Russia population decline

Russia has undergone its largest peacetime population decline in recorded history, according to an analysis of official statistics
 

DECLINE IN RUSSIA’S NATURAL POPULATION
Difference between birth rate and death rate (000s)

997,000 
Record fall in natural population (Oct 2020 to Sep 2021)

1960s
Steady decline in birth rate

1990s: Period of rapid depopulation and economic upheaval. Rise in social problems such as poverty and alcoholism

Dec 1991
Fall of Soviet Union. Russia loses almost half its population

Jul 1999-Jun 2000
Natural population declines by 983,000 – largest fall to date

2012
Brief return to growth

Mar 2014
Annexation of Crimea adds 2 million to Russia’s population

Jan 2020
Start of Covid-19 pandemic

2,000 
1,800 
1,600 
1,400 
1,200 
1,000
800 
600 
400 
200
0
-200 
-400 
-600 
-800
-1,000
	1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 2021*
      
*Jan-Aug 


Sources: The Moscow Times, Alexei Raksha
Picture: Getty Images 
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