Annual change in population in Moldova
Moldova: Annual change in population was 27,086 people in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2023)
27,086 people
Change on year
up 67.1%
World rank
122nd
of 236 countries
All-time high
68,806 people
in 1960
All-time low
-74,712 people
in 2011
Years of data
73
1951–2023
Annual change in population in Moldova, 1951–2023
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
In 2023, annual change in population in Moldova stood at 27,086 people.
That represents a change of up 67.1% on the previous year and up 136.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual change in population in Moldova peaked at 68,806 people in 1960 and was at its lowest, -74,712 people, in 2011.
Moldova ranks 122nd of 236 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Annual change in population in Moldova, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1951 | 44,378 people | — |
| 1952 | 47,043 people | +6.0% |
| 1953 | 49,721 people | +5.7% |
| 1954 | 52,038 people | +4.7% |
| 1955 | 54,017 people | +3.8% |
| 1956 | 55,679 people | +3.1% |
| 1957 | 56,758 people | +1.9% |
| 1958 | 56,566 people | -0.3% |
| 1959 | 62,801 people | +11.0% |
| 1960 | 68,806 people | +9.6% |
| 1961 | 67,720 people | -1.6% |
| 1962 | 65,617 people | -3.1% |
| 1963 | 62,279 people | -5.1% |
| 1964 | 58,454 people | -6.1% |
| 1965 | 55,730 people | -4.7% |
| 1966 | 54,695 people | -1.9% |
| 1967 | 53,536 people | -2.1% |
| 1968 | 52,884 people | -1.2% |
| 1969 | 52,908 people | +0.0% |
| 1970 | 43,527 people | -17.7% |
| 1971 | 34,406 people | -21.0% |
| 1972 | 36,069 people | +4.8% |
| 1973 | 38,620 people | +7.1% |
| 1974 | 41,235 people | +6.8% |
| 1975 | 43,097 people | +4.5% |
| 1976 | 44,082 people | +2.3% |
| 1977 | 44,556 people | +1.1% |
| 1978 | 44,713 people | +0.4% |
| 1979 | 40,089 people | -10.3% |
| 1980 | 38,324 people | -4.4% |
| 1981 | 40,824 people | +6.5% |
| 1982 | 40,529 people | -0.7% |
| 1983 | 42,015 people | +3.7% |
| 1984 | 43,809 people | +4.3% |
| 1985 | 45,243 people | +3.3% |
| 1986 | 48,238 people | +6.6% |
| 1987 | 49,694 people | +3.0% |
| 1988 | 48,712 people | -2.0% |
| 1989 | 31,609 people | -35.1% |
| 1990 | 11,764 people | -62.8% |
| 1991 | 5,459 people | -53.6% |
| 1992 | -895 people | -116.4% |
| 1993 | -7,473 people | +735.0% |
| 1994 | -13,784 people | +84.5% |
| 1995 | -20,241 people | +46.8% |
| 1996 | -26,563 people | +31.2% |
| 1997 | -32,116 people | +20.9% |
| 1998 | -36,824 people | +14.7% |
| 1999 | -40,493 people | +10.0% |
| 2000 | -43,251 people | +6.8% |
| 2001 | -45,200 people | +4.5% |
| 2002 | -46,832 people | +3.6% |
| 2003 | -47,519 people | +1.5% |
| 2004 | -48,746 people | +2.6% |
| 2005 | -58,004 people | +19.0% |
| 2006 | -67,348 people | +16.1% |
| 2007 | -69,923 people | +3.8% |
| 2008 | -71,894 people | +2.8% |
| 2009 | -73,291 people | +1.9% |
| 2010 | -74,222 people | +1.3% |
| 2011 | -74,712 people | +0.7% |
| 2012 | -74,649 people | -0.1% |
| 2013 | -73,888 people | -1.0% |
| 2014 | -66,026 people | -10.6% |
| 2015 | -55,547 people | -15.9% |
| 2016 | -49,370 people | -11.1% |
| 2017 | -44,298 people | -10.3% |
| 2018 | -39,721 people | -10.3% |
| 2019 | -41,218 people | +3.8% |
| 2020 | -43,426 people | +5.4% |
| 2021 | -45,355 people | +4.4% |
| 2022 | 16,206 people | -135.7% |
| 2023 | 27,086 people | +67.1% |
Moldova compared with similar countries
- Moldova's 27,086 people is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 28,200 people, 96% of the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Moldova's 27,086 people is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 15,382 people, 1.8× the median. (56 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Annual change in population in Moldova changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | -735.0% | -895 people | -7,473 people |
| 2022 | +135.7% | -45,355 people | 16,206 people |
| 1992 | -116.4% | 5,459 people | -895 people |
| 1994 | -84.5% | -7,473 people | -13,784 people |
| 2023 | +67.1% | 16,206 people | 27,086 people |
| 1990 | -62.8% | 31,609 people | 11,764 people |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 53,222 people | 44,378 people | 62,801 people | 9 |
| 1960s | 59,263 people | 52,884 people | 68,806 people | 10 |
| 1970s | 41,039 people | 34,406 people | 44,713 people | 10 |
| 1980s | 42,900 people | 31,609 people | 49,694 people | 10 |
| 1990s | -16,117 people | -40,493 people | 11,764 people | 10 |
| 2000s | -57,201 people | -73,291 people | -43,251 people | 10 |
| 2010s | -59,365 people | -74,712 people | -39,721 people | 10 |
| 2020s | -11,372 people | -45,355 people | 27,086 people | 4 |
Countries ranked near Moldova
- 119 Finland 31,885 people compare
- 120 El Salvador 29,313 people compare
- 121 Lebanon 29,002 people compare
- 123 Lesotho 25,364 people compare
- 124 Costa Rica 23,762 people compare
- 125 Azerbaijan 22,902 people compare
More population data for Moldova
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate -0.9131 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate -0.8797 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate -0.9131 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -0.4425 % change on previous year (2100)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.2118 % change on previous year (2100)
- World population growth -0.9% (2100)
- Population density 45.12 people per km² (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 62,192 people (2100)
- Population growth rate, by level of development -0.9% (2100)
- Number of people living in urban and rural areas, annual growth rate -0.7875 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is annual change in population in Moldova?
- Annual change in population in Moldova was 27,086 people in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest annual change in population recorded in Moldova?
- The highest recorded value was 68,806 people in 1960.
- What is the lowest annual change in population recorded in Moldova?
- The lowest recorded value was -74,712 people in 2011.
- How does Moldova rank for annual change in population?
- Moldova ranks 122nd out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is annual change in population rising or falling in Moldova?
- Over the last ten years it is up 136.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Moldova data come from?
- The figures come from UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Annual change in population. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 73 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Annual change in population, calculated as the difference between population on 1 July of consecutive years.