437 m: 2 (2000 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2000 est.)

Midway Islands Military

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the US

Midway Islands Transnational Issues

Disputes - international: none

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@Moldova

Moldova Introduction

Background: Formerly ruled by Romania, Moldova became part of 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 Nistru (Dnister) River supporting the Slavic
majority population, mostly Ukrainians and Russians, who have
proclaimed a "Transnistria" republic. One of the poorest nations in
Europe and plagued by a moribund economy, in 2001 Moldova became the
first former Soviet state to elect a communist as its president.

Moldova Geography

Location: Eastern Europe, northeast of Romania

Geographic coordinates: 47 00 N, 29 00 E

Map references: Commonwealth of Independent States

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: Nistru (Dnister) River 2 m

highest point: Dealul Balanesti 430 m

Natural resources: lignite, phosphorites, gypsum, arable land

Land use: arable land: 53%

permanent crops: 14%

permanent pastures: 13%

forests and woodland: 13%

other: 7% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 3,110 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: landslides (57 cases in 1998)

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,
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes,
Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic
Pollutants

Geography - note: landlocked

Moldova People

Population: 4,431,570 (July 2001 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 22.44% (male 506,303