Moldova
The numbers tell two very different stories about Moldova. It leads on education spending (#15) while trailing on fertility rate. Think you can explain the gap?
Moldova is a country in Europe with a population of 3.58M and an area of 33,847 km². Life expectancy is 71.2 years.
At a Glance
The numbers that define this country
University Enrollment Rate
74.7%Total university and college enrollment as a percentage of the typical college-age population.
Human Development Index
0.79The Human Development Index (HDI), combining life expectancy, education, and income into a single score from 0 to 1.
Internet Users (%)
80.0%The percentage of people who have used the internet in the last 3 months.
GDP Per Capita
$16.5KGDP per person, adjusted for purchasing power parity (PPP) so costs of living are comparable across countries.
GDP Per Capita (PPP)
18.6KGDP per person, adjusted for purchasing power parity (PPP) so costs of living are comparable across countries.
Population Density
85.438How many people live in each square kilometer of land.
Where They Stand Out
Global rankings worth knowing
👥Death Rate
14.06The number of deaths per 1,000 people each year.
🍻Alcohol Consumption
11.08How many liters of pure alcohol the average adult (15+) consumes per year.
🚀Education Spending (% GDP)
6.6%Government spending on education as a percentage of GDP.
❤️Hospital Beds (per 1,000)
5.70The number of hospital beds available per 1,000 people.
🤝Women in Parliament (%)
40.8%The percentage of parliament seats held by women.
Did You Know?
Facts that catch players off guard
Ranks #8 globally in death rate
Death Rate: 14.06
The number of deaths per 1,000 people each year.
World Bank 2023Only ranks #126 in tourist arrivals
Tourist Arrivals: 29.0K
How many international tourists visit the country each year.
World Bank 2023Has one of the highest rates of unemployment rate
Unemployment Rate: 1.4%
The percentage of the workforce that is unemployed but actively looking for work.
World Bank 2023Has one of the highest rates of youth unemployment rate
Youth Unemployment Rate: 3.3%
Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24) from CIA World Factbook.
Ranks #14 globally in alcohol consumption
Alcohol Consumption: 11.08
How many liters of pure alcohol the average adult (15+) consumes per year.
Our World in Data 2023Surprised? See how you stack up.
Play NowHow Moldova Compares
Country vs continent vs world averages
GDP per Capita
GDP per person, adjusted for purchasing power parity (PPP) so costs of living are comparable across countries.
World Bank 2023Life Expectancy
How many years a newborn can expect to live, based on current mortality rates.
World Bank 2023Human Development Index
Above avgThe Human Development Index (HDI), combining life expectancy, education, and income into a single score from 0 to 1.
Our World in Data 2023Internet Users
Above avgThe percentage of people who have used the internet in the last 3 months.
World Bank 2023Think you can guess which countries rank higher?
Test Your IntuitionAbout Moldova
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.
- Location
- Eastern Europe, northeast of Romania
- Climate
- moderate winters, warm summers
- Terrain
- rolling steppe, gradual slope south to Black Sea
- Natural Resources
- lignite, phosphorites, gypsum, limestone, arable land
- Natural Hazards
- landslides
- Size Comparison
- slightly larger than Maryland
- 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)
- Religions
- Orthodox 90.1%, other Christian 2.6%, other 0.1%, agnostic <0.1%, atheist 0.2%, unspecified 6.9% (2014 est.)
- Ethnic Groups
- Moldovan 75.1%, Romanian 7%, Ukrainian 6.6%, Gagauz 4.6%, Russian 4.1%, Bulgarian 1.9%, other 0.8% (2014 est.)
- Major Cities
- 488,000 CHISINAU (capital) (2023)
- Government Type
- parliamentary republic
- Capital
- Chisinau in Romanian (Kishinev in Russian)
- Capital Coordinates
- 47 00 N, 28 51 E
- Capital Timezone
- UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
- Official Name
- Republic of Moldova
- Name Origin
- named for the Moldova River in neighboring eastern Romania; the river's name probably comes from the Indoeuropean root word mel, meaning "dark" or "black"
- Independence
- 27 August 1991 (from the Soviet Union)
- National Symbols
- aurochs (type of wild cattle)
- National Anthem
- "Limba noastra" (Our Tongue)
- UNESCO Heritage
- 1 (cultural)
- 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
- Industries
- sugar processing, vegetable oil, food processing, agricultural machinery; foundry equipment, refrigerators and freezers, washing machines; hosiery, shoes, textiles
- Agricultural Products
- wheat, maize, sunflower seeds, grapes, apples, sugar beets, barley, milk, rapeseed, potatoes (2023)
- Export Partners
- Romania 31%, Ukraine 13%, Italy 6%, Germany 6%, Czechia 4% (2023)
- Export Commodities
- insulated wire, garments, refined petroleum, seed oils, wheat (2023)
- Import Partners
- Romania 16%, Ukraine 13%, China 11%, Turkey 8%, Germany 7% (2023)
- Import Commodities
- refined petroleum, natural gas, cars, packaged medicine, plastic products (2023)
- Military Forces
- Armed Forces of the Republic of Moldova (Forțele Armate ale Republicii Moldova): National Army (comprised of Land Forces, Air Force) Ministry of Internal Affairs: General Inspectorate of Police (GPI), Border Police Department, Carabinieri Troops Department (2025)
- Military Service
- 18-27 years of age for compulsory or voluntary military service; male registration required at age 16; 12-month service obligation; conscientious objectors can perform non-military service in public institutions for a longer period (up to 24 months) (2025)
- Energy Mix
- fossil fuels: 88% of total installed capacity (2023 est.); solar: 1.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.); wind: 3.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.); hydroelectricity: 6.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.); biomass and waste: 0.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
- Broadcast Media
- state-owned national radio-TV broadcaster operates 1 TV and 1 radio station; total of nearly 70 terrestrial TV channels and about 50 radio stations; Russian and Romanian channels are available (2019)
Deep Dive
68 of 88 metricsEvery stat we track, organized by category
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Share something surprising about Moldova!
Total university and college enrollment as a percentage of the typical college-age population.
Frequently Asked Questions about Moldova
Moldova has a population of 3.58M, ranking #132 globally by population.
Moldova is located in Europe. It has an area of 33,847 km².
Life expectancy in Moldova is 71.2 years, ranking #143 globally.
Moldova's GDP per capita (PPP) is 18.6K, ranking #105 globally.
Moldova ranks particularly high in University Enrollment Rate (#44), Human Development Index (#86), Internet Users (%) (#120).
Moldova has an HDI of 0.785, ranking #86 globally. The HDI combines life expectancy, education, and income indicators.
Moldova has a population density of 85.4 people per km², ranking #115 globally.
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