Data extracted in March 2025. Planned article update: 31 March 2026.
Highlights
In 2023, the population density in the European Neighbourhood East countries ranged from 65 inhabitants per square kilometre in Georgia to 117 in Azerbaijan. In the EU, it was 109.
The GDP per capita in Georgia was €7 601 in 2023, the highest among the European Neighbourhood East countries, closely followed by Armenia with €7 511. At the other end of the scale was Ukraine (2021 data) with €4 077. In contrast, it was €38 130 in the EU.
Ukraine had the lowest income inequality among the European Neighbourhood East countries, at 24.4 (2021 data), measured by the Gini coefficient of disposable income. In contrast, it was 36.2 in Moldova and 36.0 in Georgia in 2023. The coefficient in the EU was 29.6.
Energy productivity among European Neighbourhood East countries, measuring economic output per energy unit used, ranged from €2.3 per kg of oil equivalent in Georgia to €4.6 in Armenia (both 2022 data). In 2023, energy productivity in the EU was €9.8.
In 2023, 89% of households in the European Neighbourhood East countries Georgia and Azerbaijan had access to the internet, close to the EU average of 93%.
This article is part of an online publication. It presents information on five European Neighbourhood Policy-East (ENP-East) countries, namely, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine, compared with the European Union (EU). Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine are also candidate countries, with the European Council having granted Moldova and Ukraine candidate status on 22 June 2022 and Georgia on 14 December 2023. This article does not contain any data on Belarus, as statistical cooperation with Belarus has been suspended as of March 2022.
Data shown for Georgia exclude the regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia over which the government of Georgia does not exercise control. The data managed by the National Bureau of Statistics of the Republic of Moldova does not include data from the Transnistrian region over which the government of the Republic of Moldova does not exercise control. Since 2014, data for Ukraine generally exclude the illegally annexed Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the City of Sevastopol and the territories which are not under control of the Ukrainian government. As of 2022, data on Ukraine is limited due to reporting units being exempted from mandatory data submission to the State Statistics Service of Ukraine under the martial law, effective as of 3 March 2022, following Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine.
This article presents, among others: statistics on population density, gross domestic product (GDP), measured in € per capita; inequality of disposable income measured by Gini coefficient, energy productivity expressed in gross value added (GVA) per kilogram of oil equivalent (kgoe) and internet access of households and enterprises. The indicators presented have been selected based on the importance of the policy areas and social issues they inform, as well as the availability of data.
Population density
Data on population density, measured in inhabitants per square kilometre (km2), is illustrated in Figure 1 for the ENP-East countries and compared with the EU.
In 2023, Azerbaijan had the highest population density among the ENP-East countries, estimated at 117 inhabitants per km2 as of 1 January 2023. It was also the only ENP-East country with a density higher than the 109 inhabitants per km2 in the EU (2022 data). Armenia followed with the second highest density, at 101. Moldova’s population density was estimated at 82, while Georgia’s was 65, just over half of the population density in Azerbaijan. Data for Ukraine are not available.
Gross domestic product (GDP) per capita
GDP per capita (that is, per person) is a broad economic indicator that may be used for a basic analysis of living standards. By removing the influence of population size, GDP per capita makes comparisons between countries of different sizes easier and more relevant.
As shown in Figure 2, in 2023 the highest GDP per capita among the ENP-East countries was recorded in Georgia, at €7 601. This represented one fifth of the EU value, €38 130 per capita. Armenia’s GDP per capita was close to that of Georgia, at €7 511. At a somewhat lower level, Azerbaijan measured €6 590 and Moldova €6 224 per capita in 2023. Ukraine had the lowest GDP per capita, estimated at €4 077 (2021 data), nine times lower than the EU value.
GDP per capita in the ENP-East region was still relatively comparable across the countries, with the highest value in 2023 close to double that of the lowest one. In comparison, in 2023 the GDP per capita amongst the EU Member States ranged from €118 770 in Luxembourg to €14 690 in Bulgaria, with the highest value almost nine times higher than the lowest one.
Source: Eurostat (nama_10_pc) and (enpe_nama_10_gdp)
Gini coefficient
The Gini coefficient of disposable equivalised income is presented in Figure 3 for the ENP-East countries. It is a measure of economic inequality within a population, commonly used to assess differences in the distribution of income or wealth. It measures how far this distribution is from perfect equality, with higher values of the coefficient indicating greater inequality. The disposable income of a household is its net income after taxes and social contributions but including social benefits received; equivalised means that the composition of each household is weighted according to the number of adults and children living in it.
