Part 496

Defense -------

Defense note: defense is the responsibility of the US

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@Moldova -------

Map ---

Location: 47 00 N, 29 00 E -- Eastern Europe, northeast of Romania

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

Geography ---------

Location: Eastern Europe, northeast of Romania

Geographic coordinates: 47 00 N, 29 00 E

Map references: Commonwealth of Independent States

Area: total area: 33,700 sq km land area: 33,700 sq km comparative area: slightly more than twice the size of Hawaii

Land boundaries: total: 1,389 km border countries: Romania 450 km, Ukraine 939 km

Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims: none (landlocked)

International disputes: certain territory of Moldova and Ukraine - including Bessarabia and Northern Bukovina - are considered by Bucharest as historically a part of Romania; this territory was incorporated into the former Soviet Union following the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact in 1940

Climate: moderate winters, warm summers

Terrain: rolling steppe, gradual slope south to Black Sea lowest point: Nistru River 2 m highest point: Mount Balaneshty 430 m

Natural resources: lignite, phosphorites, gypsum

Land use: arable land: 50% permanent crops: 13% meadows and pastures: 9% forest and woodland: 0% other: 28%

Irrigated land: 2,920 sq km (1990)

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 natural hazards: NA international agreements: party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change; signed, but not ratified - Air Pollution

Geographic note: landlocked

People ------

Population: 4,463,847 (July 1996 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 26% (male 592,245; female 573,452) 15-64 years: 64% (male 1,381,017; female 1,496,428) 65 years and over: 10% (male 155,908; female 264,797) (July 1996 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.18% (1996 est.)