Editing Moldova (section)

== Economy ==
{{main|Economy of Moldova}}

=== Overview ===
[[File:Annual growth of GDP for Moldova, Romania, and Ukraine, 1980 to 2028.svg|thumb|Annual growth of GDP for Moldova, [[Romania]], and [[Ukraine]], 1980 to 2028]]
The economy of Moldova is an [[Emerging market|emerging]] upper-middle income economy, with a high [[Human Development Index]]. Since the country gained [[Independence Day of the Republic of Moldova|independence]] from the [[Soviet Union]] in 1992, it has steadily transitioned to a [[market economy]]. According to the [[World Bank]], despite a strong economic performance over the past two decades, Moldova remains among the poorest nations in Europe. Growth has remained relatively high since the 1990s, with low levels of unemployment and falling levels of poverty, but a combination of demographic factors, especially an [[Population ageing|ageing population]] and significant levels of emigration, and recent regional events, especially [[Russian invasion of Ukraine|Russia's invasion of Ukraine]], have posed serious economic challenges to the Moldovan economy, particularly due to inflation and rising energy prices. Productivity growth has remained poor, and a significant proportion of the population are reliant on government pensions and social assistance.<ref>{{Cite web |date=7 April 2023 |title=The World Bank in Moldova |url=https://www.worldbank.org/en/country/moldova/overview |access-date=1 August 2023 |website=[[World Bank]] |language=en |archive-date=12 August 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230812104654/https://www.worldbank.org/en/country/moldova/overview |url-status=live }}</ref> Due to Moldova's historic reliance upon Russian oil and natural gas, the energy sector has posed a particular challenge to the country's economy.
[[File:GDP Per Capita North Balkan Region.svg|thumb|Real GDP per capita development of Moldova, [[Romania]], and [[Ukraine]].]]
[[Measures of national income and output|GDP per capita]] has almost doubled from $2,749 (USD) in 2015 to $5,562 in 2022.<ref>{{Cite web |title=GDP Per Capita (current US$) – Moldova {{!}} Data |url=https://data.worldbank.org/ |access-date=1 August 2023 |website=[[World Bank]] |archive-date=26 May 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230526025607/https://data.worldbank.org/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Following the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdowns, annual GDP growth rebounded to 13.9% in 2021, before Russia's invasion of Ukraine, energy and refugee crises caused growth to collapse to −5.9%. {{as of|2022|lc=n}}, unemployment remains low at 2.3%, but inflation had dramatically increased to 28.7% due to the energy crisis caused by the invasion.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Moldova {{!}} Data |url=https://data.worldbank.org/ |access-date=1 August 2023 |website=[[World Bank]] |archive-date=26 May 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230526025607/https://data.worldbank.org/ |url-status=live }}</ref> In recent years the country has received significant economic assistance from the [[European Union]], IMF, and World Bank, particularly after Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The [[International Monetary Fund|IMF]] predicts that in 2023 the economy will improve from a 1.5% contraction to a growth of 1.5%.<ref>{{Cite web |date=9 January 2023 |title=IMF Executive Board Concludes Second Reviews Under the Extended Credit Facility and Extended Fund Facility Arrangements for the Republic of Moldova |url=https://www.imf.org/en/News/Articles/2023/01/09/pr2301-imf-executive-board-concludes-second-reviews-under-ecf-and-eff-for-moldova |access-date=1 August 2023 |website=[[IMF]] |language=en |archive-date=1 August 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230801213054/https://www.imf.org/en/News/Articles/2023/01/09/pr2301-imf-executive-board-concludes-second-reviews-under-ecf-and-eff-for-moldova |url-status=live }}</ref>

Moldova remains highly vulnerable to fluctuations in [[remittance]]s from workers abroad (which constitute 25 percent of GDP), exports to the [[Commonwealth of Independent States]] (CIS) and [[European Union]] (EU) (88 per cent of total exports), and donor support (about 10 per cent of government spending).<ref name="Walker-2015">{{Cite news |last1=Walker |first1=Shaun |last2=Nardelli |first2=Alberto |date=18 January 2015 |title=Russia's rouble crisis poses threat to nine countries relying on remittances |language=en-GB |work=[[The Guardian]] |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/jan/18/russia-rouble-threat-nine-countries-remittances |access-date=1 August 2023 |issn=0261-3077 |archive-date=9 December 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161209201100/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/jan/18/russia-rouble-threat-nine-countries-remittances |url-status=live }}</ref> The main transmission channels through which adverse exogenous shocks could impact the Moldovan economy are remittances (also due to potentially returning migrants), external trade, and capital flows.<ref name="Walker-2015" />

