Rural population growth (annual %) in Moldova
Moldova: Rural population growth (annual %) was -2.1% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Rural population growth in Moldova, 1961–2025
Source: World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN). Measured in annual %.
Analysis
Moldova recorded -2.1% for rural population growth in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 33.0% on the previous year and down 144.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, rural population growth in Moldova peaked at 7.3% in 1998 and was at its lowest, -3.9%, in 2023.
That places Moldova 193rd out of 210 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Rural population growth (annual %) in Moldova, year by year
| Year | annual % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 1.1% | — |
| 1962 | 1.5% | +31.3% |
| 1963 | 1.1% | -25.2% |
| 1964 | 0.9% | -23.2% |
| 1965 | -0.2% | -129.2% |
| 1966 | -0.2% | -6.1% |
| 1967 | 0.5% | -330.6% |
| 1968 | 0.2% | -59.3% |
| 1969 | 0.0% | -77.5% |
| 1970 | -0.1% | -223.9% |
| 1971 | -0.3% | +337.4% |
| 1972 | -0.6% | +131.2% |
| 1973 | -0.4% | -29.5% |
| 1974 | -0.0% | -97.2% |
| 1975 | -0.2% | +1530.0% |
| 1976 | -0.2% | -21.1% |
| 1977 | -0.1% | -54.6% |
| 1978 | -0.3% | +268.6% |
| 1979 | -0.1% | -67.4% |
| 1980 | 0.0% | -132.6% |
| 1981 | 0.0% | +35.7% |
| 1982 | 0.0% | -38.3% |
| 1983 | -0.3% | -1439.6% |
| 1984 | -0.4% | +19.1% |
| 1985 | -0.3% | -29.0% |
| 1986 | -0.2% | -7.0% |
| 1987 | -0.7% | +188.2% |
| 1988 | -1.0% | +38.3% |
| 1989 | -0.7% | -29.6% |
| 1990 | 0.6% | -193.9% |
| 1991 | 0.3% | -60.8% |
| 1992 | 1.0% | +282.6% |
| 1993 | 0.4% | -61.3% |
| 1994 | 0.1% | -71.5% |
| 1995 | -0.2% | -275.7% |
| 1996 | 1.0% | -609.7% |
| 1997 | -0.1% | -105.7% |
| 1998 | 7.3% | -13392.3% |
| 1999 | 0.2% | -97.4% |
| 2000 | -0.0% | -111.5% |
| 2001 | 1.0% | -4854.8% |
| 2002 | -0.1% | -114.0% |
| 2003 | -0.2% | +67.0% |
| 2004 | -0.0% | -99.2% |
| 2005 | -0.1% | +5832.1% |
| 2006 | -0.0% | -76.9% |
| 2007 | -0.6% | +2036.6% |
| 2008 | -0.1% | -84.5% |
| 2009 | -0.1% | -43.5% |
| 2010 | -0.0% | -49.9% |
| 2011 | -0.2% | +552.0% |
| 2012 | -0.0% | -77.9% |
| 2013 | -0.1% | +267.3% |
| 2014 | -0.4% | +191.0% |
| 2015 | -0.9% | +121.4% |
| 2016 | -1.2% | +40.8% |
| 2017 | -2.1% | +72.0% |
| 2018 | -2.3% | +10.6% |
| 2019 | -2.4% | +0.3% |
| 2020 | -2.1% | -12.6% |
| 2021 | -2.3% | +12.7% |
| 2022 | -3.6% | +57.4% |
| 2023 | -3.9% | +6.5% |
| 2024 | -3.2% | -17.8% |
| 2025 | -2.1% | -33.0% |
Moldova compared with similar countries
- Moldova's -2.1% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is -0.6%, 3.6× the median. (59 countries reporting)
- Moldova's -2.1% is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is -0.4%, 4.8× the median. (55 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Rural population growth (annual %) 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | +13392.3% | -0.1% | 7.3% |
| 2005 | -5832.1% | -0.0% | -0.1% |
| 2001 | +4854.8% | -0.0% | 1.0% |
| 2007 | -2036.6% | -0.0% | -0.6% |
| 1975 | -1530.0% | -0.0% | -0.2% |
| 1983 | -1439.6% | 0.0% | -0.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 0.5% | -0.2% | 1.5% | 9 |
| 1970s | -0.2% | -0.6% | -0.0% | 10 |
| 1980s | -0.3% | -1.0% | 0.0% | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.1% | -0.2% | 7.3% | 10 |
| 2000s | -0.0% | -0.6% | 1.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | -1.0% | -2.4% | -0.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | -2.9% | -3.9% | -2.1% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Moldova
More agriculture & rural data for Moldova
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 13.65 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0738 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 635.96 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate -2.12 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.5627 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 7.4% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 7.4% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 0.4% (2024)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 1.4% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is rural population growth in Moldova?
- Rural population growth in Moldova was -2.1% in 2025, according to World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest rural population growth recorded in Moldova?
- The highest recorded value was 7.3% in 1998.
- What is the lowest rural population growth recorded in Moldova?
- The lowest recorded value was -3.9% in 2023.
- How does Moldova rank for rural population growth?
- Moldova ranks 193rd out of 210 countries with data for 2025.
- Is rural population growth rising or falling in Moldova?
- Over the last ten years it is down 144.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Moldova data come from?
- The figures come from World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN), published as part of Rural population growth (annual %). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Annual rural population growth rate for year t is the exponential rate of growth of midyear rural population from year t-1 to t, expressed as a percentage. Rural population refers to people living in rural areas as defined by national statistical offices. It is calculated as the difference between total population and urban population.