Part 497

Birth rate: 16.3 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate: 11.75 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Net migration rate: -2.77 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.59 male(s)/female all ages: 0.91 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 47.6 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 65.14 years male: 60.77 years female: 69.73 years (1996 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2.17 children born/woman (1996 est.)

Nationality: noun: Moldovan(s) adjective: Moldovan

Ethnic divisions: Moldavian/Romanian 64.5%, Ukrainian 13.8%, Russian 13%, Gagauz 3.5%, Jewish 1.5%, Bulgarian 2%, other 1.7% (1989 figures) note: internal disputes with ethnic Russians and Ukrainians in the Dniester region and Gagauz Turks in the south

Religions: Eastern Orthodox 98.5%, Jewish 1.5%, Baptist (only about 1,000 members) (1991) note: the large majority of churchgoers are ethnic Moldavian

Languages: Moldovan (official, virtually the same as the Romanian language), Russian, Gagauz (a Turkish dialect)

Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1989 est.) total population: 96% male: 99% female: 94%

Government ----------

Name of country: conventional long form: Republic of Moldova conventional short form: Moldova local long form: Republica Moldova local short form: none former: Soviet Socialist Republic of Moldova; Moldavia

Data code: MD

Type of government: republic

Capital: Chisinau

Administrative divisions: previously divided into 40 rayons; new districts possible under new constitution in 1994

Independence: 27 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)

National holiday: Independence Day, 27 August 1991

Constitution: new constitution adopted 28 July 1994; replaces old Soviet constitution of 1979

Legal system: based on civil law system; Constitutional Court reviews legality of legislative acts and governmental decisions of resolution; it is unclear if Moldova accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction but accepts many UN and OSCE documents

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Mircea SNEGUR (since 3 September 1990) was elected for a four-year term by popular vote; election last held 8 December 1991 (next to be held NA December 1996); results - Mircea SNEGUR ran unopposed and won 98.17% of vote; note - President SNEGUR was named executive president by the Supreme Soviet on 3 September 1990 and was confirmed by popular election on 8 December 1991 head of government: Prime Minister Andrei SANGHELI (since 1 July 1992; reappointed 5 April 1994 after elections for new legislature) was appointed by Parliament; First Deputy Prime Minister Ion GUTU (since NA April 1994) cabinet: Council of Ministers was appointed by the president on recommendation of the prime minister

Legislative branch: unicameral Parliament: elections last held 27 February 1994 (next to be held NA 1999); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (104 total) PDAM 56, Socialist/Yedinstvo Bloc 28, Peasants and Intellectuals Bloc 11, FPCDM 9; note - seats as of June-July 1995 were as follows: PDAM 45, PSM/UN 28, Peasants and Intellectuals Bloc 11, PRCM 11, FPCDM 9 note: the comparative breakdown of seats by faction is approximate

Judicial branch: Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders: Christian Democratic Popular Front (FPCDM - formerly Moldovan Popular Front), Iurie ROSCA, chairman; Socialist Unity Faction (US) of the Socialist Party of Moldova (PSM), Vladimir SOLONARI, leader; Social Democratic Party of Moldova (PSDM), Anatol TARAN, chairman; Agrarian Democratic Party of Moldova (PDAM), Dumitru MOTPAN, chairman; Peasants and Intellectuals Bloc, Mihai GHIMPU, leader; Liberal Party of Modova (PLM), Mircea RUSU, chairman; Socialist Party of Moldova (PSM), Valeriu SENIC and Victor MOREV, cochairmen; Party of Rivival and Conciliation of Moldova (PRCM), Mircea SNEGUR, chairman; Moldovan Party of Democratic Forces (PFDM), Valeriu MATEI, chairman; Party for Social Progress (PPSM), Eugen SOBOR, chairman; Communist Party (PCM), Vladimir VORONIN, first chairman; Yedinstvo Intermovement, Vladimir SOLONARI, chairman, note - this party may not be in existence now

Other political or pressure groups: United Council of Labor Collectives (UCLC), Igor SMIRNOV, chairman; The Ecology Movement of Moldova (EMM), G. MALARCHUK, chairman; The Christian Democratic League of Women of Moldova (CDLWM), L. LARI, chairman; National Christian Party of Moldova (NCPM), D. TODIKE, M. BARAGA, V. NIKU, leaders; The Peoples Movement Gagauz Khalky (GKh), S. GULGAR, leader; The Democratic Party of Gagauzia (DPG), G. SAVOSTIN, chairman; The Alliance of Working People of Moldova (AWPM), G. POLOGOV, president; Christian Alliance for Greater Romania; Stefan the Great Movement; Liberal Convention of Moldova; Association of Victims of Repression; Christian Democratic Youth League