Moldova: Urban population (% of total population)

Key figures

What the numbers say

In 2025, Moldova's urban population (% of total population) rose 0.22 percentage points on 2024 (from 43.52% to 43.73%).

Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1995 to 2024), the average change was −0.08 percentage points and a typical year strayed about 0.84 percentage points from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.4 standard deviations above that average, so it was an ordinary year: it sits within the range of normal year-to-year movement.

On record, the biggest yearly rise was 1.4 percentage points in 1965 and the biggest yearly fall was 4.18 percentage points in 1998. The numbers show how large and when, not why; for the cause, look at what happened in that country in those years.

From 2016 to 2025 the straight-line trend is upward, about 0.48 percentage points a year. A straight line explains 99% of the movement over 10 observed years.

Worked out from the yearly values above. How the checks work: standard deviation, z-scores and straight-line trends.

How it compares

In 2025, Moldova had the 165th highest value of the 217 economies reporting that year. Higher is not always better: for some indicators the lowest value is the one to aim for. See the full ranking.

Closest to Moldova in the 2025 ranking

• Lesotho — 162nd of 217: 44.67%
• Central African Republic — 163rd of 217: 44.55%
• Togo — 164th of 217: 44.4%
• Bhutan — 166th of 217: 43.43%
• Egypt, Arab Rep. — 167th of 217: 42.9%
• Maldives — 168th of 217: 42.51%

What this measures

Urban population refers to people living in urban areas as defined by national statistical offices. The data are collected and smoothed by United Nations Population Division.

Limitations: Aggregation of urban and rural population may not add up to total population because of different country coverage. Most countries use an urban classification related to the size or characteristics of settlements. Some define urban areas based on the presence of certain infrastructure and services. And other countries designate urban areas based on administrative arrangements. Because of national differences in the characteristics that distinguish urban from rural areas, the distinction between urban and rural population is not amenable to a single definition that would be applicable to all countries.

Regional and income-group figures are computed by the World Bank as a weighted average.

All 66 values

Urban population (% of total population) in nearby economies

• Albania — 58.87% (2025)
• Andorra — 88.95% (2025)
• Armenia — 65.93% (2025)
• Austria — 69.72% (2025)
• Azerbaijan — 58.64% (2025)
• Belarus — 79.49% (2025)
• Belgium — 87.67% (2025)
• Bosnia and Herzegovina — 52.69% (2025)
• Bulgaria — 74.17% (2025)
• Channel Islands — 32.64% (2025)

More environment data for Moldova

• Population in largest city — 484,352 (2025)
• Population in the largest city (% of urban population) — 46.92% (2025)
• Rural population — 1.33 million (2025)
• Rural population (% of total population) — 56.27% (2025)
• Urban population — 1.03 million (2025)
• Rural population growth (annual %) — -2.14% (2025)
• Urban population growth (annual %) — -1.26% (2025)
• Agricultural land (sq. km) — 24,113 (2024)
• Surface area (sq. km) — 33,849 (2024)
• Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e) — 11.66 (2024)

Reading data like this

• Where to find free public data, and how to check it before you trust it — 2 min read
• Data analysis examples: 6 worked from one dataset — 3 min read
• Real change or random noise? A plain guide to reading your numbers — 2 min read

Questions people ask

What is Moldova's urban population (% of total population)?

43.73% in 2025, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 1960?

It is up 20.51 percentage points from 23.22% in 1960. The highest value was 47.18% in 1989 and the lowest 23.22% in 1960.

How does Moldova rank?

165th highest of 217 economies with data for 2025.

Is the latest change in urban population (% of total population) unusual for Moldova?

In 2025, Moldova's urban population (% of total population) rose 0.22 percentage points on 2024 (from 43.52% to 43.73%). Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1995 to 2024), the average change was −0.08 percentage points and a typical year strayed about 0.84 percentage points from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.4 standard deviations above that average, so it was an ordinary year: it sits within the range of normal year-to-year movement.

Source

World Bank, World Development Indicators, indicator SP.URB.TOTL.IN.ZS, licensed CC BY 4.0. Original source: World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN), uri: https://population.un.org/wup/, note: United Nations Population Division's World Urbanization Prospects, National definitions, publisher: UN Population Division Figures are fetched from the World Bank API and refreshed monthly; see the series on data.worldbank.org. The full definition and method are in the World Bank's metadata glossary. Comparisons use the same World Bank release.

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