Moldova

Moldova

 
Moldova, republic in southeastern Europe, bordered on the north, east, and south by Ukraine and on the west by Romania. In Moldovan, the official language, the country’s official name is Republica Moldova. Moldovans are the largest ethnic group in Moldova, although other ethnic groups constitute a majority in some regions. Chișinău is the country’s capital and largest city.

Present-day Moldova corresponds generally to the historic region of Bessarabia (Bessarabiya). In 1940 Bessarabia was annexed to the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) and designated the Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic (SSR). Moldova (no longer known by the Russian variant Moldavia) became an independent country in 1991. At the end of that year, it signed the agreement establishing the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), an organization composed of former Soviet republics. Moldova became a formal member of the CIS in 1994. That year the country adopted its first post-Soviet constitution. In the early 1990s secessionist movements among certain ethnic groups took hold in the Trans-Dniester region in the extreme east and the Gagauz region in the south. The threat to Moldova’s territorial integrity was largely resolved by the mid-1990s.

Moldova is a landlocked country that covers an area of about 33,700 sq km (about 13,000 sq mi). It was the second smallest republic of the former USSR, after Armenia. The terrain of Moldova is primarily a hilly plain interspersed with deep river valleys. The average elevation is 147 m (482 ft) above sea level. The Kodry Hills occupy the central portion of Moldova, rising to a maximum elevation of about 430 m (about 1410 ft) at Mount Bălănești.

Moldova contains an extensive river system; more than 3000 rivers and streams traverse the country. The two largest rivers are the Dniester and the Prut, both of which rise in the Carpathian Mountains in Ukraine, to the north of Moldova. The Dniester, the larger of the two rivers, flows through the eastern portion of Moldova in a southeasterly direction. It forms part of the country’s border with Ukraine in the northeast, cuts through Moldova’s interior, and meets the Ukrainian border again in the southeast, where it reenters Ukraine and then empties into the Black Sea. The Prut, a major tributary of the Danube River, forms Moldova’s entire western border with Romania. At the extreme southern tip of Moldova, the Prut joins the Danube, which flows eastward and empties into the Black Sea. Other major rivers include the Yalpug, the Byk, and the Reut.

The hills in the central portion of Moldova are densely forested, mostly with oak and hornbeam trees. Linden, maple, beech, and wild fruit trees also grow in Moldova. Cultivated crops have largely replaced the natural grass cover of the plains, or steppes, in northern and southern Moldova. Grassy salt marshes are common in some river valleys.

A wide variety of wildlife inhabits Moldova, although the population of certain animals, such as wolves, has declined dramatically during the last century. Roe deer, which are native to the region, are abundant. The spotted deer, which was introduced to Moldova, is also well established. Members of the weasel family, including badgers, martens, ermines, and polecats, are common. Other mammals include wild boars, foxes, and hares. Common birds include larks, jays, and blackbirds. Some species, such as the wild goose, are migratory.

Natural resources in Moldova include deposits of lignite, phosphorite, and gypsum. Three-quarters of the country is covered in chernozem, an exceptionally fertile type of soil that is ideal for agriculture.

Moldova’s climate is continental, with conditions modified somewhat by the Black Sea. Winters are fairly mild, with average daily temperatures in January ranging from -5° to -3° C (23° to 27° F). Summers are quite warm, with average daily temperatures in July generally exceeding 20° C (68° F) and daily highs occasionally reaching 40° C (104° F). Precipitation is fairly light and irregular and occurs least in the south, where it averages 350 mm (14 in) per year. Precipitation is greatest in the higher elevation areas, where it can exceed 600 mm (20 in) per year. Moldova’s climate is conducive to agriculture, especially grape growing.

The environment of Moldova suffered extreme degradation during the Soviet period, when industrial and agricultural development proceeded without regard for environmental protection. Excessive use of pesticides resulted in heavily polluted topsoil, and industries lacked emission controls. The Moldovan government is now burdened with the Soviet legacy of ecological mismanagement. Environmental initiatives are administered by the State Department for Environmental Protection.

Moldova ratified a new constitution in 1994 to replace the one of the Soviet period. The constitution confirmed Moldova’s status as an independent and democratic republic. It guarantees that all citizens age 18 and older may vote and provides for various other civil rights and freedoms.

The president of Moldova is head of state. The president is directly elected to a four-year term and may serve no more than two consecutive terms. The president nominates the prime minister and, upon his or her recommendation, the cabinet. The prime minister and the cabinet must be approved by the Parlamentul (legislature). The president is empowered to dissolve the Parlamentul. The constitution provides that the president may be impeached for criminal or constitutional offenses.

The Parlamentul, a unicameral (single-chamber) assembly, is the supreme legislative body of Moldova. Its 104 deputies are directly elected for four-year terms. The Parlamentul convenes for two ordinary sessions per year and may hold extraordinary sessions as well. In addition to enacting laws and performing other basic legislative functions, the Parlamentul is empowered to declare a state of emergency, martial law, and war.

Moldova’s judicial system includes the Supreme Court of Justice (the country’s highest court), the Court of Appeal, and the Constitutional Court. Tribunals and courts of law adjudicate at the local level. There is also a Higher Magistrates’ Council, which is composed of 11 magistrates who serve for a period of five years. The council acts to ensure the appointment, transfer, and promotion of judges. The president of Moldova appoints judges to the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court of Justice after the Higher Magistrates’ Council makes its recommendations. The judges are initially appointed for five-year terms; their terms may then be renewed for a period of ten years, after which they may continue to serve until they reach retirement age. The Constitutional Court is the supreme authority on constitutional matters; its decisions are not subject to appeal. It is composed of six judges—two chosen by the president, two by the Parlamentul, and two by the Higher Magistrates’ Council—who each serve for six years.

For purposes of local government, Moldova is divided into 40 districts and 10 urban municipalities (including Chișinău). The municipalities are administered separately from the districts. All of the local jurisdictions are governed by locally elected councils. The prefects and mayors of districts and municipalities are appointed by Moldova’s president after being nominated by the local councils. The 1994 constitution included a provision to give the Gagauz and Trans-Dniester regions autonomous status, although the terms of self-governance were determined through later negotiations. Both regions enjoy broad powers of self-administration and have their own legislatures and chief executives.

Moldova has many political parties. Those represented in the government include the Communist Party of Moldova, the Democratic Convention, and the Bloc for a Democratic and Prosperous Moldova. The Communists won the most seats in the legislative elections of 1998.

During the Soviet period, all armed forces were part of a centralized security system. After Moldova gained independence from the USSR, the government of the republic began to create a national defense force. In 1996 Moldova’s armed forces numbered 11,900 personnel; most were in the army, with 1700 in the air force. In addition, Moldova has a paramilitary force of about 2500 (attached to the Ministry of the Interior) and a riot police force of 900. Military service is compulsory for 18-year-old males for up to 18 months. The 1994 constitution established Moldova as a permanently neutral state.

Moldova is a member of the United Nations (UN), the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), the Organization on Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), the Partnership for Peace program of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), and the Council of Europe (CE).