Moldova (Republic of Moldova)

Moldova Republic of Moldova
Status	Independent State
Social and Moral Index	118th best
Capital	Chisinau
Land Area	32 854km21
Location	Europe
Population	3.5m (2011)2
Life Expectancy	71.73yrs (2017)3
GNI	$5 026 (2017)4
ISO3166-1 Codes	MD, MDA, 4985
Internet Domain	.md6
Currency	Leu (MDL)7
Telephone	+3738

1. Overview
2. Moldova National and Social Development
3. Population and Demographics
4. Gender Equality
5. Religion and Beliefs
6. The Internet
7. Public Health Issues
8. Politics and Freedom
9. More Charts and Comparisons to Other Countries
10. Links

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1. Overview

#romania #russia #ukraine

“Part of Romania during the interwar period, Moldova was incorporated into the Soviet Union at the close of World War II. Although the country has been independent from the USSR since 1991, Russian forces have remained on Moldovan territory east of the Nistru River supporting a Transnistrian separatist region composed of a Slavic majority population (mostly Ukrainians and Russians), but with a sizeable ethnic Moldovan minority. One of the poorest nations in Europe, Moldova became the first former Soviet state to elect a Communist, Vladimir VORONIN, as its president in 2001. VORONIN served as Moldova's president until he resigned in September 2009, following the opposition's gain of a narrow majority in July parliamentary elections and the Communist Party's (PCRM) subsequent inability to attract the three-fifths of parliamentary votes required to elect a president. Four Moldovan opposition parties formed a new coalition, the Alliance for European Integration (AEI), which has acted as Moldova's governing coalition since. Moldova experienced significant political uncertainty between 2009 and early 2012, holding three general elections and numerous presidential ballots in parliament, all of which failed to secure a president. Following November 2010 parliamentary elections, a reconstituted AEI-coalition consisting of three of the four original AEI parties formed a government, and in March 2012 was finally able to elect an independent as president.”

CIA's The World Factbook (2013)₉

“Long-forgotten and little-known, Moldova struggles to throw off its post-communist trappings and reputation as one of the poorest nations in Europe. Only vaguely known in Europe and all but anonymous to the rest of the world, Moldova remains a mysterious and misunderstood land: part Romanian, part Russian, all Soviet. Once at the very edge of the USSR, Moldova has gone it alone since the early ´90s. Independence has been economically painful and Moldova has been racked by civil war between the central government and the secessionist Russian-speaking region known as Transdniestr, which continues to exist as a state within a state today.Moldova gets a tiny number of tourists and isn´t particularly well set up for travellers, but this is one of its greatest charms. Its out-of-the-way aspect makes travel in Moldova a challenge and an adventure, but the unhurried and timeless way of life, where there is always time to chat in the shade of summer´s fruit trees, are part of its appeal.

Sights may be few and far between in the gently undulating landscape, but look no further for adventure: this is Eastern Europe´s last unknown land.”

"The World" by Lonely Planet (2014)₁₀

2. Moldova National and Social Development

UN HDI (2016) Lower is better Rank11
1	Norway	1
2	Australia	2
3	Switzerland	2
	...
104	Samoa	104
105	Maldives	105
106	Uzbekistan	105
107	Moldova	107
108	Botswana	108
109	Gabon	109
110	Paraguay	110
111	Egypt	111
	World Avg	94.3
q=188.

Social & Moral Development Index Higher is better Points12
1	Iceland	84.1
2	Sweden	80.8
3	Norway	80.0
	...
115	Laos	51.6
116	Vanuatu	51.5
117	Guyana	51.3
118	Moldova	51.0
119	Venezuela	50.9
120	Morocco	50.9
121	Kenya	50.7
122	Haiti	50.5
	World Avg	54.5
q=198.

The United Nations produces an annual Human Development Report which includes the Human Development Index. The factors taken into account include life expectancy, education and schooling and Gross National Income (GNI) amongst many others..

