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Economy of Moldova vs North Korea compared: GDP & Debt

Updated on by Georank team

Moldova has a GDP of $18.2B compared to $34.9B for North Korea, ranking 134/197 and 106/197 by economy size, respectively.

Moldova vs North Korea GDP by year

Moldova
North Korea
1x
Year GDP, current $
Moldova North Korea
2024 $18,200,340,854 $34,943,120,000
2023 $16,711,906,746 $32,155,360,000
2022 $14,525,337,524 $28,971,360,000
2021 $13,691,869,264 $32,301,720,000
2020 $11,530,746,234 $27,728,240,000
2019 $11,736,797,055 $28,222,880,000
2018 $11,252,353,421 $28,536,400,000
2017 $9,514,404,016 $29,105,440,000
2016 $7,980,917,076 $28,882,640,000
2015 $7,797,667,197 $30,723,030,000
2014 $9,402,090,138 $30,554,460,000
2013 $9,496,717,876 $30,588,922,000
2012 $8,709,138,635 $29,890,710,000
2011 $8,414,352,020 $29,005,020,000
2010 $6,974,982,370 $25,995,513,000
2009 $5,439,434,272 $23,356,470,000
2008 $6,054,824,248 -
2007 $4,401,173,152 -
2006 $3,408,255,451 -
2005 $2,988,342,907 -
2004 $2,598,249,556 -
2003 $1,980,907,435 -
2002 $1,661,818,168 -
2001 $1,480,673,594 -
2000 $1,288,429,392 -
1999 $1,170,782,957 -
1998 $1,698,717,505 -
1997 $1,930,081,169 -
1996 $1,695,122,174 -
1995 $1,752,999,370 -
1994 $1,702,314,268 -
1993 $2,371,813,324 -
1992 $2,319,243,436 -
1991 $3,094,565,871 -
1990 $3,592,857,043 -

Data sources: World Bank | Economy & Growth (1990–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06).

GeoRank.org/economy/moldova/north-korea | CC BY

GDP per capita in Moldova vs North Korea by year

Moldova
GDP per capita

GDP per capita, PPP
North Korea
GDP per capita

GDP per capita, PPP
1x
Year Current $
Moldova North Korea
GDP per capita GDP per capita, PPP GDP per capita GDP per capita, PPP
2024 $7,576 $18,615 $1,319 -
2023 $6,800 $17,747 $1,217 -
2022 $5,744 $16,453 $1,100 -
2021 $5,275 $15,682 $1,231 -
2020 $4,376 $13,527 $1,061 -
2019 $4,405 $13,413 $1,084 -
2018 $4,156 $11,868 $1,100 -
2017 $3,453 $11,252 $1,127 -
2016 $2,847 $10,326 $1,124 -
2015 $2,750 $9,198 $1,201 $1,700
2014 $3,290 $8,643 $1,201 $1,800
2013 $3,321 $8,233 $1,208 -
2012 $3,045 $7,255 $1,186 -
2011 $2,941 $6,833 $1,156 $1,800
2010 $2,437 $6,323 $1,040 -
2009 $1,898 $5,827 $939 $1,800
2008 $2,111 $6,153 - $1,800
2007 $1,531 $5,590 - $1,700
2006 $1,183 $5,271 - $1,800
2005 $1,034 $4,866 - $1,700
2004 $897 $4,378 - $1,700
2003 $682 $3,960 - $1,300
2002 $571 $3,633 - $1,000
2001 $507 $3,311 - -
2000 $441 $3,045 - $1,000
1999 $399 $2,910 - $1,000
1998 $579 $2,965 - -
1997 $657 $3,136 - -
1996 $575 $3,021 - -
1995 $594 $3,146 - -
1994 $574 $3,111 - -
1993 $797 $4,394 - -
1992 $778 $4,337 - -
1991 $1,038 $5,980 - -
1990 $1,207 $6,895 - -

Data sources: World Bank | Economy & Growth (1990–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06); Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (1999–2015, retrieved 2026-02-20).