The economy's primary exports are agriculture, apparel, and sports equipments.<ref>{{Cite web |date=8 September 2022 |title=Moldova – Market Overview |url=https://www.trade.gov/country-commercial-guides/moldova-market-overview |access-date=1 August 2023 |website=[[International Trade Administration]] |language=en |archive-date=1 August 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230801213054/https://www.trade.gov/country-commercial-guides/moldova-market-overview |url-status=live }}</ref> In 2021, Moldova exported $140 million in wine and is the 21st largest exporter of wine in the world, with wine exports being the country's fifth largest export.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Wine in Moldova {{!}} OEC |url=https://oec.world/en/profile/bilateral-product/wine/reporter/mda |access-date=1 August 2023 |website=OEC – The Observatory of Economic Complexity |language=en |archive-date=1 August 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230801213056/https://oec.world/en/profile/bilateral-product/wine/reporter/mda |url-status=live }}</ref> With its 300 days of sunshine per year, the climate in Moldova is ideal for agriculture and particularly [[vineyard]]s. The wine industry is a major economic sector, representing three percent of Moldova's GDP and eight percent of the country's total exports, according to government data.<ref name="Five Things To Know About Moldova">{{Cite web |date=1 June 2023 |title=Five Things To Know About Moldova |url=https://www.barrons.com/news/five-things-to-know-about-moldova-d767674 |access-date=6 July 2023 |website=[[Barron's (newspaper)|Barron's]] |language=en-US |archive-date=7 July 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230707161910/https://www.barrons.com/news/five-things-to-know-about-moldova-d767674 |url-status=live }}</ref> In 2021, the EU became the main purchaser of Moldovan wines. [[Information and communications technology|Information and Communication Technology]] (ICT) is one of the most promising economic sectors in Moldova, accounting for more than 10 percent of GDP. More than 2,000 students graduate with a degree in computing or a related field per year.<ref>{{Cite web |date=8 September 2022 |title=Moldova – Information and Communication Technology |url=https://www.trade.gov/country-commercial-guides/moldova-information-and-communication-technology |access-date=2 August 2023 |website=[[International Trade Administration]] |language=en |archive-date=1 August 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230801213100/https://www.trade.gov/country-commercial-guides/moldova-information-and-communication-technology |url-status=live }} {{pd-notice}}</ref> IT companies export about 80 percent of their total production to the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, the [[Netherlands]], and [[Romania]].

{{col-begin}}
{{col-3}}
{| class="wikitable"
|+GDP per year&nbsp;(Source: World Bank)<ref>{{Cite web |title=World Bank Open Data |url=https://data.worldbank.org/ |access-date=1 August 2023 |website=World Bank Open Data |archive-date=26 May 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230526025607/https://data.worldbank.org/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
!Year
!GDP (Billions in US dollars)
|-
|2017
|9.52
|-
|2018
|11.25
|-
|2019
|11.74
|-
|2020
|11.53
|-
|2021
|13.69
|-
|2022
|14.51
|}
{{col-3}}

{| class="wikitable"
|+Imports per year&nbsp;(Source: World Bank) <ref name="worl923">{{Cite web |title=Indicators of economy in Moldova |url=https://www.worlddata.info/europe/moldova/economy.php |access-date=18 September 2023 |archive-date=16 October 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231016013233/https://www.worlddata.info/europe/moldova/economy.php |url-status=live }}</ref>
!Year
!Imports (Billions in US dollars)
|-
|2017 ||5.37
|-
|2018 ||6.39
|-
|2019 ||6.61
|-
|2020 ||5.92
|-
|2021||7.91
|-
|2022||10.91
|}
{{col-3}}
{| class="wikitable"
|+Exports per year&nbsp;(Source: World Bank) <ref name="worl923"/>
!Year
!Exports (Billions in US dollars)
|-
|2017 ||3.12
|-
|2018 ||3.45
|-
|2019 ||3.66
|-
|2020 ||3.22
|-
|2021||4.20
|-
|2022||5.98
|}
{{col-end}}

