Author: Ivan Banu
According to the calculations of Veaceslav Ionita, an economist of IDIS Viitorul Institute, 8 of the 20 largest settlements in Moldova are included in the capital’s urban agglomeration. And significant demographic growth is observed almost exclusively in this region.
“The revision of the data on the population of settlements, conducted by the National Bureau of Statistics on the basis of the 2024 census, confirms the trend we have been predicting for several years: Durlesti has officially become the third largest settlement in the Republic of Moldova,” the economic analyst wrote in his blog.
In 2015, Durlesti was home to about 16,000 people. In 2025, the population reached almost 27,000. No other locality in the country has shown such demographic indicators in the last decade.
“This evolution is not accidental. It reflects a clear economic phenomenon: the accelerated urban concentration around Chisinau,” the expert said.
Another illustrative example is Bechoi, which has officially become the largest village in Moldova. It has almost 12,000 inhabitants and in 10 years the population growth has amounted to about 30%. In fact, this village near Chisinau is larger than about 40 cities in the country.
From an economic point of view, the data show three important points:
– the capital city and the area around it attracts population, investment and economic activity;
– the rest of the country, with few exceptions, continues to lose population;
– the Chisinau urban agglomeration is clearly emerging, approaching one million inhabitants, including the municipality and the districts of Straseni, Ialoveni, Anenii Noi and Criuleni.
“This is not just a statistical change. It is a structural change in Moldova’s economy and demography. The growth is unevenly distributed, and geographically concentrated,” concludes Veaceslav Ionita.
