Population growth (annual %) (UNESCO Institute) in Moldova
Moldova: Population growth (annual %) (UNESCO Institute) was -2.8% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Population growth in Moldova, 1970–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in annual %.
Analysis
Moldova recorded -2.8% for population growth in 2024.
The figure is up 0.6% on the previous year and down 4,536.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population growth in Moldova peaked at 1.2% in 1970 and was at its lowest, -2.8%, in 2023.
That places Moldova 213th out of 215 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Population growth (annual %) (UNESCO Institute) in Moldova, year by year
| Year | annual % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 1.2% | — |
| 1971 | 0.9% | -21.8% |
| 1972 | 1.0% | +3.8% |
| 1973 | 1.0% | +6.0% |
| 1974 | 1.1% | +5.6% |
| 1975 | 1.1% | +3.4% |
| 1976 | 1.1% | +1.1% |
| 1977 | 1.1% | -0.1% |
| 1978 | 1.1% | -0.8% |
| 1979 | 1.0% | -11.3% |
| 1980 | 1.0% | -5.3% |
| 1981 | 1.0% | +5.5% |
| 1982 | 1.0% | -1.7% |
| 1983 | 1.0% | +2.6% |
| 1984 | 1.0% | +3.2% |
| 1985 | 1.1% | +2.2% |
| 1986 | 1.1% | +5.4% |
| 1987 | 1.1% | +1.9% |
| 1988 | 1.1% | -3.1% |
| 1989 | 0.7% | -35.7% |
| 1990 | 0.3% | -63.0% |
| 1991 | 0.1% | -53.7% |
| 1992 | -0.0% | -116.4% |
| 1993 | -0.2% | +732.5% |
| 1994 | -0.3% | +84.9% |
| 1995 | -0.5% | +47.5% |
| 1996 | -0.2% | -56.2% |
| 1997 | -0.4% | +84.7% |
| 1998 | -0.0% | -89.1% |
| 1999 | -0.2% | +288.6% |
| 2000 | -0.2% | +29.5% |
| 2001 | -0.2% | +10.0% |
| 2002 | -0.2% | +3.6% |
| 2003 | -0.3% | +21.6% |
| 2004 | -0.2% | -12.1% |
| 2005 | -0.2% | -1.7% |
| 2006 | -0.3% | +14.2% |
| 2007 | -0.2% | -16.6% |
| 2008 | -0.2% | -17.9% |
| 2009 | -0.1% | -33.7% |
| 2010 | -0.1% | -20.9% |
| 2011 | -0.1% | -42.1% |
| 2012 | -0.0% | -77.3% |
| 2013 | -0.0% | +104.3% |
| 2014 | -0.1% | +127.7% |
| 2015 | -0.8% | +1158.1% |
| 2016 | -1.2% | +51.6% |
| 2017 | -1.7% | +48.5% |
| 2018 | -1.8% | +1.7% |
| 2019 | -1.6% | -8.9% |
| 2020 | -1.1% | -31.4% |
| 2021 | -1.5% | +36.9% |
| 2022 | -2.6% | +74.3% |
| 2023 | -2.8% | +8.5% |
| 2024 | -2.8% | -0.6% |
Moldova compared with similar countries
- Moldova's -2.8% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 0.5%. (58 countries reporting)
- Moldova's -2.8% is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 0.3%. (56 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Population growth (annual %) (UNESCO Institute) 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | -1158.1% | -0.1% | -0.8% |
| 1993 | -732.5% | -0.0% | -0.2% |
| 1999 | -288.6% | -0.0% | -0.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 1.1% | 0.9% | 1.2% | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.0% | 0.7% | 1.1% | 10 |
| 1990s | -0.1% | -0.5% | 0.3% | 10 |
| 2000s | -0.2% | -0.3% | -0.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | -0.7% | -1.8% | -0.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | -2.2% | -2.8% | -1.1% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Moldova
- 210 Tuvalu -1.7% compare
- 211 Northern Mariana Islands -1.9% compare
- 212 North Macedonia -2.0% compare
- 214 Marshall Islands -3.3% compare
- 215 Saint Martin (French Part) -5.2% 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)
- Population growth rate -0.923 (2100)
- Population density 45.12 (2100)
- Projected population under age 5 62,192 (2100)
- Population growth rate by level of development -0.923 (2100)
- Urbanization vs gdp, annual growth rate 0.4989 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population growth in Moldova?
- Population growth in Moldova was -2.8% in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest population growth recorded in Moldova?
- The highest recorded value was 1.2% in 1970.
- What is the lowest population growth recorded in Moldova?
- The lowest recorded value was -2.8% in 2023.
- How does Moldova rank for population growth?
- Moldova ranks 213th out of 215 countries with data for 2024.
- Is population growth rising or falling in Moldova?
- Over the last ten years it is down 4,536.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Moldova data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Population growth (annual %). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 55 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release