The Social and Moral Development Index concentrates on moral issues and human rights, violence, public health, equality, tolerance, freedom and effectiveness in climate change mitigation and environmentalism, and on some technological issues. A country scores higher for achieving well in those areas, and for sustaining that achievement in the long term. Those countries towards the top of this index can truly said to be setting good examples and leading humankind onwards into a bright, humane, and free future. See: What is the Best Country in the World? An Index of Morality, Conscience and Good Life.

3. Population and Demographics

Old-Age Dependency Ratio (2016) Lower is better Per 10013
1	Uganda	04.3
2	Mali	04.5
3	Chad	04.7
	...
126	Costa Rica	22.6
127	Israel	22.9
128	Sri Lanka	23.7
129	Moldova	24.7
130	China	25.3
131	Mauritius	25.9
132	Uruguay	26.8
133	Cyprus	26.9
	World Avg	18.3
q=185.

Emigrants (2010) %14
1	Dominica	104.8
2	Palestine	68.4
3	Samoa	67.3
	...
23	St Lucia	23.3
24	Macedonia	21.9
25	Sao Tome & Principe	21.9
26	Moldova	21.5
27	Fiji	21.3
28	Portugal	20.8
29	Lesotho	20.5
30	El Salvador	20.5
	World Avg	11.5
q=192.

Fertility Rate (2013) 2.0 is best15
1	Korea, N.	2.00
2	Brunei	1.99
3	St Vincent & Grenadines	2.01
	...
88	Slovenia	1.47
89	Italy	1.47
90	Cyprus	1.46
91	Moldova	1.46
92	Cuba	1.45
93	India	2.55
94	Germany	1.44
95	Laos	2.58
	World Avg	2.81
q=180.

Immigrants (2010) %14
1	Qatar	86.5
2	Monaco	71.6
3	UAE	70.0
	...
41	Seychelles	12.8
42	Grenada	12.1
43	Ukraine	11.6
44	Moldova	11.4
45	Belarus	11.4
46	Iceland	11.3
47	UK	11.2
48	Ivory Coast	11.2
	World Avg	9.2
q=192.

Life Expectancy (2015) Higher is better Years16
1	Hong Kong	84.16
2	Japan	83.68
3	Italy	83.34
	...
104	Guatemala	72.06
105	Bangladesh	71.99
106	Libya	71.76
107	Moldova	71.73
108	Belarus	71.46
109	Egypt	71.33
110	Suriname	71.28
111	Ukraine	71.13
	World Avg	71.27
q=190.

Population (2012)17
1	China	1.4b
2	India	1.3b
3	USA	315.8m
	...
128	Bosnia & Herzegovina	3.7m
129	Panama	3.6m
130	Mauritania	3.6m
131	Moldova	3.5m
132	Uruguay	3.4m
133	Lithuania	3.3m
134	Albania	3.2m
135	Armenia	3.1m
	World Avg	36.0m
q=195.

Moldova's population is predicted to fall to 3 147 000 by 2030. Developed countries with falling populations face a pension's crises, whereby an incresingly ageing population must be cared for by fewer and fewer workers. Economic stability can be maintained by increasing foreign workers from younger countries. This country has a fertility rate of 1.46. The fertility rate is, in simple terms, the average amount of children that each woman has. The higher the figure, the quicker the population is growing, although, to calculate the rate you also need to take into account morbidity, i.e., the rate at which people die. If people live healthy and long lives and morbidity is low, then, 2.0 approximates to the replacement rate, which would keep the population stable. If all countries had such a fertility rate, population growth would end. The actual replacement rate in most developed countries is around 2.1.

• The Overpopulation of the Earth
• Abortion, Birth Control and Contraception: How Religion is Making Overpopulation Worse

4. Gender Equality

Gender Inequality (2015) Lower is better18
1	Switzerland	0.04
2	Denmark	0.04
3	Netherlands	0.04
	...
44	Malta	0.22
45	Bulgaria	0.22
46	UAE	0.23
47	Moldova	0.23
48	Bahrain	0.23
49	Hungary	0.25
50	Saudi Arabia	0.26
51	Albania	0.27
	World Avg	0.36
q=159.

