Short facts about the geography of Moldavia

Location:

Eastern Europe, northeast of Romania

Geographic coordinates:

47 00 N, 29 00 E

Map references:

Commonwealth of Independent States

Area:

total:  33,843 sq km land:  33,371 sq km water:  472 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly larger than Maryland

Land boundaries:

total:  1,389 km border countries:  Romania 450 km, Ukraine 939 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:  Nistru (Dnister) River 2 m highest point:  Dealul Balanesti 430 m

Natural resources:

lignite, phosphorites, gypsum, arable land

Land use:

arable land:  53% permanent crops:  14% permanent pastures:  13% forests and woodland:  13% other:  7% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land:

3,110 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards:

landslides (57 cases in 1998)

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, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified:  Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants

Geography - note:

landlocked

Source: World Factbook