Moldavian Car Market was flat in 2013, breaking the recovery cycle started in the 2010 after the 2009 collapse. Despite strong GDP growth the high uncertain regarding the politic future of the country, still in the middle between European Community and Russia has depressed internal demand.
The Republic of Moldova is an independent country since 1991 when it leaved the USSR and actually is one of the poorest nations in Europe in terms of GDP and pro capita income. With a moderate climate and good farmland, Moldova’s economy relies heavily on its agriculture sector, featuring fruits, vegetables, wine, and tobacco.
Moldova also depends on annual remittances of about $1.6 billion from the roughly one million Moldovans working in Europe, Russia, and other former Soviet Bloc countries. With few natural energy resources, Moldova imports almost all of its energy supplies from Russia and Ukraine.
Moldova’s dependence on Russian energy is underscored by a growing $5 billion debt to Russian natural gas supplier Gazprom, largely the result of unreimbursed natural gas consumption in the separatist Transnistria region.
The government’s goal of EU integration has resulted in some market-oriented progress. Moldova experienced better than expected economic growth in 2013 (GDP + 8%) due to increased agriculture production, to economic policies adopted by the Moldovan government since 2009, and to the receipt of EU trade preferences. Moldova is poised to sign an Association Agreement and a Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement with the EU during fall 2014, connecting Moldovan products to the world’s largest market.
The Moldavian car market is very small. In the 2010 there were only 550.000 light passenger’s vehicles circulating in the country with 156 vehicles per 1.000 inhabitants. Despite this was one of lowest level in the whole Europe and there is potential for large expansion in the next year in is fundamental a large growth of the pro capita income to create an adequate internal demand.
In 2013 total cars sold have been 4.342, flat from the previous year and very far from the level touched in the 2008 at 11.500 units. In 2014 the market is forecast up 6%, above 4.500 units.
In the interactive tables below you can sort thru the Top Brands and Best-selling Models as you like:
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