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Moldova:
Economy

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Economy - overview
Moldova remains one of the poorest countries in Europe despite recent progress from its small economic base. It enjoys a favorable climate and good farmland but has no major mineral deposits. As a result, the economy depends heavily on agriculture, featuring fruits, vegetables, wine, and tobacco. Moldova must import almost all of its energy supplies. Moldova's dependence on Russian energy was underscored at the end of 2005, when a Russian-owned electrical station in Moldova's separatist Transnistria region cut off power to Moldova and Russia's Gazprom cut off natural gas to Moldova in disputes over pricing. The economy achieved 6% or more GDP growth every year from 2000-05, though this was based largely on consumption fueled by remittances received from Moldovans working abroad. Russia's decision to ban Moldovan wine and agricultural products, coupled with its decision to double the price Moldova paid for Russian natural gas, slowed GDP growth in 2006 and greatly exacerbated Moldova's economic troubles. Economic reforms have been slow because of corruption and strong political forces backing government controls; nevertheless, the government's primary goal of EU integration has resulted in some market-oriented progress. The economy remains vulnerable to higher fuel prices, poor agricultural weather, and the skepticism of foreign investors. Also, the presence of an illegal separatist regime in Moldova's Transnistria region continues to be a drag on the Moldovan economy.
GDP (purchasing power parity)
$9.066 billion (2006 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate)
$2.573 billion (2006 est.)
GDP - real growth rate
4% (2006 est.)
GDP - per capita
$2,000 (2006 est.)
GDP - composition by sector
agriculture: 21.5%
industry: 22%
services: 56.5% (2006 est.)
Labor force
1.339 million (2006 est.)
Labor force - by occupation
agriculture: 40.7%
industry: 12.1%
services: 47.2% (2005)
Unemployment rate
7.3%; note - roughly 25% of working age Moldovans are employed abroad (2005 est.)
Population below poverty line
29.5% (2005)
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%: 3.2%
highest 10%: 26.4% (2003)
Distribution of family income - Gini index
33.2 (2003)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
12.7% (2006 est.)
Investment (gross fixed)
27.9% of GDP (2006 est.)
Budget
revenues: $1.359 billion
expenditures: $1.368 billion (2006 est.)
Public debt
30% of GDP (2006 est.)
Agriculture - products
vegetables, fruits, wine, grain, sugar beets, sunflower seed, tobacco; beef, milk
Industries
sugar, vegetable oil, food processing, agricultural machinery; foundry equipment, refrigerators and freezers, washing machines; hosiery, shoes, textiles
Electricity - production
3.881 billion kWh (2005)
Electricity - consumption
5.551 billion kWh (2005)
Electricity - exports
220 million kWh (2005)
Electricity - imports
3.361 billion kWh (2005)
Oil - production
0 bbl/day (2004 est.)
Oil - consumption
14,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)
Oil - exports
NA bbl/day
Oil - imports
NA bbl/day
Oil - proved reserves
0 bbl (1 January 2006)
Natural Gas - production
0 cu m (2005 est.)
Natural Gas - consumption
2.35 billion cu m (2005 est.)
Natural Gas - exports
0 cu m (2005 est.)
Natural Gas - imports
2.35 billion cu m (2005)
Current account balance
$-403.6 million (2006 est.)
Exports
$1.054 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)
Exports - commodities
foodstuffs, textiles, machinery
Exports - partners
Russia 22.8%, Germany 12.2%, Italy 11.1%, Romania 9.7%, Ukraine 9.6%, Belarus 5.7% (2006)
Imports
$2.644 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)
Imports - commodities
mineral products and fuel, machinery and equipment, chemicals, textiles
Imports - partners
Russia 20.8%, Ukraine 16.9%, Romania 13.4%, Germany 8.7%, Italy 6.1%, Poland 4.4% (2006)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
$775.5 million (2006 est.)
Debt - external
$2.482 billion (2006 est.)
Economic aid - recipient
$191.8 million (2005)
Currency (code)
Moldovan leu (MDL)
Exchange rates
lei per US dollar - 13.131 (2006), 12.6 (2005), 12.33 (2004), 13.945 (2003), 13.571 (2002)
Fiscal year
calendar year


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