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Moldova vs Montenegro
Side-by-side comparison of Moldova and Montenegro from official statistics: size, economy, people, trade, natural resources, health, infrastructure and military, with world ranks, years and sources.
Moldova
Europe & Central Asia · nation age 35 years
Montenegro
Europe & Central Asia · nation age 20 years
In short
Montenegro scores 53.5 in the NationsTree Index (74th in the world) and Moldova scores 51.0 (84th), a gap of 2.5 points. Their trees are 4.1 m and 2.8 m tall; tree height grows with real GDP and is adjusted by the index.
Moldova has 3.8 times the population of Montenegro. Moldova is 2.4 times larger than Montenegro by land area. Moldova has an economy 2.1 times the size of Montenegro (GDP at purchasing power parity). Population: Moldova 2.4 million and Montenegro 623,129 (2025).
GDP per person at purchasing power parity is $35,423 in Montenegro and $19,996 in Moldova (2025, international dollars). People in Montenegro live on average 6.6 years longer (77.9 vs 71.3 years).
Of 33 indicators reported by both countries, Moldova ranks higher in the world on 12 and Montenegro on 21. Moldova is clearly stronger in main industries and economy. Montenegro is clearly stronger in military, environment & energy and institutions & safety.
As a nation, Moldova is the older of the two (statehood since 1991, 35 years), compared with Montenegro (since 2006). Over the last five years Montenegro improved faster (direction score 79 vs 34 out of 100).
Where they differ most
The indicators with the biggest gap in world position between Moldova and Montenegro.
Moldovabetter
1.5%
10th of 187
Montenegro
13.6%
169th of 187
Extreme povertySociety & health
Moldovabetter
0.0%
1st of 108
Montenegro
2.5%
66th of 108
Under-5 mortalitySociety & health
Moldova
16.5
107th of 196
Montenegrobetter
2.4
6th of 196
Trade & transport infrastructure quality (LPI)Infrastructure & digital
Moldova
1.90
154th of 164
Montenegrobetter
2.50
85th of 164
High-tech exportsTrade
Moldova
2.9%
119th of 168
Montenegrobetter
14.5%
49th of 168
Over time
How the two countries moved against each other, from the yearly data.
Montenegro overtook Moldova in the NationsTree Index in 2024 and has stayed ahead since.
Montenegro has been ahead of Moldova in GDP per person (PPP) in every year since 1997.
Moldova has been ahead of Montenegro in GDP (PPP) in every year since 1997.
Montenegro has been ahead of Moldova in life expectancy in every year since 1990.
Moldova has been ahead of Montenegro in population in every year since 1990.
Strength by category
Average world percentile of the indicators in each category (0–100, direction taken into account). i
MoldovaMontenegro All indicators
Latest available value for each country with its year and world rank. Green: the better world position of the two, red: the weaker one.
