Population of Moldova with permanent residence in early 2022 was 2 million 603.8 thousand people, down 9.3% compared to 2014.
The National Bureau of Statistics revised some components of statistical data for 2014-2021 on the number of people with permanent residence. Specifically, the coverage of emigrated and immigrated persons was increased, with a locality code assigned; the data on the number of internal and external migrants was adjusted; and some data were supplemented due to improved estimation methods. As a result, the population with permanent residence increased between 2014 and 2017, and has been declining since 2018, with the largest decline recorded in 2019, when the annual outflow reached 1.3 thousand people. According to updated data from the National Bureau of Statistics, 57.7% of Moldova's population (1.5 million people) currently lives in rural areas and 42.3% (1.1 million people) live in cities. For the last 9 years, depopulation was more expressed in the cities of the country than in the villages: the number of resident population reduced by 13.3% and, respectively, by 3%. During these years a moderate increase in population was registered only in Chisinau municipality: 1.5 thousand more people were registered in 2022 than in 2014 (+0.2%). Other administrative-territorial units have a depopulation tendency: Cimislia district (-22%), Cantemir district (-20%), Calarasi, Telenesti, Hincesti (-19%), Briceni and Nisporeni districts (-18%). The smallest decrease of population is registered in Balti (-2.9%) and in ATU Gagauzia (-1.1%). About 19.3% of the population is under 15 years old, and the share of able-bodied population (16-58 - for women and 16-62 - for men) is 59.3%. More than 21.5% of the population is elderly people of nonworking age (over 59/63 years old). However, the trends across the country are different. Chisinau has the largest share of able-bodied population and the smallest share of elderly people, while the share of young population (under 15 years old) increased by 3.4 p.p. in 2014-2022. Every fifth child under the age of 15 years lives in the Center district and in ATU Gagauzia. In all districts of the country the share of the elderly has increased over 9 years, with the largest increase in the South (+6.9 p.p.) and in the Center (+6.3 p.p.). In 2021, 24 districts and municipalities of Moldova recorded a negative balance of international migration, the largest outflow of population being registered in Chisinau municipality (-2.6 thousand people), Orhei (-0.5 thousand people), Ungheni district (-0.4 thousand people) etc, At the same time, there have been 11 districts, including Gagauzia, where international migration increased the population, while the leaders are Ocnita and Soroca districts, where there have arrived 289 and 256 people respectively. As for internal migration, in 2021 there has been an outflow of population from all districts to Chisinau municipality (+12.5 thousand people) and Balti (+0.7 thousand people). Hincesti, Stefan-Voda, Falesti, Telenesti, Floresti, Ungheni, Soroca, Causeni and other districts suffered most because of the internal migration, from which 500 to 861 persons left. // 11.07.2022 - InfoMarket
