Statistics Moldova 
Moldova in the World
Moldova - Introduction 2024
top of pageBackground:
A large portion of present-day Moldovan territory became a province of the Russian Empire in 1812 and then unified with Romania in 1918 in the aftermath of World War I. This territory was then incorporated into the Soviet Union at the close of World War II. Although Moldova has been independent from the Soviet Union since 1991, Russian forces have remained on Moldovan territory east of the Nistru River in the breakaway region of Transnistria.
Years of Communist Party rule in Moldova from 2001 to 2009 ultimately ended with election-related violent protests and a rerun of parliamentary elections in 2009. A series of pro-Europe ruling coalitions governed Moldova from 2010 to 2019, but pro-Russia candidate Igor DODON won the presidency in 2016, and his Socialist Party of the Republic of Moldova won a plurality in the legislative election in 2019. Pro-EU reformist candidate Maia SANDU defeated DODON in his reelection bid in 2020, and SANDU's Party of Action and Solidarity won a parliamentary majority in an early legislative election in 2021. Prime Minister Natalia GAVRILITA and her cabinet took office in 2021. In early 2023, Moldova's parliament confirmed a new cabinet led by Prime Minister Dorin RECEAN, which retained the majority of the former ministers.
Years of Communist Party rule in Moldova from 2001 to 2009 ultimately ended with election-related violent protests and a rerun of parliamentary elections in 2009. A series of pro-Europe ruling coalitions governed Moldova from 2010 to 2019, but pro-Russia candidate Igor DODON won the presidency in 2016, and his Socialist Party of the Republic of Moldova won a plurality in the legislative election in 2019. Pro-EU reformist candidate Maia SANDU defeated DODON in his reelection bid in 2020, and SANDU's Party of Action and Solidarity won a parliamentary majority in an early legislative election in 2021. Prime Minister Natalia GAVRILITA and her cabinet took office in 2021. In early 2023, Moldova's parliament confirmed a new cabinet led by Prime Minister Dorin RECEAN, which retained the majority of the former ministers.
Area
Total: 33,851 km²
Land: 32,891 km²
Water: 960 km²
Comparative: slightly larger than Maryland
Country comparison total: 1,885 km
Country comparison border countries: (2) Romania 683 km; Ukraine 1202 km
Elevation
Highest point: Dealul Balanesti 430 m
Lowest point: Dniester (Nistru) 2 m
Mean elevation: 139 m
Land use
Agricultural land: 74.9% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land arable land: 55.1% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land permanent crops: 9.1% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land permanent pasture: 10.7% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land forest: 11.9% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land other: 13.2% (2018 est.)
Major rivers
By length in km: Dunărea (Danube) (shared with Germany [s], Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Croatia, Serbia, Bulgaria, Ukraine, and Romania [m]) - 2,888 km; Nistru (Dniester) (shared with Ukraine [s/m]) - 1,411 km
By length in km note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth
Total water withdrawal
Municipal: 160 million cubic meters (2020 est.)
Industrial: 580 million cubic meters (2020 est.)
Agricultural: 60 million cubic meters (2020 est.)
Geography
Note: landlocked; well-endowed with various sedimentary rocks and minerals including sand, gravel, gypsum, and limestone
Moldova - People 2024
top of pagePopulation
Distribution: pockets of agglomeration exist throughout the country, the largest being in the center of the country around the capital of Chisinau, followed by Tiraspol and Balti
Total: 3,599,528
Male: 1,698,249
Female: 1,901,279 (2024 est.)
Growth rate: -0.58% (2024 est.)
Below poverty line: 31.1% (2022 est.)
Below poverty line note: % of population with income below national poverty line
Ethnic groups: Moldovan 75.1%, Romanian 7%, Ukrainian 6.6%, Gagauz 4.6%, Russian 4.1%, Bulgarian 1.9%, other 0.8% (2014 est.)