===Energy===
{{Excerpt|Energy in Moldova}}

=== Tourism ===
{{Main|Tourism in Moldova}}
Moldova is one of the least visited countries in Europe, and tourism consequently plays a relatively minor role in the country's overall economy.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Petterson |first=Leif |date=2 July 2013 |title=Moldova: embracing its status as Europe's least-visited country |url=https://www.lonelyplanet.com/articles/moldova-embracing-its-status-as-europes-least-visited-country |access-date=2 August 2023 |website=[[Lonely Planet]] |archive-date=15 August 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210815203959/https://www.lonelyplanet.com/articles/moldova-embracing-its-status-as-europes-least-visited-country |url-status=live }}</ref> Despite the impact of [[Russian invasion of Ukraine|Russia's invasion of neighbouring Ukraine]], Moldova saw more foreign visitors in the first quarter of 2022 than pre-[[COVID-19 pandemic|pandemic]], going from 31,000 non-resident tourists in 2019 to 36,100 in 2022.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Buckley |first=Julia |date=6 August 2022 |title=How the Ukraine invasion flattened Eastern European tourism |url=https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/ukraine-invasion-tourism-eastern-europe/index.html |access-date=2 August 2023 |website=CNN |language=en |archive-date=2 August 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230802112942/https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/ukraine-invasion-tourism-eastern-europe/index.html |url-status=live }}</ref> This still makes it one of the least-visited countries in Europe, however in recent years a number of Western media outlets have begun to highlight Moldova and its capital city [[Chișinău]] as an attractive tourism destination due to its picturesque natural landscapes, 300 days of sunshine per year, low prices, ancient wine culture, and mix of regional cultural influences.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Erizanu |first=Paula |date=1 June 2023 |title=I've come to love Chișinău: my home city in Moldova deserves the spotlight |language=en-GB |work=[[The Guardian]] |url=https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2023/jun/01/ive-come-to-love-chisinau-my-home-city-moldova-deserves-the-spotlight |access-date=2 August 2023 |issn=0261-3077 |archive-date=18 October 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231018234919/https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2023/jun/01/ive-come-to-love-chisinau-my-home-city-moldova-deserves-the-spotlight |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Cooper |first=Tim |date=30 September 2021 |title=Chisinau city guide: Where to eat, drink and stay in Moldova's capital |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/europe/moldova/chisinau-travel-guide-best-hotels-city-restaurants-things-to-do-b1926513.html |access-date=2 August 2023 |website=[[The Independent]] |language=en |archive-date=5 July 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230705202221/https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/europe/moldova/chisinau-travel-guide-best-hotels-city-restaurants-things-to-do-b1926513.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Smith |first=Jen Rose |date=8 May 2019 |title=Why you should go to the world's least-visited countries |url=https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/least-visited-countries-travel/index.html |access-date=2 August 2023 |website=[[CNN]] |language=en |archive-date=2 August 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230802112942/https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/least-visited-countries-travel/index.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=27 August 2016 |title=25 quirky facts about Europe's least touristy country |language=en-GB |work=[[The Daily Telegraph]] |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/destinations/europe/articles/amazing-facts-about-moldova/ |access-date=2 August 2023 |issn=0307-1235 |archive-date=2 August 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230802112942/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/destinations/europe/articles/amazing-facts-about-moldova/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Suri |first=Charu |date=12 February 2018 |title=This Enchanting Country May Be Eastern Europe's Best-Kept Secret |url=https://www.architecturaldigest.com/story/moldova-design-travel-guide |access-date=2 August 2023 |website=[[Architectural Digest]] |language=en-US |archive-date=2 August 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230802112943/https://www.architecturaldigest.com/story/moldova-design-travel-guide |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Taylor |first=Chris |date=28 February 2019 |title=Moldova: exploring Europe's poorest and least visited nation |url=https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/travel/article/2187876/exploring-moldova-europes-poorest-country-and-its |access-date=2 August 2023 |website=[[South China Morning Post]] |language=en |archive-date=2 August 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230802112943/https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/travel/article/2187876/exploring-moldova-europes-poorest-country-and-its |url-status=live }}</ref> Tourism in Moldova has focused on the country's natural landscapes, historical sites, and historic wine tradition. The government promotes international tourism within the country through its Moldova Travel brand.