Administrative divisions of Moldova

Moldova is divided administratively into two levels:^[1]^[2]^[3]

First level:
- 32 districts or raions (Romanian: raioane)
- 3 municipalities (municipii)—specifically Chișinău, Bălți, and Bender
- 2 autonomous territorial units: Gagauzia and Left Bank of the Dniester (de facto Transnistria, which is not under control of the government of Moldova)
Second level:
- Villages (Romanian: sate); two or more villages can form together a commune (Romanian: comună)^[4]
- Sectors^{[citation needed]}
- 10 municipalities (municipii)
- Cities and towns

Localities

Detailed map of Moldovan administrative divisions

Moldova has a total of 1,682 localities; from these 982 are incorporated (de jure with 982 mayors and 982 local councils), including 53 cities/towns, other 13 cities with municipality status (see municipiu), and 916 rural localities.^[5] They cover the entire area of the country. A number of villages are self-governed, while others 700 villages are too small to have a separate administration, and are part of either cities/towns/municipalities (41 of them) or communes (659). Few localities are inhabited.

Current divisions

In the administrative-territorial structure of Moldova are 898 second-level administrative territorial units (cities/towns, sectors and villages/communes).^[6]

The status of Chișinău, Bălți, and Tighina as municipalities and first-level territorial units of the country allows their suburb villages to have, when large enough, their own mayor and local council. By contrast, the villages that are administratively part of (some of) the other cities do not retain self-rule.

Districts (32):

Name of district	District seat	President	Area (km²)	Population (2014)^[7]	Density (2014)	Towns/ villages
Anenii Noi	Anenii Noi	Vladimir Vâzdoagă	892	78,996	88.6	45
Basarabeasca	Basarabeasca	Ilie Cernăuțan	295	23,012	78.0	10
Briceni	Briceni	Efimia Bendulac	814	70,029	86.0	39
Cahul	Cahul	Avram Micinschi	1,546	105,324	68.1	56
Cantemir	Cantemir	Ion Balan	870	52,115	59.9	51
Călărași	Călărași	Ilie Rău	753	64,401	85.5	54
Căușeni	Căușeni	Ilie Gluh	1,163	81,185	69.8	48
Cimișlia	Cimișlia	Ion Veveriță	923	49,299	53.4	39
Criuleni	Criuleni	Vitalie Rotaru	688	70,648	102.7	43
Dondușeni	Dondușeni	Anastasie Pavlov	645	37,856	58.7	30
Drochia	Drochia	Andrei Marian	1,000	74,443	74.4	40
Dubăsari	Cocieri	Grigore Policinschi	309	29,271	94.7	15
Edineț	Edineț	Oleg Scutaru	933	71,849	77.0	49
Fălești	Fălești	Valeriu Muduc	1,073	78,258	86.3	76
Florești	Florești	Ștefan Paniș	1,108	76,457	69.0	74
Glodeni	Glodeni	Valeriu Țarigradschi	754	51,306	68.0	35
Hîncești	Hîncești	Grigore Cobzac	1,484	103,784	69.9	63
Ialoveni	Ialoveni	Nicolae Andronache	783	93,154	119.0	34
Leova	Leova	Efrosinia Grețu	775	44,702	57.7	39
Nisporeni	Nisporeni	Vasile Bîtcă	630	53,154	84.4	39
Ocnița	Ocnița	Ion Tomai	597	47,425	79.4	33
Orhei	Orhei	Ion Ștefârță	1,228	101,502	82.7	75
Rezina	Rezina	Eleonora Graur	621	42,486	68.4	41
Rîșcani	Rîșcani	Ion Parea	936	59,226	63.3	55
Sîngerei	Sîngerei	Gheorghe Meaun	1,033	79,814	77.3	70
Soroca	Soroca	Mircea Martîniuc	1,043	77,656	74.5	68
Strășeni	Strășeni	Petru Voloșciuc	730	82,675	113.3	39
Șoldănești	Șoldănești	Alexandru Relițchi	598	36,743	61.4	33
Ștefan Vodă	Ștefan Vodă	Vasile Buzu	998	62,072	62.2	26
Taraclia	Taraclia	Vasile Plagov	674	37,357	55.4	26
Telenești	Telenești	Boris Burcă	849	61,144	72.0	54
Ungheni	Ungheni	Iurie Toma	1,083	101,064	93.3	74