Languages: Moldovan/Romanian 80.2% (official) (56.7% Moldovan; 23.5% Romanian), Russian 9.7%, Gagauz 4.2% (a Turkish language), Ukrainian 3.9%, Bulgarian 1.5%, Romani 0.3%, other 0.2% (2014)
Major-language samples: Cartea informativa a lumii, sursa indispensabila pentru informatii de baza. (Moldovan/Romanian); Gheos World Guide, the indispensable source for basic information.
Note: data represent mother tongue; as of March 2023, 'Romanian' replaced 'Moldovan' as the name of Moldova's official language
Religions: Orthodox 90.1%, other Christian 2.6%, other 0.1%, agnostic <0.1%, atheist 0.2%, unspecified 6.9% (2014 est.)
Age structure
0-14 years: 14.8% (male 266,493/female 266,166)
15-64 years: 70.2% (male 1,225,535/female 1,300,640)
65 years and over: 15% (2024 est.) (male 206,221/female 334,473)
Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 39.6
Youth dependency ratio: 29.7
Elderly dependency ratio: 20.4
Potential support ratio: 4.9 (2021 est.)
Population distribution: pockets of agglomeration exist throughout the country, the largest being in the center of the country around the capital of Chisinau, followed by Tiraspol and Balti
Urbanization
Urban population: 43.4% of total population (2023)
Rate of urbanization: 0.09% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Environment
Current issues: heavy use of agricultural chemicals has contaminated soil and groundwater; extensive soil erosion and declining soil fertility from poor farming methods
International agreements party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Heavy Metals, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
International agreements signed but not ratified: Air Pollution-Multi-effect Protocol
Air pollutants
Particulate matter emissions: 12.37 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions: 5.12 megatons (2016 est.)
Methane emissions: 3.29 megatons (2020 est.)
Sex ratio
At birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.62 male(s)/female
Total population: 0.89 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
Infant mortality rate
Total: 13.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)
Male: 16 deaths/1,000 live births
Female: 11.5 deaths/1,000 live births
Drinking water source
Improved urban: 98.9% of population
Unimproved rural: 13% of population
Unimproved total: 7.9% of population (2020 est.)
Unimproved urban: 1.1% of population
Sanitation facility access
Improved urban: 99% of population
Improved rural: 83.1% of population
Improved total: 89.9% of population
Unimproved urban: 1% of population
Unimproved rural: 16.9% of population
Unimproved total: 10.1% of population (2020 est.)
Alcohol consumption
Per capita total: 7.45 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Per capita beer: 1.53 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Per capita wine: 3.57 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Per capita spirits: 2.25 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Per capita other alcohols: 0.1 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 99.6%
Male: 99.7%
Female: 99.5% (2021)
School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Total: 14 years
Male: 14 years
Female: 15 years (2021)
Youth unemployment
Rate ages 15 24 total: 4.2% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 male: 5% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 female: 3.4% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment
Moldova - Government 2024
top of pageCountry name
Conventional long form: Republic of Moldova
Conventional short form: Moldova
Local long form: Republica Moldova
Local short form: Moldova
Former: Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic, Moldovan Soviet Socialist Republic
Etymology: named for the Moldova River in neighboring eastern Romania
Capital
Name: Chisinau in Romanian (Kishinev in Russian)
Geographic coordinates: 47 00 N, 28 51 E
Time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
Etymology: origin unclear but may derive from the archaic Romanian word chisla ('spring' or 'water source') and noua ('new') because the original settlement was built at the site of a small spring
Note: pronounced KEE-shee-now (KIH-shi-nyov)
