republic under transition to multiparty democratic rule
republic
Independence date
27 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)
Religions
Christian 29%, Muslim 20%, indigenous beliefs 51%
Eastern Orthodox 98%, Jewish 1.5%, Baptist and other 0.5% (2000)
Languages
French (official and the language of commerce), Ewe and Mina (the two major African languages in the south), Kabye (sometimes spelled Kabiye) and Dagomba (the two major African languages in the north)
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
1
1
Location
Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Benin, between Benin and Ghana
