Moldova
Moldova⌘K
Overview
- Background
- 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.
Geography
Area
- Land
- 32,891 sq km
- Water
- 960 sq km
- Total
- 33,851 sq km
- Climate
- moderate winters, warm summers
- Terrain
- rolling steppe, gradual slope south to Black Sea
Land Use
- Other
- 13.8% (2023 est.)
- Forest
- 11.3% (2023 est.)
- Agricultural land
- 74.1% (2023 est.)
- Agricultural land: arable land
- arable land: 56.8% (2023 est.)
- Agricultural land: permanent crops
- permanent crops: 8.1% (2023 est.)
- Agricultural land: permanent pasture
- permanent pasture: 9.4% (2023 est.)
- Location
- Eastern Europe, northeast of Romania
- Coastline
- 0 km (landlocked)
Elevation
- Lowest point
- Dniester (Nistru) 2 m
- Highest point
- Dealul Balanesti 430 m
- Mean elevation
- 139 m
- Irrigated land
- 2,150 sq km (2022)
- Map references
- Europe
Land Boundaries
- Total
- 1,885 km
- Border countries
- Romania 683 km; Ukraine 1202 km
- Maritime claims
- none (landlocked)
- Natural hazards
- landslides
- Geography note
- landlocked; has many types of sedimentary rocks and minerals, including sand, gravel, gypsum, and limestone
- Natural resources
- lignite, phosphorites, gypsum, limestone, arable land
- Area comparative
- slightly larger than Maryland
- Geographic coordinates
- 47 00 N, 29 00 E
- Population distribution
- pockets of agglomeration exist throughout the country, with the largest in the center of the country around the capital of Chisinau, followed by Tiraspol and Balti
Major Watersheds (Area Sq Km)
- Atlantic ocean drainage
- (Black Sea) Danube (795,656 sq km)
- 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
note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth
People & Society
Languages
- Note
- note: data represent mother tongue; as of March 2023, "Romanian" replaced "Moldovan" as the name of Moldova's official language
- 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 sample(s)
Cartea informativa a lumii, sursa indispensabila pentru informatii de baza. (Moldovan/Romanian)
The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.
- Religions
- Orthodox 90.1%, other Christian 2.6%, other 0.1%, agnostic <0.1%, atheist 0.2%, unspecified 6.9% (2014 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
- Total population
- 0.89 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
- 65 years and over
- 0.62 male(s)/female
- Birth rate
- 8.35 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)
- Death rate
- 14.06 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Median Age
- Male
- 38.6 years
- Total
- 40.4 years (2025 est.)
- Female
- 41.3 years
Population
- Male
- 1,687,496
- Total
- 3,578,930 (2025 est.)
- Female
- 1,891,434
Nationality
- Noun
- Moldovan(s)
- Adjective
- Moldovan
Tobacco Use
- Male
- 54.2% (2025 est.)
- Total
- 28.7% (2025 est.)
- Female
- 6.4% (2025 est.)
Urbanization
- Urban population
- 43.4% of total population (2023)
- Rate of urbanization
- 0.09% annual rate of change (2020-25 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)
- Ethnic groups
- Moldovan 75.1%, Romanian 7%, Ukrainian 6.6%, Gagauz 4.6%, Russian 4.1%, Bulgarian 1.9%, other 0.8% (2014 est.)
Dependency Ratios
- Total dependency ratio
- 43 (2025 est.)
- Youth dependency ratio
- 20.8 (2025 est.)
- Potential support ratio
- 4.5 (2025 est.)
- Elderly dependency ratio
- 22.2 (2025 est.)
- Physician density
- 4.02 physicians/1,000 population (2023)
Health Expenditure
- Health expenditure (as % of GDP)
- 7.8% of GDP (2021)
- Health expenditure (as % of national budget)
- 12.3% of national budget (2022 est.)
- Net migration rate
- 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)
- Hospital bed density
- 5.7 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.)
- Total fertility rate
- 1.27 children born/woman (2025 est.)
Drinking Water Source
- Improved: rural
- rural: 87.7% of population (2022 est.)
