Moldova Lost 45.5% of Its Population Following the Break-up of the USSR

Moldova has experienced the largest percentage decline in population among the 15 former Soviet republics, according to statistics comparing population figures for 1991 with those for 2024-2025. According to the data, the population of the Republic of Moldova has fallen from approximately 4.4 million in 1991 to around 2.4 million today. This represents a decline of approximately 2 million people, or 45.5%, bani.md reports. Ukraine ranks second, with its population falling from 51.9 million to 28.9 million, a decrease of approximately 23 million people, or 44.3%. It is followed by Latvia where the population declined by 33.3%; Georgia by 31.5 %; Lithuania by 24.3%; Estonia by 18.8%; Belarus by 9.8%; Armenia by 9.1%, and Russia by 2.9%. In absolute terms, Ukraine recorded the largest population decline, losing around 23 million people. Russia lost approximately 4.3 million inhabitants, while the Republic of Moldova lost around 2 million. At the same time, several former Soviet republics recorded significant population growth. According to the ranking, Turkmenistan’s population increased by 88.6%, Tajikistan’s by 83.6%, Uzbekistan’s by 81.6%, Kyrgyzstan’s by 61.4%, Azerbaijan’s by 43.7%, and Kazakhstan’s by 23.8%.