District-level municipalities (3):

Municipality	Mayor	Area (km²)	Population (2014)^[8]	Density (2014)	Towns/ villages
Chișinău	Ion Ceban	563	662,836	1,177.3	35
Bălți	Alexandr Petkov	78	102,457	1,313.6	3
Tighina	none¹	97			2

Autonomous territorial units (2):

Name of autonomy	Autonomy Seat	Leader	Area (km²)	Population (2014)^[9]	Density (2014)	Towns/ villages
Găgăuzia	Comrat	Evghenia Guțul	1,832	134,535	73.4	35
Left Bank of the Dniester	Tiraspol	none¹	4,163			147

¹ Tighina and the Administrative-Territorial Units of the Left Bank of the Dniester are under the control of the unrecognized separatist Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic (PMR, also known as Transnistria). There, Tighina is known as Bender.

Areas not under central government control

Transnistria, which with the exception of six communes (comprising a total of ten localities) corresponds to the geographic part of Moldova situated to the east of the Dniestr (Romanian: Nistru) river, is de jure a part of Moldova, but in fact is governed by breakaway authorities (see also: War of Transnistria). The city of Dubăsari (geographically and administratively in Transnistria, and not in the Dubăsari District), and six communes (administratively in the Dubăsari District of Moldova, and not in the administrative definition of Transnistria), all controlled by the central authorities (except the village of Roghi in commune Molovata Nouă, which is controlled by Tiraspol), form the northern part of the security zone set at the end of the war.
Tighina municipality (the city itself, plus the commune Proteagailovca), and three communes (five localities) of Căușeni District (Gîsca, Chițcani, and Cremenciug) are de facto controlled by the breakaway regime of Transnistria. Together with the commune Varnița of Anenii Noi District and the commune Copanca of Căușeni District under Moldovan control, these localities form the southern part of the security zone set at the end of the war. The city of Tighina has both a Moldovan police force (mostly symbolic) and a Transnistrian militsiya force (practically in charge in most instances). In Transnistria, Tighina is known as Bender.

Population

The smallest entity electing a mayor is the commune of Salcia, in Taraclia District (population 441). It consists of the village of Salcia, population 382, and the village of Orehovca, population 59. The largest entity is the municipality of Chișinău, electing a mayor for 712,218 inhabitants.
The largest number of localities governed by a single commune or city government in Moldova is 6. This is the case for:
- city of Anenii Noi, population 11,463, of which 3,105 in the 5 suburban villages
- commune Copăceni, Sîngerei District, population 3,315
- commune Natalievca, Fălești District, population 2,231
- commune Tătărăuca Veche, Soroca District, population 2,203

On the opposite end, 42 of the 66 cities, and about half the communes of Moldova have local administration providing services for a single locality.

There are four or five localities in Moldova with a zero population:
- village Armanca, commune Vasileuți, Rîșcani District
- village Chetrișul Nou, commune Chetriș, Fălești District
- village Pelinia, loc. st. c. f., commune Pelinia, Drochia District
- village Stălinești, commune Corestăuți, Ocnița District

The village of Schinoasa was outlined within commune Țibirica, Călărași District in 2007, and information is not available yet whether it has any population.

Village (hamlet) Ivanovca, commune Natalievca, Fălești District, population 19, inhabited by 14 Russians and 5 Ukrainians, is the only inhabited locality in Moldova without any ethnic Moldovans. On the opposite end, one commune, Cigîrleni, Ialoveni District, population 2,411, and 42 villages of sub-commune level (population varying from 1 to 673), have a 100% Moldovan population.

