Moldova profile

Demography and Health

Moldova is a small country with about 2.39 million people in 2024, placing it around the 145th position by population. The country experiences a relatively low birth rate of 10.8 per 1,000 people and a high crude death rate of 13.6 per 1,000, which together imply a natural population decline. Life expectancy at birth stands at 71.2 years (2023), and under-5 mortality is 14.7 per 1,000 live births, reflecting ongoing health challenges alongside gains in health services. Net migration in 2024 is significantly negative (about −27,088), suggesting that outward migration compounds the natural decrease and contributes to population decline. Poverty remains substantial at 31.1 percent of the population under national poverty lines (2022), while undernourishment affects 2.5 percent (2022). Healthcare infrastructure looks relatively strong in terms of capacity, with 5.66 hospital beds per 1,000 people (2021) and 3.25 physicians per 1,000 people (2021). Health expenditure is 6.97 percent of GDP (2022), and domestic public health expenditure per capita, PPP, is about 710 international dollars (2022), indicating a meaningful public health effort despite broader development constraints. Suicide mortality is 14.1 per 100,000 (2021), and internet access is widespread at 80.2 percent of the population (2023), which supports health information access and potential telemedicine expansion as a complement to formal health care. These dynamics point to an aging and migrating population facing persistent socio‑economic pressures, with health and social services playing a critical role in social protection.

Economy

Moldova’s economy expresses a modest per‑capita income profile, with GDP per capita at 7,618 current US dollars in 2024 and a GDP per capita, PPP of 18,717 international dollars, indicating room for convergence to higher‑income peers. The economy operates in a framework of moderate price changes, with an inflation rate of 4.68 percent in 2024. The unemployment rate is reported at 1.57 percent in 2023, which suggests a tight labor market by official measures, though structural issues, informal employment, and out‑migration may mask underlying vulnerabilities. The country faces significant development challenges reflected in a 31.1 percent poverty rate (2022) and 2.5 percent undernourishment (2022). Moldova invests in research and development at 0.223 percent of GDP (2023), with patent activity of 64 resident filings (2021), signaling an emerging but still limited innovation ecosystem. Comparative indicators show high technology activity is modest in scale, with high‑tech exports valued at about 28.9 million USD (2023). These macro indicators reveal an economy in transition: comparatively small but with potential to grow through greater innovation, productivity gains, and structural reforms that expand inclusive growth.

Trade and Investment

Trade and investment dynamics in Moldova show a country that relies heavily on imports relative to exports. Exports of goods and services amount to 31.4 percent of GDP in 2024, while imports represent 57.3 percent of GDP, pointing to a significant trade deficit and dependence on external supplies for consumption and investment. The current account deficit stands at about 16 percent of GDP in 2024, highlighting external funding needs and vulnerability to global financial cycles. Foreign direct investment net inflows constitute about 1.83 percent of GDP in 2024, reflecting cautious but meaningful foreign participation in the economy. Moldova’s logistics framework, while improving, shows room for efficiency gains with a Logistics Performance Index score of 1.9 on a 1–5 scale in 2022. Trade and investment are further complemented by a modest but notable degree of innovation activity, including 64 resident patent applications (2021) and 28.9 million USD in high‑tech exports (2023). Taken together, these data suggest Moldova remains a small, open economy with a need to diversify exports, improve supply chains, and attract higher‑quality investment to reduce external vulnerabilities.

Governance and Institutions

Governance indicators portray a challenging but reform‑oriented governance environment. Political stability and absence of violence/terrorism score −0.684 in 2023, with a relatively low rank of 156, indicating exposure to political and security shocks. Regulatory quality registers at 0.105, while the rule of law sits at −0.153 and control of corruption at −0.28, signaling weak performance on core governance dimensions and potential obstacles to private sector confidence and investment. Government effectiveness lies at −0.165. These indicators align with the relatively modest logistics capability (LPI 1.9/5, rank 27) and with a modest to challenging environment for institutional development. The country maintains a small military footprint (military expenditure about 93 million USD in 2023, rank 134), suggesting limited national security spending but not a dominant fiscal drag. Overall, Moldova’s governance landscape points to meaningful reforms needed in anti‑corruption, rule of law, and public sector efficiency to foster a more predictable business climate and attract larger‑scale investment.

Infrastructure and Technology

In infrastructure and technology, Moldova benefits from strong healthcare capacity relative to population (5.66 hospital beds per 1,000 and 3.25 physicians per 1,000 in 2021/2021, respectively) and broad internet penetration (80.2 percent of the population online in 2023), which supports digital services and innovation pathways. However, infrastructure bottlenecks exist in trade and transport, as indicated by a Logistics Performance Index of 1.9 (2022), signaling inefficiencies in logistics and transport networks that can raise costs and constrain private investment. Moldova’s technology footprint shows a nascent but growing profile: R&D expenditure at 0.223 percent of GDP (2023), 64 resident patent applications (2021), and 28.9 million USD in high‑tech exports (2023) point to a developing innovation ecosystem. The country’s energy and environmental data reveal renewable energy consumption at 21.4 percent of final energy consumption (2021) and water stress at 12.6 percent of freshwater withdrawals (2021), alongside total greenhouse gas emissions of 5.51 tonnes CO2e per capita (2023). Domestic health expenditure per capita, PPP, is about 710 international dollars (2022), underscoring ongoing public‑sector health provisioning. These elements together show Moldova pursuing modern infrastructure and technology upscaling, with clear priorities to improve logistics, diversify energy, and expand research‑driven growth.

Environment and Sustainability

Moldova’s environmental profile combines moderate emissions with meaningful opportunities for climate‑smart development. Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF amount to 5.51 tCO2e per capita in 2023, indicating a relatively light but still material carbon footprint given the country’s population and economic structure. Water resources face stress, with freshwater withdrawals at 12.6 percent of available resources in 2021, highlighting the importance of water management and efficiency policies. Renewable energy accounts for 21.4 percent of final energy consumption (2021), signaling an ongoing shift toward cleaner energy, but further expansion is needed to reduce import dependence and enhance energy security. Moldova’s environmental and sustainability challenges are intertwined with development ambitions, poverty levels, and migration pressures, underscoring the need for integrated policies that advance green growth, resilience to climate risks, and sustainable use of water and energy resources.