; female 488,311)

15-64 years: 67.62% (male 1,437,492; female 1,559,090)

65 years and over: 9.94% (male 163,473; female 276,901) (2001 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.05% (2001 est.)

Birth rate: 13.35 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Death rate: 12.6 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Net migration rate: -0.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.59 male(s)/female

total population: 0.91 male(s)/female (2001 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 42.74 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 64.6 years

male: 60.15 years

female: 69.26 years (2001 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.67 children born/woman (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.2% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 4,500 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: less than 100 (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Moldovan(s)

adjective: Moldovan

Ethnic groups: Moldovan/Romanian 64.5%, Ukrainian 13.8%, Russian
13%, Gagauz 3.5%, Jewish 1.5%, Bulgarian 2%, other 1.7% (1989 est.)

note: internal disputes with ethnic Slavs in the Transnistrian
region

Religions: Eastern Orthodox 98.5%, Jewish 1.5%, Baptist (only about
1,000 members) (1991)

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: 96%

male: 99%

female: 94% (1989 est.)

Moldova Government

Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Moldova

conventional short form: Moldova

local long form: Republica Moldova

local short form: none

former: Soviet Socialist Republic of Moldova; Moldavia

Government type: republic

Capital: Chisinau

Administrative divisions: 10 juletule (singular - juletul), 1
municipality*, and 1 autonomous territorial unit**; Balti, Cahul,
Chisinau, Chisinau*, Dubasari, Edinet, Gagauzia**, Lapusna, Orhei,
Soroca, Tighina, Ungheni

Independence: 27 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)

National holiday: Independence Day, 27 August (1991)

Constitution: new constitution adopted 28 July 1994; replaces old
Soviet constitution of 1979

Legal system: based on civil law system; Constitutional Court
reviews legality of legislative acts and governmental decisions of
resolution; it