Russia Population

Population now

142,951,497
  • World: 9th
  • Europe: 1st
Male:66,286,148(46.37 %)
Female:76,666,066(53.63 %)
Births in 2024:1,077,077
Deaths in 2024:1,380,421

Life expectancy & Rates (2024)

Male:67.73 years
Female:78.05 years
Total:72.76 years
Median Age:39.70 years
Birth Rate:10.51
Death Rate:13.47
Growth Rate:-0.22 %
Fertility Rate:1.77

Population Data Graphs

  • Total population
  • Birth & Death rate
  • Life expectancy
  • Median Age
  • Population structure (mid 2024)
  • Urbanization

Russia Population Review

Russia, which is also known as the Russian Federation, is located in Eastern Europe and Northern Asia. It is the world’s largest country landmass and covers 17.1 million square miles, making it 7.2 million square miles larger than the second-largest country, Canada. It stretches across 11 time zones and shares a land border with 14 different countries. It is home to over 145 million people but, due to the country’s size, is sparsely populated. Overall, Russia has a population density of 9 people per square kilometer, making it one of the least densely populated countries in the world.

An urban-based population, with a twist

Due to its northern location, much of Russia’s weather is harsh and unrelenting. This makes it difficult to farm and maintain a consistent flow of supplies. For this reason, over 73% of the population choose to live in urban areas. Russia’s largest cities, Moscow and St. Petersburg, have over 17 million residents between them. However, recent studies have shown that Russia may be emptying from within, with more of the population choosing to “de-urbanize” and move to the countryside. The first wave of this was noticed in the early 2000s as urban populations dipped in favor of rural living. While the trend towards urbanization continues to rise, the increase has plateaued much more than it did in the 1960s and 70s.

There is also a huge trend towards seasonal deurbanization in Russia. It’s long been a common tradition in Russia for families to maintain a dacha—a simple, country home—alongside their home in the city. Russian families may decamp to their dacha in the warmer months where they may keep a garden an a few goats. The maintenance of these dachas has created a secondary type of suburbanization/deurbanization that has slowed the typical deurbanization seen in developing countries.

A dropping growth rate

Russia’s relatively small population is in decline. With a current growth rate of -0.05%, it’s predicted that Russia’s population will drop to around 132 million by 2050—a decrease of almost 12 million people. So what is causing Russia’s decline? One key reason is a ‘war echo’. While it may seem that WWII is in the distant past, the devastating loss of life the Soviet Union took during those years created a “hole” in the countries growth. The death of 25 to 30 million people meant that people who died in the early 1940s didn’t have children. The absence of these people and whatever children they may have had caused a population downturn in the 1960s, then again in the 1990s, and now Russia faces it’s third population echo of war.

Even when Russia recovers from the war echo, it faces what many developed countries now face: a low birth rate. There is currently no developed country in the world where families are, on average, having two of more children. Because of this, citizen-based population growth in developed countries has simply stopped.

A plan to attract immigrants

President Vladimir Putin has put into place plans to increase the amount of Russian-speaking migrants to help offset the country’s declining population. The goal of this plan is to attract up to 10 million migrants between 2019 and 2025. While Russia did see some promising figures in 2019, with 98,000 migrants recorded in the country, this was seen as an anomaly. Currently, the majority of Russia’s immigrants come from neighbouring countries like Kazakhstan, Ukraine and Tajikistan. Unfortunately, even if this plan succeeded, the fast that 17 to 20% of Russians are seeking to permanently move to another country could hinder the country’s plan to bolster their shrinking population.

