Republic of Moldova

Population	3 272 996 (2022)
Current health expenditure (% of GDP)	7.75 (2021)
WHO region	Europe
World Bank income level	Upper-middle income (UMC)

Population, Republic of Moldova

Population growth rate

Republic of Moldova, 2022

Population trend

Republic of Moldova, 2000 - 2050

Age distribution of population (%)

Republic of Moldova, 2022

Demographic change 2023 - 2050

2023

Population by age and sex. Republic of Moldova

2050

Population by age and sex. Republic of Moldova

Life expectancy, Republic of Moldova Learn more

Life expectancy at birth

The average number of years that a newborn could expect to live. Republic of Moldova, both sexes, 2000 - 2021.

Healthy life expectancy (HALE) at birth

The average number of years that a person can expect to live in “full health” from birth. Republic of Moldova, both sexes, 2000 - 2021.

What is the difference between life expectancy and healthy life expectancy?

"Life expectancy" refers to the number of years a person can expect to live. It is an important way of assessing the health of a population and is used to inform health policy and initiatives that impact everyday life.

"Life expectancy at birth" is the average number of years that a newborn could expect to live, (the average age of death) while "Healthy life expectancy (HALE) at birth" is the average number of years that a person could expect to live in "full health" from birth. This measurement takes into account years lived in less than full health due to disease and/or injury.

* The lack of complete and reliable mortality data, especially for low income countries and particularly on mortality among adults and the elderly, necessitates the application of modelling to estimate life expectancy. This may lead to minor differences compared with official life tables prepared by Member States.

Leading causes of death, Republic of Moldova Global Health Estimates

Leading cause of death

Republic of Moldova, 2019

Leading cause of under 5 mortality

Republic of Moldova, 2019

Top causes of death

Deaths per 100 000 population. Republic of Moldova, 2019

Share of deaths by broad cause

Republic of Moldova, 2019

Why and how are causes of death monitored?

Understanding the reasons why people die helps with the understanding of how they lived, in order to improve health services and reduce preventable deaths in every country, responding effectively to changing circumstances. Annual monitoring of causes of death allows countries to address their causes and adapt health systems to react effectively.

The leading causes of death are statistical estimates based on available data. These estimates are produced using data from multiple sources, including national vital registration data, latest estimates from WHO technical programmes, United Nations partners and inter-agency groups, as well as the Global Burden of Disease and other scientific studies. Before publishing, they are reviewed by WHO Member States through consultation with national focal points and WHO country and regional offices.

The top ten causes of death are statistical estimates based on available data. Multiple years of national death registration data with high completeness and quality of cause-of-death assignment is available for Republic of Moldova. These estimates may be compared among countries and used for priority setting and policy evaluation.

Burden of Disease

Disability adjusted life years

How is the burden of disease calculated?

The burden of disease is measured using a metric called Disability-Adjusted Life Years (DALYs), which helps to provide a comprehensive picture of the impact of health problems on a population. DALYs are crucial because they combine information about both premature mortality and the prevalence of non-fatal health conditions, offering a more complete understanding of health than mortality data alone.

DALYs for a specific cause are calculated as the sum of two components:

Years of Life Lost (YLLs) due to premature mortality: This represents the number of years lost because of early death. It is calculated by subtracting the age at which a person dies from their expected life expectancy.
Years Lived with Disability (YLDs): This represents the number of years lived in less than full health due to disease or injury. It is calculated by multiplying the number of incident cases by the average duration of the disease and a weight factor that reflects the severity of the health loss.

The formula is: DALYs = YLLs + YLDs

This combined measure allows health officials and policymakers to understand both the fatal and non-fatal impacts of diseases and injuries, enabling better priority setting and resource allocation to improve overall health outcomes.

By considering both deaths and the years of healthy life lost due to disability, DALYs provide a more accurate representation of the true burden of disease on populations. This information is critical for developing effective health policies and interventions aimed at reducing this burden and improving the quality of life for individuals.

