Demographics of Russia
Russia has an estimated population of 146.0 million as of the 1st of January 2025. This figure represents a decline from the 147.2 million recorded in the 2021 census. The country remains the most populous nation in Europe and ranks ninth globally by total inhabitants. A density calculation shows roughly 8.5 people per square kilometer across its vast territory. By the end of 2024, natural population loss reached 596.2 thousand people according to Rosstat data. This number increased by 20.4% compared to the previous year's figures.
From 1992 to 2012, death rates consistently exceeded birth rates across the nation. Analysts have labeled this prolonged period a demographic crisis. Russia experienced annual growth for the first time in fifteen years during 2009. Increased immigration and declining mortality helped drive growth through the mid-2010s. Between 2020 and 2021, the country suffered its largest peacetime decline on record. Excess deaths linked to the COVID-19 pandemic drove this sharp drop.
The United Nations projects that if current conditions persist, the population will fall to 120 million within fifty years. That would represent a reduction of about 17%. In January 2024, Rosstat predicted a potential drop to 130 million by 2046. The natural decline has deepened following the invasion of Ukraine in 2022. High military fatalities combined with human capital flight contribute to these trends.
Russia maintains one of the world's most female-biased sex ratios at 0.859 males per female. This imbalance stems from high male mortality rates in later life stages. Total fertility stood at 1.41 children born per woman as of recent estimates. This figure falls below the replacement rate of 2.1 required to maintain population levels. The average age of the Russian population reached 40.3 years due to decades of low birth rates.
Between 1993 and 2008, the total population decreased from 148 million to 143 million. Birth numbers dropped sharply from 2.5 million annually in 1987 to 1.2 million since 1997. At the beginning of 2022, only 320,400 babies were born between January and March. That count was 16,600 fewer than the same period in 2021. Deaths during that quarter totaled nearly twice the number of births at 584,700.
Cardiovascular diseases remain the principal cause of death across the country. Obesity affects 61.1% of adults according to 2016 data. Historically high alcohol consumption remains a major health issue despite recent decreases. Smoking and suicide rates also contribute significantly to public health challenges. Life expectancy for males reached 65.51 years in 2021 while females lived to 74.51 years.
Russia hosts the world's third-largest immigrant population with over 11.6 million people as recently as 2016. Most immigrants originate from other post-Soviet states including Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Azerbaijan. An estimated four million undocumented immigrants reside within the country. Temporary migrant workers make up about 7 million people total.
These temporary workers primarily come from Central Asia and East Asia regions. They work in construction, cleaning, and household industries across cities like Moscow, Saint Petersburg, and Yekaterinburg. The mayor of Moscow stated that the capital cannot function without these worker migrants. New laws now require all worker migrants to be fluent in Russian and understand local history and laws.
The 2022 invasion of Ukraine triggered considerable emigration from Russia. Over 300,000 citizens left by mid-March 2022 alone. By early October, an additional 400,000 had departed. Political refugees, economic migrants, and conscientious objectors number more than 900,000 total. Many fled due to fear of conscription after President Vladimir Putin announced partial mobilization on the 21st of September 2022.
Russia is a multinational state containing over 193 ethnic groups nationwide. In the 2021 census, nearly 71.73% identified as ethnic Russians among those who declared ethnicity. Approximately 19% of the total population identified with various minority groups. The percentage of people not indicating any ethnic identity rose from 3.94% in 2010 to 11.27% in 2021.
According to the 2021 data, the number of ethnic Russians decreased by nearly 5.43 million. This drop occurred from roughly 111 million people in 2010 to approximately 105.5 million in 2021. Four-fifths of the population originated west of the Ural Mountains in 2010. Slavs form the vast majority while Finno-Ugric and Germanic peoples make up substantial minorities.
Turkic peoples constitute another large minority spread across pockets throughout the nation. Distinct groups inhabit the North Caucasus region including Mongolian peoples like Buryats and Kalmyks. Indigenous Siberian populations and historical Jewish communities also reside within borders. Koryo-saram including Sakhalin Koreans represent another distinct group. Twenty-two republics exist within Russia each possessing unique ethnicities and languages.
Russia's constitution guarantees free universal healthcare for all citizens through a compulsory state insurance program. The Ministry of Health oversees the public system employing more than two million workers. Federal regions maintain their own health departments for local administration. A separate private plan is required to access non-state medical services.
The country spent 5.32% of its GDP on healthcare in 2018. Expenditure remains notably lower than other developed nations. Overall life expectancy at birth reached 73.2 years in 2019 with 68.2 years for males and 78.0 years for females. Infant mortality stood at 5 per 1,000 live births that same year.
Regional authorities regulate education within their jurisdictions following federal laws. Russia ranks among the world's most educated countries overall. It holds the third-highest proportion of tertiary-level graduates at 62 percent of the population. Spending on education reached roughly 4.7% of GDP in 2018.
Compulsory education lasts eleven years exclusively for children aged seven to seventeen or eighteen. Pre-school systems are highly developed
with four-fifths of three-to-six-year-olds attending day nurseries or kindergartens. Primary school runs for eleven years starting at age six or seven. An additional two or three years lead to a secondary certificate. Seven-eighths of Russians continue past this basic level. Admission to higher institutes remains selective and competitive taking five years for first-degree courses.
Up Next
Continue Browsing
Common questions
What is the population of Russia as of 2025?
Russia has an estimated population of 146.0 million people as of the 1st of January 2025. This figure represents a decline from the 147.2 million recorded in the 2021 census.
Why does Russia have a demographic crisis according to Rosstat data?
Death rates consistently exceeded birth rates across the nation between 1992 and 2012, creating a prolonged period analysts labeled a demographic crisis. Natural population loss reached 596.2 thousand people by the end of 2024, which increased by 20.4% compared to the previous year's figures.
How many immigrants live in Russia and where do they come from?
Russia hosts the world's third-largest immigrant population with over 11.6 million people as recently as 2016. Most immigrants originate from other post-Soviet states including Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Azerbaijan.
What are the main causes of death for men in Russia?
Cardiovascular diseases remain the principal cause of death across the country while obesity affects 61.1% of adults according to 2016 data. Historically high alcohol consumption remains a major health issue despite recent decreases alongside smoking and suicide rates.
When did the invasion of Ukraine trigger mass emigration from Russia?
The 2022 invasion of Ukraine triggered considerable emigration from Russia with over 300,000 citizens leaving by mid-March 2022 alone. By early October an additional 400,000 had departed after President Vladimir Putin announced partial mobilization on the 21st of September 2022.