| Indicator | Moldova | Montenegro |
|---|---|---|
| Land & people | ||
| Surface area km² | 33,849136th/216 · 2024 | 13,883157th/216 · 2024 |
| Land area km² | 32,930135th/216 · 2024 | 13,450157th/216 · 2024 |
| Population people | 2.4 m145th/217 · 2025 | 623,129169th/217 · 2025 |
| Population growth % | -1.75%215th/217 · 2025 | -0.06%175th/217 · 2025 |
| Population density people/km² | 83.5118th/216 · 2024 | 46.4157th/216 · 2024 |
| Urban population % | 43.7%165th/217 · 2025 | 65.6%105th/217 · 2025 |
| Population aged 0–14 % | 19.5%127th/217 · 2025 | 17.9%142nd/217 · 2025 |
| Population aged 65+ % | 16.9%58th/217 · 2025 | 18.3%46th/217 · 2025 |
| Economy | ||
| GDP USD | $20.35 bn133rd/210 · 2025 | $9.23 bn155th/210 · 2025 |
| GDP (PPP) intl. USD | $47.20 bn135th/199 · 2025 | $22.07 bn152nd/199 · 2025 |
| Real GDP (PPP, constant 2021 prices) intl. USD 2021 | $40.33 bn135th/199 · 2025 | $18.01 bn152nd/199 · 2025 |
| GDP per person USD | $8,622108th/210 · 2025 | $14,81787th/210 · 2025 |
| GDP per person (PPP) intl. USD | $19,996106th/199 · 2025 | $35,42373rd/199 · 2025 |
| GNI per person (Atlas) USD | $8,050102nd/201 · 2025 | $14,15079th/201 · 2025 |
| GDP growth % | 2.4%135th/210 · 2025 | 2.7%125th/210 · 2025 |
| Inflation % | 7.8%150th/180 · 2025 | 3.9%120th/180 · 2025 |
| Unemployment % | 1.5%10th/187 · 2025 | 13.6%169th/187 · 2025 |
| Central government debt % of GDP | 37.5%13th/55 · 2024 | — |
| General government gross debt % of GDP | 39.2%56th/189 · 2025 | 63.5%121st/189 · 2025 |
| Government budget balance % of GDP | -3.9%129th/192 · 2025 | -4.3%139th/192 · 2025 |
| Main industries | ||
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing % of GDP | 7.4%89th/197 · 2025 | 3.4%123rd/197 · 2025 |
| Industry incl. construction % of GDP | 16.9%148th/200 · 2025 | 11.3%178th/200 · 2025 |
| Manufacturing % of GDP | 7.4%130th/192 · 2025 | 3.3%167th/192 · 2024 |
| Services % of GDP | 61.5%75th/200 · 2025 | 63.4%65th/200 · 2025 |
| Trade | ||
| Exports of goods & services USD | $6.46 bn122nd/182 · 2025 | $3.70 bn140th/182 · 2025 |
| Imports of goods & services USD | $12.40 bn113th/182 · 2025 | $6.07 bn136th/182 · 2025 |
| Exports % of GDP | 31.8%105th/183 · 2025 | 40.1%82nd/183 · 2025 |
| Imports % of GDP | 60.9%54th/183 · 2025 | 65.7%44th/183 · 2025 |
| Trade openness % of GDP | 92.7%76th/183 · 2025 | 105.8%54th/183 · 2025 |
| Fuel exports % of merchandise exports | 1.8%108th/170 · 2025 | 23.8%35th/170 · 2025 |
| Manufactures exports % of merchandise exports | 36.5%83rd/171 · 2025 | 36.9%82nd/171 · 2025 |
| Food exports % of merchandise exports | 58.5%22nd/171 · 2025 | 18.6%79th/171 · 2025 |
| Ores & metals exports % of merchandise exports | 2.7%92nd/171 · 2025 | 14.5%33rd/171 · 2025 |
| High-tech exports % of manufactured exports | 2.9%119th/168 · 2024 | 14.5%49th/168 · 2024 |
| Current account balance % of GDP | -19.7%182nd/191 · 2025 | -20.6%183rd/191 · 2025 |
| Foreign direct investment, inflows % of GDP | 2.3%94th/196 · 2025 | 7.3%27th/196 · 2025 |
| Natural resources | ||
| Natural resource rents % of GDP | 0.2%148th/209 · 2021 | 0.6%125th/209 · 2021 |
| Oil rents % of GDP | 0.01%103rd/197 · 2021 | 0.00%120th/197 · 2021 |
| Natural gas rents % of GDP | 0.00%99th/197 · 2021 | 0.00%100th/197 · 2021 |
