Constitution Day, 10 May (1979)
Constitution:
10 May 1979
Legal system:
based on adapted Trust Territory laws, acts of the legislature, municipal, common, and customary laws; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Emanuel MORI (since 11 May 2007); Vice President Alik L. ALIK (since 11 May 2007); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Emanuel MORI (since 11 May 2007); Vice President Alik L. ALIK (since 11 May 2007)
cabinet: Cabinet includes the vice president and the heads of the eight executive departments
elections: president and vice president elected by Congress from among the four senators at large for a four-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 11 May 2007 (next to be held May 2011); note - a proposed constitutional amendment to establish popular elections for president and vice president failed
election results: Emanuel MORI elected president; percent of Congress vote - NA; Alik L. ALIK elected vice president; percent of Congress vote - NA
Legislative branch:
unicameral Congress (14 seats; 4 - one elected from each state to serve four-year terms and 10 - elected from single-member districts delineated by population to serve two-year terms; members elected by popular vote)
elections: last held 6 March 2007 (next to be held in March 2009)
election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 14
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court
Political parties and leaders:
no formal parties
International organization participation:
ACP, ADB, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IMF, IOC, ITSO, ITU, MIGA, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, WHO, WMO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Yosiwo GEORGE
chancery: 1725 N Street NW, Washington, DC 20036
telephone: [1] (202) 223-4383
FAX: [1] (202) 223-4391
consulate(s) general: Honolulu, Tamuning (Guam)
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Miriam K. HUGHES
embassy: 101 Upper Pics Road, Kolonia
mailing address: P. O. Box 1286, Kolonia, Pohnpei, 96941
telephone: [691] 320-2187
FAX: [691] 320-2186
Flag description:
light blue with four white five-pointed stars centered; the stars are arranged in a diamond pattern
Economy Micronesia, Federated States of
Economy - overview:
Economic activity consists primarily of subsistence farming and fishing. The islands have few mineral deposits worth exploiting, except for high-grade phosphate. The potential for a tourist industry exists, but the remote location, a lack of adequate facilities, and limited air connections hinder development. Under the original terms of the Compact of Free Association, the US provided $1.3 billion in grant aid during the period 1986-2001; the level of aid has been subsequently reduced. The Amended Compact of Free Association with the US guarantees the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) millions of dollars in annual aid through 2023, and establishes a Trust Fund into which the US and the FSM make annual contributions in order to provide annual payouts to the FSM in perpetuity after 2023. The country's medium-term economic outlook appears fragile due not only to the reduction in US assistance but also to the current slow growth of the private sector.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$277 million; note - supplemented by grant aid, averaging perhaps $100 million annually (2002 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$232 million (2005)
GDP - real growth rate:
0.3% (2005 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$2,300 (2005 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 28.9%
industry: 15.2%
services: 55.9% (2004 est.)
Labor force:
37,410 (2000)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 0.9%
industry: 34.4%
services: 64.7%
note: two-thirds are government employees (FY05 est.)
Unemployment rate:
22% (2000 est.)
Population below poverty line:
26.7% (2000)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2.2% (2005)
Budget:
revenues: $127.3 million ($69 million less grants)
expenditures: $144.2 million (FY05 est.)
Agriculture - products:
black pepper, tropical fruits and vegetables, coconuts, bananas, cassava (tapioca), sakau (kava), betel nuts, sweet potatoes; pigs, chickens; fish
Industries:
tourism, construction; fish processing, specialized aquaculture; craft items (from shell, wood, and pearls)
Industrial production growth rate:
NA%
Electricity - production:
192 million kWh (2002)
Electricity - production by source:
NA
Electricity - consumption:
178.6 million kWh (2002)
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2002)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2002)
Current account balance:
-$34.3 million (FY05 est.)
Exports:
$14 million (f.o.b.) (2004 est.)
Exports - commodities:
fish, garments, bananas, black pepper, sakau (kava), betel nut
Exports - partners:
Japan, US, Guam (2006)
Imports:
$132.7 million f.o.b. (2004)
Imports - commodities:
food, manufactured goods, machinery and equipment, beverages
Imports - partners:
US, Japan, Hong Kong (2006)
Economic aid - recipient:
$106.4 million (2005)
Debt - external:
$60.8 million (FY05 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$NA
Currency (code):
US dollar (USD)
Currency code:
USD
Exchange rates:
the US dollar is used
Fiscal year:
1 October - 30 September
Communications Micronesia, Federated States of
Telephones - main lines in use:
12,400 (2005)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
14,100 (2005)
Telephone system:
general assessment: adequate system
domestic: islands interconnected by shortwave radiotelephone (used mostly for government purposes), satellite (Intelsat) ground stations, and some coaxial and fiber-optic cable; cellular service available on Kosrae, Pohnpei, and Yap
international: country code - 691; satellite earth stations - 5 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) (2002)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 5, FM 1, shortwave 0 (2004)
Radios:
9,400 (1996)
Television broadcast stations:
3 (cable TV also available) (2004)
Televisions:
2,800 (1999)
Internet country code:
.fm
Internet hosts:
632 (2007)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2000)
Internet users:
16,000 (2006)
Transportation Micronesia, Federated States of
Airports:
6 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 6
1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2007)
Roadways:
total: 240 km
paved: 42 km
unpaved: 198 km (2000)
Merchant marine:
total: 3 ships (1000 GRT or over) 3,560 GRT/2,060 DWT
by type: cargo 1, passenger/cargo 2 (2007)
Ports and terminals:
Tomil Harbor
Military Micronesia, Federated States of
Military branches:
no regular military forces
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 26,686 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 21,748 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
males age 16-49: 1,310 (2008 est.)
Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of the US
Transnational Issues Micronesia, Federated States of
Disputes - international:
none
Illicit drugs:
major consumer of cannabis
This page was last updated on 15 July, 2008
The World Factbook
Moldova
Introduction Moldova
Background:
Formerly part of Romania, Moldova was incorporated into the Soviet Union at the close of World War II. Although independent from the USSR since 1991, Russian forces have remained on Moldovan territory east of the Dniester River supporting the Slavic majority population, mostly Ukrainians and Russians, who have proclaimed a "Transnistria" republic. One of the poorest nations in Europe, Moldova became the first former Soviet state to elect a Communist as its president in 2001.
Geography Moldova
Location:
Eastern Europe, northeast of Romania
Geographic coordinates:
47 00 N, 29 00 E
Map references:
Europe
Area:
total: 33,843 sq km
land: 33,371 sq km
water: 472 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly larger than Maryland
Land boundaries:
total: 1,389 km
border countries: Romania 450 km, Ukraine 939 km
Coastline:
0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims:
none (landlocked)
Climate:
moderate winters, warm summers
Terrain:
rolling steppe, gradual slope south to Black Sea
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Dniester River 2 m
highest point: Dealul Balanesti 430 m
Natural resources:
lignite, phosphorites, gypsum, arable land, limestone
Land use:
arable land: 54.52%
permanent crops: 8.81%
other: 36.67% (2005)
Irrigated land:
3,000 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
11.7 cu km (1997)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic / industrial / agricultural):
total: 2.31 cu km/yr (10%/58%/33%)
per capita: 549 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards:
landslides
Environment - current issues:
heavy use of agricultural chemicals, including banned pesticides such as DDT, has contaminated soil and groundwater; extensive soil erosion from poor farming methods
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
landlocked; well endowed with various sedimentary rocks and minerals including sand, gravel, gypsum, and limestone
People Moldova
Population:
4,324,450 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 16.3% (male 361,000/female 341,785)
15-64 years: 72.9% (male 1,528,080/female 1,622,620)
65 years and over: 10.9% (male 174,448/female 296,517) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 34.3 years
male: 32.4 years
female: 36.4 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
-0.092% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
11.01 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
10.8 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
-1.13 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.59 male(s)/female
total population: 0.91 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 13.5 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 14.95 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 11.96 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 70.5 years
male: 66.81 years
female: 74.41 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.26 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.2% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
5,500 (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
fewer than 300 (2001 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Moldovan(s)
adjective: Moldovan
Ethnic groups:
Moldovan/Romanian 78.2%, Ukrainian 8.4%, Russian 5.8%, Gagauz 4.4%, Bulgarian 1.9%, other 1.3% (2004 census)
note: internal disputes with ethnic Slavs in the Transnistrian region
Religions:
Eastern Orthodox 98%, Jewish 1.5%, Baptist and other 0.5% (2000)
Languages:
Moldovan (official, virtually the same as the Romanian language), Russian, Gagauz (a Turkish dialect)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99.1%
male: 99.7%
female: 98.6% (2005 est.)
Government Moldova
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Moldova
conventional short form: Moldova
local long form: Republica Moldova
local short form: Moldova
former: Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic, Moldovan Soviet Socialist Republic
Government type:
republic
Capital:
name: Chisinau (Kishinev)
note: pronounced kee-shee-now
geographic coordinates: 47 00 N, 28 51 E
time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
Administrative divisions:
32 raions (raioane, singular - raionul), 3 municipalities (municipiul), 1 autonomous territorial unit (unitatea teritoriala autonoma), and 1 territorial unit (unitatea teritoriala)
raions: Anenii Noi, Basarabeasca, Briceni, Cahul, Cantemir, Calarasi, Causeni, Cimislia, Criuleni, Donduseni, Drochia, Dubasari, Edinet, Falesti, Floresti, Glodeni, Hincesti, Ialoveni, Leova, Nisporeni, Ocnita, Orhei, Rezina, Riscani, Singerei, Soldanesti, Soroca, Stefan-Voda, Straseni, Taraclia, Telenesti, Ungheni
municipalities: Balti, Bender, Chisinau
autonomous territorial unit: Gagauzia
territorial unit: Stinga Nistrului
Independence:
27 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 27 August (1991)
Constitution:
new constitution adopted 29 July 1994, effective 27 August 1994; replaced old Soviet constitution of 1979
Legal system:
based on civil law system; Constitutional Court reviews legality of legislative acts and governmental decisions of resolution; accepts many UN and Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) documents; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Vladimir VORONIN (since 4 April 2001)
head of government: Prime Minister Zinaida GRECEANII (since 31 March 2008); First Deputy Prime Minister Igor DODON (since 31 March 2008)
cabinet: Cabinet selected by president, subject to approval of Parliament
elections: president elected by Parliament for a four-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 4 April 2005 (next to be held in 2009); note - prime minister designated by the president upon consultation with Parliament; within 15 days from designation, the prime minister-designate must request a vote of confidence from the Parliament regarding his/her work program and entire cabinet; prime minister designated 21 March 2008; cabinet received a vote of confidence 31 March 2008