al lei) was introduced in late
1993

Exchange rates: lei (MLD) per US$1 (end of period)-4.6870 (January
1997), 4.6628 (1997), 4.6743 (1996), 4.4990 (1995), 4.2700 (1994),
3.6400 (1993), 0.4145 (1992); period average-4.6758 (January 1998),
81.6637 (1997), 4.6045 (1996), 4.4958 (1995)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications

Telephones: 600,000 (1996 est.)

Telephone system: telecommunication system not well developed; 215,000
unsatisfied requests for telephone service (1991 est.); since 1997,
Chisinau has been considering privatizing its state-owned telephone
company
domestic: NA
international: international connections to other former Soviet
republics by landline and microwave radio relay through Ukraine and to
other countries by leased connections to the Moscow international
gateway switch; satellite earth stations - 1 Eutelsat and 1 Intelsat;
first fiber optic cable installed between Moldova and Romania

Radio broadcast stations: AM 9, FM 5, shortwave NA (1994)

Radios: NA

Television broadcast stations: 2 (one national and one private) (1995)

Televisions: NA

@Moldova:Transportation

Railways:
total: 1,328 km
broad gauge: 1,328 km 1.520-m gauge (1992)

Highways:
total: 12,300 km
paved: 10,738 km
unpaved: 1,562 km (1996 est.)

Waterways: 424 km (1994)

Pipelines: natural gas 310 km (1992)

Ports and harbors: none

Airports: 26 (1994 est.)

Airports-with paved runways:
total: 8
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
under 914 m: 3 (1994 est.)

Airports-with unpaved runways:
total: 18
2,438 to 3,047 m: 3
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 5
under 914 m: 8 (1994 est.)

@Moldova:Military

Military branches: Ground Forces, Air and Air Defense Forces, Republic
Security Forces (internal and border troops)

Military manpower-military age: 18 years of age

Military manpower-availability:
males age 15-49: 1,145,260 (1998 est.)

Military manpower-fit for military service:
males: 902,238 (1998 est.)

Military manpower-reaching military age annually:
males: 38,082 (1998 est.)

Military expenditures-dollar figure: 203 million lei (1995);
note-conversion of defense expenditures into US dollars using the
current exchange rate could produce misleading results

Military expenditures-percent of GDP: NA%

@Moldova:Transnational Issues

Disputes-international: certain territory of Moldova and
Ukraine-including Bessarabia and Northern Bukovina-are considered by
B