Dairying and cattle breeding account for about a third of the agricultural output, followed by the raising of pigs. Industry is the principal economic activity, employing nearly a third of all workers. Machine building and metalworking are increasing. Light industries include the production of furs, knitwear, and silk fabrics. Moldova is a major producer of oils from roses, lavender, sage, and mint.
Mineral wealth includes deposits of gypsum, clays, glass, sand, petroleum, and natural gas.
There is a large hydroelectric station at Dubossary on the Dnestr River. Moldova's chief imports are coal, iron, heavy steel, machine tools, motor vehicles, fertilizers, petroleum products, paper, tea, and cotton thread. Its major export items are fruits, grapes, wine, sugar, tobacco, essential oils, silk fabrics, knitted goods, refrigerators, and washing machines. Moldova was ceded to Russia by the Ottoman Turks in 1812. It was seized by Romania in 1918, but the Soviet government contested Romania's rule and in 1924 established a small Moldavian Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic within Ukraine.