republic; multiparty presidential regime established 1960 note: the government is currently operating under a power-sharing agreement mandated by international mediators
republic
Independence date
27 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)
Religions
Muslim 38.6%, Christian 32.8%, indigenous 11.9%, none 16.7% (2008 est) note: the majority of foreigners (migratory workers) are Muslim (70%) and Christian (20%)
Eastern Orthodox 98%, Jewish 1.5%, Baptist and other 0.5% (2000)
Languages
French (official), 60 native dialects with Dioula the most widely spoken
Moldovan (official, virtually the same as the Romanian language), Russian, Gagauz (a Turkish dialect)
Exports
foodstuffs, textiles, machinery
External Debt
$5,200,000,000 US
Exchange Rate
Moldovan lei (MDL) per US dollar - 10.326 (2008 est.), 12.177 (2007), 13.131 (2006), 12.6 (2005), 12.33 (2004)
Military Budget as percentage of GDP
0.400%
Beijing Olympics Medal Count
0
1
Location
Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Ghana and Liberia
Eastern Europe, northeast of Romania
Area
322,463 km sq
33,851 km sq
Coastline
515 km
0 km
Climate
tropical along coast, semiarid in far north; three seasons - warm and dry (November to March), hot and dry (March to May), hot and wet (June to October)