| Coal rents % of GDP | 0.00%68th/195 · 2021 | 0.14%26th/195 · 2021 |
| Mineral rents % of GDP | 0.00%91st/209 · 2021 | 0.01%80th/209 · 2021 |
| Forest rents % of GDP | 0.22%89th/209 · 2021 | 0.48%70th/209 · 2021 |
| Arable land % of land area | 56.4%5th/206 · 2024 | 0.7%192nd/206 · 2024 |
| Renewable freshwater per person m³ | 641147th/183 · 2022 | — |
| Tourism | ||
| International tourist arrivals arrivals | 29,000184th/194 · 2020 | 351,000136th/194 · 2020 |
| Tourism receipts USD | $354.0 m104th/175 · 2020 | $180.0 m131st/175 · 2020 |
| Tourism receipts % of exports | 11.0%54th/168 · 2020 | 14.4%43rd/168 · 2020 |
| Outbound trips departures | 75,00098th/107 · 2020 | — |
| Society & health | ||
| Life expectancy years | 71.3144th/217 · 2024 | 77.975th/217 · 2024 |
| Under-5 mortality per 1,000 births | 16.5107th/196 · 2024 | 2.46th/196 · 2024 |
| Physicians per 1,000 people | 4.0231st/174 · 2023 | 2.7866th/174 · 2023 |
| Hospital beds per 1,000 people | 5.522nd/145 · 2023 | 3.842nd/145 · 2022 |
| DPT immunization % of children 12–23 months | 86%125th/193 · 2024 | 81%142nd/193 · 2024 |
| Completed lower secondary, 25+ % of adults | 98.3%16th/153 · 2024 | 96.1%23rd/153 · 2020 |
| Secondary enrolment % gross | 99.3%64th/173 · 2024 | 93.9%85th/173 · 2023 |
| Social protection coverage (incl. pensions) % of population | 60.2%2018 | 56.4%2014 |
| Old-age dependency ratio % of working-age population | 26.5%55th/217 · 2025 | 28.7%43rd/217 · 2025 |
| Health spending % of GDP | 6.7%93rd/193 · 2023 | 9.7%33rd/193 · 2023 |
| Adult literacy % | 99.4%2014 | 98.5%2018 |
| Tertiary enrolment % gross | 74.7%43rd/150 · 2024 | 55.2%67th/150 · 2023 |
| Human Development Index index 0–1 | 0.78586th/193 · 2023 | 0.86248th/193 · 2023 |
| Income inequality (Gini) index | 26.89th/108 · 2024 | 34.356th/108 · 2021 |
| Extreme poverty % of population | 0.0%1st/108 · 2024 | 2.5%66th/108 · 2021 |
| Infrastructure & digital | ||
| Access to electricity % of population | 100.0%1st/215 · 2024 | 100.0%1st/215 · 2024 |
| Safely managed drinking water % of population | 75.8%81st/150 · 2024 | 85.5%69th/150 · 2024 |
| Safely managed sanitation % of population | — | 50.9%83rd/144 · 2024 |
| Internet users % of population | 77.4%107th/186 · 2024 | 88.9%65th/186 · 2024 |
| Mobile subscriptions per 100 people | 12090th/210 · 2024 | 2223rd/210 · 2024 |
| Fixed broadband per 100 people | 29.661st/208 · 2024 | 32.350th/208 · 2024 |
| Trade & transport infrastructure quality (LPI) score 1–5 | 1.90154th/164 · 2022 | 2.5085th/164 · 2022 |
| Rail lines route-km | 1,14964th/82 · 2021 | 25081st/82 · 2019 |
| Air passengers carried passengers | 827,604102nd/161 · 2023 | 379,068119th/161 · 2023 |
| Environment & energy | ||
| CO₂ emissions per person t CO₂e | 3.42117th/203 · 2024 | — |
| Renewable energy % of final energy use | 21.4%102nd/212 · 2021 | 39.6%60th/212 · 2021 |
| Air pollution (PM2.5) µg/m³ | 14.981st/200 · 2023 | 18.5104th/200 · 2023 |
| Forest area % of land area | 11.3%164th/214 · 2024 | 61.5%30th/214 · 2024 |
| Energy use per person kg oil eq. | 1,43279th/149 · 2024 | 1,76564th/149 · 2024 |
| Institutions & safety | ||
| Government effectiveness score 0–100 | 56.787th/205 · 2025 | 62.065th/205 · 2025 |
