Moldova · 37 First Level Units · 32 Raions · 3 Municipalities · 2 Autonomous Units

Administrative Divisions of Moldova (Raioane): All 37 First Level Units by Development Region

Moldova is divided into 37 first level administrative units: 32 raions, which are the district tier, 3 municipalities (Chișinău, Bălți, and Tighina, also called Bender), and 2 autonomous territorial units (Gagauzia and the Left Bank of the Dniester). The units group into three development regions, Northern, Central, and Southern, while the Left Bank sits outside the control of the central government and is presented on its own. This page lists every unit with its Romanian name, seat, 2024 population, area, and density, and matches them to the sea, air, and rail gateways a Philippine apparel shipment uses to reach Moldova.

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37First level units
32Raions
3Municipalities
2Autonomous units
3Development regions
The Register

All 37 First Level Units, Grouped by Development Region

The three development regions are the planning grouping Moldova uses for regional policy: Northern, Central, and Southern. Those three hold 36 of the 37 units. The 37th, the Left Bank of the Dniester, is not assigned to a development region because it is not under the control of the central government, so it is shown in the fourth column. The counts add up to exactly 37.

Northern Development Region

Regiunea de dezvoltare Nord 12 units

The north of the country, from the Prut river border with Romania in the west to the Dniester in the east. It holds the second city, Bălți, and a belt of agricultural raions that supply the food, wine, and light manufacturing sectors.

  • Municipality

    BălțiBălți

    Seat
    Bălți
    People 2024
    94,546
    Area km²
    77.6
    Per km²
    1,218.3
  • Raion

    BriceniBriceni

    Seat
    Briceni
    People 2024
    46,894
    Area km²
    814.4
    Per km²
    57.6
  • Raion

    DondușeniDondușeni

    Seat
    Dondușeni
    People 2024
    28,108
    Area km²
    644.1
    Per km²
    43.6
  • Raion

    DrochiaDrochia

    Seat
    Drochia
    People 2024
    53,738
    Area km²
    999.9
    Per km²
    53.7
  • Raion

    EdinețEdineț

    Seat
    Edineț
    People 2024
    50,429
    Area km²
    932.9
    Per km²
    54.1
  • Raion

    FăleștiFălești

    Seat
    Fălești
    People 2024
    56,039
    Area km²
    1,072.6
    Per km²
    52.2
  • Raion

    FloreștiFlorești

    Seat
    Florești
    People 2024
    53,264
    Area km²
    1,108.2
    Per km²
    48.1
  • Raion

    GlodeniGlodeni

    Seat
    Glodeni
    People 2024
    35,829
    Area km²
    754.2
    Per km²
    47.5
  • Raion

    OcnițaOcnița

    Seat
    Ocnița
    People 2024
    31,610
    Area km²
    598.7
    Per km²
    52.8
  • Raion

    RîșcaniRîșcani

    Seat
    Rîșcani
    People 2024
    43,652
    Area km²
    936.0
    Per km²
    46.6
  • Raion

    SîngereiSîngerei

    Seat
    Sîngerei
    People 2024
    55,933
    Area km²
    1,033.7
    Per km²
    54.1
  • Raion

    SorocaSoroca

    Seat
    Soroca
    People 2024
    58,609
    Area km²
    1,040.4
    Per km²
    56.3

Central Development Region

Regiunea de dezvoltare Centru 15 units

The centre of the country, wrapped around the capital. It holds Chișinău and its airport, the largest concentration of people and demand, and the inland logistics that serve the whole country.

  • Municipality

    ChișinăuChișinău

    Seat
    Chișinău
    People 2024
    720,128
    Area km²
    571.6
    Per km²
    1,259.8
  • Raion

    Anenii NoiAnenii Noi

    Seat
    Anenii Noi
    People 2024
    57,687
    Area km²
    887.6
    Per km²
    65.0
  • Raion

    CălărașiCălărași

    Seat
    Călărași
    People 2024
    43,864
    Area km²
    753.5
    Per km²
    58.2
  • Raion

    CriuleniCriuleni

    Seat
    Criuleni
    People 2024
    52,926
    Area km²
    687.9
    Per km²
    76.9
  • Raion

