Muslim 59.7% (Shia, Sunni, Druze, Isma'ilite, Alawite or Nusayri), Christian 39% (Maronite Catholic, Greek Orthodox, Melkite Catholic, Armenian Orthodox, Syrian Catholic, Armenian Catholic, Syrian Orthodox, Roman Catholic, Chaldean, Assyrian, Copt, Protestant), other 1.3% note: 17 religious sects recognized
Eastern Orthodox 98%, Jewish 1.5%, Baptist and other 0.5% (2000)
Languages
Arabic (official), French, English, Armenian
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
Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Israel and Syria
Eastern Europe, northeast of Romania
Area
10,400 km sq
33,851 km sq
Coastline
225 km
0 km
Climate
Mediterranean; mild to cool, wet winters with hot, dry summers; Lebanon mountains experience heavy winter snows
