Location:
Eastern Europe, northeast of Romania

Geographic coordinates:
47 00 N, 29 00 E

Map references:
Europe

Area:
total: 33,851 sq km
[see also: Area - total country ranks ]
land: 32,891 sq km
[see also: Area - land country ranks ]
water: 960 sq km
[see also: Area - water country ranks ]
country comparison to the world: 140

Area - comparative:
slightly larger than Maryland
Area comparison map: slightly larger than Maryland

Land boundaries:
total: 1,885 km
border countries (2): Romania 683 km, Ukraine 1,202 km
[see also: Land boundaries country ranks ]

Coastline:
0 km (landlocked)
[see also: Coastline country ranks ]

Maritime claims:
none (landlocked)

Climate:
moderate winters, warm summers

Terrain:
rolling steppe, gradual slope south to Black Sea

Elevation:
mean elevation: 139 m
[see also: Mean Elevation country ranks ]
elevation extremes: lowest point: Dniester (Nistru) 2 m highest point: Dealul Balanesti 430 m

Natural resources:
lignite, phosphorites, gypsum, limestone, arable land

Land use:
agricultural land: 74.9% arable land 55.1%; permanent crops 9.1%; permanent pasture 10.7%
[see also: Land use - agricultural land country ranks ]
forest: 11.9%
[see also: Land use - forest country ranks ]
other: 13.2% (2011 est.)
[see also: Land use - other country ranks ]

Irrigated land:
2,283 sq km (2012)
[see also: Irrigated land country ranks ]

Population - distribution:
pockets of agglomeration exist throughout the country, the largest being in the center of the country around the capital of Chisinau, followed by Tiraspol and Balti

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