Review Updated: April 29, 2020

Russia Population History

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YearTotalMaleFemaleSex RatioGrowth rateBirth rateDeath rateFerti­lity rate
Life exp., total
Life expectancy
Life exp., maleLife exp., femaleMedian AgeUrbani­zation
Density, people / km2
Density, people/km2
1960120M54M66M0.811.87%23.798.302.5266.0662.0770.2426.2053.73%7.01
1961121M54M67M0.821.78%22.738.182.4566.6062.5870.8226.5054.63%7.09
1962123M55M67M0.821.66%21.548.102.3667.0262.9671.2926.8155.52%7.17
1963124M56M68M0.821.51%20.268.072.2767.3463.2271.6727.1056.41%7.25
1964125M57M69M0.831.34%18.948.082.1867.5763.3771.9827.3657.29%7.33
1965127M57M69M0.831.17%17.688.132.1367.7263.4372.2227.6258.17%7.41
1966127M58M70M0.831.02%16.588.222.1067.8163.4372.4127.9659.05%7.45
1967128M58M70M0.830.88%15.718.342.0467.8663.3972.5628.4359.92%7.50
1968129M59M70M0.840.78%15.108.491.9967.8763.3172.6729.0660.78%7.54
1969130M59M71M0.840.70%14.768.661.9767.8763.2172.7629.5061.64%7.58
1970130M60M71M0.840.66%14.678.851.9968.1363.0873.4429.7662.47%7.63
1971131M60M71M0.840.63%14.779.052.0368.3863.2473.7729.9463.28%7.67
1972132M60M72M0.840.62%14.969.262.0468.3163.2573.6229.9764.08%7.71
1973133M61M72M0.840.60%15.179.472.0168.2963.2873.5629.8864.87%7.76
1974133M61M72M0.840.59%15.369.692.0068.3263.1373.7729.7865.65%7.80
1975134M62M73M0.850.57%15.519.911.9867.7262.4873.2329.8366.43%7.85
1976135M62M73M0.850.54%15.6410.131.9767.4962.1973.0529.7567.19%7.90
1977136M63M74M0.850.52%15.7810.351.9567.3861.8373.2029.8667.95%7.96
1978137M63M74M0.850.51%15.9510.571.9267.3961.8373.2330.0668.70%8.02
1979138M64M74M0.850.46%15.8010.801.9067.1161.4973.0230.2469.31%8.07
1980139M64M75M0.860.45%15.9011.001.8967.0361.3972.9630.3969.75%8.13
1981140M65M75M0.860.47%16.0010.901.9167.2661.6273.1930.5470.19%8.18
1982141M65M76M0.860.55%16.6010.702.0467.8162.2573.6430.6770.63%8.24
1983142M66M76M0.860.58%17.5011.102.1167.6562.1673.4230.8271.07%8.28
1984143M66M77M0.860.46%16.9011.602.0667.2061.7172.9730.9871.50%8.35
1985144M67M77M0.870.47%16.6011.302.0567.8662.7373.2431.1771.92%8.41
1986145M67M78M0.870.65%17.2010.402.1569.3964.7874.2331.3672.35%8.47
1987146M68M78M0.870.64%17.2010.502.2269.4464.8474.2731.5772.77%8.53
1988147M69M78M0.880.50%16.0010.702.1269.4664.6474.5331.8173.18%8.59
1989148M69M79M0.880.36%14.6010.702.0169.1764.2474.3532.0673.40%8.64
1990148M69M79M0.880.20%13.4011.201.8968.8963.7374.3032.3673.39%8.65
1991148M70M79M0.880.06%12.1011.401.7368.4763.4573.7532.6073.39%8.68
1992149M70M79M0.88-0.12%10.7012.201.5566.8762.0071.9932.9273.39%8.69
1993148M70M79M0.88-0.35%9.4014.501.3964.9458.9771.2033.2973.38%8.68
1994148M70M79M0.88-0.39%9.5015.701.4064.4757.5571.7333.6673.38%8.68
1995148M70M79M0.88-0.38%9.3015.001.3464.6958.1271.5934.0273.37%8.68
1996148M69M79M0.88-0.37%8.9014.201.2765.8559.6272.4034.4073.37%8.66
1997148M69M79M0.88-0.38%8.6013.801.2266.7060.8572.8434.7173.36%8.65
1998148M69M78M0.88-0.35%8.8013.501.2367.0361.2273.1334.9773.36%8.64
1999147M69M78M0.88-0.43%8.3014.601.1665.9859.8772.4035.2373.35%8.61
2000147M69M78M0.88-0.43%8.7015.301.2065.4859.0372.2635.5073.35%8.57
2001146M68M78M0.88-0.42%9.0015.601.2265.3858.9272.1735.6773.35%8.54
2002145M68M77M0.88-0.40%9.7016.201.2965.1358.6871.9035.8573.34%8.50
2003145M67M77M0.87-0.38%10.2016.401.3265.0358.5371.8536.0373.37%8.46
2004144M67M77M0.87-0.35%10.4015.901.3465.4758.9172.3636.1873.42%8.42
2005144M67M77M0.87-0.37%10.2016.101.2965.5358.9272.4736.3173.46%8.39
2006143M67M77M0.87-0.32%10.3015.101.3166.7360.4373.3436.5173.51%8.37
2007143M66M76M0.87-0.23%11.3014.601.4267.5961.4674.0236.6873.55%8.35
2008143M66M76M0.87-0.17%12.0014.501.5067.9561.9274.2836.8173.60%8.35
2009143M66M77M0.87-0.13%12.3014.101.5468.6862.8774.7936.9173.64%8.35
2010143M66M77M0.86-0.12%12.5014.201.5768.8463.0974.8836.9973.69%8.35
2011143M66M77M0.86-0.07%12.6013.501.5869.6864.0475.6137.1273.73%8.36
2012143M66M77M0.86?13.3013.301.6970.0764.5675.8637.2473.79%8.37
2013144M66M77M0.860.02%13.2013.001.7170.5865.1376.3037.3673.86%8.39
2014144M67M77M0.860.02%13.3013.101.7570.7465.2976.4737.5073.95%8.41
2015144M67M77M0.860.02%13.3013.001.7871.1865.9276.7137.6574.05%8.43
2016144M67M77M0.86?12.9012.901.7671.6566.5077.0637.8174.16%8.44
2017144M67M78M0.86-0.07%11.5012.401.6272.4567.5177.6437.9874.29%8.45
2018144M67M78M0.86-0.13%10.9012.501.5872.6667.7577.8238.1774.43%8.45
2019144M67M77M0.86-0.18%10.1012.301.5073.0868.2478.1738.3774.59%8.44
2020144M67M77M0.86-0.33%9.8014.601.5171.3466.4976.4338.5974.75%8.43
2021143M66M77M0.86-0.33%9.8014.601.5171.3466.4976.4338.8474.93%8.39
2022143M66M77M0.86-0.33%9.8014.601.5171.3466.4976.4339.1075.13%8.38
2023143M66M77M0.86-0.25%10.3313.751.7072.4167.4277.6539.3975.33%8.37
2024143M66M77M0.86-0.22%10.5113.471.7772.7667.7378.0539.7075.55%8.36