- Improved: total
- total: 92% of population (2022 est.)
- Improved: urban
- urban: 97.7% of population (2022 est.)
- Unimproved: rural
- rural: 12.3% of population (2022 est.)
- Unimproved: total
- total: 8% of population (2022 est.)
- Unimproved: urban
- urban: 2.3% of population (2022 est.)
Education Expenditure
- Education expenditure (% GDP)
- 6.6% of GDP (2023 est.)
- Education expenditure (% national budget)
- 16% national budget (2024 est.)
Infant Mortality Rate
- Male
- 16 deaths/1,000 live births
- Total
- 13.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)
- Female
- 11.5 deaths/1,000 live births
- Population growth rate
- -0.57% (2025 est.)
- Gross reproduction rate
- 0.61 (2025 est.)
- Population distribution
- pockets of agglomeration exist throughout the country, with the largest in the center of the country around the capital of Chisinau, followed by Tiraspol and Balti
Life Expectancy at Birth
- Male
- 66.1 years
- Female
- 74.4 years
- Total population
- 70.1 years (2024 est.)
- Maternal mortality ratio
- 19 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)
Sanitation Facility Access
- Improved: rural
- rural: 82.9% of population (2022 est.)
- Improved: total
- total: 89.7% of population (2022 est.)
- Improved: urban
- urban: 98.7% of population (2022 est.)
- Unimproved: rural
- rural: 17.1% of population (2022 est.)
- Unimproved: total
- total: 10.3% of population (2022 est.)
- Unimproved: urban
- urban: 1.3% of population (2022 est.)
Alcohol Consumption Per Capita
- Beer
- 1.53 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
- Wine
- 3.57 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
- Total
- 7.45 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
- Spirits
- 2.25 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
- Other alcohols
- 0.1 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
- Major urban areas population
- 488,000 CHISINAU (capital) (2023)
- Obesity adult prevalence rate
- 18.9% (2016)
- Mother's mean age at first birth
- 25.2 years (2019 est.)
- Currently married women (ages 15 49)
- 68.7% (2020 est.)
School Life Expectancy (Primary to Tertiary Education)
- Male
- 15 years (2023 est.)
- Total
- 15 years (2023 est.)
- Female
- 15 years (2023 est.)
Government
Civica · structure
How power is organised
ExecutiveLegislative
- Flag
- description: three equal vertical bands of Prussian blue (left side), chrome yellow, and vermilion red; the Moldavan coat of arms in the center is a dark gold Roman eagle outlined in black, with a red beak and talons; the eagle carries a yellow cross in its beak, a green olive branch in its right talons, and a yellow scepter in its left talons; on the eagle's breast is a red-and-blue shield divided horizontally, with a stylized aurochs head, star, rose, and crescent in black and outlined yellow; the reverse of the flag displays a mirror image of the coat of arms
history: replaced the communist flag in 1990; the coat of arms is based on traditional designs
Capital
- Name
- Chisinau in Romanian (Kishinev in Russian)
- Note
- note: pronounced KEE-shee-now (KIH-shi-nyov)
- Etymology
- origin unclear but may derive from the Old Moldovan word kishineu ("spring" or "artesian well")
- 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
- Geographic coordinates
- 47 00 N, 28 51 E
- Suffrage
- 18 years of age; universal
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
Constitution
- History
- previous 1978; latest adopted 29 July 1994, effective 27 August 1994
- Amendment process
- 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
Country Name
- Former
- Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic, Moldovan Soviet Socialist Republic
- Etymology
- 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"
- Local long form
- Republica Moldova
- Local short form
- Moldova
- Conventional long form
- Republic of Moldova
- Conventional short form
- Moldova
- Independence
- 27 August 1991 (from the Soviet Union)
- Legal system
- civil law system with Germanic law influences; Constitutional Court reviews legislative acts
- Government type
- parliamentary republic
Judicial Branch
- Note
- note: the Constitutional Court is autonomous; it interprets the Constitution and reviews the constitutionality of parliamentary laws and decisions, decrees of the president, and acts of the government