Health target progress, Republic of Moldova

WHO Triple billion targets Triple billion data

Projected number of additional people expected to be enjoying better health and wellbeing

Republic of Moldova, 2018 - 2025

Projected number of additional people expected to be covered by essential health services and not experiencing financial hardship

Republic of Moldova, 2018 - 2025

Projected number of additional people expected to be protected from health emergencies

Republic of Moldova, 2018 - 2025

What are the triple billion targets?

The WHO Triple Billion targets measure impact on people's health to ensure that more people are enjoying better health and wellbeing, are benefitting from Universal Health Coverage (UHC) and are better protected from health emergencies.

The estimates are underpinned by 46 outcome indicators. They include 39 Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) indicators and seven non-SDG indicators. These offer a flexible approach to each of the Triple Billion targets, allowing countries to prioritize certain indicators based on their national health strategy, ensuring the Triple Billion strategy remains relevant for all Member States and their unique health challenges.

Capacity to report vital statistics Read more in SCORE

Percentage of all births registered

Republic of Moldova, 2010

Percentage of all deaths registered

Republic of Moldova, 2010

Health emergency data, Republic of Moldova

International health regulations capacities, Republic of Moldova, 2023

Nationally self-assessed scores for each of the 15 core capacities required to detect, assess, notify and respond to any potential public health events of international concern.

Emergency dashboards

Further resources

Reference metadata

Reference data

ISO alpha 2 code	MD
ISO alpha 3 code	MDA
M49 code	498
WHO short name	Republic of Moldova
Formal name	the Republic of Moldova
Administrative level	Admin 0

Regional groupings and country classifications

WHO region	Europe
UN region	Europe > Eastern Europe
World Bank income level	Upper-middle income (UMC)

Data sources

Population data	UNDESA population division, World Population Prospects 2022, https://population.un.org/wpp/ \| Extracted: 22 November 2022
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita	World Health Organization, Global Health Expenditure database https://apps.who.int/nha/database \| Extracted: 22 November 2022
Current health expenditure (CHE) as % of GDP	World Health Organization, Global Health Expenditure database https://apps.who.int/nha/database \| Extracted: 22 November 2022
Life expectancy and health life expectancy	World Health Organization, Global Health Estimates, https://www.who.int/data/gho/data/themes/mortality-and-global-health-estimates/ghe-life-expectancy-and-healthy-life-expectancy \| Extracted: 22 November 2022
Causes of death	World Health Organization, Global Health Estimates, https://www.who.int/data/gho/data/themes/mortality-and-global-health-estimates/ghe-leading-causes-of-death \| Extracted: 22 November 2022
Birth registration	UNICEF, UNICEF global databases, 2022, based on DHS, MICS, other national surveys, censuses and vital registration systems. https://data.unicef.org/topic/child-protection/birth-registration/ \| Extracted: 22 November 2022 Republic of Korea and Malaysia data: United Nations Statistics Division, 2022, Quality of vital statistics obtained from civil registration page on the United Nations Demographic Yearbook Vital Statistics Questionnaire. https://unstats.un.org/unsd/demographic-social/crvs/ \| Extracted: 22 November 2022
Death registration	United Nations Statistics Division, 2022, Quality of vital statistics obtained from civil registration page on the United Nations Demographic Yearbook Vital Statistics Questionnaire https://unstats.un.org/unsd/demographic-social/crvs/ \| Extracted: 22 November 2022

Copyright and Licensing

Copyright	CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO
License	WHO supports open access to the published output of its activities as a fundamental part of its mission and a public benefit to be encouraged wherever possible. The user shall not, in connection with use of data, state or imply that WHO endorses or is affiliated with the user, its use of data.who.int, or any content, output, or analysis resulting from or related to data.who.int, or that WHO endorses any entity, organization, company, or product. The use of the WHO emblem / logo or 'datadot' logo by a user of data.who.int in connection with its use is not permitted. For further information, please visit https://www.who.int/about/policies/publishing/copyright
Permission type	Public
Citation	World Health Organization 2024 data.who.int, Republic of Moldova [Country overview]. (Accessed on 4 June 2024)
Disclaimers	Any designations employed or presentation by the user in its use of this website, including tables and maps, do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the World Health Organization concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers and boundaries.