Moldova Geography - 2021

GEOGRAPHICAL NAMES 

Location

Eastern Europe, northeast of Romania

Geographic coordinates

47 00 N, 29 00 E

Map references

Europe

Area

total: 33,851 sq km

land: 32,891 sq km

water: 960 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly larger than Maryland

Area comparison map

Land boundaries

total: 1,885 km

border countries (2): Romania 683 km, Ukraine 1202 km

Coastline

0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims

none (landlocked)

Climate

moderate winters, warm summers

Terrain

rolling steppe, gradual slope south to Black Sea

Elevation

highest point: Dealul Balanesti 430 m

lowest point: Dniester (Nistru) 2 m

mean elevation: 139 m

Natural resources

lignite, phosphorites, gypsum, limestone, arable land

Land use

agricultural land: 74.9% (2018 est.)

arable land: 55.1% (2018 est.)

permanent crops: 9.1% (2018 est.)

permanent pasture: 10.7% (2018 est.)

forest: 11.9% (2018 est.)

other: 13.2% (2018 est.)

Irrigated land

2,283 sq km (2012)

Total renewable water resources

12.27 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)

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 - international agreements

party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Heavy Metals, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Multi-effect Protocol

Geography - note

landlocked; well endowed with various sedimentary rocks and minerals including sand, gravel, gypsum, and limestone

NOTE: The information regarding Moldova on this page is re-published from the 2021 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency and other sources. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Moldova 2021 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Moldova 2021 should be addressed to the CIA or the source cited on each page.