THE WORLD FACTBOOK — Reference Edition 2026

Background: A large portion of present-day Moldovan territory became a province of the Russian Empire in 1812 and then unified with Romania in 1918 in the aftermath of World War I. This territory was then incorporated into the Soviet Union at the close of World War II. Although Moldova has been independent from the Soviet Union since 1991, Russian forces have remained on Moldovan territory east of the Nistru River in the breakaway region of Transnistria. Years of Communist Party rule in Moldova from 2001 to 2009 ultimately ended with election-related violent protests and a rerun of parliamentary elections in 2009. A series of pro-Europe ruling coalitions governed Moldova from 2010 to 2019, but pro-Russia candidate Igor DODON won the presidency in 2016, and his Socialist Party of the Republic of Moldova won a plurality in the legislative election in 2019. Pro-EU reformist candidate Maia SANDU defeated DODON in his reelection bid in 2020, and SANDU's Party of Action and Solidarity won a parliamentary majority in an early legislative election in 2021. Prime Minister Natalia GAVRILITA and her cabinet took office in 2021. In early 2023, Moldova's parliament confirmed a new cabinet led by Prime Minister Dorin RECEAN, which retained the majority of the former ministers.

Location: Eastern Europe, northeast of Romania
Geographic coordinates: 47 00 N, 29 00 E
Map references: Europe
Area: total: 33,851 sq km
land: 32,891 sq km
water: 960 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly larger than Maryland
Land boundaries: total: 1,885 km
border countries: Romania 683 km; Ukraine 1202 km
Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims: none (landlocked)
Climate: moderate winters, warm summers
Terrain: rolling steppe, gradual slope south to Black Sea
Elevation: highest point: Dealul Balanesti 430 m
lowest point: Dniester (Nistru) 2 m
mean elevation: 139 m
Natural resources: lignite, phosphorites, gypsum, limestone, arable land
Land use: agricultural land: 74.1% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: arable land: arable land: 56.8% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent crops: permanent crops: 8.1% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent pasture: permanent pasture: 9.4% (2023 est.)
forest: 11.3% (2023 est.)
other: 13.8% (2023 est.)
Irrigated land: 2,150 sq km (2022)
Major rivers (by length in km): Dunărea (Danube) (shared with Germany [s], Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Croatia, Serbia, Bulgaria, Ukraine, and Romania [m]) - 2,888 km; Nistru (Dniester) (shared with Ukraine [s/m]) - 1,411 kmnote: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth
Major watersheds (area sq km): Atlantic Ocean drainage: (Black Sea) Danube (795,656 sq km)
Population distribution: pockets of agglomeration exist throughout the country, with the largest in the center of the country around the capital of Chisinau, followed by Tiraspol and Balti
Natural hazards: landslides
Geography - note: landlocked; has many types of sedimentary rocks and minerals, including sand, gravel, gypsum, and limestone

