      "Military Expenditures 2018": {
        "text": "0.4% of GDP (2018 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Military and security service personnel strengths": {
      "text": "approximately 6,500 active troops; approximately 2,000 Carabinieri (2022)"
    },
    "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": {
      "text": "the military's inventory is limited and almost entirely comprised of older Russian and Soviet-era equipment; in recent years, it has received small amounts of donated material from other nations, including the US (2023)"
    },
    "Military service age and obligation": {
      "text": "18-27 years of age for compulsory or voluntary military service; male registration required at age 16; 12-month service obligation (2023)",
      "note": "<strong>note:</strong> as of 2019, women made up about 20% of the military's full-time personnel"
    },
    "Military - note": {
      "text": "Moldova is constitutionally neutral, but has maintained a relationship with NATO since 1992; bilateral cooperation started when Moldova joined NATO’s Partnership for Peace program in 1994; Moldova has contributed small numbers of troops to NATO’s Kosovo Force (KFOR) since 2014, and a civilian NATO liaison office was established in Moldova in 2017 at the request of the Moldovan Government to promote practical cooperation and facilitate support<br><br>the 1992 war between Moldovan forces and Transnistrian separatists backed by Russian troops ended with a cease-fire; as of 2022, Russia maintained approximately 1,500 troops in Transnistria, some of which served under the authority of a peacekeeping force known as a Joint Control Commission that also included Moldovan and separatist personnel; the remainder of the Russian contingent (Operational Group of Russian Forces - Transnistria or OGF-T) guarded a depot of Soviet-era ammunition and trained Transnistrian separatist paramilitary troops (2023)"
    }
  },
  "Transnational Issues": {
    "Disputes - international": {
      "text": "<p><em>Moldova-Romania</em>: none identified</p> <p><em>Moldova-Ukraine</em>: Ukraine and Moldova signed an agreement officially delimiting their border in 1999, but the border has not been demarcated due to Moldova's difficulties with the break-away region of Transnistria; Moldova and Ukraine operate joint customs posts to monitor the transit of people and commodities through Moldova's break-away Transnistria region, which remains under the auspices of an Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe-mandated peacekeeping mission comprised of Moldovan, Transnistrian, Russian, and Ukrainian troops</p>"
    },
    "Refugees and internally displaced persons": {
      "refugees (country of origin)": {
        "text": "113,110 (Ukraine) (as of 9 July 2023)"
      },
      "stateless persons": {
        "text": "1,701 (2022)"
      }
    },
    "Illicit drugs": {
      "text": "limited cultivation of opium poppy and cannabis, mostly for CIS consumption; transshipment point for illicit drugs from Southwest Asia via Central Asia to Russia, Western Europe, and possibly the US; widespread crime and underground economic activity"
    }
  }
}