Population in largest city in Moldova
Moldova: Population in largest city was 484,352 in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
484,352
Change on year
down 0.3%
World rank
149th
of 153 countries
All-time high
659,162
in 1989
All-time low
223,279
in 1960
Years of data
66
1960–2025
Population in largest city in Moldova, 1960–2025
Source: World Urbanization Prospects 2018, United Nations (UN).
Analysis
The most recent figure for population in largest city in Moldova is 484,352, measured in 2025.
The figure is down 0.3% on the previous year and down 7.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population in largest city in Moldova peaked at 659,162 in 1989 and was at its lowest, 223,279, in 1960.
That places Moldova 149th out of 153 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 66 years of available data.
Population in largest city in Moldova, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 223,279 | — |
| 1961 | 233,725 | +4.7% |
| 1962 | 244,674 | +4.7% |
| 1963 | 256,137 | +4.7% |
| 1964 | 268,154 | +4.7% |
| 1965 | 280,699 | +4.7% |
| 1966 | 293,849 | +4.7% |
| 1967 | 307,616 | +4.7% |
| 1968 | 322,048 | +4.7% |
| 1969 | 337,114 | +4.7% |
| 1970 | 352,071 | +4.4% |
| 1971 | 366,657 | +4.1% |
| 1972 | 381,868 | +4.1% |
| 1973 | 397,667 | +4.1% |
| 1974 | 414,142 | +4.1% |
| 1975 | 431,299 | +4.1% |
| 1976 | 449,193 | +4.1% |
| 1977 | 467,776 | +4.1% |
| 1978 | 487,156 | +4.1% |
| 1979 | 504,548 | +3.6% |
| 1980 | 519,100 | +2.9% |
| 1981 | 534,030 | +2.9% |
| 1982 | 549,410 | +2.9% |
| 1983 | 565,234 | +2.9% |
| 1984 | 581,536 | +2.9% |
| 1985 | 598,261 | +2.9% |
| 1986 | 615,492 | +2.9% |
| 1987 | 633,219 | +2.9% |
| 1988 | 651,482 | +2.9% |
| 1989 | 659,162 | +1.2% |
| 1990 | 654,352 | -0.7% |
| 1991 | 649,577 | -0.7% |
| 1992 | 644,831 | -0.7% |
| 1993 | 640,132 | -0.7% |
| 1994 | 635,461 | -0.7% |
| 1995 | 630,824 | -0.7% |
| 1996 | 626,214 | -0.7% |
| 1997 | 621,651 | -0.7% |
| 1998 | 617,115 | -0.7% |
| 1999 | 612,612 | -0.7% |
| 2000 | 608,135 | -0.7% |
| 2001 | 603,704 | -0.7% |
| 2002 | 599,299 | -0.7% |
| 2003 | 594,926 | -0.7% |
| 2004 | 590,578 | -0.7% |
| 2005 | 584,870 | -1.0% |
| 2006 | 578,714 | -1.1% |
| 2007 | 572,623 | -1.1% |
| 2008 | 566,587 | -1.1% |
| 2009 | 560,632 | -1.1% |
| 2010 | 554,731 | -1.1% |
| 2011 | 548,892 | -1.1% |
| 2012 | 543,107 | -1.1% |
| 2013 | 537,398 | -1.1% |
| 2014 | 531,742 | -1.1% |
| 2015 | 526,146 | -1.1% |
| 2016 | 520,608 | -1.1% |
| 2017 | 515,129 | -1.1% |
| 2018 | 509,707 | -1.1% |
| 2019 | 504,342 | -1.1% |
| 2020 | 499,034 | -1.1% |
| 2021 | 494,425 | -0.9% |
| 2022 | 490,632 | -0.8% |
| 2023 | 487,707 | -0.6% |
| 2024 | 485,636 | -0.4% |
| 2025 | 484,352 | -0.3% |
Moldova compared with similar countries
- Moldova's 484,352 is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 3.00 million, 16% of the median. (41 countries reporting)
- Moldova's 484,352 is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 1.41 million, 34% of the median. (43 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 276,730 | 223,279 | 337,114 | 10 |
| 1970s | 425,238 | 352,071 | 504,548 | 10 |
| 1980s | 590,693 | 519,100 | 659,162 | 10 |
| 1990s | 633,277 | 612,612 | 654,352 | 10 |
| 2000s | 586,007 | 560,632 | 608,135 | 10 |
| 2010s | 529,180 | 504,342 | 554,731 | 10 |
| 2020s | 490,298 | 484,352 | 499,034 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Moldova
More urban development data for Moldova
- Population in the largest city 46.9% (2025)
- Population density 85.44 people per sq. km of land area (2023)
- PM2.5 air pollution, mean annual exposure 14.95 micrograms per cubic meter (2023)
- PM2.5 air pollution, population exposed to levels exceeding WHO 100.0% (2017)
- Dollar value of all resources made available to strengthen 7.30 million current US$ (2023)
- Wagons and their load capacity by type of wagons 4,478 Number (2024)
- Seat/berth capacity of passenger railway vehicles 9.53 Thousand (2024)
- Seat capacity of passenger railway vehicles by type of vehicles 9.53 Thousand (2024)
- Self-propelled vessels, dumb and pushed vessels by load capacity 1 Number (2024)
- Lorries and their load capacity by permissible maximum gross weight 234,589 Number (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population in largest city in Moldova?
- Population in largest city in Moldova was 484,352 in 2025, according to World Urbanization Prospects 2018, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest population in largest city recorded in Moldova?
- The highest recorded value was 659,162 in 1989.
- What is the lowest population in largest city recorded in Moldova?
- The lowest recorded value was 223,279 in 1960.
- How does Moldova rank for population in largest city?
- Moldova ranks 149th out of 153 countries with data for 2025.
- Is population in largest city rising or falling in Moldova?
- Over the last ten years it is down 7.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Moldova data come from?
- The figures come from World Urbanization Prospects 2018, United Nations (UN), published as part of Population in largest city. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 66 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Population in largest city is the urban population living in the country's largest metropolitan area.