Chisinau, Dec 31 (IANS): Moldovan President Igor Dodon has conferred state honours to four mothers with more than 11 children each, media report said.

Two women each with eleven children were awarded the Order of the Republic, while the other two with 12 and 13 children respectively, received the Order of Honour, the presidential press service announced.

The landlocked country of Moldova in Eastern Europe, bordered by Romania on one side and Ukraine on the three other, suffers from "a very serious demographic problem".

The awards were conferred as a sign of high appreciation to these women for consolidating the family institution and contributions towards creating socially responsible family, Xinhua news reported on Saturday.

Dodon said that it was high time to encourage through special mentions and financial support the families with many children in the country where in many villages no child was born in a year.

The President also said he would initiate legislative amendments to ensure support for the families with many children.