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Moldova.travel – the official tourist portal of Moldova |url=https://moldova.travel/en/ |access-date=2 August 2023 |website=Moldova Travel |language=en-US |archive-date=2 August 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230802112944/https://moldova.travel/en/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Moldova is internationally connected by plane via [[Chișinău International Airport]], with direct flights to and from many European destinations, including [[Amsterdam Airport Schiphol|Amsterdam Schiphol]], [[Berlin Brandenburg Airport|Berlin Brandenburg]], [[London Stansted Airport|London Stansted]], [[Charles de Gaulle Airport|Paris–Charles de Gaulle]], [[Tel Aviv]]'s [[Ben Gurion Airport]], [[Leonardo da Vinci–Fiumicino Airport|Rome–Fiumicino Airport]], [[Istanbul Airport]], and [[Dubai International Airport]]. Rail links connect it via direct overnight trains to neighbouring [[Bucharest]], [[Kyiv]], [[Odesa]], and formerly Moscow.<ref name="www.seat61.com">{{Cite web |title=How to travel by train from London to Moldova |url=https://www.seat61.com/Moldova.htm |access-date=2 August 2023 |website=www.seat61.com |archive-date=2 August 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230802112943/https://www.seat61.com/Moldova.htm |url-status=live }}</ref> Moldovan citizens also enjoy visa-free travel across the [[Schengen Area]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=R |first=Bleona |date=30 April 2022 |title=Moldova Marks 8 Years of Visa-Free Travel to EU |url=https://www.schengenvisainfo.com/news/moldova-marks-8-years-of-visa-free-travel-to-eu/ |access-date=2 August 2023 |website=SchengenVisaInfo.com |language=en |archive-date=1 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220501073005/https://www.schengenvisainfo.com/news/moldova-marks-8-years-of-visa-free-travel-to-eu/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
[[File:Orhei_Moldova.jpg|thumb|[[Orhei National Park]]]]
As a major exporter of wine with more than 142 wineries and the largest wine cellar in the world, vineyard tours are offered to tourists across the country. Major sites include the [[Cricova (winery)|Cricova]] winery, whose wine cellar stretches more than {{convert|120|km|mi|abbr=off}}; [[Mimi Castle|Castel Mimi]], a 19th-century chateau with vineyards, a museum, art gallery, spa, hotel, and restaurant; and [[Mileștii Mici (winery)|Mileștii Mici]], which boasts the world's largest collection of wine.<ref name="Guinness World Records" /> As a country with a deep history of [[Eastern Orthodox Christianity]], the country also has more than 50 monasteries and 700 churches.<ref>{{Cite web |date=29 October 2019 |title=The world's least visited countries – have you been to any of them? |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/galleries/least-visited-countries-in-the-world/ |access-date=2 August 2023 |website=The Telegraph |language=en |archive-date=2 August 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230802112944/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/galleries/least-visited-countries-in-the-world/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Among the most famous and well-visited are the [[Old Orhei]] [[List of cave monasteries|Cave Monastery]], carved into a cliff face in the 13th century and still in use today, and the 19th century [[Nativity Cathedral, Chișinău|Nativity Cathedral]] in the centre of Chișinău. [[UNESCO]] includes both the Old Orhei Archaeological Landscape, which features evidence of settlements dating back to at least the 12th century, and the typical [[Chernozem]] soil on the [[Bălți Steppe]] of Moldova (the most arable soil on the planet) on its Tentative List of [[World Heritage Site]]s.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Centre |first=UNESCO World Heritage |title=Orheiul Vechi Archaeological Landscape |url=https://whc.unesco.org/en/tentativelists/6220/ |access-date=2 August 2023 |website=UNESCO World Heritage Centre |language=en |archive-date=9 November 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211109033906/https://whc.unesco.org/en/tentativelists/6220/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Centre |first=UNESCO World Heritage |title=The Typical Chernozem Soils of the Balti Steppe |url=https://whc.unesco.org/en/tentativelists/5647/ |access-date=2 August 2023 |website=UNESCO World Heritage Centre |language=en |archive-date=7 November 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211107092451/https://whc.unesco.org/en/tentativelists/5647/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The capital city of [[Chișinău]] hosts most of the country's national museums, including the [[National Museum of Fine Arts, Chișinău|National Museum of Fine Arts]], [[Moldova State University]], Brancusi Gallery, the [[National Museum of History of Moldova]] with over 236,000 exhibits, as well as bustling markets in the north of the city, including the house where [[Alexander Pushkin]] once resided while in exile from the [[Tsar|Russian Tsar]], and which has since been turned into a museum. Every year on 3–4 October, the country celebrates National Wine Day, where wine producers open up their wineries to the general public and provide shuttle buses between locations.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Waller |first=John |date=9 October 2022 |title=Travel: Exploring Moldova – Europe's 'least known country' |url=https://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/news/23034228.travel-exploring-moldova---europes-least-known-country/ |access-date=2 August 2023 |website=[[Bradford Telegraph and Argus]] |language=en |archive-date=2 August 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230802112944/https://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/news/23034228.travel-exploring-moldova---europes-least-known-country/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