The inequality of income measured by the Gini coefficient was relatively low in the EU, at 29.6 in 2023. In Moldova, the Gini coefficient was 36.2, suggesting a somewhat higher inequality in the income distribution than in the EU. The coefficient in Georgia was 36.0, only 0.2 points lower than in Moldova. Armenia recorded a slightly lower coefficient of 34.8, while Ukraine (2021 data) had a Gini coefficient of 24.4, around 18 % lower than in the EU. This indicated a relatively lower income inequality among households in Ukraine compared with the other ENP-East countries. Data for Azerbaijan are not available.
Source: Eurostat (ilc_di12) and (enpe_ilc_di12b)
Energy productivity
Figure 4 presents the energy productivity of the ENP-East countries and compares these with the EU for 2023. Energy productivity is an economic indicator that measures the amount of economic output achieved per unit of energy consumed by the economy, with higher values indicating more efficient use of energy in creating economic value. It is expressed in euro of gross value added (GVA) per kilogram of oil equivalent (€/kgoe).
Armenia's energy productivity was the highest among the ENP-East countries for which data is available, at €4.6 per kgoe (2022 data). Azerbaijan's energy productivity was notably lower with €2.6 per kgoe in 2023. Georgia registered the lowest energy productivity among these countries, with €2.3 per kgoe (2022 data). Data for Moldova and Ukraine are not available.
In comparison, EU’s energy productivity was far above that of the ENP-East countries, with €9.8 per kgoe in 2023. This may indicate a higher energy efficiency in the EU but may also reflect that a larger share of total GVA is generated by activities that require less energy, such as services. Differences in output price levels may also influence the calculation, although higher output prices are to a certain extent counterbalanced by higher raw material prices in the calculation of GVA.
The data presented reflect the energy efficiency and economic structures of these economies, and can be influenced by many factors, including technological advancements, shifts in the industrial base and energy policy.
Enterprises and households with internet access
Figure 5 looks at how common it is to have internet access in enterprises and in households in the ENP-East countries and the EU.
In 2023, the share of households with access to the internet in Moldova was the lowest among the ENP-East countries, with only 71% having such access. In comparison, 92% of enterprises in the country had an internet access. In Armenia, 80% of the households had internet access. Data on internet access in enterprises are not available for Armenia. In Ukraine, 83% of households had internet access (2021 data), while this applied to 89% of enterprises in 2021.
Georgia had the highest share of enterprises with internet access among the ENP-East countries, with 99%, close to complete coverage. Among the households, 89% had internet access, which also was the highest rate reported by these countries. Azerbaijan matched this rate for connectivity of households, with 89% having internet access. However, Azerbaijan was the only country for which the share of internet access was lower for enterprises than for households, at 70%. This was the lowest share of enterprises with access to the internet among the ENP-East countries.
In the EU, enterprises where employed persons had access to the internet accounted for 99% in 2023. Of households in the EU, 93% had internet access in 2023, reflecting a high internet connectivity that exceeded the rates in all of the ENP-East countries.
Source: Eurostat (isoc_ci_in_en2), (isoc_ci_in_h), (enpe_isoc_ci_cm_ps) and (enpe_isoc_ci_in_h)
Source data for tables and graphs
Data sources
The data for ENP-East countries are supplied by and under the responsibility of the national statistical authorities of each country on a voluntary basis. The data result from an annual data collection cycle that has been established by Eurostat. These statistics are available free-of-charge on Eurostat's website, together with a range of additional indicators for ENP-East countries covering most socio-economic topics.
Eurostat collects population data from EU countries and other countries participating in its demography data collection exercise, including the ENP-East countries. The recommended definition is the 'usual resident population' and represents the number of inhabitants on 1 January of the year in question (or, in some cases, on 31 December of the previous year).
The European system of national and regional accounts (ESA) provides the methodology for national accounts in the EU. In the ENP-East countries the national accounts data presented in this article were generally collected according to the internationally agreed 2008 System of national accounts (2008 SNA). The European Standard for National Account, ESA 2010, is consistent with the 2008 SNA.
EU statistics on income and living conditions (EU-SILC) provides for harmonised data on income, poverty, social inclusion and living conditions in the EU and a number of other European countries. In the ENP-East countries, statistics on income and living conditions are collected through household surveys such as income and living conditions surveys, household budget surveys, labour force surveys or similar, based on internationally agreed methodologies and recommendations.
Energy productivity is calculated as units of GDP per unit of energy. The energy data are generally taken from energy balances and GDP from the national accounts. For energy statistics, definitions, concepts and methodology are harmonised at international level. The methodology is described in the Energy Statistics Manual. For EU statistics, the main legislation is Regulation (EC) No 1099/2008 on energy statistics. For energy balances, the methodology is not harmonised at international level - international organisations as well as national administrations apply various approaches when constructing energy balances.