- Highest court(s)
- 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)
- Subordinate courts
- Courts of Appeal; Court of Business Audit; municipal courts
- Judge selection and term of office
- Supreme Court of Justice judges appointed by the president on 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
Executive Branch
- Cabinet
- Cabinet proposed by the prime minister-designate, nominated by the president, approved through a vote of confidence in Parliament
- Chief of state
- President Maia SANDU (since 24 December 2020)
- 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%- Head of government
- Prime Minister Alexandru MUNTEANU (since 1 November 2025)
- Most recent election date
- 3 November 2024
- Election/appointment process
- president directly elected for a 4-year term (eligible for a second term); prime minister designated by the president in 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
- Expected date of next election
- 2028
- National holiday
- Independence Day, 27 August (1991)
- National color(s)
- blue, yellow, red
National Heritage
- Total world heritage sites
- 1 (cultural)
- Selected world heritage site locales
- Struve Geodetic Arc
- Political parties
- Common Action Party - Civil Congress or PAC-CC
Democracy at Home Party or PPDA
Future of Moldova Party or PVM
National Alternative Movement or MAN
Our Party or PN
Party of Action and Solidarity or PAS
Party of Communists of the Republic of Moldova or PCRM
Party of Development and Consolidation of Moldova or PDCM
Party of Socialists of the Republic of Moldova or PSRM
Legislative Branch
- Term in office
- 4 years
- Number of seats
- 101 (all directly elected)
- Electoral system
- proportional representation
- Legislature name
- Parliament (Parlament)
- Scope of elections
- full renewal
- Legislative structure
- unicameral
- Most recent election date
- 9/28/2025
- Expected date of next election
- September 2029
- Percentage of women in chamber
- 37.6%
- Parties elected and seats per party
- Action and Solidarity Party (PAS) (55); Electoral Bloc “Patriotic of Socialists, Communists, Heart and Future of Moldova” (26); Alternative Bloc (8); Our Party (6); Democracy at Home Party (6)
National Anthem(s)
- Title
- "Limba noastra" (Our Tongue)
- History
- adopted 1994; originally a 12-verse poem, but only stanzas 1, 2, 5, 9, and 12 are included in the anthem
- Lyrics/music
- Alexei MATEEVICI/Alexandru CRISTEA
- National symbol(s)
- aurochs (type of wild cattle)
- Administrative divisions
- 32 districts (raioane, singular - raion), 3 municipalities (municipii, singular - municipiul), 1 autonomous territorial unit (unitatea teritoriala autonoma), and 1 territorial unit (unitatea teritoriala)
districts: 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)
Diplomatic Representation in the US
- Fax
- [1] (202) 667-2624
- Chancery
- 2101 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
- Telephone
- [1] (202) 667-1130
- Chief of mission
- Ambassador Vladislav KULMINSKI (since 5 September 2025)
- Email address and website
washington@mfa.gov.md
https://sua.mfa.gov.md/en
Diplomatic Representation from the US
- Fax
- [373] (22) 233-044
- Embassy
- 103 Mateevici Street, Chisinau MD-2009
- Telephone
- [373] (22) 408-300
- Mailing address
- 7080 Chisinau Place, Washington DC 20521-7080
- Chief of mission
- Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires Nick PIETROWICZ (since 2025)
- Email address and website
ChisinauACS@state.gov
https://md.usembassy.gov/
- International organisations
- 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
- International law organization participation
- has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
Legislature
MOLDOVA · LEGISLATURE
Parliament
101 seats · hover a seat for the party
Total seats
101
Majority line
52
Largest party
Action and Solidarity Party (PAS)
Parties
5
All political parties
Leaders
Current
Maia Sandu
- Head of State
Alexandru Munteanu
- Head of Government
Economy
Budget
- Note
- note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated
- Revenues
- $5.197 billion (2023 est.)
- Expenditures
- $6.037 billion (2023 est.)
Exports
- Civica canonical (reconciled)
- $5.7B
- Note
- note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars
- Exports 2022
- $5.981 billion (2022 est.)
