Demographics

The population of the Danube region Galați-Cahul-Reni is about 788 thousand, and the largest share belongs to Galati county, which has 627,630 inhabitants, followed by Cahul district – with 124,091 inhabitants and Reni community – with 36 117 inhabitants. In direct relation to the number of inhabitants is the population density, which is different in each territory. The highest values ​​are registered in Galați County, over 140 places / km², which is much higher than the average value of the population density in the country, which is 84.4 places / km². Lower population density values ​​are in Cahul district, about 80 places / km2, lower than the national average, which is 86.2 places / km2. The Reni community is also characterized by a comparatively low population density – below 60 persons/km², compared to the 69 person/km² overall level in the country.

The population in all three administrative-territorial units is declining, a phenomenon that occurs almost simultaneously, since the early 1990s. This trend is determined by the specifics of natural growth and population migration. The natural increase is negative, being caused by low birth rates and high mortality, with an increasing difference in recent years. In 2020, there was a decrease of the population with over 2100 inhabitants in Galati county, with almost 170 in Cahul district and about 380 in Reni community..

Table 1 Natural population movement by environment (2020)

Migration also has negative balance values. More people are leaving the region than arriving. At the level of 2011, Galati county lost 724 inhabitants, and in 2019 the Reni community – about 130. The young and mature population (19-49 years old) migrates primarily, usually for work purposes. Internally, at the country level, population movements are taking place to large nearby industrial centers, such as those from the Reni community to the city of Odessa, and those from the Cahul district to the city of Chisinau. External migration is directed to the countries of the European Union, and those from Cahul and Reni also go to the Russian Federation. Based on the passport with biometric data, the inhabitants of Cahul district and Reni community have free access to the countries of the European Union.

Table 2 Demographic statistics of the Galati-Cahul-Reni region (2019-2020)

The structure of the population according to the living environment is different in each region. Galati County is notable for a comparatively high level of urbanization, about 58% of the total population, while in the Cahul district dominates the population residing in rural areas, over 68% of the total population. The population of the Reni community is distributed almost equally according to the living environment.

The structure of the population by age groups in all three territorial entities is characterized by a large share of the adult population (15-59 years), which exceeds 60% of the total number of inhabitants in Galati county and Cahul district, and is close to this value in the Reni community. The situation regarding the other two major age categories of the population, the young (0-14 years) and the elderly (60 years and older) is presented in a more differentiated way. In this aspect, the Reni community stands out, with the largest share of the elderly population, equal to 31% of the total population, and at the same time with the lowest percentage of the young population – about 10% of the total. In Galati county, the share of the young population is comparatively lower than the elderly, respectively the young make up over 13%, while the elderly exceed 22% of the total. In turn, Cahul district stands out with an almost equal percentage of the mentioned age groups, around 16-17% of the total population. The small share of the young population and the higher share of the elderly population indicate that the region is affected by the phenomenon of demographic aging.

The average life expectancy of the inhabitants of the region is different. According to recent data, life expectancy is higher in Galati County – over 75 years and lower, but similar to that in the administrative units of Cahul and Reni, around 71 years.

Table 3 Ethnic structure of the population by administrative – territorial units (%)¹

¹ According to the latest national censuses.

The ethnic structure of the population is diverse. The largest share, both in the total number of the population in the region and in the administrative-territorial plan, is held by Romanians / Moldovans – over 96% in Galati county, over 78% in Cahul district, and 50% in Reni community. Ukrainians and Russians / Lipovans are two other well-represented ethnic communities in the region, with a higher percentage in the Reni community, up to 18% and 15% of the total population, respectively. In Cahul district, the share of the population of Ukrainian and Russian ethnicity is 6-7% of the total, as well as a few hundredths are found in Galati county. Unique in a way, are the ethnic groups of Bulgarians and Gagauzians. On the administrative territory of Reni and in the district of Cahul they form separate communities. Bulgarians and Gagauzians make up about 8% in the Reni community and almost 5% and about 3% in the Cahul district, respectively. Among other ethnic groups in the region are Roma, Hungarians, and others.

The administrative-territorial units in the region are administered by the Councils, consisting of directly elected councilors, who in turn elect a president. At the locality level, the same principle of electing the public authority works, only that the local leader – the mayor, in Galati county and Cahul district, is directly elected by the citizens, and in the Reni community – the local leader – “starosta” is appointed by the chairman of the board.