Population: total: 3,578,930 (2025 est.)
male: 1,687,496
female: 1,891,434
Nationality: noun: Moldovan(s)
adjective: Moldovan
Ethnic groups: Moldovan 75.1%, Romanian 7%, Ukrainian 6.6%, Gagauz 4.6%, Russian 4.1%, Bulgarian 1.9%, other 0.8% (2014 est.)
Languages: Languages: Moldovan/Romanian 80.2% (official) (56.7% Moldovan; 23.5% Romanian), Russian 9.7%, Gagauz 4.2% (a Turkish language), Ukrainian 3.9%, Bulgarian 1.5%, Romani 0.3%, other 0.2% (2014)
major-language sample(s): Cartea informativa a lumii, sursa indispensabila pentru informatii de baza. (Moldovan/Romanian)The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.
Religions: Orthodox 90.1%, other Christian 2.6%, other 0.1%, agnostic <0.1%, atheist 0.2%, unspecified 6.9% (2014 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 14.8% (male 266,493/female 266,166)
15-64 years: 70.2% (male 1,225,535/female 1,300,640)
65 years and over: 15% (2024 est.) (male 206,221/female 334,473)
Dependency ratios: total dependency ratio: 43 (2025 est.)
youth dependency ratio: 20.8 (2025 est.)
elderly dependency ratio: 22.2 (2025 est.)
potential support ratio: 4.5 (2025 est.)
Median age: total: 40.4 years (2025 est.)
male: 38.6 years
female: 41.3 years
Population growth rate: -0.57% (2025 est.)
Birth rate: 8.35 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Death rate: 14.06 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Population distribution: pockets of agglomeration exist throughout the country, with the largest in the center of the country around the capital of Chisinau, followed by Tiraspol and Balti
Urbanization: urban population: 43.4% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 0.09% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Major urban areas - population: 488,000 CHISINAU (capital) (2023)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.62 male(s)/female
total population: 0.89 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
Mother's mean age at first birth: 25.2 years (2019 est.)
Maternal mortality ratio: 19 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)
Infant mortality rate: total: 13.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)
male: 16 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 11.5 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 70.1 years (2024 est.)
male: 66.1 years
female: 74.4 years
Total fertility rate: 1.27 children born/woman (2025 est.)
Gross reproduction rate: 0.61 (2025 est.)
Drinking water source: improved: urban: urban: 97.7% of population (2022 est.)
improved: rural: rural: 87.7% of population (2022 est.)
improved: total: total: 92% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: urban: urban: 2.3% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: rural: rural: 12.3% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: total: total: 8% of population (2022 est.)
Health expenditure: Health expenditure (as % of GDP): 7.8% of GDP (2021)
Health expenditure (as % of national budget): 12.3% of national budget (2022 est.)
Physician density: 4.02 physicians/1,000 population (2023)
Hospital bed density: 5.7 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.)
Sanitation facility access: improved: urban: urban: 98.7% of population (2022 est.)
improved: rural: rural: 82.9% of population (2022 est.)
improved: total: total: 89.7% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: urban: urban: 1.3% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: rural: rural: 17.1% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: total: total: 10.3% of population (2022 est.)
Obesity - adult prevalence rate: 18.9% (2016)
Alcohol consumption per capita: total: 7.45 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
beer: 1.53 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
wine: 3.57 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
spirits: 2.25 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
other alcohols: 0.1 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Tobacco use: total: 28.7% (2025 est.)
male: 54.2% (2025 est.)
female: 6.4% (2025 est.)
Currently married women (ages 15-49): 68.7% (2020 est.)
Education expenditure: Education expenditure (% GDP): 6.6% of GDP (2023 est.)
Education expenditure (% national budget): 16% national budget (2024 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education): total: 15 years (2023 est.)
male: 15 years (2023 est.)
female: 15 years (2023 est.)

