National Statistics Bureau releases data of Census of Population, Housing

Chisinau, 31 March /MOLDPRES/- Moldovan people number decreased by about 11 per cent compared to the census of 2004, down to 2,998,235 persons, according to final data by the Census of Population and Housing 2014, released by the National Statistics Bureau (BNS) today.

“The data are completely accurate and current. They were assessed by independent experts. It was comprised of 98 per cent of people census from Moldova, which is a formidable result”, BNS director-general Vitalie Valcov said. He noted that in premiere it was conducted housing census and it was also applied the term “habitual residence of the population”. The BNS carried out a post-census survey to assess coverage of census and estimate possible errors.

Female population continues to be predominant. Thus, women represent 51.8 per cent and men – 48.2 per cent. The average age of the country is 37.6 years. Women on average are 39.2 years and men – 35.8 years.

The population in working age (0-14 years) decreased from 21.0 per cent of the total people, according to the 2004 census data, to 18.5 per cent in 2014, while the population aged over 61 years increased from 14.8 per cent to 18.5 per cent, continuing almost the same level of the working age population – 63.1 per cent (63.9 in 2004).

“There are data that show an increase in aging population”, Vilcov said.

According to data made public, 75.1 per cent of people are Moldovan, 7 per cent – Romanian, 6.6 per cent- Ukrainian, 4.6 per cent – Gagauz, 4.1 per cent – Russian, 1.9 per cent – Bulgarian ethnicity, 0.3 per cent – Roma people, the rest are assigned to other ethnic groups. The data comprise 98.2 per cent of total number of people.

A household in Moldova is for 2.7 persons. Statisticians found a significant reduction in families with children up to 18 years. About 53.8 per cent of families have only one child.

The overall number of dwellings amount to 1,259,207, of which 85 per cent are filled. 99 per cent of buildings are private. Data also reveal that 79 per cent of Moldovans live in flats. Number of households with bath or shower increased from 27.3 per cent in 2004 to 48.3 per cent in 2014.

Preliminary results of the census 2014 were made public on 31 December 2014, when it announced that Moldovan population is fewer than 3 million people, including 11.29 per cent working abroad.

Census data collection process was preceded by a lot of resignations of BNS heads, and the government has earmarked 8 million lei to complete processing data.

(Reporter V. Bercu, editor L. Alcază)