Duplicate names

There are 147 settlement names shared by multiple localities in Moldova. Most notable cases includes these:

A town Mărculești, and a different commune Mărculești, both situated in the Florești District
A city Dondușeni, and a different commune Dondușeni, both situated in the Dondușeni District
A city Drochia, and a different commune Drochia, both situated in the Drochia District
A town Costești, in Rîșcani District, with a population of 2,247 (4,109 with 4 suburb villages), the 8th smallest city in Moldova, and a commune (village) Costești, in Ialoveni District, population 11,128, the 2nd largest village in Moldova
A town Cornești, in Ungheni District, and a different village Cornești in the same Ungheni District, and also a village Cornești in Hîncești District
etc.

Regions

The first-level units are grouped into three regions:^[10]

Northern Development Region

Central Development Region

Southern Development Region

Previous divisions

Counties (1998-2003)

Between 1998 and February 2003, Moldova was divided into 12 territorial units, including 1 municipality, 1 autonomous territorial unit, 1 territorial unit, and 9 counties (Romanian: județe; seats in brackets):

Chișinău municipality, surrounded by Chișinău county, but different from it
Bălți County (Bălți)
Cahul County (Cahul)
Chișinău County (Chișinău)
Edineț County (Edineț)
Lăpușna County (Hîncești)
Orhei County (Orhei)
Soroca County (Soroca)
Tighina County (Moldova) (Căușeni)
Ungheni County (Ungheni)
Găgăuzia, autonomous territorial unit (Comrat)
Left Bank of the Dniester, territorial unit (Tiraspol)

In October 1999, Taraclia County was split out from the Cahul County; it coincides with the current Taraclia District.

Cities and districts (1991-1998)

Between 1991 and 1998, Moldova was divided into 10 cities and 40 districts:^[12]

Cities

Districts

Anenii Noi
Basarabeasca
Brinceni
Cahul
Camenca
Cantemir
Căinari
Călărași
Căușeni
Ceadîr-Lunga
Cimișlia
Comrat
Criuleni
Dondușeni
Drochia
Dubăsari
Edineț
Fălești
Florești
Glodeni
Grigoriopol
Hîncești
Ialoveni
Leova
Nisporeni
Ocnița
Orhei
Rezina
Rîbnița
Rîșcani
Sîngerei
Slobozia
Soroca
Strășeni
Șoldănești
Ștefan Vodă
Taraclia
Telenești
Ungheni
Vulcănești

2017 expansion

Besides Chișinău, Bălți, Tighina, Comrat, and Tiraspol, on 13 April 2017 eight more became municipalities: Cahul, Ceadîr-Lunga, Edineț, Hîncești, Orhei, Soroca, Strășeni, and Ungheni.^[13]

References

^ Law no. 764-XV from 27.12.2001 on territorial administrative organisation of the Republic of Moldova, article 4 para. 1 (in Romanian)
^ Law no. 764-XV from 27.12.2001 on territorial administrative organisation of the Republic of Moldova, article 4 para. 4 (in Romanian)
^ Administrative-territorial organization of Moldova
^ Law no. 764-XV from 27.12.2001 on territorial administrative organisation of the Republic of Moldova, article 5 para. 2
^ Clasificatorul unităţilor administrativ-teritoriale (CUATM) (in Romanian)
^ Report on the Territorial Administrative Structure Options for the Republic of Moldova. March 2015
^ Departamentul Statistica si Sociologie al Republicii Moldova (web). The 2014 figures are officially adjusted for underenumeration, and include 209,030 persons absent from Moldova for more than 12 months.
^ Departamentul Statistica si Sociologie al Republicii Moldova (web). The 2014 figures are officially adjusted for underenumeration, and include 209,030 persons absent from Moldova for more than 12 months.
^ Departamentul Statistica si Sociologie al Republicii Moldova (web). The 2014 figures are officially adjusted for underenumeration, and include 209,030 persons absent from Moldova for more than 12 months.
^ "Administrative-territorial organization of Moldova", moldova.md
^ Tighina is under the control of the unrecognized separatist Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic (PMR, also known as Transnistria). There, Tighina is known as Bender.
^ www.statoids.com
^ LEGE Nr. 248 din 03.11.2016 pentru modificarea și completarea Legii nr. 764-XV din 27 decembrie 2001 privind organizarea administrativ-teritorială a Republicii Moldova (in Romanian)

