Moldova Geography:
Location:
Eastern Europe, northeast of Romania
Geographic coordinates:
47 00 N, 29 00 E
Map references:
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: Dniester River 2 m
highest point: Dealul Balanesti 430 m
Natural resources:
Lignite, phosphorites, gypsum, arable land, limestone
Land use:
arable land: 55.3%
permanent crops: 10.79%
other: 33.91%
(2001)
Irrigated land:
3,070 sq km (1998 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, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements (not ratified)
Geography - Note:
Landlocked; well endowed with various sedimentary rocks and minerals including sand, gravel, gypsum, and limestone |
