Eastern Orthodox 98%, Jewish 1.5%, Baptist and other 0.5% (2000)
Christian 50%, animist 48%, Muslim 2%
Languages
Moldovan (official, virtually the same as the Romanian language), Russian, Gagauz (a Turkish dialect)
French (official), Lingala and Monokutuba (lingua franca trade languages), many local languages and dialects (of which Kikongo is the most widespread)
Exports
foodstuffs, textiles, machinery
External Debt
$5,200,000,000 $
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
1
0
Location
Eastern Europe, northeast of Romania
Western Africa, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Angola and Gabon
Area
33,851 km sq
342,000 km sq
Coastline
0 km
169 km
Climate
moderate winters, warm summers
tropical; rainy season (March to June); dry season (June to October); persistent high temperatures and humidity; particularly enervating climate astride the Equator