Environmental issues: soil and water pollution from heavy use of agricultural chemicals; extensive soil erosion and declining soil fertility from farming methods
International environmental agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Heavy Metals, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Multi-effect Protocol
Climate: moderate winters, warm summers
Land use: agricultural land: 74.1% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: arable land: arable land: 56.8% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent crops: permanent crops: 8.1% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent pasture: permanent pasture: 9.4% (2023 est.)
forest: 11.3% (2023 est.)
other: 13.8% (2023 est.)
Urbanization: urban population: 43.4% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 0.09% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions: total emissions: 7.093 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from coal and metallurgical coke: 219,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from petroleum and other liquids: 3.087 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from consumed natural gas: 3.786 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
Particulate matter emissions: 12.3 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
Waste and recycling: municipal solid waste generated annually: 3.981 million tons (2024 est.)
percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 36.9% (2022 est.)
Total water withdrawal: municipal: 160 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
industrial: 583 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
agricultural: 55 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
Total renewable water resources: 12.27 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Moldova
conventional short form: Moldova
local long form: Republica Moldova
local short form: Moldova
former: Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic, Moldovan Soviet Socialist Republic
etymology: named for the Moldova River in neighboring eastern Romania; the river's name probably comes from the Indoeuropean root word mel, meaning "dark" or "black"
Government type: parliamentary republic
Capital: name: Chisinau in Romanian (Kishinev in Russian)
geographic coordinates: 47 00 N, 28 51 E
time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
etymology: origin unclear but may derive from the Old Moldovan word kishineu ("spring" or "artesian well")
Administrative divisions: 32 districts (raioane, singular - raion), 3 municipalities (municipii, singular - municipiul), 1 autonomous territorial unit (unitatea teritoriala autonoma), and 1 territorial unit (unitatea teritoriala) districts: Anenii Noi, Basarabeasca, Briceni, Cahul, Cantemir, Calarasi, Causeni, Cimislia, Criuleni, Donduseni, Drochia, Dubasari, Edinet, Falesti, Floresti, Glodeni, Hincesti, Ialoveni, Leova, Nisporeni, Ocnita, Orhei, Rezina, Riscani, Singerei, Soldanesti, Soroca, Stefan Voda, Straseni, Taraclia, Telenesti, Ungheni municipalities: Balti, Bender, Chisinau autonomous territorial unit: Gagauzia territorial unit: Stinga Nistrului (Transnistria)
Legal system: civil law system with Germanic law influences; Constitutional Court reviews legislative acts
Constitution: history: previous 1978; latest adopted 29 July 1994, effective 27 August 1994
amendment process: proposed by voter petition (at least 200,000 eligible voters), by at least one third of Parliament members, or by the government; passage requires two-thirds majority vote of Parliament within one year of initial proposal; revisions to constitutional articles on sovereignty, independence, and neutrality require majority vote by referendum; articles on fundamental rights and freedoms cannot be amended
International law organization participation: has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
Citizenship: citizenship by birth: no
citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Moldova
dual citizenship recognized: no
residency requirement for naturalization: 10 years
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President Maia SANDU (since 24 December 2020)
head of government: Prime Minister Alexandru MUNTEANU (since 1 November 2025)
cabinet: Cabinet proposed by the prime minister-designate, nominated by the president, approved through a vote of confidence in Parliament
election/appointment process: president directly elected for a 4-year term (eligible for a second term); prime minister designated by the president in consultation with Parliament; within 15 days from designation, the prime minister-designate must request a vote of confidence for his/her proposed work program from the Parliament
most recent election date: 3 November 2024
election results: 2024: In the second round of presidential elections, incumbent Maia SANDU (PAS) wins 55.4% of the vote, Alexandr STOIANOGLO (PSRM) 44.6; turnout is 54.3%2020: Maia SANDU elected president in second round; percent of vote in second round - Maia SANDU (PAS) 57.7%, Igor DODON (PSRM) 42.3%
expected date of next election: 2028
Legislative branch: legislature name: Parliament (Parlament)
legislative structure: unicameral
number of seats: 101 (all directly elected)
electoral system: proportional representation
scope of elections: full renewal
term in office: 4 years
most recent election date: 9/28/2025
parties elected and seats per party: Action and Solidarity Party (PAS) (55); Electoral Bloc “Patriotic of Socialists, Communists, Heart and Future of Moldova” (26); Alternative Bloc (8); Our Party (6); Democracy at Home Party (6)
percentage of women in chamber: 37.6%
expected date of next election: September 2029
Judicial branch: highest court(s): Supreme Court of Justice (consists of the chief judge, 3 deputy-chief judges, 45 judges, and 7 assistant judges); Constitutional Court (consists of the court president and 6 judges)
judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court of Justice judges appointed by the president on the recommendation of the Superior Council of Magistracy, an 11-member body of judicial officials; all judges serve 4-year renewable terms; Constitutional Court judges appointed 2 each by Parliament, the president, and the Higher Council of Magistracy for 6-year terms; court president elected by other court judges for a 3-year term
subordinate courts: Courts of Appeal; Court of Business Audit; municipal courts
Political parties: Common Action Party - Civil Congress or PAC-CCDemocracy at Home Party or PPDAFuture of Moldova Party or PVMNational Alternative Movement or MANOur Party or PNParty of Action and Solidarity or PASParty of Communists of the Republic of Moldova or PCRMParty of Development and Consolidation of Moldova or PDCMParty of Socialists of the Republic of Moldova or PSRM
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Vladislav KULMINSKI (since 5 September 2025)
chancery: 2101 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 667-1130
FAX: [1] (202) 667-2624
email address and website: washington@mfa.gov.mdhttps://sua.mfa.gov.md/en
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires Nick PIETROWICZ (since 2025)
embassy: 103 Mateevici Street, Chisinau MD-2009
mailing address: 7080 Chisinau Place, Washington DC 20521-7080
telephone: [373] (22) 408-300
FAX: [373] (22) 233-044
email address and website: ChisinauACS@state.govhttps://md.usembassy.gov/
International organization participation: BSEC, CD, CE, CEI, CIS, EAEU (observer), EAPC, EBRD, FAO, GCTU, GUAM, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, SELEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNMIL, UNMISS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Independence: 27 August 1991 (from the Soviet Union)
National holiday: Independence Day, 27 August (1991)
Flag: description: three equal vertical bands of Prussian blue (left side), chrome yellow, and vermilion red; the Moldavan coat of arms in the center is a dark gold Roman eagle outlined in black, with a red beak and talons; the eagle carries a yellow cross in its beak, a green olive branch in its right talons, and a yellow scepter in its left talons; on the eagle's breast is a red-and-blue shield divided horizontally, with a stylized aurochs head, star, rose, and crescent in black and outlined yellow; the reverse of the flag displays a mirror image of the coat of armshistory: replaced the communist flag in 1990; the coat of arms is based on traditional designs
National symbol(s): aurochs (type of wild cattle)
National color(s): blue, yellow, red
National anthem(s): title: "Limba noastra" (Our Tongue)
lyrics/music: Alexei MATEEVICI/Alexandru CRISTEA
history: adopted 1994; originally a 12-verse poem, but only stanzas 1, 2, 5, 9, and 12 are included in the anthem
National heritage: total World Heritage Sites: 1 (cultural)
selected World Heritage Site locales: Struve Geodetic Arc

