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Countries With the Biggest Population Declines Since 1990

Moldova: population drop of 31.1%, 1990–2023. 19 countries and territories qualify in this comparison.

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What the data shows

  • In 1990–2023, Moldova ranks #1 with 31.1%, ahead of Georgia (30.1%) and Latvia (29.2%).

About this chart

Moldova has the largest percentage decline in this comparison: 31.1% between 1990 and 2023. Its population moved from 4,451,150 to 3,067,072 people. Georgia follows with a 30.1% decline, from 5,448,865 to 3,807,494 people. There are 19 qualifying countries and territories; the table shows the 15 largest percentage losses. Only countries and territories with at least 1,000,000 people in 1990 enter the comparison.

The ranking uses percentage change from 1990 to 2023, calculated from population estimates at the two endpoints. It does not measure every move into or out of a place, and it cannot by itself explain the causes of decline. A smaller population can suffer a larger percentage loss while a bigger population loses more people in absolute terms.

The data

Source: UN World Population Prospects 2024 via Our World in Data; estimates to 2023, medium-variant projections after. Retrieved November 5, 2026. Population loss = (1 - population in 2023 / population in 1990) × 100. Historical population estimates. Country comparisons include World Bank country and territory entries. Includes populations of at least 1,000,000 in 1990.

Countries With the Biggest Population Declines Since 1990, population loss, 1990–2023 (%), 1990–2023
DateMoldovaGeorgiaLatviaBosnia and HerzegovinaUkraineBulgariaLithuaniaCroatiaArmeniaRomaniaAlbaniaSerbiaEstoniaNorth MacedoniaBelarus
1990–202331.1%30.1%29.2%28.4%27.5%23.0%22.8%19.4%17.1%16.7%14.2%14.0%12.9%11.2%10.5%

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Frequently asked questions

Which country or territory has the biggest population decline from 1990 to 2023?

Moldova leads this comparison with a 31.1% decline, from 4,451,150 in 1990 to 3,067,072 in 2023. Only countries and territories with at least 1,000,000 people in 1990 enter the comparison.

How is the percentage change calculated?

The calculation divides the 2023 population by the 1990 population, subtracts that ratio from one, and multiplies by 100. A larger positive loss means a greater proportional decline.

Does population loss measure migration alone?

No. Total population change combines births, deaths and migration, and can also reflect revisions to estimates. The chart shows the net result, not a migration measure.

Where does this data come from?

UN World Population Prospects 2024 via Our World in Data; estimates to 2023, medium-variant projections after. Retrieved November 5, 2026. Population loss = (1 - population in 2023 / population in 1990) × 100. Historical population estimates. Country comparisons include World Bank country and territory entries. Includes populations of at least 1,000,000 in 1990. You can download the full table as a CSV from this page.

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