The Republic of Moldova ranks 179th out of 183 countries analyzed in a global ranking on population trends between 2000 and 2025, published by Visual Capitalist based on data from the International Monetary Fund. According to the data, the country’s population has declined by approximately 18.8% over the past 25 years, Bani.md reports.
The ranking shows that the Republic of Moldova is among the countries with the largest demographic declines, alongside other states in Eastern Europe and the Baltic region.
At the top of the ranking are countries with the highest population growth. Qatar ranks first, with an increase of over 423%, followed by the United Arab Emirates (+249.7%), Bahrain (+153.9%), Kuwait (+139.1%), and Oman (+129.1%).
At the opposite end, the lowest positions are occupied by countries with significant population declines. Ukraine ranks 183rd, with a decrease of approximately 32.5%, followed by the Marshall Islands (-29.4%), Bulgaria (-23.2%), Latvia (-21.6%), and Lithuania (-17.5%).
According to the analysis, accession to the European Union opened migration routes to the West for some Eastern European countries, accelerating long-term population losses in a region already facing demographic aging and low birth rates.