Economic overview: upper middle-income Eastern European economy; sustained growth reversed by COVID-19; significant remittances; Russian energy and regional dependence; agricultural exporter; declining workforce due to emigration and low fertility
Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024: $39.342 billion (2024 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023: $39.301 billion (2023 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022: $38.835 billion (2022 est.)
Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2024: 0.1% (2024 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2023: 1.2% (2023 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2022: -4.6% (2022 est.)
Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2024: $16,500 (2024 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2023: $16,000 (2023 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2022: $15,400 (2022 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate): $18.2 billion (2024 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024: 4.7% (2024 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023: 13.4% (2023 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022: 28.7% (2022 est.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin: agriculture: 7.1% (2024 est.)
industry: 16.8% (2024 est.)
services: 62.3% (2024 est.)
GDP - composition, by end use: household consumption: 86.8% (2024 est.)
government consumption: 17.9% (2024 est.)
investment in fixed capital: 20% (2024 est.)
investment in inventories: 1.1% (2024 est.)
exports of goods and services: 31.4% (2024 est.)
imports of goods and services: -57.3% (2024 est.)
Agricultural products: wheat, maize, sunflower seeds, grapes, apples, sugar beets, barley, milk, rapeseed, potatoes (2023)
Industries: sugar processing, vegetable oil, food processing, agricultural machinery; foundry equipment, refrigerators and freezers, washing machines; hosiery, shoes, textiles
Industrial production growth rate: 3.3% (2024 est.)
Labor force: 1.358 million (2024 est.)
Unemployment rate: Unemployment rate 2024: 1.5% (2024 est.)
Unemployment rate 2023: 1.6% (2023 est.)
Unemployment rate 2022: 0.9% (2022 est.)
Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24): total: 3.3% (2024 est.)
male: 3.4% (2024 est.)
female: 3.3% (2024 est.)
Population below poverty line: 31.1% (2022 est.)
Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income: Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2022: 25.9 (2022 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 4.5% (2022 est.)
highest 10%: 22.5% (2022 est.)
Remittances: Remittances 2024: 10.5% of GDP (2024 est.)
Remittances 2023: 12% of GDP (2023 est.)
Remittances 2022: 14% of GDP (2022 est.)
Budget: revenues: $5.197 billion (2023 est.)
expenditures: $6.037 billion (2023 est.)
Public debt: Public debt 2023: 34.3% of GDP (2023 est.)
Taxes and other revenues: 18.6% (of GDP) (2023 est.)
Current account balance: Current account balance 2024: -$2.917 billion (2024 est.)
Current account balance 2023: -$1.893 billion (2023 est.)
Current account balance 2022: -$2.482 billion (2022 est.)
Exports: Exports 2024: $5.717 billion (2024 est.)
Exports 2023: $5.866 billion (2023 est.)
Exports 2022: $5.981 billion (2022 est.)
Exports - partners: Romania 31%, Ukraine 13%, Italy 6%, Germany 6%, Czechia 4% (2023)
Exports - commodities: insulated wire, garments, refined petroleum, seed oils, wheat (2023)
Imports: Imports 2024: $10.418 billion (2024 est.)
Imports 2023: $9.84 billion (2023 est.)
Imports 2022: $10.265 billion (2022 est.)
Imports - partners: Romania 16%, Ukraine 13%, China 11%, Turkey 8%, Germany 7% (2023)
Imports - commodities: refined petroleum, natural gas, cars, packaged medicine, plastic products (2023)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2024: $5.484 billion (2024 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023: $5.453 billion (2023 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022: $4.474 billion (2022 est.)
Debt - external: Debt - external 2023: $2.637 billion (2023 est.)
Exchange rates: Currency: Moldovan lei (MDL) per US dollar -
Exchange rates 2024: 17.792 (2024 est.)
Exchange rates 2023: 18.164 (2023 est.)
Exchange rates 2022: 18.897 (2022 est.)
Exchange rates 2021: 17.68 (2021 est.)
Exchange rates 2020: 17.322 (2020 est.)