Administrative divisions: 32 raions (raioane, singular - raion), 3 municipalities (municipii, singular - municipiul), 1 autonomous territorial unit (unitatea teritoriala autonoma), and 1 territorial unit (unitatea teritoriala); raions: Anenii Noi, Basarabeasca, Briceni, Cahul, Cantemir, Calarasi, Causeni, Cimislia, Criuleni, Donduseni, Drochia, Dubasari, Edinet, Falesti, Floresti, Glodeni, Hincesti, Ialoveni, Leova, Nisporeni, Ocnita, Orhei, Rezina, Riscani, Singerei, Soldanesti, Soroca, Stefan Voda, Straseni, Taraclia, Telenesti, Ungheni; municipalities: Balti, Bender, Chisinau; autonomous territorial unit: Gagauzia; territorial unit: Stinga Nistrului (Transnistria)
Constitution
History: previous 1978; latest adopted 29 July 1994, effective 27 August 1994
Amendments: proposed by voter petition (at least 200,000 eligible voters), by at least one third of Parliament members, or by the government; passage requires two-thirds majority vote of Parliament within one year of initial proposal; revisions to constitutional articles on sovereignty, independence, and neutrality require majority vote by referendum; articles on fundamental rights and freedoms cannot be amended; amended many times, last in 2018
Legal system: civil law system with Germanic law influences; Constitutional Court review of legislative acts
International law organization participation: has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
Citizenship
Citizenship by birth: no
Citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Moldova
Dual citizenship recognized: no
Residency requirement for naturalization: 10 years
Executive branch
Chief of state: President Maia SANDU (since 24 December 2020)
Head of government: Prime Minister Dorin RECEAN (since 16 February 2023)
Cabinet: Cabinet proposed by the prime minister-designate, nominated by the president, approved through a vote of confidence in Parliament
Elections/appointments: president directly elected for a 4-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 3 November 2024 (next to be held in 2,028); prime minister designated by the president upon consultation with Parliament; within 15 days from designation, the prime minister-designate must request a vote of confidence for his/her proposed work program from the Parliament
Election results: 2024: In the second round of presidential elections, incumbent Maia SANDU (PAS) wins 55.4% of the vote, Alexandr STOIANOGLO (PSRM) 44.6; turnout is 54.3%; 2020: Maia SANDU elected president in second round; percent of vote in second round - Maia SANDU (PAS) 57.7%, Igor DODON (PSRM) 42.3%; 2016: Igor DODON elected president in second round; percent of vote - Igor DODON (PSRM) 52.1%, Maia SANDU (PAS) 47.9%
Legislative branch
Description: unicameral Parliament (101 seats; 51 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote and 50 members directly elected in a single, nationwide constituency by closed party-list proportional representation vote; all members serve 4-year terms
Elections: last held on 11 July 2021 (next to be held in July 2025)
Elections results: percent of vote by party - PAS 52.8%, BECS 27.1%, SOR 5.7%, other 14.4%; seats by party - PAS 63, BECS 32, SOR 6; composition - men 58, women 40, percent of women 40.8%
Judicial branch
Highest courts: Supreme Court of Justice (consists of the chief judge, 3 deputy-chief judges, 45 judges, and 7 assistant judges); Constitutional Court (consists of the court president and 6 judges)
Note: the Constitutional Court is autonomous to the other branches of government; the Court interprets the Constitution and reviews the constitutionality of parliamentary laws and decisions, decrees of the president, and acts of the government
Judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court of Justice judges appointed by the president upon the recommendation of the Superior Council of Magistracy, an 11-member body of judicial officials; all judges serve 4-year renewable terms; Constitutional Court judges appointed 2 each by Parliament, the president, and the Higher Council of Magistracy for 6-year terms; court president elected by other court judges for a 3-year term
Subordinate courts: Courts of Appeal; Court of Business Audit; municipal courts
Political parties and leaders: Bloc of Communists and Socialists or BCS, Party of Action and Solidarity or PAS
International organization participation: BSEC, CD, CE, CEI, CIS, EAEU (observer), EAPC, EBRD, FAO, GCTU, GUAM, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, SELEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNMIL, UNMISS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Note: Moldova is an EU candidate country whose satisfactory completion of accession criteria is required before being granted full EU membership
Diplomatic representation