- Exports 2023
- $5.866 billion (2023 est.)
- Exports 2024
- $5.717 billion (2024 est.)
Imports
- Civica canonical (reconciled)
- $10.4B
- Note
- note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars
- Imports 2022
- $10.265 billion (2022 est.)
- Imports 2023
- $9.84 billion (2023 est.)
- Imports 2024
- $10.418 billion (2024 est.)
- Industries
- sugar processing, vegetable oil, food processing, agricultural machinery; foundry equipment, refrigerators and freezers, washing machines; hosiery, shoes, textiles
- Labor force
- 1.358 million (2024 est.)
Public Debt
- Civica canonical (reconciled)
- 34.3%
- Note
- note: central government debt as a % of GDP
- Public debt 2023
- 34.3% of GDP (2023 est.)
Remittances
- Note
- note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities
- Remittances 2022
- 14% of GDP (2022 est.)
- Remittances 2023
- 12% of GDP (2023 est.)
- Remittances 2024
- 10.5% of GDP (2024 est.)
Exchange Rates
- Currency
- Moldovan lei (MDL) per US dollar -
- Exchange rates 2020
- 17.322 (2020 est.)
- Exchange rates 2021
- 17.68 (2021 est.)
- Exchange rates 2022
- 18.897 (2022 est.)
- Exchange rates 2023
- 18.164 (2023 est.)
- Exchange rates 2024
- 17.792 (2024 est.)
Debt External
- Note
- note: present value of external debt in current US dollars
- Debt external 2023
- $2.637 billion (2023 est.)
- Economic 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
Unemployment Rate
- Civica canonical (reconciled)
- 1.5%
- Note
- note: % of labor force seeking employment
- Unemployment rate 2022
- 0.9% (2022 est.)
- Unemployment rate 2023
- 1.6% (2023 est.)
- Unemployment rate 2024
- 1.5% (2024 est.)
- Exports partners
- Romania 31%, Ukraine 13%, Italy 6%, Germany 6%, Czechia 4% (2023)
- Imports partners
- Romania 16%, Ukraine 13%, China 11%, Turkey 8%, Germany 7% (2023)
Real GDP Per Capita
- Civica canonical (reconciled)
- $18,615
- Note
- note: data in 2021 dollars
- Real GDP per capita 2022
- $15,400 (2022 est.)
- Real GDP per capita 2023
- $16,000 (2023 est.)
- Real GDP per capita 2024
- $16,500 (2024 est.)
Real GDP Growth Rate
- Civica canonical (reconciled)
- 0.1%
- Note
- note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency
- Real GDP growth rate 2022
- -4.6% (2022 est.)
- Real GDP growth rate 2023
- 1.2% (2023 est.)
- Real GDP growth rate 2024
- 0.1% (2024 est.)
- Agricultural products
- wheat, maize, sunflower seeds, grapes, apples, sugar beets, barley, milk, rapeseed, potatoes (2023)
- Exports commodities
- insulated wire, garments, refined petroleum, seed oils, wheat (2023)
- Imports commodities
- refined petroleum, natural gas, cars, packaged medicine, plastic products (2023)
Current Account Balance
- Civica canonical (reconciled)
- -$3.0B
- Note
- note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars
- Current account balance 2022
- -$2.482 billion (2022 est.)
- Current account balance 2023
- -$1.893 billion (2023 est.)
- Current account balance 2024
- -$2.917 billion (2024 est.)
- Taxes and other revenues
- 18.6% (of GDP) (2023 est.)
- GDP (official exchange rate)
- $18.2 billion (2024 est.)
GDP Composition, BY End Use
- Note
- note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection
- Household consumption
- 86.8% (2024 est.)
- Government consumption
- 17.9% (2024 est.)
- Investment in inventories
- 1.1% (2024 est.)
- Investment in fixed capital
- 20% (2024 est.)
- Exports of goods and services
- 31.4% (2024 est.)
- Imports of goods and services
- -57.3% (2024 est.)
- Population below poverty line
- 31.1% (2022 est.)