GeoRank.org/economy/moldova/north-korea | CC BY

Moldova's GDP per capita is $7,576, ranking 99/197, compared to $1,319 in North Korea, ranking 168/197. Adjusted for purchasing power (GDP per capita PPP), Moldova ranks 100th at $18,615, while North Korea ranks 193rd at $1,700.

Economic indicators

Moldova North Korea
Gross domestic product
$18.2B
2024
$34.9B
2024
GDP rank
134/197
2024
106/197
2024
GDP growth
0.1%
2023-2024
n/a
GDP per capita
$7,576
2024
$1,319
2024
GDP per capita rank
99/197
2024
168/197
2024
GDP per capita, PPP
$18,615
2024
$1,700
2015
GDP per capita PPP rank
100/197
2024
193/197
2015
Government debt
$7.06B
2024
n/a
Debt-to-GDP ratio
38.8%
2024
n/a
Government debt per person
$2,938
2024
n/a
Government debt per person rank
102/185
2024
n/a
Average annual personal income after taxes
$4,291
2026
$1,426
2026
Income share by richest 10%
22.8%
2023
n/a
Income share by poorest 10%
4.3%
2023
n/a
Government expenditure, % of GDP
38%
2024
n/a
Consumer prices inflation
4.68%
2023-2024
n/a
Central bank interest rate
6%
2025
n/a
Unemployment rate
1.43%
2024
25.6%
2013
Population
2341166
26659144

Top exports between countries

Moldova
Export category Export value
North Korea
Export category Export value
Textiles & consumer goods $500K
Machinery & equipment $10K
Chemicals & pharma $8K
Metals $1K

Balance of trade

Moldova North Korea
Current account balance
-$3.01B
2024
n/a
Current account balance ranking
156/190
2024
n/a
Current account balance, % of GDP
-16.6%
2024
n/a
Goods imports
$8.63B
2024
n/a
Goods exports
$3.01B
2024
n/a
Service imports
$1.8B
2024
n/a
Service exports
$2.73B
2024
n/a
Imports of goods and services, % of GDP
57.3%
2024
n/a
Exports of goods and services, % of GDP
31.4%
2024
n/a

Economic freedom indices

The indices of economic freedom below are issued by the Heritage Foundation. Higher scores indicate stronger economic health.

Moldova North Korea
Economic freedom 58.1 3.1
Economic freedom ranking 112/197 197/197
Property rights 40.4 16.3
Government integrity 45.1 4.3
Judicial effectiveness 32.4 6.3
Tax burden 87.9 0
Government spending 57.2 0
Fiscal health 70.3 0
Business freedom 68.3 5
Labor freedom 48.1 5
Monetary freedom 66 0
Trade freedom 76.8 0
Investment freedom 55 0
Financial freedom 50 0

Economic freedom comparison by year

Moldova
North Korea
1x
Year Economic freedom index
Moldova North Korea
2026 58.1 3.1
2025 58.3 3
2024 57.1 2.9
2023 58.5 2.9
2022 61.3 3
2021 62.5 5.2
2020 62 4.2
2019 59.1 5.9
2018 58.4 5.8
2017 58 4.9
2016 57.4 2.3
2015 57.5 1.3
2014 57.3 1
2013 55.5 1.5
2012 54.4 1
2011 55.7 1
2010 53.7 1
2009 54.9 2
2008 57.9 3
2007 58.7 3
2006 58 4
2005 57.4 8
2004 57.1 8.9
2003 60 8.9
2002 57.4 8.9
2001 54.9 8.9
2000 59.6 8.9
1999 56.1 8.9
1998 53.5 8.9
1997 48.9 8.9
1996 52.5 8.9
1995 33 8.9

Data sources: The Heritage Foundation | Economic Freedom Index (1995–2026, retrieved 2026-03-09).