Russia Population Projections

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YearTotalMaleFemaleSex RatioGrowth rateBirth rateDeath rateFerti­lity rate
Life exp., total
Life expectancy
Life exp., maleLife exp., femaleMedian AgeUrbani­zation
Density, people / km2
Density, people/km2
2025143M66M76M0.86-0.19%10.6913.191.8373.1268.0478.4640.0275.78%8.34
2026142M66M76M0.86-0.21%10.5413.261.8373.2668.2178.5840.3776.02%8.32
2027142M66M76M0.86-0.22%10.4013.331.8373.4168.3778.7040.7176.27%8.31
2028142M66M76M0.87-0.24%10.2513.401.8373.5568.5478.8241.0576.53%8.28
2029141M66M76M0.87-0.25%10.1113.471.8373.7068.7078.9441.3676.80%8.26
2030141M65M76M0.87-0.26%9.9613.541.8373.8468.8779.0641.6677.08%8.24
2031140M65M75M0.87-0.27%10.0013.631.8373.9969.0479.1841.9477.38%8.21
2032140M65M75M0.87-0.27%10.0413.721.8374.1369.2279.2942.2377.68%8.18
2033139M65M75M0.87-0.27%10.0813.821.8374.2869.3979.4142.5277.99%8.16
2034139M65M74M0.87-0.27%10.1213.911.8374.4269.5779.5242.8078.31%8.13
2035138M64M74M0.87-0.27%10.1614.001.8374.5769.7479.6443.0378.63%8.10
2036138M64M74M0.87-0.27%10.3214.081.8374.7269.9279.7643.1878.96%8.07
2037138M64M74M0.87-0.26%10.4714.171.8374.8770.1079.8743.2479.30%8.04
2038137M64M73M0.87-0.25%10.6314.251.8375.0170.2779.9943.2179.63%8.02
2039137M64M73M0.87-0.25%10.7814.341.8375.1670.4580.1043.0979.96%7.99
2040136M63M73M0.87-0.24%10.9414.421.8375.3170.6380.2242.9180.29%7.96
2041136M63M73M0.87-0.23%11.0714.451.8375.4670.8180.3442.6480.61%7.94
2042135M63M72M0.87-0.23%11.2014.491.8375.6170.9980.4542.3380.93%7.92
2043135M63M72M0.87-0.22%11.3314.521.8375.7571.1780.5742.0081.24%7.90
2044135M63M72M0.88-0.21%11.4614.561.8375.9071.3580.6841.7081.55%7.88
2045134M63M72M0.88-0.21%11.5914.591.8376.0571.5380.8041.4381.86%7.86
2046134M63M71M0.88-0.20%11.6014.561.8376.2071.7280.9141.2182.16%7.85
2047134M63M71M0.88-0.20%11.6014.541.8376.3571.9081.0241.0382.46%7.83
2048134M63M71M0.88-0.20%11.6114.511.8376.5072.0981.1440.8982.75%7.82
2049133M63M71M0.88-0.20%11.6114.491.8376.6572.2781.2540.7983.04%7.80
2050133M63M71M0.89-0.20%11.6214.461.8376.8072.4681.3640.7383.33%7.79

