First final results of 2024 Census: Moldova's population declines by 13.6 per cent compared to 2014

The usual residence population of the Republic of Moldova in the last ten years has decreased by 13.6 per cent, and on April 8, 2024, it stood at 2 million 409.2 thousand people, 46.4 per cent of whom (or 1,119.0 thousand people) lived in urban areas and 53.6 per cent in rural areas (1,290.2 thousand people). The National Statistics Bureau (BNS) today unveiled data to this effect.

According to the data presented, since the census of 2014, in 28 districts, the population decline is over 20 per cent. The largest population decrease between the 2014 and 2024 censuses was recorded in the districts of Ocnita (-29.5 per cent), Leova (-29.2 per cent), Briceni (-28.7 per cent), and Cantemir (-28.5 per cent). A less pronounced population decrease was recorded in the municipality of Balti (-5.9 per cent), Ialoveni district (-12.9 per cent), and the Gagauz autonomy (-14.9 per cent). A population increase, by 16.8 per cent, was recorded only in the Chisinau municipality. 

Although the share of the urban population is continuously increasing, Moldova stays practically the most rural country in Europe, emphasized the BNS. In terms of gender, the number of women was 1,271.9 thousand people or 52.8 per cent of the country's population (compared to 52.0% in 2014) and the number of men was 1,137.3 thousand people or 47.2 per cent of the country's population (compared to 48 per cent in 2014).

The territorial distribution of the population at the 2024 census shows an increasing concentration of the population in the municipality of Chisinau, which has the largest population among development regions and municipalities - 720.1 thousand residents (or 29.9% of the total), followed by the Center development regions with 670.1 thousand residents and the North with 608.7 thousand residents. The smallest number of population among development regions is in the South development region - with 306.7 thousand residents and the Gagauz autonomy - with 103.7 thousand residents.

The second largest is the municipality of Balti, which has 94.5 thousand residents, and at the district level, the largest population is in the districts of Orhei, Ungheni, Ialoveni, and Cahul. The smallest population is in the districts of Basarabeasca and Dubasari.

The BNS general director, Oleg Cara, said that all data and final results of the 2024 Census would be presented in several stages, by the end of this year.

“We are confident that this data will be utilized to their full importance, both for authorities and for businesses, non-governmental organizations, academic institutions, local communities, and citizens,” said Oleg Cara.

Deputy Secretary General of the Government Andrei Strah said that the Census was a complex and valuable exercise and the results got from it would allow the government to take more well-informed, evidence-based decisions and to implement strategies adapted to the country's demographic and social realities.

“The Census results will directly contribute to identifying priorities in such fields as education, health, infrastructure, regional development and improving the quality of life for all residents of the country. With this data available, we have the opportunity to develop and implement new policies that will contribute to the prosperity and well-being of the population. We will be able to develop more efficient educational programmes, improve health services and create economic opportunities for everyone, developing our villages and cities. At the same time, we will be able to better address social and economic inequalities, ensuring that no one is left behind,” declared Andrei Strah.





The United Nations Population Fund representative in Moldova, Karina Nersesyan, welcomed the launch of the first set of final results of the Census, highlighting their importance for prioritizing future actions due to be implemented.

“We will continue to stand by and work together with donors, in order to make sure that the data got from the Census do not gather dust, but are turned into actions,”  Karina Nersesyan also said.





The 2024 Census was conducted from April 8 - July 7, 2024, in 35 out of the country’s 37 second-level administrative and territorial units, surveying the population of 1,525 localities out of a total of 1,682 localities, of which 55 urban localities (cities/municipalities), 842 villages (communes), and 628 localities part of communes and cities (municipalities).

In 157 settlements of the country, which are not de facto under the control of Moldova’s constitutional authorities, it was not possible to conduct the census. These are the localities in the administrative and territorial units on the left of the Dniester, the municipality of Tighina (including the village of Proteagailovca), the commune of Chitcani (including the villages of Merenesti and Zahorna), the villages of Cremenciug and Gasca in the Causeni district, the commune of Corjova (including the village of Mahala) in the Dubasari district, as well as the village of Roghi of the the commune of Molovata Noua, Dubasari district.

According to the final results, at the 2024 census, 2,417.7 thousand people were surveyed, of whom 2,323.1 thousand people were with usual residence (or resident population) and 94.6 thousand people were non-residents (3.9 per cent).