External links

Moldovan Ministry of Local Public Administration
Law No. 764-XV/2001 on the administrative organization of the Republic of Moldova available on Wikisource.
- Modification 37-XV-14.02.2003
- Modification 124-XV-18.03.2003
Moldovan Law 431-XIII from April 19, 1995, Monitorul Oficial al Republicii Moldova, no. 31-32/340, June 9, 1995

[1] Law no. 764-XV from 27.12.2001 on territorial administrative organisation of the Republic of Moldova, article 4 para. 1 (in Romanian)

[2] Law no. 764-XV from 27.12.2001 on territorial administrative organisation of the Republic of Moldova, article 4 para. 4 (in Romanian)

[moldova.md-3] Administrative-territorial organization of Moldova

[4] Law no. 764-XV from 27.12.2001 on territorial administrative organisation of the Republic of Moldova, article 5 para. 2

[5] Clasificatorul unităţilor administrativ-teritoriale (CUATM) (in Romanian)

[6] Report on the Territorial Administrative Structure Options for the Republic of Moldova. March 2015

[7] Departamentul Statistica si Sociologie al Republicii Moldova (web). The 2014 figures are officially adjusted for underenumeration, and include 209,030 persons absent from Moldova for more than 12 months.

[8] Departamentul Statistica si Sociologie al Republicii Moldova (web). The 2014 figures are officially adjusted for underenumeration, and include 209,030 persons absent from Moldova for more than 12 months.

[9] Departamentul Statistica si Sociologie al Republicii Moldova (web). The 2014 figures are officially adjusted for underenumeration, and include 209,030 persons absent from Moldova for more than 12 months.

[10] "Administrative-territorial organization of Moldova", moldova.md

[11] Tighina is under the control of the unrecognized separatist Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic (PMR, also known as Transnistria). There, Tighina is known as Bender.

[12] www.statoids.com

[13] LEGE Nr. 248 din 03.11.2016 pentru modificarea și completarea Legii nr. 764-XV din 27 decembrie 2001 privind organizarea administrativ-teritorială a Republicii Moldova (in Romanian)

[pmr-14] Currently controlled by the unrecognized Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic.

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[a]

v t e Administrative divisions of Moldova
Districts	Anenii Noi Basarabeasca Briceni Cahul Cantemir Călărași Căușeni Cimișlia Criuleni Dondușeni Drochia Dubăsari Edineț Fălești Florești Glodeni Hîncești Ialoveni Leova Nisporeni Ocnița Orhei Rezina Rîșcani Sîngerei Soroca Strășeni Șoldănești Ștefan Vodă Taraclia Telenești Ungheni
Autonomous territorial units	Găgăuzia Administrative-Territorial Units of the Left Bank of the Dniester^[a]
Municipalities	Bălți Bender^[a] Cahul Ceadîr-Lunga Chișinău Comrat Edineț Hîncești Orhei Soroca Strășeni Tiraspol^[a] Ungheni
^ ^a ^b ^c Currently controlled by the unrecognized Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic.

v t e First-level administrative divisions in European countries
Sovereign states	Albania Andorra Armenia² Austria Azerbaijan¹ Belarus Belgium Bosnia and Herzegovina Bulgaria Croatia Cyprus² Czech Republic Denmark Estonia Finland France Georgia¹ Germany Greece Hungary Iceland Ireland Italy Kazakhstan¹ Latvia Liechtenstein Lithuania Luxembourg Malta Moldova Monaco Montenegro Netherlands North Macedonia Norway Poland Portugal Romania Russia¹ San Marino Serbia Slovakia Slovenia Spain Sweden Switzerland Turkey¹ Ukraine United Kingdom
States with limited recognition	Abkhazia² Kosovo Northern Cyprus² South Ossetia² Transnistria
Table of administrative divisions by country ¹ Spans the conventional boundary between Europe and another continent. ² Considered European for cultural, political and historical reasons but is geographically in Western Asia.