Inflation Rate (Consumer Prices)
- Civica canonical (reconciled)
- 4.7%
- Note
- note: annual % change based on consumer prices
- Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022
- 28.7% (2022 est.)
- Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023
- 13.4% (2023 est.)
- Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024
- 4.7% (2024 est.)
- Industrial production growth rate
- 3.3% (2024 est.)
Real GDP (Purchasing Power Parity)
- Civica canonical (reconciled)
- $39.342 billion (2024 est.)
- Note
- note: data in 2021 dollars
- Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022
- $38.835 billion (2022 est.)
- Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023
- $39.301 billion (2023 est.)
- Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024
- $39.342 billion (2024 est.)
Youth Unemployment Rate (Ages 15 24)
- Male
- 3.4% (2024 est.)
- Note
- note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment
- Total
- 3.3% (2024 est.)
- Female
- 3.3% (2024 est.)
Reserves of Foreign Exchange and Gold
- Note
- note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars
- Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022
- $4.474 billion (2022 est.)
- Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023
- $5.453 billion (2023 est.)
- Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2024
- $5.484 billion (2024 est.)
GDP Composition, BY Sector of Origin
- Note
- note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data
- Industry
- 16.8% (2024 est.)
- Services
- 62.3% (2024 est.)
- Agriculture
- 7.1% (2024 est.)
Household Income or Consumption BY Percentage Share
- Note
- note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population
- Lowest 10%
- 4.5% (2022 est.)
- Highest 10%
- 22.5% (2022 est.)
Gini Index Coefficient Distribution of Family Income
- Note
- note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality
- Gini index coefficient distribution of family income 2022
- 25.9 (2022 est.)
Energy
Coal
- Imports
- 86,000 metric tons (2023 est.)
- Consumption
- 90,000 metric tons (2023 est.)
Petroleum
- Refined petroleum consumption
- 22,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
Electricity
- Exports
- 94 million kWh (2023 est.)
- Imports
- 1.264 billion kWh (2023 est.)
- Consumption
- 5.674 billion kWh (2023 est.)
- Installed generating capacity
- 779,000 kW (2023 est.)
- Transmission/distribution losses
- 550.069 million kWh (2023 est.)
Natural Gas
- Imports
- 2.223 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
- Production
- 10,000 cubic meters (2021 est.)
- Consumption
- 2.223 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
Electricity Access
- Electrification total population
- 100% (2022 est.)
Energy Consumption Per Capita
- Total energy consumption per capita 2023
- 35.686 million Btu/person (2023 est.)
Electricity Generation Sources
- Wind
- 3.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
- Solar
- 1.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
- Fossil fuels
- 88% 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.)
Communications
Internet Users
- Percent of population
- 80% (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)
- Internet country code
- .md
Telephones Fixed Lines
- Total subscriptions
- 847,000 (2023 est.)
- Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
- 28 (2023 est.)
Telephones Mobile Cellular
- Total subscriptions
- 3.64 million (2024 est.)
- Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
- 120 (2024 est.)
Broadband Fixed Subscriptions
- Total
- 841,000 (2023 est.)
- Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
- 27 (2023 est.)
Transport
- Airports
- 10 (2025)
Railways
- Total
- 1,171 km (2014)
- Broad gauge
- 1,157 km (2014) 1.520-m gauge
- Standard gauge
- 14 km (2014) 1.435-m gauge
- Heliports
- 1 (2025)
Merchant Marine
- Total
- 75 (2023)
- BY type
- bulk carrier 1, container ship 1, general cargo 44, oil tanker 7, other 22
- Civil aircraft registration country code prefix
- ER
Environment
- Climate
- moderate winters, warm summers
Land Use
- Other
- 13.8% (2023 est.)
- Forest
- 11.3% (2023 est.)
- Agricultural land
- 74.1% (2023 est.)
- Agricultural land: arable land
- arable land: 56.8% (2023 est.)
- Agricultural land: permanent crops
- permanent crops: 8.1% (2023 est.)
- Agricultural land: permanent pasture
- permanent pasture: 9.4% (2023 est.)