    DubăsariDubăsari

    Seat
    Cocieri
    People 2024
    21,781
    Area km²
    309.2
    Per km²
    70.4
  • Raion

    HînceștiHîncești

    Seat
    Hîncești
    People 2024
    69,462
    Area km²
    1,472.1
    Per km²
    47.2
  • Raion

    IaloveniIaloveni

    Seat
    Ialoveni
    People 2024
    74,458
    Area km²
    783.5
    Per km²
    95.0
  • Raion

    NisporeniNisporeni

    Seat
    Nisporeni
    People 2024
    36,413
    Area km²
    629.0
    Per km²
    57.9
  • Raion

    OrheiOrhei

    Seat
    Orhei
    People 2024
    79,242
    Area km²
    1,228.3
    Per km²
    64.5
  • Raion

    RezinaRezina

    Seat
    Rezina
    People 2024
    30,243
    Area km²
    621.8
    Per km²
    48.6
  • Raion

    ȘoldăneștiȘoldănești

    Seat
    Șoldănești
    People 2024
    25,394
    Area km²
    598.4
    Per km²
    42.4
  • Raion

    StrășeniStrășeni

    Seat
    Strășeni
    People 2024
    61,362
    Area km²
    729.1
    Per km²
    84.2
  • Municipality

    Tighina (Bender)Tighina

    Seat
    Tighina
    People 2024
    Not published
    Area km²
    97
    Per km²
    Not published
  • Raion

    TeleneștiTelenești

    Seat
    Telenești
    People 2024
    41,452
    Area km²
    848.6
    Per km²
    48.8
  • Raion

    UngheniUngheni

    Seat
    Ungheni
    People 2024
    75,804
    Area km²
    1,082.6
    Per km²
    70.0

Southern Development Region

Regiunea de dezvoltare Sud 9 units

The south, reaching the Danube and the Black Sea corridor. It holds Moldova's only port at Giurgiulești, the autonomous unit of Gagauzia, and the wine districts of Cahul and Cimișlia.

  • Raion

    BasarabeascaBasarabeasca

    Seat
    Basarabeasca
    People 2024
    14,914
    Area km²
    294.5
    Per km²
    50.6
  • Raion

    CahulCahul

    Seat
    Cahul
    People 2024
    72,775
    Area km²
    1,545.3
    Per km²
    47.1
  • Raion

    CantemirCantemir

    Seat
    Cantemir
    People 2024
    33,181
    Area km²
    868.7
    Per km²
    38.2
  • Raion

    CăușeniCăușeni

    Seat
    Căușeni
    People 2024
    57,261
    Area km²
    1,185.2
    Per km²
    48.3
  • Raion

    CimișliaCimișlia

    Seat
    Cimișlia
    People 2024
    30,986
    Area km²
    923.7
    Per km²
    33.5
  • Raion

    LeovaLeova

    Seat
    Leova
    People 2024
    28,835
    Area km²
    764.6
    Per km²
    37.7
  • Raion

    Ștefan VodăȘtefan Vodă

    Seat
    Ștefan Vodă
    People 2024
    42,285
    Area km²
    998
    Per km²
    42.4
  • Raion

    TaracliaTaraclia

    Seat
    Taraclia
    People 2024
    26,435
    Area km²
    673.9
    Per km²
    39.2
  • Autonomous unit

    GagauziaGăgăuzia

    Seat
    Comrat
    People 2024
    103,668
    Area km²
    1,848.5
    Per km²
    56.1

Left Bank of the Dniester

Stînga Nistrului 1 unit

The 37th first level unit, on the east bank of the Dniester. It is legally part of Moldova but is administered by breakaway authorities outside the control of the central government, so it is not assigned to a development region and carries no central population figure. Tighina, also called Bender, sits under the same de facto administration and is the reason the two population cells above read Not published.

  • Autonomous unit

    Left Bank of the Dniester (Transnistria)Stînga Nistrului

    Seat
    Tiraspol
    People 2024
    Not published
    Area km²
    4,163
    Per km²
    Not published

On the Philippine side, production and consolidation run through the Davao del Norte corridor beside the Hijo Industrial Estate and Special Economic Zone in Tagum City, next to Hijo International Port. Export containers leave through the Davao International Container Terminal (DICT) in Panabo City, or through Manila and Cebu.

