Moldova

Moldova or Moldavia?

Using either of these names is not incorrect. However, when referring to the official name of the country, it is customary to use the first option - Moldova. After the dissolution of the USSR, the country became the Republic of Moldova. Prior to this, as part of the Soviet Union, it was called Moldavia. Even on official websites of government bodies, both names are used.

Economy

More than 60% of Moldova's gross domestic product is provided by the service sector. The second most important element of the economy is agriculture.

Moldova's main exports are food, juices and alcoholic beverages, as well as clothing and equipment.

The country has a low inflation rate (even compared to EU countries) - in 2023, this figure was 4.2% compared to 30% a year earlier (by 2022). The growth rate of the economy is above the average in Europe and the public debt is low. Low average salaries and well-educated people are additional advantages for those who want to open their business in this country with an eye to European markets.

The disadvantages for the Moldovan economy include expensive energy resources, a weak raw material base, as well as a gradual decrease in the percentage of the working-age population, whose outflow to other European countries has been observed for a long time.

In terms of purchasing power parity and GDP per capita, Moldova ranks second to last among European countries.

Demographics

As the last population census showed, there is a small diversity of ethnic groups on the territory of the state. Moldovans make up 75.8% of the population, Ukrainians - 8.4%, Russians - 5.9%, Gagauz - 4.4%, Romanians - 2.2%, Bulgarians - 1.9%. others - 1.4%.

Almost 80% of the country considers Moldovan as its native language. The second language is Romanian.

Over the past few decades, the country has seen a decrease in the birth rate and an outflow of the active working-age population to other countries. The economically active population is just over 31%. And 25% of the population are pensioners.

The most widespread religious denomination in the country is Orthodoxy (93.3%).

The average life expectancy in Moldova is 68.8 years, and according to this indicator, the country ranks 171 out of 236.

Wages and cost of living

The average salary in Moldova is 574 euros. The highest salaries are in the field of computer science and communications (over 1,580 euros), and the lowest are for hotel and catering staff (from 406 euros).

If we compare Moldova with other EU countries by this indicator, then it is at the very end of the list.

At the same time, the unemployment rate is only 2.3%, i.e. the conditions provide employment for the active population.

At the same time, the cost of living in Moldova is also lower than the average European one.

Medicine

The index of satisfaction with the quality and level of medical care used in calculating the gr rating shows that the majority of people who sought medical care in Moldova highly appreciated the cheapness of medical services in the country and the large number of medical institutions. But they gave a very low assessment of the politeness and customer orientation of the medical staff. Also, more than 50% of respondents consider the level of hospital equipment, the speed of examinations and the qualifications of medical staff to be problematic areas of healthcare in Moldova.

Languages

English, along with Romanian, is included in the compulsory educational program both at school and in higher education institutions. Again, due to the large number of Moldovans working abroad, a significant number of citizens speak basic and even advanced English. Nevertheless, Moldova is one of the weakest countries in Europe in terms of tourism, which affects the prevalence of the use of English in life. Nevertheless, in 80% of cases, you can easily order a dish in a cafe or restaurant using English, purchase everything you need in a store or get an answer to your question from a random passerby. Especially among young people and in large cities of the country, especially in the capital.

According to official statistics, there are few Russian-speaking citizens in the country, but in fact you can solve any issue by speaking Russian with even greater success. But this already applies not only to Chisinau, but also to any small town or village.

Crime rate

According to the ranking of countries by the level of human security based on surveys of ordinary citizens, in Moldova you will not feel in such danger as in France, Belgium, Great Britain, Italy, Greece and even Sweden. Out of 43 European countries, Moldova ranks 11th in terms of the level of fears among people who have visited the country. According to this indicator, the state is located between Albania and Kosovo.

Manufacturability

The entire territory of the country is covered with relatively inexpensive and high-speed mobile Internet. At the same time, 93% of the country's residents have a mobile phone. 60.5% of Moldovan residents use the Internet at home.

Freedom of movement (visa-free countries)

The advantage of Moldovan citizenship can be considered freedom of movement with EU and CIS countries. There is a limit of 90 days of stay per year everywhere.

The passport ranks 41st in the ranking of all countries in terms of freedom of movement. A visa is not required for 74 countries. To visit the other 43 countries, you need an electronic visa or a visa on arrival.

Taxes

• The standard VAT rate is 20%.
• The corporate tax rate is 12%.
• The income tax rate is 4%.
• The tax on dividends is 6%.
• The income tax for residents of the ZSP is 50% of the rate established in the Republic of Moldova.
• A single tax of 7% of sales income for IT companies resident in Moldova IT Park.
• Income tax for individuals who are not engaged in entrepreneurial activities is 12%.
• Compulsory health insurance contributions – 9% of the employee's salary.
• Compulsory social insurance contributions – 24% of the employer's salary fund.

Attitude towards visitors, lifestyle/mentality

There is no prejudice against visitors in the country based on their nationality, language or skin color. Moldovans are a militant people only in the domestic political field. Probably, the fact that this is a relatively young state also affects. The people have strong ties with people in other countries, including the EU and Russia.

Nevertheless, due to the policies of recent decades, internal conflicts are increasingly emerging. People are not afraid to express their opinions and go out to rallies and strikes, defending the right to their identity and their own interests against the background of the adoption of pan-European values and unpopular decisions.