===Wine industry===
{{main|Moldovan wine}}
[[File:Mileştii Mici (3944427747).jpg|thumb|[[Mileștii Mici]] is home to the world's biggest [[wine cellar]]]]
With its 300 days of sunshine per year, the climate in Moldova is ideal for agriculture and particularly [[vineyard]]s. The wine industry is a major economic sector, representing three percent of Moldova's GDP and eight percent of the country's total exports, according to government data. Moldovan wine is being exported into over 70 states worldwide. Although Moldova is barely larger than [[Belgium]], the country has 122,000 hectares of vineyards and is among the 20 largest producers in the world, according to a report by the [[International Organisation of Vine and Wine]] (OIV).<ref name="Five Things To Know About Moldova"/>

Before [[Russian invasion of Ukraine|Russia's invasion of Ukraine]] and Moldova's pivot towards Europe, a majority of its wine exports went to Russia, but this has now changed: "Russia accounted for only 10 percent of Moldovan wine exports in 2021, down from 80 percent in the early 2000s, according to figures from the [[Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry (Moldova)|Moldovan Ministry of Agriculture]]."<ref name="France 24-2022">{{Cite web |date=22 May 2022 |title=Moldova wine industry's EU focus pays off |url=https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20220522-moldova-wine-industry-s-eu-focus-pays-off |access-date=6 July 2023 |website=[[France 24]] |language=en |archive-date=7 July 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230707162429/https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20220522-moldova-wine-industry-s-eu-focus-pays-off |url-status=live }}</ref> The EU liberalised its market for Moldovan wines and has signed a bilateral free trade deal with Moldova, with the result that in 2021 the country exported more than 120 million litres of wine to European countries, compared to 8.6 million litres to Russia.<ref name="France 24-2022" />

Many families have their own recipes and [[grape varieties]] that have been passed down through the generations. There are 3 historical wine regions: Valul lui Traian (south west), Stefan Voda (south east) and [[Codru (wine)|Codru]] (centre), destined for the production of wines with protected geographic indication.<ref name="natura2000" /> [[Mileștii Mici (winery)|Mileștii Mici]] is the home of the largest wine cellar in the world. It stretches for {{convert|200|km|abbr=on}} (though only {{convert|55|km|abbr=on}} is in use) and holds some two million or more bottles of wine.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/article/worlds-largest-wine-cellar|title=This Massive Underground City is Filled With Wine|last=Bednarz|first=Christine|website=nationalgeographic.com|date=29 November 2017|access-date=31 October 2022|archive-date=1 November 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221101043548/https://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/article/worlds-largest-wine-cellar|url-status=dead}}</ref> It has retained the [[Guinness World Records|Guinness World Record]] for largest wine cellar by number of bottles since 2005.<ref name="Guinness World Records">{{Cite web |title=Largest wine cellar by number of bottles |url=https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/largest-wine-cellar-by-number-of-bottles |access-date=6 July 2023 |website=Guinness World Records |language=en-gb |archive-date=7 July 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230707170559/https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/largest-wine-cellar-by-number-of-bottles |url-status=live }}</ref> The earliest wines in its collection date to 1969. [[Mimi Castle]] in the south east is a winery and [[Cultural property|architectural monument]], which was built at the end of the 19th century in the village of [[Bulboaca, Anenii Noi|Bulboaca]] in the district [[Anenii Noi District|Anenii Noi]], and is thought to be the first winery in Bessarabia. It has since also become a tourist complex with a museum, art gallery, hotel, spa, and wine tasting rooms.