Two Levels

How Moldova Is Divided

Moldova has two levels of administrative territorial units. The first level is the 37 units this page is built around. The second level is the cities, towns, communes, and villages that a shipment is physically delivered to.

First level

37 units of local government

The first level is the tier that runs regional services and collects the local taxes a distribution plan depends on. Every unit is either a raion, a municipality, or an autonomous territorial unit, and the three kinds add up to exactly 37.

  • 32 raions (raioane)The district tier, each with an elected district council and a seat. A raion groups the cities, towns, communes, and villages inside it, and it is the closest Moldovan equivalent of a county.
  • 3 municipalities (municipii)Chișinău, Bălți, and Tighina, also called Bender. A municipality is a city that forms its own first level unit rather than sitting inside a raion, and it can contain subordinate towns and villages.
  • 2 autonomous territorial unitsGagauzia in the south, with its own elected governor and assembly, and the Left Bank of the Dniester, which is legally Moldovan but administered outside the central government.
Second level

Cities, communes, and villages

Below the first level sit the places a shipment is actually delivered to. The second level is where the street address, the local council, and the last mile delivery all live.

  • Cities and townsUrban localities with their own mayor and council, unless they sit inside a municipality or a raion seat.
  • Communes (comune)Two or more villages grouped under a single mayor and council, which is how most rural Moldova is organised.
  • Villages (sate)The rural localities, some self governed and many grouped into a commune.
  • SectorsThe internal divisions of the large cities, including the sectors of Chișinău, which sit below the first level.

Moldova counts 898 second level administrative territorial units and 1,682 localities in total, of which 982 are incorporated with their own mayor and local council. The figures come from the national administrative structure and move when localities amalgamate.

Entry Points

Where Apparel Reaches Moldova

Moldova is landlocked, so a Philippine apparel consignment reaches it through three kinds of gateway: Black Sea and Danube sea ports, air cargo airports, and the 1,520 mm broad gauge rail network. The table below is the same corridor the import guide maps in full.

Sea

Black Sea and Danube gateways
  • Giurgiulești International Free Port (GIFP)MoldovaMoldova's only port, on the maritime Danube at the southern tip of the country where the Romanian and Ukrainian borders meet. It has a general cargo and container terminal, RoRo berths, and an on site mixed gauge rail terminal, and feeder services link it to Constanța.
  • Port of Constanța (ROCND)RomaniaThe principal Black Sea deep sea container gateway for Moldova. Boxes move from Constanța to Giurgiulești by feeder vessel, or onward by rail and road.
  • Port of Galați (ROGAL)RomaniaA Danube river port that can feed Moldova by barge and road along the Prut corridor, useful for smaller river consignments.

Air

Cargo and bellyhold airports
  • Chișinău International Airport (RMO / LUKK)MoldovaThe country's main international airport, 13 km from the capital, handling scheduled bellyhold capacity and freighter services. The airport code changed from KIV to RMO in January 2024, so older freight documents may still show KIV.
  • Mărculești International Airport (LUBM)MoldovaA former military airfield in the north of the country, now used for cargo and general aviation.
  • Iași International Airport (IAS / LRIA)RomaniaThe nearest major airport outside Moldova, roughly two hours from Chișinău by road, with cross border road feeder connections.
  • Bucharest Henri Coandă (OTP / LROP)RomaniaRomania's largest air cargo hub. Moldova bound freight clears here and then moves north by road or rail.

Rail

Broad gauge network and the gauge change
  • Calea Ferata din Moldova (CFM)MoldovaThe state rail operator runs the country's roughly 1,232 km network, almost entirely 1,520 mm broad gauge, single track, and not electrified. It is the only rail carrier for freight inside the country.
  • Ungheni and Berești gauge changeMoldova borderWhere European 1,435 mm standard gauge meets Moldovan 1,520 mm broad gauge. Containers are transshipped or the bogies are changed, which adds around two to three hours at the border.
  • Giurgiulești mixed gauge terminalMoldovaA transshipment point between broad gauge and standard gauge at the Danube port, lifting containers off the Constanța feeder without a bogie change.
  • Constanța to Chișinău corridorMoldovaThe main rail spine from the Black Sea into the capital, supported by the Valcinet to Giurgiulești line rehabilitated with European development bank funding.

