Russia Demography: Key Figures on Population, Births and Deaths
As of 1 January 2025, 146,119,928 people lived in Russia. In 2024 the population decreased by only 30,861 people, even though deaths exceeded births by 599,454: almost the entire natural decline was offset by an influx of people from abroad, 568,593 people. This is Russia's demography in one sentence. Few children are born (total fertility rate 1.4 children per woman), life expectancy has returned to the pre‑COVID 73.4 years, and the population size is maintained thanks to migration. Below are all the main indicators in order, with charts and links to detailed Rosstat tables on the website.
How many people live in Russia
Rosstat counts the permanent population on 1 January each year. The latest estimate, 146.12 million, is taken from the table "Estimate of the permanent population size and components of change". A year earlier it was 146.15 million.
The maximum in the last 35 years was at the beginning of 1993: 148.56 million. Afterwards the population mainly declined and by early 2009 fell to 142.74 million. Growth in the 2010s was driven by two factors: mortality fell and more children were born. Plus, since 2014 Crimea and Sevastopol were included, so on 1 January 2015 Rosstat already shows 146.27 million.
How the size changed year by year can be seen in the summary "Population of Russia by year". A detailed analysis with censuses is in the article "Population of Russia: how many people live there".
Birth rate: how many children are born
In 2023, 1,264,354 children were born in Russia. This is less than in 2000 (1,266,800), which was long considered the low point. There were 8.6 births per thousand inhabitants. For comparison: in 1960, 2,782,353 children were born, in 2014, 1,942,683, and that was the last peak.
The main measure of fertility used by demographers is the total fertility rate: how many children on average one woman would have over her lifetime at the current level of births. In Russia in 2024 it equals 1.4. In 2015 it was 1.76. Rural women give birth more than urban women: in 2023 the rate in rural areas was 1.58, in cities 1.36.
Globally, 1.4 is not a record low. In Rosstat's table Germany also has 1.4, Italy 1.2, Belarus 1.1. Kazakhstan has 2.8, Uzbekistan 3.4. Countries are compared in the set on Russia and the CIS.
Why have births become fewer even though the rate fell less sharply? It is due to the size of the mothers' generation. Women born in the 1990s entered the 25–35 age group, and there are few of them. Even with the same propensity to have children, the number of births becomes lower. The number of births for a specific year can be opened on a separate page, for example births in 2023.
The graph shows the main point. Since the early 1990s, more people have died than have been born, and the gap was closed only for three years, from 2013 to 2015. The interactive version is available in the summary "Number of births in Russia by year".
Mortality and Life Expectancy
In 2023, 1,764,618 people died, 12.1 per thousand residents. The toughest year in recent history was 2021: 2,441,594 deaths, more than in 2003 (2,365,826), at the peak of mortality in the 2000s. The surge of 2020–2021 was caused by the pandemic.
Life expectancy at birth in 2023 was 73.41 years. This is slightly higher than the pre‑COVID 2019 figure (73.34). In 2021 the indicator fell to 70.15, and in 2010 it was 68.94.
The gender gap in Russia is the largest among the 42 countries in the Rosstat table. Women live on average 78.7 years, men 68.0, a difference of 10.7 years. In France, for example, the figures are 85.2 and 79.4 years. A detailed year‑by‑year analysis is available in the article "Life expectancy in Russia by year".
Infant mortality from 2010 to 2024 fell from 7.5 to 4.0 per thousand live births. The spike to 8.6 in 2012 is explained by methodology: Rosstat began counting live‑born children weighing from 500 grams. Regions are compared on this indicator in the infant mortality ranking.
Why the population does not decline faster: natural decrease and migration
The size changes due to two forces. Natural growth: births minus deaths. Migration: arrivals to the country minus departures. Moves between regions do not affect the total figure.
Since 1992 natural growth has been almost always negative. The worst was in 2021: minus 1.04 million people for the year. In 2024 the decrease was 599.5 thousand. Migration growth in 2024, 568.5 thousand, was the largest since 1995.
When the two lines on the chart diverge equally from zero, the population stays in place. That was the case in 2024. Both components by year are compiled in the tables "Natural population growth by year" and "Migration growth by year".
Regional demographics: where births exceed deaths
In 2024 only one of the eight federal districts had natural growth: the North Caucasus, plus 53,434 people. The Central district lost the most: minus 179,050.
Among the regions in the plus are Dagestan (27,972), Chechnya (23,934), Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug (7,406), Ingushetia (6,109) and Moscow (4,773). Migrants mainly go to two capitals and their regions. In 2024 migration growth of Moscow Oblast was 149,892 people, Moscow 119,709, St. Petersburg 70,464, Leningrad Oblast 34,124.
Life expectancy by region varies by 13 years. The longest lives are in Dagestan (79.87 years), Moscow (79.38) and Ingushetia (79.2), the shortest in Chukotka (66.56) and Tuva (66.59). All subjects are placed by rank in the regional life expectancy ranking.
The Population Is Aging
At the beginning of 2024, people older than working age in Russia numbered 34.6 million, or 23.7% of the population. The peak share occurred in 2019, 25.8%. Then the figure fell, but the population did not become younger as a result: after the retirement age was raised, the very boundary that Rosstat uses to count people "older than working age" shifted. How the age pyramid is structured is explained in the article "Age Structure of Russia's Population".
Marriages and Divorces
In 2023, 945,995 marriages and 683,796 divorces were registered. The number of marriages was 107,761 fewer than in 2022. The reason is the same as with births: a small cohort born in the 1990s has entered marriageable age. The series from 1960 is on the chart "Marriages in Russia by Year".
Questions and Answers
How many people live in Russia in 2025?
According to Rosstat's estimate for 1 January 2025, the permanent population is 146,119,928 people.
Is Russia's population growing or shrinking?
It is shrinking, but slowly. In 2024 there was a decline of 30,861 people: natural loss was almost completely offset by migration.
What is the birth rate in Russia?
The total fertility rate in 2024 was 1.4 children per woman. In 2023, 1,264,354 children were born, 8.6 per thousand residents.
How long do people live on average in Russia?
Life expectancy at birth in 2023 was 73.4 years: 78.7 for women and 68.0 for men.
When was the last time more people were born than died in Russia?
In 2013–2015. Natural increase then was modest, from 24 to 32 thousand people per year.
In Short
- Russia's population on 1 January 2025: 146.1 million, down 31 thousand for the year.
- More people die than are born since 1992; the exception is 2013–2015.
- Total fertility rate 1.4, births in 2023 fewer than in 2000.
- Life expectancy 73.4 years, gender gap 10.7 years.
- Population loss is compensated by migration: plus 568.5 thousand in 2024, more than in any year since 1995.
- Natural increase occurs only in the North Caucasus and oil regions, while migrants move to Moscow, St. Petersburg and their surrounding areas.
All figures are taken from Rosstat tables published on roschart.ru.