===Agriculture===
{{main|Agriculture in Moldova}}
[[File:Dniester in Moldova, 2004.jpg|thumb|Agricultural land in Dniester, 2004]]
Moldova is an agrarian-industrial state, with agricultural land occupying 2,499,000 hectares in a total area of 3,384,600 hectares.<ref name="Gerciu-2017">{{Cite web |last1=Gerciu |first1=Viorel |last2=Rundgren |first2=Gunnar |date=2017 |title=The Status and Potential of Organic Agriculture in the Republic of Moldova |url=https://wedocs.unep.org/bitstream/handle/20.500.11822/22962/The%20Status%20and%20Potential%20of%20Organic%20Agriculture%20in%20the%20Republic%20of%20Moldova.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y |website=UN Environment Programme |access-date=8 March 2024 |archive-date=5 February 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240205181552/https://wedocs.unep.org/bitstream/handle/20.500.11822/22962/The%20Status%20and%20Potential%20of%20Organic%20Agriculture%20in%20the%20Republic%20of%20Moldova.pdf?isAllowed=y&sequence=1 |url-status=live }}</ref> It is estimated that 1,810,500 of these hectares are [[Arable land|arable]].<ref name="Gerciu-2017" /> It is among the most arable countries in Europe, with the Chernozem soil across the [[Bălți Steppe]] being among the most fertile soils anywhere in the world.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Moldova |url=https://www.fao.org/3/y2722e/y2722e0x.htm#:~:text=Arable%20land%20and%20permanent%20crops,about%200.4%20million%20ha%20each. |access-date=2 August 2023 |website=www.fao.org |archive-date=18 August 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230818134915/https://www.fao.org/3/y2722e/y2722e0x.htm#:~:text=Arable%20land%20and%20permanent%20crops,about%200.4%20million%20ha%20each. |url-status=live }}</ref> With more than 300 days of sunshine per year supporting the cultivation of vineyards, Moldova is also one of the largest wine producers in the world. Moldova's agricultural sector benefits from a geographical proximity to large markets, especially the [[European Union]].<ref name="Gerciu-2017" /> {{as of|2021|lc=n}}, agriculture made up 12% of Moldova's overall exports and 21% of overall employment.<ref>{{Cite web |title=REPUBLIC OF MOLDOVA – Statistical Database – United Nations Economic Commission for Europe |url=https://w3.unece.org/CountriesInFigures/en/Home/Index?countryCode=498 |access-date=2 August 2023 |website=w3.unece.org |archive-date=2 August 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230802120023/https://w3.unece.org/CountriesInFigures/en/Home/Index?countryCode=498 |url-status=live }}</ref> Its most exported foods are maize, wheat, sunflower seeds, grapes, apples, sugar beets, milk, potatoes, barley, plums/sloes, while relevant and important domestic industries include sugar processing, vegetable oil, food processing, and agricultural machinery.<ref>{{Citation |title=Moldova |date=25 July 2023 |url=https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/moldova/ |work=[[The World Factbook]] |access-date=2 August 2023 |publisher=[[Central Intelligence Agency]] |language=en |archive-date=5 January 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210105015457/https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/moldova/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Between 2015 and 2022, agricultural production has almost doubled, particularly in vegetable and fruit production.<ref>{{Cite web |date=1 November 2022 |title=Statistical Yearbook of the Republic of Moldova, editions 2002–2022 |url=https://statistica.gov.md/en/buletin-statistic-trimestrial-editiile-2005-2021-9877_59482.html |access-date=2 August 2023 |website=Statistical Yearbook of the Republic of Moldova, editions 2002–2022 |archive-date=2 August 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230802131538/https://statistica.gov.md/en/buletin-statistic-trimestrial-editiile-2005-2021-9877_59482.html |url-status=live }}</ref> In July 2023, a network of 20 [[Seed library|seed libraries]] comprising over 1,000 seeds were created across Moldova with the assistance of [[Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Czech Republic)|Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic]], [[Non-governmental organization|NGOs]], and the [[United Nations Development Programme]], with the aim is to improve local [[agricultural biodiversity]], [[climate resilience]], and the capacity of local government and farmers to respond effectively to changing environmental conditions.<ref>{{Cite web |date=27 July 2023 |title=Seed libraries were created as a first in Moldova, thanks to transfer Czech know-how |url=https://www.undp.org/moldova/press-releases/seed-libraries-were-created-first-moldova-thanks-transfer-czech-know-how |access-date=2 August 2023 |website=[[United Nations Development Programme]] |archive-date=2 August 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230802161617/https://www.undp.org/moldova/press-releases/seed-libraries-were-created-first-moldova-thanks-transfer-czech-know-how |url-status=live }}</ref>