Border procedure for a commercial garment consignment is set nationally. Confirm the current routing and the declaration channel with a licensed Moldovan customs broker before shipping. The Philippines to Moldova import guide covers the wider corridor.

Moldova Trade Desk

Guides That Support a Shipment into Moldova

The register sets the geography. The pages below carry the corridor, the Philippine export base, and the transport modes around it.

Philippines to Moldova Import GuideThe full corridor from Philippine export gateways to Moldovan entry points, with documents, Incoterms, and transit planning.Open the guide Davao International Container TerminalThe modern deep water container port in Panabo City that loads the Mindanao export containers.Open the profile Hijo Industrial Estate and Special Economic ZoneThe PEZA proclaimed food and manufacturing zone beside Hijo International Port in Tagum City.Open the profile Sea Transport ServicesContainer and less than container load planning from Philippine terminals to Giurgiulești via Constanța.Read the service page Air Transport ServicesAir cargo and bellyhold routing for urgent launches into Chișinău and the regional airports around it.Read the service page Rail Transport ServicesInland rail and intermodal planning across the 1,520 mm broad gauge network once a box reaches the Danube.Read the service page
Advisory

Administrative Divisions of Moldova FAQ

How many first level administrative units does Moldova have?

37. They are 32 raions, which are the district tier, 3 municipalities (Chișinău, Bălți, and Tighina, also called Bender), and 2 autonomous territorial units (Gagauzia and the Left Bank of the Dniester).

What is a raion?

A raion is the district tier of local government, the Moldovan equivalent of a county or a district. Each raion has an elected district council and a seat, and it groups the cities, towns, communes, and villages inside it. There are 32 raions, and they make up most of the 37 first level units.

What are the three development regions, and do the counts add up?

The units are grouped into three development regions for planning: Northern with 12, Central with 15, and Southern with 9. Those three hold 36 units. The 37th, the Left Bank of the Dniester, is not assigned to a development region because it is not under the control of the central government, so it is presented separately.

Why is the Left Bank of the Dniester listed on its own?

The Left Bank, also called Transnistria, is a breakaway region on the east bank of the Dniester river. It is legally part of Moldova but is administered by local authorities outside the control of the central government, so it carries no population figure in the central count and is not part of the development region framework. Tighina, also called Bender, sits under the same de facto administration, which is why its population also reads Not published.

Which gateways handle apparel into Moldova?

Moldova is landlocked. Sea freight lands at Giurgiulești, the only port in the country, on the Danube, or at the Romanian Black Sea and Danube ports of Constanța and Galați, then moves inland. Air freight lands at Chișinău (RMO), with Iași and Bucharest as regional alternatives, and rail moves on the 1,520 mm broad gauge network run by Calea Ferata din Moldova.

Do import rules change from one raion to another?

No. Customs duty, product safety, and textile labelling are set nationally, so they do not change from one unit to another. Moldova is not a European Union member, so European Union rules do not apply directly, although the country is a European Union candidate and aligns much of its trade law with the bloc. Confirm the current tariff, tax, and labelling rules with a licensed Moldovan customs broker before shipping.

What is the difference between a municipality and a raion?

A municipality is a city that forms its own first level unit and is not part of a surrounding raion. Chișinău, Bălți, and Tighina are the three. A raion is the district around and between them. A municipality can also contain subordinate towns and villages, which is why Chișinău lists 35 towns and villages under it.

Which unit should a buyer target for distribution?

There is no single answer. Chișinău holds the capital, the largest population, and Chișinău International Airport, so it is the natural distribution centre. Bălți is the northern hub, and Gagauzia, Cahul, and Taraclia anchor the south. The export desk can match the routing and the delivery plan to a specific destination city.

Contact

Plan a Shipment to a Moldovan Raion

Send the garment type, the destination city or raion, and the monthly volume, and the export desk will come back with the routing options, the packing plan, and the documents a Moldovan importer can file.

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