Year Women Can Vote Lower is better Year19
1	New Zealand	1893
2	Australia	1902
3	Finland	1906
	...
181	Namibia	1989
182	Samoa	1990
183	Kazakhstan	1993
184	Moldova	1994
185	Oman	1994
186	Qatar	2003
187	Kuwait	2005
188	Saudi Arabia	0
	World Avg	1930
q=189.

Gender inequality is not a necessary part of early human development. Although a separation of roles is almost universal due to different strengths between the genders, this does not have to mean that women are subdued, and, such patriarchialism is not universal in ancient history. Those cultures and peoples who shed, or never developed, the idea that mankind ought to dominate womankind, are better cultures and peoples than those who, even today, cling violently to those mores.

Moldova is on the way towards ending gender inequality but women are still in an unfavourable position much of the time.

See:

• "Religion Versus Womankind" by Vexen Crabtree (2007)

5. Religion and Beliefs

#buddhism #christianity #hinduism #islam #judaism

Religiosity (2009) Lower is better %20
1	Estonia	16
2	Sweden	17
3	Denmark	19
	...
35	Montenegro	71
36	Greece	71
37	Italy	72
38	Moldova	72
39	Kyrgyzstan	72
40	Armenia	73
41	Mexico	73
42	Poland	75
	World Avg	75.1
q=114.

Disbelief In God (2007) Higher is better21
1	Vietnam	81
2	Japan	65
3	Sweden	64
	...
45	Croatia	7
46	Kyrgyzstan	7
47	Cambodia	7
48	Moldova	6
49	Italy	6
50	Laos	5
51	Ireland	5
52	Mozambique	5
	World Avg	9.9
q=137.

Data from the Pew Forum, a professional polling outfit, states that in 2010 the religious makeup of this country was as follows in the table below₂₂:

Christian	97.4%
Muslim	0.6%
Hindu	0.1%
Buddhist	0.1%
Folk Religion	0.1%
Jew	0.6%
Unaffiliated	1.4%

By adding up the Pew Forum data for the major monotheistic religions we can see that these make up 98.6% of the population. Yet there are simply too many who disbelieve in God for this to be true (6%). This is due to the so-called 'Census Effect', whereby many put down a religion for cultural reasons rather than because it reflects their beliefs. In highly Christian countries, as many as half of those who say they're a Christian lack any connection to a Church, and do not hold Christian beliefs (such as believing in God!).

It appears that when asked "What religion are you" many give pollsters the 'correct' answer despite how they actually feel, and despite what they actually believe. Although 98.9% of the populace say they belong to a religion, only 72% say that they are religious when the question is phrased as "Is religion an important part of your daily life?".

For more on this phenomenon, see:

• "Institutionalized Religions Have Their Numbers Inflated by National Polls" by Vexen Crabtree (2009)

The CIA World Factbook has slightly different data, and states: Eastern Orthodox 98%, Jewish 1.5%, Baptist and other 0.5% (2000)₂₃.

Links:

• A List of All Religions and Belief Systems
• Secularisation Theory: Will Modern Society Reject Religion? What is Secularism?

6. The Internet

Internet Users (2016) Higher is better24
1	Iceland	100%
2	Faroe Islands	99%
3	Norway	98%
	...
99	Armenia	50%
100	Iran	49%
101	Tunisia	48%
102	Moldova	48%
103	Paraguay	47%
104	Fiji	47%
105	Tonga	47%
106	Nigeria	46%
	World Avg	48.1%
q=201.

IPv6 Uptake (2017) Higher is better Ratio25
1	Belgium	55.4
2	Germany	41.8
3	Switzerland	35.1
	...
60	Iceland	0.3
61	Turkey	0.3
62	Uruguay	0.3
63	Moldova	0.3
64	UAE	0.3
65	Seychelles	0.2
66	Puerto Rico	0.2
67	Indonesia	0.2
	World Avg	3.82
q=176.

