jective: Moldovan

Ethnic groups: Moldovan/Romanian 64.5%, Ukrainian 13.8%, Russian 13%,
Jewish 1.5%, Bulgarian 2%, Gagauz and other 5.2% (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 (official), Gagauz (a Turkish dialect)

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total
population: 96% male: 99% female: 94% (1989 est.)

Government Moldova

Country name: Republic of Moldova conventional short form: Moldova;
Moldavia local long form: Republica Moldova

Government type: republic

Capital: Chisinau

Administrative divisions: 9 counties (juletule, singular - juletul),
1 municipality* (municipiul), 1 autonomous territorial unit** (unitate
teritoriala autonoma), and 1 territorial unit*** (unitate teritoriala);
Balti, Cahul, Chisinau, Chisinau*, Edinet, Gagauzia**, Lapusna, Orhei,
Soroca, Stinga Nistrului***, 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 is unclear if Moldova accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction but accepts
many UN and Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE)
documents

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Vladimir VORONIN (since 4
April 2001) head of government: Prime Minister Vasile TARLEV (since 15
April 2001), First Deputy Prime Minister Vasile IOVV (since NA 2002),
Deputy Prime Minister Stefan ODAGIU (since NA 2002) cabinet: selected by
prime minister, subject to approval of Parliament elections: president
elected by Parliament for a four-year term; election last held 4 April
2001 (next to be held NA 2005); note - presidential elections were
scheduled for December 2000, but in July 2000, Parliament canceled direct,
popular elections; Parliament's failure to chose a new president in
December 2000 led to early parliamentary elections in February 2001; prime
minister designated by the president, upon consultation with Parliament;
note - within 15 days from designation, the prime