Highest City Populations in Russia

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  • Top 20
  • Top 100
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RankCityPopulation, Urban AreaPopulation, City
1Moscow12,627,38910,381,222
2Saint Petersburg5,526,9265,351,935
3Novosibirsk1,683,1641,612,833
4Yekaterinburg1,518,7311,495,066
5Kazan1,284,2991,243,500
6Nizhniy Novgorod1,253,5671,253,000
7Chelyabinsk1,235,8661,202,371
8Omsk1,181,2841,172,070
9Krasnoyarsk1,156,1641,090,811
10Samara1,158,5671,158,000
11Ufa1,141,4331,120,547
12Rostov-on-Don1,137,7161,130,305
13Perm1,077,866982,419
14Voronezh1,075,8661,047,549
15Volgograd998,851998,000
16Krasnodar984,746899,541
17Tyumen881,329768,358
18Saratov839,567839,000
19Tolyatti694,851694,000
20Izhevsk652,000648,213
21Irkutsk643,433623,869
22Barnaul640,716632,372
23Khabarovsk638,149618,150
24Ulyanovsk623,284623,000
25Yaroslavl613,000608,722
26Vladivostok610,000604,901
27Tomsk602,866574,002
28Makhachkala601,000596,356
29Orenburg569,000564,773
30Kemerovo567,716558,973
31Novokuznetsk548,284539,616
32Balashikha539,314150,103
33Ryazan540,000538,962
34Astrakhan535,000533,925
35Naberezhnyye Chelny535,000509,870
36Penza522,000522,000
37Kirov516,433507,155
38Cheboksary511,149492,331
39Lipetsk505,284505,000
40Kaliningrad489,149475,056
41Kursk469,433448,733
42Tula467,851467,000
43Sochi464,015327,608
44Stavropol455,149433,931
45Ulan-Ude447,433360,278
46Tver425,716420,065
47Magnitogorsk421,000413,351
48Belgorod413,149345,289
49Surgut401,299300,367
50Ivanovo400,567400,000
51Bryansk394,567394,000
52Chita360,433349,005
53Vladimir359,716357,024
54Kaluga350,716340,851
55Arkhangelsk349,000349,000
56Nizhny Tagil346,567346,000
57Yakutsk334,866235,600
58Podolsk332,866179,400
59Volzhskiy330,71631,849
60Smolensk328,000328,000
61Saransk323,716318,841
62Cherepovets320,000315,738
63Vologda317,716312,420
64Orel315,284303,696
65Kurgan309,567309,000
66Vladikavkaz299,567299,000

Map of Russia

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