IT Security (2013) Lower is better26
1	Ireland	0.11
2	Luxembourg	0.11
3	Belize	0.11
	...
27	Chile	0.66
28	Guinea-Bissau	0.67
29	Uzbekistan	0.69
30	Moldova	0.71
31	Zambia	0.76
32	Kenya	0.77
33	Cameroon	0.77
34	Burkina Faso	0.79
	World Avg	0.98
q=81.

Internet access has become an essential research tool. It facilitates an endless list of life improvements, from the ability to network and socialize without constraint, to access to a seemingly infinite repository of technical and procedural information on pretty much any task. The universal availability of data has sped up industrial development and personal learning at the national and personal level. Individuals can read any topic they wish regardless of the locality of expert teachers, and, entire nations can develop their technology and understanding of the world simply because they are now exposed to advanced societies and moral discourses online. Like every communications medium, the Internet has issues and causes a small range of problems, but these are insignificant compared to the advantages of having an online populace.

7. Public Health Issues

Adolescent Birth Rate (2015) Lower is better Per 100018
1	Korea, N.	0.5
2	Korea, S.	1.6
3	Switzerland	2.9
	...
64	Bhutan	21.4
65	Djibouti	21.5
66	Albania	21.7
67	Moldova	22.6
68	USA	22.6
69	Armenia	23.0
70	Jordan	23.2
71	Russia	23.4
	World Avg	47.9
q=185.

Alcohol Consumption (2010) Lower is better Per Capita27
1	Libya	0.1
2	Pakistan	0.1
3	Kuwait	0.1
	...
184	Hungary	13.3
185	Andorra	13.8
186	Ukraine	13.9
187	Romania	14.4
188	Russia	15.1
189	Lithuania	15.4
190	Moldova	16.8
191	Belarus	17.5
	World Avg	6.2
q=191.

Infant Immunizations 2011-2015 (2015) Higher is better Avg %28
1	Hungary	99.0
2	China	99.0
3	Uzbekistan	98.9
	...
111	Lesotho	91.7
112	Malawi	91.7
113	Mexico	91.6
114	Moldova	91.5
115	Iceland	91.5
116	Trinidad & Tobago	91.4
117	Jamaica	90.9
118	Burkina Faso	90.6
	World Avg	88.3
q=194.

Smoking Rates (2014) Lower is better29
1	Guinea	15
2	Solomon Islands	26
3	Kiribati	28
	...
125	USA	1 083
126	Finland	1 083
127	Portugal	1 113
128	Moldova	1 114
129	Lithuania	1 124
130	Uruguay	1 135
131	Canada	1 154
132	Albania	1 177
	World Avg	819
q=182.

Suicide Rate (2013) Lower is better Per 100k30
1	Haiti	0
2	Grenada	0
3	Egypt	0.1
	...
71	Austria	30.9
72	Uruguay	32.3
73	France	33.2
74	Moldova	35.7
75	Switzerland	36.2
76	Croatia	36.4
77	Estonia	37.9
78	Serbia	38.1
	World Avg	20.93
q=91.

8. Politics and Freedom

Nominal Commitment to HR (2009) Higher is better Treaties31
1	Argentina	24
2	Chile	23
3	Costa Rica	23
	...
64	Greece	19
65	Ireland	19
66	Lithuania	18
67	Moldova	18
68	Kyrgyzstan	18
69	Philippines	18
70	Algeria	18
71	Malta	18
	World Avg	15.1
q=194.

Personal, Civil & Economic Freedom (2014) Lower is better Rank32
1	Hong Kong	1
2	Switzerland	2
3	New Zealand	3
	...
66	Brunei	66
67	Serbia	67
68	Guatemala	68
69	Moldova	69
70	Namibia	69
71	Bolivia	71
72	Indonesia	72
73	Turkey	73
	World Avg	79.7
q=159.

Press Freedom (2013) Lower is better33
1	Finland	638
2	Netherlands	648
3	Norway	652
	...
51	S. Africa	2456
52	Japan	2517
53	Argentina	2567
54	Moldova	2601
55	Hungary	2609
56	Italy	2611
57	Hong Kong	2616
58	Senegal	2619
	World Avg	3249
q=178.

9. More Charts and Comparisons to Other Countries