In the us: chief of mission: Ambassador Viorel URSU (since 12 December 2022)
In the us chancery: 2,101 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20,008
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 667-1130
In the us fax: [1] (202) 667-2,624
In the us email address and website: washington@mfa.gov.md; [link]
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Kent D. LOGSDON (since 16 February 2022)
From the us embassy: 103 Mateevici Street, Chisinau MD-2009
From the us mailing address: 7,080 Chisinau Place, Washington DC 20,521-7,080
From the us telephone: [373] (22) 408-300
From the us fax: [373] (22) 233-044
From the us email address and website: ChisinauACS@state.gov; [link]
Flag description: three equal vertical bands of Prussian blue (hoist side), chrome yellow, and vermilion red; emblem in center of flag is of a Roman eagle of dark gold (brown) outlined in black with a red beak and talons carrying a yellow cross in its beak and a green olive branch in its right talons and a yellow scepter in its left talons; on its breast is a shield divided horizontally red over blue with a stylized aurochs head, star, rose, and crescent all in black-outlined yellow; based on the color scheme of the flag of Romania - with which Moldova shares a history and culture - but Moldova's blue band is lighter; the reverse of the flag displays a mirrored image of the coat of arms
Note: one of only three national flags that differ on their obverse and reverse sides - the others are Paraguay and Saudi Arabia
National anthem
Name: 'Limba noastra' (Our Language)
Lyrics/music: Alexei MATEEVICI/Alexandru CRISTEA
Note: adopted 1994
Moldova - Economy 2024
top of pageEconomy overview: upper middle-income Eastern European economy; sustained growth reversed by COVID-19; significant remittances; Russian energy and regional dependence; agricultural exporter; declining workforce due to emigration and low fertility
Real gdp purchasing power parity: $38.969 billion (2023 est.); $38.666 billion (2022 est.); $40.708 billion (2021 est.)
Note: data in 2021 dollars
Real gdp growth rate: 0.78% (2023 est.); -5.02% (2022 est.); 13.93% (2021 est.)
Note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency
Real gdp per capita: $15,700 (2023 est.); $15,200 (2022 est.); $15,700 (2021 est.)
Note: data in 2021 dollars
Gdp composition by end use
Household consumption: 85.3% (2023 est.)
Government consumption: 18.1% (2023 est.)
Investment in fixed capital: 19.7% (2023 est.)
Investment in inventories: 1.1% (2023 est.)
Exports of goods and services: 35.5% (2023 est.)
Imports of goods and services: -59.6% (2023 est.)
Note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection
Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 7.6% (2023 est.)
Industry: 17.4% (2023 est.)
Services: 61.1% (2023 est.)
Note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data
Agriculture products: wheat, maize, sunflower seeds, grapes, sugar beets, apples, milk, potatoes, barley, plums (2022)
Note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage
Industries: sugar processing, vegetable oil, food processing, agricultural machinery; foundry equipment, refrigerators and freezers, washing machines; hosiery, shoes, textiles
Industrial production growth rate: -11.74% (2023 est.)
Note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency
Labor force: 1.464 million (2023 est.)
Note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work
Unemployment rate: 1.62% (2023 est.); 0.91% (2022 est.); 0.79% (2021 est.)
Note: % of labor force seeking employment
Youth unemployment
Rate ages 15 24 total: 4.2% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 male: 5% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 female: 3.4% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment
Population below poverty line: 31.1% (2022 est.)
Note: % of population with income below national poverty line
Budget
Revenues: $4.487 billion (2022 est.)
Expenditures: $4.684 billion (2022 est.)
Note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenses converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated
Taxes and other revenues: 18.94% (of GDP) (2022 est.)
Note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP
Inflation rate consumer prices: 13.42% (2023 est.); 28.74% (2022 est.); 5.11% (2021 est.)
Note: annual % change based on consumer prices
Current account balance: -$1.974 billion (2023 est.); -$2.482 billion (2022 est.); -$1.699 billion (2021 est.)