Nevertheless, the country's agricultural sector faces serious long-term challenges. Despite having relatively modest per capita [[greenhouse gas emissions]], and lower than the world average, Moldova is highly vulnerable to [[climate change]] and related environmental disasters which already cost the country 2.13% of annual GDP.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Climate change, environment & energy {{!}} Moldova |url=https://www.undp.org/moldova/climate-change-environment-energy |access-date=2 August 2023 |website=[[United Nations Development Programme]] |language=en |archive-date=12 July 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230712144534/https://www.undp.org/moldova/climate-change-environment-energy |url-status=live }}</ref> According to Climate-KIC, run by the [[European Institute of Innovation and Technology]], "The same region in Moldova can experience intense droughts and devastating floods in the course of a few months, which is the primary concern of local people when they talk about climate. But the irregular nature of these events made it difficult to sustain long term interest from Moldovan people or to channel money from donors."<ref>{{Cite web |date=7 May 2021 |title=Embracing a new approach to climate change in Moldova |url=https://www.climate-kic.org/news/moldova-climate-change-sida-undp/ |access-date=2 August 2023 |website=Climate-KIC |language=en |archive-date=2 August 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230802120023/https://www.climate-kic.org/news/moldova-climate-change-sida-undp/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

===Transport infrastructure===
{{main|Transport in Moldova|Rail transport in Moldova}}
[[File:Chisinau Airport KIV.jpg|thumb|[[Chișinău International Airport]]]]
The main means of transportation in Moldova are railways {{convert|1138|km|mi|abbr=on}} and a highway system ({{convert|12730|km|mi|0|abbr=on|disp=or}} overall, including {{convert|10937|km|mi|0|abbr=on|disp=or}} of paved surfaces). Rail links connect it via direct overnight trains to neighbouring [[Bucharest]], [[Kyiv]], [[Odesa]], and also Moscow.<ref name="www.seat61.com" />

The [[Giurgiulești]] terminal on the [[Danube]] is compatible with small seagoing vessels. Shipping on the lower [[Prut]] and [[Nistru]] rivers plays only a modest role in the country's transportation system.

The sole international air gateway of Moldova is the [[Chișinău International Airport]]. with direct flights to and from many European destinations.

=== Telecommunications ===
{{main|Telecommunications in Moldova}}
Internet in Moldova is among the fastest and least expensive in the world {{as of|2023|lc=y}}.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Worldwide Broadband Price Research 2023 |url=https://www.cable.co.uk/broadband/pricing/worldwide-comparison/ |access-date=2 August 2023 |website=Cable.co.uk |language=en |archive-date=23 November 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171123001429/https://www.cable.co.uk/media-centre/release/new-worldwide-broadband-price-league-unveiled/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The country ranks 3rd in the world by gigabit coverage with around 90% of the population having the option to subscribe to a [[Gigabit Ethernet|gigabit-speed]] [[Optical fiber|fibre-optic]] broadband plan.<ref name="International Trade Administration-2022">{{Cite web |date=8 September 2022 |title=Moldova – Information and Communication Technology |url=https://www.trade.gov/country-commercial-guides/moldova-information-and-communication-technology |access-date=2 August 2023 |website=[[International Trade Administration]] |language=en |archive-date=1 August 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230801213100/https://www.trade.gov/country-commercial-guides/moldova-information-and-communication-technology |url-status=live }}</ref> The [[United Nations Development Programme]] has judged it to have a highly developed digital infrastructure, with 98% 4G coverage of its territory.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Botezatu |first=Serghei |date=4 October 2021 |title=Digital Transformation of Moldova: there is no way back |url=https://www.undp.org/moldova/blog/digital-transformation-moldova-there-no-way-back |access-date=6 July 2023 |website=[[UNDP]] |language=en |archive-date=7 July 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230707180255/https://www.undp.org/moldova/blog/digital-transformation-moldova-there-no-way-back |url-status=live }}</ref> By July 2022, there were more than 3 million internet users in Moldova, constituting some 76% of the population.<ref>{{Cite news |date=22 May 2023 |title=Moldova media guide – BBC News |language=en-GB |work=[[BBC News]] |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-17602346 |access-date=2 August 2023 |archive-date=7 July 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230707163031/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-17602346 |url-status=live }}</ref> Moldova is considering a bid to begin rolling out 5G in 2024, with testing beginning in 2019. [[Starlink]] launched in Moldova in August 2022.<ref>{{Cite tweet|number=1554975109907066880|user=SpaceX|title=Starlink is now live in Moldova → http://starlink.com/map|author-link=SpaceX|date=3 August 2022|access-date=3 August 2022}}</ref> [[Information and communications technology|Information and Communication Technology]] (ICT) is one of the most promising economic sectors in Moldova, accounting for more than 10 percent of GDP. More than 2,000 Moldovan students per year graduate with a degree in [[Bachelor of Computing|computing]] or a related field.<ref name="International Trade Administration-2022" />

