Republic of Moldova
Republica Moldoveneasca

CAPITAL: Chis¸inau

FLAG: Equal vertical bands of blue, yellow, and red; emblem in center of yellow stripe is Roman eagle with shield on its breast.

ANTHEM: Limba Noastra (Our Tongue)

MONETARY UNIT: The leu (MLD) is a paper currency, replacing the Russian rouble. As of May 2003, 1MLD = $0.08236 ($1 = MLD14.45) as of May 2003.

WEIGHTS AND MEASURES: The metric system is in force.

HOLIDAYS: Independence Day, 27 August.

TIME: 2 PM = noon GMT.

Location, Size, and Extent

Moldova is a landlocked nation located in eastern Europe, between Ukraine and Romania. Comparatively, it is slightly larger than the state of Maryland with a total area of 33,843 sq km (13,067 sq mi). Moldova shares boundaries with Ukraine on the N, E, and S; and Romania on the W. Moldova's border length totals 1,389 km (864 mi).

Its capital city, Chis¸inau, is located in the south central part of the country.

Topography