GeoRank.org/economy/moldova/north-korea | CC BY

The Economic Freedom Index for Moldova is 58.1, ranking 112/197, compared to 3.1 for North Korea, ranking 197/197. The chart above displays a comparison of annual changes in economic freedom indexes.

Other economic metrics

Moldova North Korea
Services, % of GDP
62.3%
2024
n/a
Industry, % of GDP
16.8%
2024
n/a
Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, % of GDP
7.11%
2024
n/a
GNI, Atlas method
$16.5B
2024
n/a
GNI per capita, PPP
$18,710
2024
n/a
Total reserves including gold
$5.48B
2024
n/a
Total reserves ranking
96/177
2024
n/a
Net foreign direct investment
-$360M
2024
n/a
Net inflows of foreign direct investment
$458M
2024
$203K
1989
Net outflows of foreign direct investment
$98.4M
2024
$0
2024
Servicing debt to the IMF, % of GNI
6.22%
2024
n/a
Poverty at national poverty lines
31.6%
2023
n/a
Gross capital formation, % of GDP
21.1%
2024
n/a

GDP per capita map

1x

Data sources: World Bank | Economy & Growth (1985–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06); U.S. Census Bureau (1985–2024, retrieved 2026-02-08).

GeoRank.org/economy/moldova/north-korea | CC BY

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Data sources:

  1. World Bank | Economy & Growth (1985–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06)
  2. The Heritage Foundation | Economic Freedom Index (1995–2026, retrieved 2026-03-09)
  3. U.S. Census Bureau (1985–2024, retrieved 2026-02-08)
  4. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (1999–2015, retrieved 2026-02-20)
  5. International Monetary Fund (IMF) | Fiscal Monitor (2024, retrieved 2026-02-20)
  6. TradeMap (2024, retrieved 2026-02-08)
  7. United Nations | World Population Prospects (2026, retrieved 2026-03-10)
  8. LivingCost (2026, retrieved 2025-10-14)

Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) — you’re free to copy, share, remix, adapt, and use even commercially as long as you give appropriate credit and clearly indicate if you made changes. Other sources may be subject to different license terms.

The current account balance is the sum of net trade in goods and services, net earnings from cross-border investments, and net transfer payments. It reflects a country's economic transactions with the rest of the world and is a fundamental component of the balance of payments. A surplus indicates that a country exports more than it imports, while a deficit shows the opposite.

Gross National Income (GNI) measures a country's total income. It encompasses income earned by residents, businesses, and foreign sources, defined as employee compensation and investment profits. GNI adds product taxes not included elsewhere and subtracts subsidies. It accounts for income from residents working abroad but excludes earnings from foreigners within the country.

A negative value for Net Foreign Direct Investment indicates a country is a net receiver of investments, as foreign inflows exceed outflows after Balance of Payments adjustments. A positive value indicates a net provider, with outflows exceeding inflows. Inflows are credits (increasing foreign claims on domestic assets), while outflows are debits (increasing domestic assets abroad).

Foreign direct investment (FDI, net inflows) shows how much capital foreign investors bring into a country after accounting for any funds that flow back in the opposite direction. It represents the net value of overseas companies establishing, expanding, or financing businesses in the reporting country. A positive number means more capital entered the country than was withdrawn, while a negative number means foreign investors pulled out more than they invested.

Foreign direct investment (FDI, net outflows) shows how much capital residents of a country invest abroad after accounting for any funds that flow back in the opposite direction. It represents the net value of domestic companies establishing, expanding, or financing businesses in other countries. A positive number means more capital was invested abroad than withdrawn, while a negative number means residents pulled back more than they invested.

Principal and interest payments to the IMF in currency, goods, or services on long-term debt expressed as a share of GNI.

Formerly gross domestic investment, gross capital formation measures the share of a country’s economic output invested in fixed assets, including buildings, machinery, and infrastructure. It indicates how much of the economy is devoted to building productive capacity.