Eurostat's survey on ICT usage in households and by individuals is an annual survey used to benchmark ICT-driven developments. Eurostat's survey on ICT usage in enterprises is also an annual survey and generally covers enterprises with at least 10 persons employed. Data from ENP-East countries are typically based on income and living conditions surveys, household budget surveys, or other household and enterprises surveys. The definition of enterprises studied to characterise the digital society complies with the corresponding EU statistical standards.
Context
On 2 July 2021, the European Commission and the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy presented the Eastern Partnership: a Renewed Agenda for cooperation with the EU's Eastern partners. This agenda is based on the five long-term objectives, with resilience at its core, as defined for the future of the Eastern Partnership (EaP) in the Joint Communication Eastern Partnership policy beyond 2020: Reinforcing Resilience – an Eastern Partnership that delivers for all in March 2020. It is further elaborated in the Joint Staff Working Document Recovery, resilience and reform: post 2020 Eastern Partnership priorities, amongst others defining the 'Top Ten Targets for 2025'. The Eastern Partnership’s agenda for recovery, resilience and reform is underpinned by an 'Economic and Investment Plan for the Eastern Partnership (EaP): Investing in resilient and competitive economies and societies' (Annex I of the Joint Staff Working Document). More detailed overviews are given in a Factsheet on the Eastern Partnership Joint Communication, presenting the policy objectives and the specific priorities, as well as in a Factsheet on EU-Eastern Neighbourhood flagship projects 2023-2024.
The Joint Declaration of the Eastern Partnership Summit 'Recovery, Resilience and Reform' of 15 December 2021 reaffirmed the strong commitment to a strategic, ambitious and forward-looking Eastern Partnership.
At the Eastern Partnership Foreign Affairs Ministerial meeting of 11 December 2023, the EU, member states and partners declared that they will step up their efforts to implement the Eastern Partnership’s agenda for recovery, resilience and reform, as well as tackling challenges related to the ongoing consequences of the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine for the entire region.
In cooperation with its ENP partners, Eurostat has the responsibility to promote and implement the use of European and internationally recognised standards and methodology for the production of statistics, necessary for designing and monitoring policies in various areas. Eurostat manages and coordinates EU efforts to increase the capacity of the ENP countries to develop, produce and disseminate good quality data according to European and international standards. Additional information on the policy context of the ENP is provided on the website of Directorate-General Enlargement and Eastern Neighbourhood (ENEST).
Explore further
Other articles
- All articles on non-EU countries
- European Neighbourhood Policy countries — statistical overview — online publication
- Statistical cooperation — online publication
Database
- Economy and finance (enpe_ecf)
- National accounts (enpe_na)
- GDP, main aggregates and economic indicators (enpe_nama_gdp)
- National accounts (enpe_na)
- Population and social conditions (enpe_pop)
- Demography and population (enpe_pop_demo)
- Living conditions (enpe_livcon)
- Income distribution (enpe_incom)
- Energy (enpe_nrg)
- Energy productivity (enpe_nrg_prod)
- Research and development, digital society (enpe_sci)
- Digital society (enpe_isoc)
- Main population indicators (demo_ind)
- GDP and components (nama_10_ma)
- Inequality (ilc_ie)
- Income inequality (ilc_iei)
- Energy (nrg), see:
- Energy statistics – quantities (nrg_quant)
- Energy statistics – quantities, annual data (nrg_quanta)
- Energy indicators (nrg_ind)
- Energy statistics – quantities, annual data (nrg_quanta)
- ICT usage in households and by individuals (isoc_i)
- ICT usage in enterprises (isoc_e)
Thematic section
Publications
Methodology
- Eastern European Neighbourhood Policy countries (ENP-East) (ESMS metadata file — enpe_esms)
External links
- European External Action Service (EEAS): European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP) and Eastern Partnership (EaP)
- Directorate-General for Enlargement and Eastern Neighbourhood (DG ENEST)): European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP) and Eastern Partnership (EaP).
- Joint Communication JOIN(2020) 7 final: Eastern Partnership policy beyond 2020: Reinforcing Resilience - an Eastern Partnership that delivers for all (18 March 2020)
- Joint Staff Working Document SWD(2021) 186 final: Recovery, resilience and reform: post 2020 Eastern Partnership priorities (2 July 2021)
- Joint Declaration of the Eastern Partnership Summit: 'Recovery, Resilience and Reform' (15 December 2021)