Electricity access: electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.)
Electricity: installed generating capacity: 779,000 kW (2023 est.)
consumption: 5.674 billion kWh (2023 est.)
exports: 94 million kWh (2023 est.)
imports: 1.264 billion kWh (2023 est.)
transmission/distribution losses: 550.069 million kWh (2023 est.)
Electricity generation sources: fossil fuels: 88% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
solar: 1.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
wind: 3.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
hydroelectricity: 6.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
biomass and waste: 0.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Coal: consumption: 90,000 metric tons (2023 est.)
imports: 86,000 metric tons (2023 est.)
Petroleum: refined petroleum consumption: 22,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
Natural gas: production: 10,000 cubic meters (2021 est.)
consumption: 2.223 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
imports: 2.223 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
Energy consumption per capita: Total energy consumption per capita 2023: 35.686 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Telephones - fixed lines: total subscriptions: 847,000 (2023 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 28 (2023 est.)
Telephones - mobile cellular: total subscriptions: 3.64 million (2024 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 120 (2024 est.)
Broadcast media: state-owned national radio-TV broadcaster operates 1 TV and 1 radio station; total of nearly 70 terrestrial TV channels and about 50 radio stations; Russian and Romanian channels are available (2019)
Internet country code: .md
Internet users: percent of population: 80% (2023 est.)
Broadband - fixed subscriptions: total: 841,000 (2023 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 27 (2023 est.)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: ER
Airports: 10 (2025)
Heliports: 1 (2025)
Railways: total: 1,171 km (2014)
standard gauge: 14 km (2014) 1.435-m gauge
broad gauge: 1,157 km (2014) 1.520-m gauge
Merchant marine: total: 75 (2023)
by type: bulk carrier 1, container ship 1, general cargo 44, oil tanker 7, other 22

Military and security forces: Armed Forces of the Republic of Moldova (Forțele Armate ale Republicii Moldova): National Army (comprised of Land Forces, Air Force)Ministry of Internal Affairs: General Inspectorate of Police (GPI), Border Police Department, Carabinieri Troops Department (2025)
Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2024: 0.6% of GDP (2024 est.)
Military Expenditures 2023: 0.6% of GDP (2023 est.)
Military Expenditures 2022: 0.4% of GDP (2022 est.)
Military Expenditures 2021: 0.4% of GDP (2021 est.)
Military Expenditures 2020: 0.4% of GDP (2020 est.)
Military and security service personnel strengths: approximately 6,500 Moldovan Armed Forces (2025)
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions: the military's inventory is limited and almost entirely comprised of Soviet-era equipment; in recent years, it has received small amounts of donated equipment from some Western European nations and the US (2025)
Military service age and obligation: 18-27 years of age for compulsory or voluntary military service; male registration required at age 16; 12-month service obligation; conscientious objectors can perform non-military service in public institutions for a longer period (up to 24 months) (2025)
Military - note: the National Army is responsible for defense against external aggression, suppressing illegal military violence along the state border or inside the country, and supporting other internal security forces in maintaining public order if necessary; its primary focuses are Transnistrian separatist forces and their Russian backers; the 1992 war between Moldovan forces and the Transnistrian separatists backed by Russian troops ended with a cease-fire; the separatists maintain several armed paramilitary combat units, plus other security forces and reserves; Russia maintains approximately 1,500 troops in the breakaway region, including some Transnistrian locals who serve as Russian troops; some of those troops are under the authority of a peacekeeping force known as a Joint Control Commission that also includes Moldovan and separatist personnel, while the remainder of the Russian contingent guard a depot of Soviet-era ammunition and train separatist forcesMoldova is constitutionally neutral but has maintained a relationship with NATO since 1992 and since 2022 has enhanced bilateral security cooperation with some NATO members; it has contributed small numbers of troops to NATO’s Kosovo Force (KFOR) since 2014, and a civilian NATO liaison office was established in Moldova in 2017 at the request of the Moldovan Government to promote practical cooperation and facilitate support; in 2024, Moldova signed a security and defense partnership agreement with the EU; it maintains close security relations with Romania, a member of the EU and NATO (2025)

Refugees and internally displaced persons: refugees: 136,845 (2024 est.)
IDPs: 6 (2024 est.)
stateless persons: 3,164 (2024 est.)

Moldova