| Control of corruption score 0–100 | 42.9107th/207 · 2025 | 49.688th/207 · 2025 |
| Rule of law score 0–100 | 56.1109th/207 · 2025 | 62.188th/207 · 2025 |
| Political stability score 0–100 | 63.6124th/207 · 2025 | 73.583rd/207 · 2025 |
| Regulatory quality score 0–100 | 54.698th/205 · 2025 | 59.179th/205 · 2025 |
| Voice & accountability score 0–100 | 62.585th/205 · 2025 | 65.077th/205 · 2025 |
| Homicide rate per 100,000 | 2.578th/145 · 2023 | 0.829th/145 · 2023 |
| Military | ||
| Military expenditure USD | $113.3 m138th/156 · 2025 | $176.5 m131st/156 · 2025 |
| Military expenditure % of GDP | 0.6%143rd/156 · 2025 | 1.9%70th/156 · 2025 |
| Military expenditure % of government spending | 1.4%148th/154 · 2025 | 4.4%98th/154 · 2025 |
| Armed forces personnel people | 6,000145th/170 · 2020 | 12,000124th/170 · 2020 |
| Armed forces personnel % of labour force | 0.41%127th/168 · 2020 | 4.66%5th/168 · 2020 |
| Arms imports (SIPRI TIV) TIV | 5.0 m129th/163 · 2025 | 1.0 m150th/163 · 2025 |
| Arms exports (SIPRI TIV) TIV | 12.0 m2011 | 4.0 m51st/65 · 2022 |
| Science & innovation | ||
| R&D spending % of GDP | 0.22%82nd/110 · 2024 | 0.36%2019 |
| Patent applications by residents applications | 3584th/137 · 2024 | 1593rd/137 · 2024 |
| Scientific articles articles | 335113th/197 · 2023 | 255119th/197 · 2023 |
Questions and answers
Which has more people, Moldova or Montenegro?
Moldova has the larger population: 2.4 m (2025) compared with 623,129 for Montenegro (2025). Source: World Bank, SP.POP.TOTL.
Which is bigger by area, Moldova or Montenegro?
Moldova is larger: 33,849 km² (2024) compared with 13,883 km² for Montenegro (2024). Source: World Bank, AG.SRF.TOTL.K2.
Which economy is larger, Moldova or Montenegro?
Moldova has the larger economy at purchasing power parity: $47.20 bn intl. (2025) compared with $22.07 bn intl. for Montenegro (2025). Source: World Bank, NY.GDP.MKTP.PP.CD.
Which is richer per person, Moldova or Montenegro?
Montenegro has the higher GDP per person (PPP): $35,423 intl. (2025) compared with $19,996 intl. for Moldova (2025). Source: World Bank, NY.GDP.PCAP.PP.CD.
Where do people live longer, in Moldova or Montenegro?
Montenegro has the higher life expectancy at birth: 77.9 years (2024) compared with 71.3 years for Moldova (2024). Source: World Bank, SP.DYN.LE00.IN.
Which spends more on the military, Moldova or Montenegro?
Montenegro spends more on the military: $176.5 m (2025) compared with $113.3 m for Moldova (2025). Source: World Bank, MS.MIL.XPND.CD.
Which ranks higher in the NationsTree Index, Moldova or Montenegro?
Montenegro: 53.5 points (74th in the world); Moldova: 51.0 points (84th). The index combines foundations, economic strength, quality of life, problems and 5-year direction from public statistics.
Albania
Cyprus
Iceland
North Macedonia
Tajikistan
Andorra
Faroe Islands
Greenland
San MarinoSources
World Bank World Development Indicators and Worldwide Governance Indicators, compiling UN agencies, the IMF, WHO, SIPRI and national statistical offices; every row links to its world ranking with the source series. See Sources & licences and Methodology.
Cite as: NationsTree (2026). Moldova vs Montenegro — country comparison. https://nationstree.org/compare/moldova-vs-montenegro. Data as of 26 October 2026.