Moldova

Location:
Eastern Europe, northeast of Romania
Geographc Coordinates:
47 00 N, 29 00 E
Map references:
Europe
Area:
total: 33,843 sq km
land: 33,371 sq km
water: 472 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly larger than Maryland
Land boundaries:
total: 1,390 km
border countries: Romania 450 km, Ukraine 940 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: Dniester River 2 m
highest point: Dealul Balanesti 430 m
Natural resources:
lignite, phosphorites, gypsum, arable land, limestone
Land use:
arable land: 54.52%
permanent crops: 8.81%
other: 36.67% (2005)
Irrigated land:
3,000 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
11.7 cu km (1997)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 2.31 cu km/yr (10%/58%/33%)
per capita: 549 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards:
landslides
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, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
landlocked; well endowed with various sedimentary rocks and minerals including sand, gravel, gypsum, and limestone