Demographics (1/2): Russia’s Shrinking Population

The largest country in the world ( Size Matters) holds a very different position when it comes to population size. The number 1 in surface area is only number 9 in population and is on the verge of falling out of the top 10. Russia’s population is shrinking.

Looking ahead to 2060 and 2100 in By 2060, this country will have the world’s largest population (World Economic Forum) and These will be the 10 largest countries by population in 2100 (Business Insider, 2019) – though an article on Russia’s demographics should naturally begin with the past.

War

In World War II, more than 20 million Soviet citizens and soldiers died. Perhaps 23 million, perhaps 27 million – roughly three times the entire Dutch population during the war years.*

Birth Rate

On the Index Mundi map, Russia is as light blue as Canada and Switzerland. 10 births per year per 1,000 people – while in Africa, you’re not an outlier even with 40. Russia’s low birth rate was already a concern in 1971, a struggle in 2001, and the reason for financial incentives and support programs for families.

• Putin’s Demographic Revival Is A Pipe Dream (The Moscow Times, 2020)
• Putin promises hard cash, tax breaks, and mortgage relief for families with more children (CNBC, 2019)
• Putin scores with family policy, but not everyone believes in it (Trouw, 2018)
• Putin’s pro-family support program (OSW, 2017)
• Russian support for family programs (Russia Beyond, 2015); also from the same medium The benefits of being a Russian mother (2015)

Life Expectancy

In the life expectancy rankings, Russia ranks only 156th, with a score of 71.87 (see also Russia life expectancy). The Netherlands is 27th, with 10 more years. If you want to live a long life, head to Monaco or Japan, and not even vacation in Lesotho or Afghanistan. See comparative maps on life expectancy and mortality rate.

Decline

More deaths than births – logically, this leads to population decline. This is nothing new: see, for example, Russia’s Demographic Decline Continues (PRB) from 2002 and UN concerned about shrinking population in Russia (Het Parool) from 2009. However, the numbers and reports are becoming more alarming. See the recent Russia’s population will decline by 352,500 people this year – 11 times more than in 2019 (Meduza, 2020) and (same channel, also 2020) Haunted by demographic holes: Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov weighs in on Russia’s declining population.

Population, Health, Declining Population
(Small Circles Forward, 2020)

Across three parts, an overview (2020) of Russia’s population (5 m), health (9 m), and shrinking population (6 m). Also from Small Circles Forward is Explaining the demographic transition (2020, 8 m).

Why The Russian Population is Shrinking?
(Crunch, 2019, 7 m)

Why Russia is Shrinking Fast
(RealLifeLore, 2019, 10 m)

More

See

• Putin:The Birth Rate is Falling Again! We Must Do Everything To Support Russian Families (Russia Insight, 2020, 4 m)
• Exaggeration of Russia’s Demographic Problems (Serp Kerp, 2020, 5 m)
• Russia in Dire Demographic Straits! Putin Makes Russian Birth Rates a Top Priority! (Vesti News, 2019, 4 m)
• Russia cities population 1764 - 2019 history of Russian population demographics (Evolution of Things, 2019, 3 m)
• Is Putin’s Parental Glory award helping Russia’s population problem? (ITV News, 2019, 8 m)
• As birth rates decline, Russia’s population shrinks (CGTN America, 2018, 2 m)
• Russia’s Demographic Challenge (Stratfor, 2012, 2 m)
• Russia’s demographic crisis (Caspian Report, 2011, 6 m)

See/read

• Echoes Of War And Collapse: Russia’s Demographic Decline (rferl.org, 2020)
• Russian Demographics and Power: Does the Kremlin Have a Long Game? (War on the Rocks, 2020)
• Russia’s population keeps shrinking rapidly (Elena’s Models, 2020)
• Aging of Russian Population Makes Putin’s Defense Buildup More Difficult and Dangerous (Jamestown.org, 2020)
• Why is Russia’s population (relatively) small and declining? (Russia Beyond, 2019)
• How Russia’s population changed over the years (Tass, 2019)
• Russia’s Natural Population Decline to Hit 11-Year Record in 2019 (The Moscow Times, 2019), also from the same medium Top Russian Official Warns of ‘Catastrophic’ Population Loss (2019)
• Western Sanctions Are Shrinking Russia’s Population (Foreign Policy, 2017)
• Russia’s Demographic ’Crisis’. How Real is it? (RAND, 1997)
• Demografie van Rusland (Qaz Wiki)
• Demographics of Russia (Wikipedia)