Advertisers

(1) VictoriaBank

(2)Moldtelecom

(3) Chisinau

(4) UniBank

(5) TUTUN-CTC

(6)MoldingCoBank

(7) Codru Hotel

(8) Moldova Agroindbank

A Special International Report Prepared by The Washington Times Advertising Department Written by: Daniel R. Zim Project Director: Kevin M. Baerson For more information, call The Washington Times International Advertising Department at (202) 636-3035 (202) 635-0103 fax e-mail: natlad@wt.infi.net Copyright © 1999 News World Communications, Inc.

Moldova at a Glance

Size:
33,700 sq. km about the size of the state of Maryland

Borders:
Romania on the West, Ukraine on the East

Population: 4,457,729 (July '98)

Ethnic Groups:
Moldovan/Romanian 64.5%, Ukrainian 13.8%, Russian 13%, Gagauz Turks 3.5%, Jewish 1.5%, Bulgarian 2% ('89)

Languages:
Moldovan/Romanian, Russian, Gagauz (a Turkish dialect)

Religions:
Orthodox Christian 98.5%, Jewish 1.5%

Literacy Rate:
96% ('89)

Life Expectancy:
male 59.61 years, female 69.27 years. ('98)

Labor Force:
2.42 million ('95)

Unemployment:
1.4% officially registered (March '97)

Currency:
Leu (9.193=$1)

Inflation:
18.3% ('98)

Total Exports:
$816 million ('97)

Principal Exports:
foodstuffs, wine, tobacco, tex- tiles and footwear, machinery

Total Imports:
$1.16 billion ('97)

Principal Imports:
oil, gas, coal, steel, machinery, foodstuffs, automobiles and other consumer durables

GDP:
$10.8 billion ('97 est.)

GDP Per Capita:
$2,400 ('97 est.)

Budget Revenues:
$570 million ('97 est)

Budget Expenditures:
$640 million ('97 est.)

Table of Contents

(1) Moldova: a 'model of democracy'

(2) Moldovan President promotes stable, open economy

(3) Moldova- at-a-Glance

(4) Entrepreneur Prime Minister hopes to build prosperous Moldova
Economic globalization is Ion Sturza's recipe for success

(5) Moldova - a country in bloom

(6) Chisinau: Sacramento's sister city to the East

(7) Investment opportunities abound
Moldova goes out of its way to attract foreign investment

(8) Moldova's telecom giant seeks privatization

(9) Agricultural sector modernizes

(10) Moldovan tobacco courts investors

(11) Banks: bulwark for tomorrow

(12) How Moldova's banks withstood the Russian crisis

(13) Women leaders in Moldova

(14) A small country with many delights

(15) Why invest in Moldova?

(16) Wine is king