MigrantoMoldovan Diaspora
864.3K Moldovans live abroad — 36% of the population of Moldova
Moldovan diaspora by country
The top 3 countries are home to 62% of the diaspora
| Country | Emigrants |
|---|---|
| Italy | 218594 |
| Russia | 166187 |
| Ukraine | 154284 |
| Romania | 80610 |
| France | 54287 |
| Spain | 25841 |
| Portugal | 25458 |
| Canada | 22355 |
| Ireland | 19842 |
| Turkey | 16824 |
| Greece | 10886 |
| Israel | 10053 |
| Czech Republic | 9622 |
| Belarus | 7408 |
| Belgium | 6913 |
| Kazakhstan | 6912 |
| Austria | 5626 |
| Bulgaria | 4324 |
| Kyrgyzstan | 2533 |
| Denmark | 2447 |
| Latvia | 1572 |
| Australia | 1471 |
| Norway | 1365 |
| Poland | 1312 |
| Estonia | 1146 |
| Cyprus | 990 |
| Lithuania | 986 |
| Tajikistan | 790 |
| Hungary | 701 |
| Luxembourg | 679 |
| Georgia | 496 |
| Slovenia | 447 |
| Finland | 406 |
| Slovakia | 199 |
| Malta | 172 |
| Iceland | 171 |
| Azerbaijan | 111 |
| Serbia | 103 |
| Croatia | 100 |
| Dominican Republic | 12 |
| Bolivia | 9 |
| Liechtenstein | 7 |
| Costa Rica | 5 |
| Guinea | 1 |
By region
93% of the diaspora lives in Europe
Ask Migo
Tap a question — our AI assistant answers it in chat, with real migration data
Key facts
The Moldovan diaspora in numbers
The community in France is growing fastest
The number of Moldovans living in France has grown 207% since 2015, from 17.7K to 54.3K.
1 in 3 people born in Moldova lives abroad
864.3K people born in Moldova now live in other countries — 36.0% of a population of 2.4M.
The map of the diaspora has changed since 1990
7 countries have entered the top 20 since 1990: France, Spain, Ireland. France climbed from outside the top 20 to #5.
The diaspora is spread more widely than in 1990
The largest country's share fell from 46% to 25%.
Most Moldovans abroad live in Italy
25% of the diaspora lives in Italy, while the next country accounts for just 19%.
Moldovan diaspora population over time
People living abroad, by year
| Year | Emigrants |
|---|---|
| 1990 | 634901 |
| 1995 | 606003 |
| 2000 | 563893 |
| 2005 | 628876 |
| 2010 | 717352 |
| 2015 | 745934 |
| 2020 | 812653 |
| 2024 | 864257 |
Largest communities over time
Moldovans living in the 5 largest countries, by year
| Year | Italy | Russia | Ukraine | Romania | France |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 2207 | 292807 | 180029 | 59189 | 237 |
| 1995 | 3687 | 289707 | 174541 | 50041 | 385 |
| 2000 | 5965 | 276101 | 171185 | 41905 | 971 |
| 2005 | 56357 | 285390 | 156418 | 38717 | 4161 |
| 2010 | 123348 | 284108 | 149246 | 37617 | 8004 |
| 2015 | 158746 | 239444 | 149745 | 47430 | 17693 |
| 2020 | 200676 | 198728 | 152249 | 65456 | 33951 |
| 2024 | 218594 | 166187 | 154284 | 80610 | 54287 |
Fastest-changing communities
How the number of Moldovans in each country has changed since the selected year
Moldovans among immigrants in other countries
Where Moldovans make up the largest share of a country's immigrants
Data source: International Migrant Stock 2024 (UN DESA, Population Division)
Frequently asked questions
How many Moldovans live outside Moldova?
Around 864.3K Moldovans live abroad, the world's #74 largest diaspora.
Where do most Moldovans abroad live?
Most Moldovans live in Italy, Russia and Ukraine — these three countries account for about 62% of all Moldovans living abroad.
Which country has the largest Moldovan population outside Moldova?
Italy is home to the largest Moldovan community abroad — 218.6K people, about 25% of all Moldovans living abroad.
What share of the population of Moldova lives abroad?
About 36% of the population of Moldova lives abroad — that's 864.3K out of a total population of 2.4M.
Is the Moldovan diaspora growing?
Yes — over the past decade, the number of Moldovans living abroad has grown from 745.9K to 864.3K, about 16%.
Where does the data on the Moldovan diaspora come from?
The source is International Migrant Stock 2024 (UN DESA, Population Division). It counts people born in Moldova who now live in other countries. Descendants of emigrants born abroad are not included.
Where to live?
Score countries, regions and cities by what matters to you
Living in Moldova
See the full country overview