|
Location:
|
Eastern Europe, northeast of Romania
|
|
Geographic coordinates:
|
47 00 N, 29 00 E
|
|
Map references:
|
europe
|
|
Area:
|
total: 33,843 sq km
water: 472 sq km
land: 33,371 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, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants
|
|
Geography - note:
|
landlocked; well endowed with various sedimentary rocks and minerals including sand, gravel, gypsum, and limestone
|