The [[International Telecommunication Union|ITU]]'s Global Cybersecurity Index ranks Moldova on the 33rd place in Europe and the 63rd place in the world. The country's joining in 2009 of the [[Convention on Cybercrime]] of the [[Council of Europe]] and adoption of the National Cyber Security Programme for 2016–2020 have established the legislative parameters for a safer digital environment. Since Russia's invasion of neighbouring Ukraine and their campaign of [[Cyberwarfare by Russia|cyberwarfare]] against Moldova, the Moldovan government has invested significant money and resources in developing stronger [[cybersecurity]] practices and regulations with assistance from the European Union and United States.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Stupp |first=Catherine |date=27 July 2022 |title=Moldova Plans Cyber Overhauls Amid War in Neighboring Ukraine |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/moldova-plans-cyber-overhauls-amid-war-in-neighboring-ukraine-11658914202 |access-date=2 August 2023 |website=[[The Wall Street Journal]] |language=en-US |archive-date=2 August 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230802123752/https://www.wsj.com/articles/moldova-plans-cyber-overhauls-amid-war-in-neighboring-ukraine-11658914202 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Gallagher |first=Ryan |date=20 April 2023 |title=Cyberwar Descends on an Unprepared Moldova |language=en |work=[[Bloomberg News]] |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-04-20/russian-cyberattacks-target-moldova-amid-ukraine-war |access-date=2 August 2023}}</ref> The European Union has also set up and funded the Moldova Cybersecurity Rapid Assistance Unit to improve the cyber resilience of Moldova's public sector organisations and key critical infrastructure sectors. Moldova has adopted new legislation partially drafted by the unit which will go into effect on 1 January 2025.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Moldova Cybersecurity Rapid Assistance |url=https://eufordigital.eu/discover-eu/moldova-cybersecurity-rapid-assistance/ |access-date=2 August 2023 |website=EU4Digital |language=en-US |archive-date=2 August 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230802123758/https://eufordigital.eu/discover-eu/moldova-cybersecurity-rapid-assistance/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=17 May 2023 |title=Moldova adopts EU-backed Cybersecurity Law – EU NEIGHBOURS east |url=https://euneighbourseast.eu/news/latest-news/moldova-adopts-eu-backed-cybersecurity-law/ |access-date=2 August 2023 |website=euneighbourseast.eu |language=en-GB |archive-date=2 August 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230802123756/https://euneighbourseast.eu/news/latest-news/moldova-adopts-eu-backed-cybersecurity-law/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The country has also passed legislation in order to more closely align with the EU's [[General Data Protection Regulation|GDPR]] regulations, and is currently mostly compliant.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2 October 2022 |title={{!}} Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration of the Republic of Moldova |url=https://mfa.gov.md/en/content/new-data-protection-law-line-european-standards-provides-transparent-rules-benefitting |access-date=2 August 2023 |website=[[Government of Moldova]] |archive-date=2 August 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230802123804/https://mfa.gov.md/en/content/new-data-protection-law-line-european-standards-provides-transparent-rules-benefitting |url-status=live }}</ref>

===Banking===
{{see also|List of banks in Moldova}}
The [[National Bank of Moldova]] is responsible for the financial system and has a responsibility to the management and control of all banks in Moldova. It is accountable to the [[Parliament of Moldova]].