The Republic of Moldova lost 13.6% of its population over the past decade, according to the 2024 Population and Housing Census. The National Bureau of Statistics (BNS) announced today that the country’s resident population stood at 2.41 million as of April 8, 2024. Of these, 46.4% (1.12 million) lived in urban areas, while 53.6% (1.29 million) resided in rural communities.
Since the 2014 census, 28 districts experienced population drops of more than 20%. Ocnita District recorded the largest decline at 29.5%, followed by Leova (-29.2%), Briceni (-28.7%), and Cantemir (-28.5%). In contrast, Balti lost just 5.9% of its population, Ialoveni 12.9%, and Gagauzia 14.9%. Chisinau was the only region that gained residents, growing by 16.8% to reach 720,100 people—29.9% of the national total.
Moldova Remains Europe’s Most Rural Country
Despite a slow trend toward urbanization, Moldova continues to rank as one of Europe’s most rural nations. The BNS reported that women made up 52.8% of the population (1.27 million), an increase from 52.0% in 2014, while men represented 47.2% (1.14 million), down from 48.0%.
Regional Population Breakdown
After Chisinau, the most populous regions included:
- Center Region: 670,100 residents
- North Region: 608,700 residents
- South Region: 306,700 residents
- Gagauzia: 103,700 residents
Among municipalities, Balti ranked second in population size with 94,500 inhabitants. The most populated districts included Orhei, Ungheni, Ialoveni, and Cahul, while Basarabeasca and Dubasari had the smallest populations.
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Census Coverage and Methodology
Census teams surveyed 1,525 of Moldova’s 1,682 localities across 35 of 37 second-level administrative units between April 8 and July 7. They did not conduct surveys in 157 localities outside the control of Moldova’s constitutional authorities, including:
- Transnistria (left bank of the Dniester)
- Tighina/Bender
- Parts of the Dubasari and Causeni districts
Enumerators registered 2.42 million people overall: 2.32 million were usual residents, while 94,600 (3.9%) were non-residents.
Officials Highlight Importance of Census Data
Oleg Cara, Director General of the BNS, confirmed that authorities would publish full results in stages and called the data an essential tool for evidence-based decision-making.
“We are confident that this data will be fully used by government institutions, researchers, and civil society,” Cara stated.
Deputy Secretary General of the Government Andrei Strah stressed the census’s policy value:
“With this information, we can develop better strategies in education, healthcare, infrastructure, and regional development to reduce inequality and improve lives,” he said.
Karina Nersesyan, UNFPA Representative in Moldova, urged stakeholders to turn the numbers into impact.
“Together with our partners, we will ensure that this data drives real change and doesn’t just sit unused on a shelf,” she affirmed.