: local--Chisinau has a fiber-optic loop and one cellular GSM
provider; the waiting list for telephones is long; local service
outside Chisinau is poor; intercity--Moldova's two fiber-optic
segments form a synchronous digital hierarchy ring through Romania's
system; an analog backbone system runs from south to north in Moldova
international: two fiber-optic segments provide connectivity to
Romania; worldwide service can be available to Moldova through this
infrastructure; additional analog lines are to Russia; Intelsat,
Eutelsat, and Intersputnik earth stations

Radio broadcast stations: AM 4, FM 8, shortwave NA (1999)

Radios: NA

Television broadcast stations: 1 national station, 3 private
stations, 15 small local stations outside Chisinau (1998)

Televisions: 93 televisions/100 people (1996)

Transportation

Railways:
total: 1,328 km
broad gauge: 1,328 km 1.520-m gauge (1992)

Highways:
total: 12,300 km
paved: 10,738 km
unpaved: 1,562 km (1996 est.)

Waterways: 424 km (1994)

Pipelines: natural gas 310 km (1992)

Ports and harbors: none

Airports: 26 (1994 est.)

Airports--with paved runways:
total: 8
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
under 914 m: 3 (1994 est.)

Airports--with unpaved runways:
total: 18
2,438 to 3,047 m: 3
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 5
under 914 m: 8 (1994 est.)

Military

Military branches: Ground Forces, Air and Air Defense Forces,
Republic Security Forces (internal and border troops)

Military manpower--military age: 18 years of age

Military manpower--availability:
males age 15-49: 1,151,674 (1999 est.)

Military manpower--fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 908,347 (1999 est.)

Military manpower--reaching military age annually:
males: 38,666 (1999 est.)

Military expenditures--dollar figure: $6.3 million (FY99)

Military expenditures--percent of GDP: 1% (1999)

Transnational Issues

Disputes--international: separatist Transdniester region,
comprising the area between the Nistru (Dniester) River and Ukraine,
has its own de facto government, dominated by Moldovan Slavs

Illicit drugs: limited cultivation of opium poppy and cannabis,
mostly for CIS consumption; transshipment point for illicit drugs
from Southwest Asia via Central Asia to Russia, Western Europe and
possibly the United States

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