Note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars
Exports: $5.865 billion (2023 est.); $5.981 billion (2022 est.); $4.197 billion (2021 est.)
Note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars
Partners: Romania 27%, Ukraine 15%, Italy 7%, Turkey 6%, Germany 5% (2022)
Partners note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports
Commodities: refined petroleum, insulated wire, garments, seed oils, corn (2022)
Commodities note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars
Imports: $9.867 billion (2023 est.); $10.265 billion (2022 est.); $7.915 billion (2021 est.)
Note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars
Partners: Romania 23%, Russia 11%, Ukraine 10%, China 8%, Turkey 7% (2022)
Partners note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports
Commodities: refined petroleum, natural gas, cars, plastic products, insulated wire (2022)
Commodities note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $5.453 billion (2023 est.); $4.474 billion (2022 est.); $3.902 billion (2021 est.)
Note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars
Exchange rates:
Moldovan lei (MDL) per US dollar - 18.164 (2023 est.)
18.897 (2022 est.)
17.68 (2021 est.)
17.322 (2020 est.)
17.573 (2019 est.)
18.897 (2022 est.)
17.68 (2021 est.)
17.322 (2020 est.)
17.573 (2019 est.)
Moldova - Energy 2024
top of pageElectricity
Access electrification total population: 100% (2022 est.)
Installed generating capacity: 625,000 kW (2022 est.)
Consumption: 5.579 billion kWh (2022 est.)
Exports: 94 million kWh (2022 est.)
Imports: 936 million kWh (2022 est.)
Transmission/distribution losses: 576.529 million kWh (2022 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels: 90.8% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)
Generation sources solar: 0.6% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)
Generation sources wind: 1.2% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 5.5% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)
Generation sources biomass and waste: 0.5% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)
Natural gas
Production: 10,000 m³ (2021 est.)
Consumption: 2.344 billion m³ (2022 est.)
Imports: 2.344 billion m³ (2022 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions: 7.319 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)
From coal and metallurgical coke: 293,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)
From petroleum and other liquids: 3.035 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)
From consumed natural gas: 3.991 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)
Moldova - Communication 2024
top of pageTelephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 951,000 (2022 est.)
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 29 (2022 est.)
Mobile cellular total subscriptions: 4.17 million (2022 est.)
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 127 (2022 est.)
Moldova - Military 2024
top of pageMilitary expenditures: 0.5% of GDP (2023 est.); 0.4% of GDP (2022 est.); 0.4% of GDP (2021 est.); 0.4% of GDP (2020 est.); 0.4% of GDP (2019 est.)
Military and security forces: Armed Forces of the Republic of Moldova (Forțele Armate ale Republicii Moldova): National Army (comprised of a General Staff, a Land Forces Command, and an Air Force Command); Ministry of Internal Affairs: General Carabinieri Inspectorate (aka Carabinieri Troops or Trupele de Carabinieri), General Police Inspectorate (GPI), General Inspectorate of the Border Police (2024)
Note: the Carabinieri is a quasi-militarized gendarmerie responsible for protecting public buildings, maintaining public order, and other national security functions; the GPI is the primary law enforcement body, responsible for internal security, public order, traffic, and criminal investigations; prior to 2012, the Border Police were under the armed forces and known as the Border Troops
Military service age and obligation: 18-27 years of age for compulsory or voluntary military service; male registration required at age 16; 12-month service obligation (2024)
Note: as of 2024, women made up about 23% of the military's full-time personnel
Moldova - Transportation 2024
top of pageNational air transport system
Number of registered air carriers: 6 (2020)
Inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 21
Annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 1,135,999 (2018)
Annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 640,000 (2018) mt-km
Moldova - Transnational issues 2024
top of pageRefugees and internally displaced persons
Refugees country of origin: 116,855 (Ukraine) (as of 7 April 2024)
Stateless persons: 1,701 (2022)
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 US; widespread crime and underground economic activity
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