Urbanization
- Urban population
- 43.4% of total population (2023)
- Rate of urbanization
- 0.09% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Waste and Recycling
- Municipal solid waste generated annually
- 3.981 million tons (2024 est.)
- Percent of municipal solid waste recycled
- 36.9% (2022 est.)
- Environmental issues
- soil and water pollution from heavy use of agricultural chemicals; extensive soil erosion and declining soil fertility from farming methods
Total Water Withdrawal
- Municipal
- 160 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
- Industrial
- 583 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
- Agricultural
- 55 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
Carbon Dioxide Emissions
- Total emissions
- 7.093 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
- From consumed natural gas
- 3.786 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
- From coal and metallurgical coke
- 219,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
- From petroleum and other liquids
- 3.087 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
- Particulate matter emissions
- 12.3 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
- Total renewable water resources
- 12.27 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
International Environmental 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
- Signed, but not ratified
- Air Pollution-Multi-effect Protocol
Military & Security
- Military note
- the National Army is responsible for defense against external aggression, suppressing illegal military violence along the state border or inside the country, and supporting other internal security forces in maintaining public order if necessary; its primary focuses are Transnistrian separatist forces and their Russian backers; the 1992 war between Moldovan forces and the Transnistrian separatists backed by Russian troops ended with a cease-fire; the separatists maintain several armed paramilitary combat units, plus other security forces and reserves; Russia maintains approximately 1,500 troops in the breakaway region, including some Transnistrian locals who serve as Russian troops; some of those troops are under the authority of a peacekeeping force known as a Joint Control Commission that also includes Moldovan and separatist personnel, while the remainder of the Russian contingent guard a depot of Soviet-era ammunition and train separatist forces
Moldova is constitutionally neutral but has maintained a relationship with NATO since 1992 and since 2022 has enhanced bilateral security cooperation with some NATO members; it has contributed small numbers of troops to NATO’s Kosovo Force (KFOR) since 2014, and a civilian NATO liaison office was established in Moldova in 2017 at the request of the Moldovan Government to promote practical cooperation and facilitate support; in 2024, Moldova signed a security and defense partnership agreement with the EU; it maintains close security relations with Romania, a member of the EU and NATO (2025)
Military Expenditures
- Civica canonical (reconciled)
- 0.6%
- Military expenditures 2020
- 0.4% of GDP (2020 est.)
- Military expenditures 2021
- 0.4% of GDP (2021 est.)
- Military expenditures 2022
- 0.4% of GDP (2022 est.)
- Military expenditures 2023
- 0.6% of GDP (2023 est.)
- Military expenditures 2024
- 0.6% of GDP (2024 est.)
- Military and security 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 age and obligation
- 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)
- Military equipment inventories and acquisitions
- the military's inventory is limited and almost entirely comprised of Soviet-era equipment; in recent years, it has received small amounts of donated equipment from some Western European nations and the US (2025)
- Military and security service personnel strengths
- approximately 6,500 Moldovan Armed Forces (2025)
Transnational Issues
Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons
- Idps
- 6 (2024 est.)
- Refugees
- 136,845 (2024 est.)
- Stateless persons
- 3,164 (2024 est.)
Scores & Rankings
ScoreValueGlobal rankTrendAs of
Civica Index52.0 / 100as of 2024-Q482 / 1902024-Q4
V-Dem Liberal Democracy0.52as of 2024-Q456 / 1702024-Q4
Freedom House StatusNot Free (67/100)as of 2024-Q4—2024-Q4
Press Freedom (RSF)Partly free (50/100)as of 2024—2024
Cite this page
Cite this page
Civica. (2026). Civica Atlas — Moldova — vintage 2026-Q1: Moldova factbook. Civica Atlas. Retrieved May 7, 2026, from https://civicaatlas.org/factbook/moldova
Sources: FAO FAOSTAT, ILO ILOSTAT, IMF (WEO), UN Statistics Division, UNDP HDR, UNESCO Institute for Statistics, V-Dem, WHO Global Health Observatory, World Bank, WTO Stats, CIA World Factbook, Wikidata