Country data

Location: Eastern Europe

Time zone: CET + 1

Total area: 33,851 km²

Land area: 32,891 km²

Water area: 960 km²

Length of the state border: 1,390 km

Bordering countries:
Ukraine: 940 km
Romania: 450 km

Coastline: 0 km

Capital: Chișinău (Chisinau)

Regions: 37
Anenii Noi, Balti, Basarabeasca, Bender, Briceni, Cahul, Cantemir, Calarasi, Causeni, Chisinau, Cimislia, Criuleni, Donduseni, Drochia, Dubasari, Edinet, Falesti, Floresti, Gagauzia, Glodeni, Hincesti, I Nisporeni, Ocnita, Orhei, Rezina, Riscani, Singerei, Soldanesti, Soroca, Stefan-Voda, Stinga Nistrului (Transnistria), Straseni, Taraclia, Telenesti, Ungheni

Electric current: 220 V / 50 Hz

Telephone code: 00 373 (Source: Allcitycodes)

Highest point: Dealul Balanesti 430 m

Population

Population: approx. 3.6 million residents (Countryaah, 2021)

Population growth: -1% per year

Population density (residents per km²): 106

Life expectancy: 66 (male), 74 (female)

Official language: Moldavian (Romanian)

Religions:

• 93% Orthodox
• 7% other

Climate

During the summer it is pleasantly warm, with temperatures around 25 ° C.

In winter it can get very cold (often below 0 ° C). There is quite a lot of snowfall.

Currency / finance

Currency unit: Moldovan Leu (MDL)

Classification: 1 Leu = 100 Bani

ATMs: There are individual ATMs in the larger cities.

International credit cards: These are accepted in larger hotels and shops.

Regulations: There is no limit to the amount of foreign currencies that can be imported. The export is limited to the amount declared upon import.

The local currency can be imported and exported up to an amount of 2,500 MDL.

You should not take your eyes off credit cards when using them. Copies of cards are repeatedly made for misuse.

Customs regulations

The following may be carried duty-free:

• 200 cigarettes or 250 g tobacco
• 2 liters of alcoholic beverages

(Information applies to people aged 18 and over)

Tourists and people in transit can bring items of personal use with them duty-free.

Travel advice

The republic of Transnistria should be avoided when traveling. The government has no control whatsoever in the breakaway area. Entry and the numerous controls are very cumbersome on excursions.

Behavioral advice

It is forbidden to photograph military installations and important industrial and transport facilities.

Economy

Agriculture is the country’s main industry.

There are many other branches of industry, but these are not very economical by international standards.

As a result, Moldova has not yet been able to establish itself on the world market.

Industries: building materials, food production, light industry, mechanical engineering, metal processing, textiles

Natural resources: gypsum, agricultural land, phosphorus

Land use:

• Land: 53%
• Grain cultivation: 14%
• Pasture area: 13%
• Forests: 13%
• other: 7%

Plants

Many decades ago, almost the entire land area was still forested.

Since the soil is very fertile and therefore very suitable for agriculture, huge areas have been cleared for their use.

Animals

Most of the wild animals have also been eradicated by the deconstruction of nature.

There are no longer any large wild animals. Only a few smaller animal species live in the lowlands and remaining forest areas.