A DEMOGRAPHIC TRAGEDY is unfolding in Russia. Over the past three years the country has lost around 2m more people than it would ordinarily have done, as a result of war, disease and exodus. The life expectancy of Russian males aged 15 fell by almost five years, to the same level as in Haiti.
Russia is in the midst of a historic population decline as it continues to grapple with low birth rates, high emigration, staggering health statistics and a deadly war in Ukraine. The growing crisis has been described by some as a "silent war" against its own human capital.
Low Birth Rate
Russia's total fertility rate is low at 1.6 births per woman; the number represents the number of children each Russian woman has during her lifetime. For comparison, the entire world's fertility rate is 2.4; the rate in the U.S. is 1.8.
Up to 1938, the population of the Soviet Union remained "demographically young", but later, since 1959, began its demographic ageing: the proportion of young age began to decline, and the elderly – to increase, which was the result of lower fertility.
Russia has always been a country with vastly underdeveloped, underpopulated areas. These features became particularly acute after the breakup of the Soviet Union when Russia inherited three-fourths of its territory and only half of its population.
According to the state statistics agency, in 2020 and 2021 combined the country's population declined by 1.3m; deaths outstripped births by 1.7m.
More than 60% of Russia is underlain by permafrost and this includes large urban areas and large ports, numerous pipelines and oil and gas installations. Such areas are therefore at risk from damage associated with permafrost melting.
Indeed, according to current projections, China's population is likely to drop below 1 billion by 2080 and below 800 million by 2100. Those specific numbers will surely change; the downward shape of the curve almost certainly will not. India by contrast will keep growing quickly for a while.
Population ages 65 and above, percent of total, 2021 - Country rankings: The average for 2021 based on 196 countries was 9.72 percent. The highest value was in Monaco: 35.97 percent and the lowest value was in Qatar: 1.4 percent. The indicator is available from 1960 to 2021.
In the 2021 Census, roughly 81% of the population were ethnic Russians, 19% of the population were ethnic minorities. According to the United Nations, Russia's immigrant population is the world's third largest, numbering over 11.6 million; most of whom are from other post-Soviet states.
About 85% of the Russian empire's population earned their living from agriculture. This proportion was higher than in most European countries.
Following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, more than 300,000 Russian citizens and residents are estimated to have left Russia by mid-March 2022, at least 500,000 by the end of August 2022, and an additional 400,000 by early October, for a total of approximately 900,000.
The largest China racial/ethnic groups are White (96.9%) followed by Hispanic (1.7%) and Black (0.8%).
Japan's population of more than 125 million has been declining for 16 years and is projected to fall to 87 million by 2070.
China's aging population is caused by a low birth rate together with prolonged human life expectancy.
Which countries have the oldest populations? Japan and Italy | World Economic Forum.
Lower literacy rates are found mostly in South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa. The world's largest ethnic group is Han Chinese, constituting over 19% of the global population in 2011. In terms of the largest number of native speakers, Mandarin is the world's most spoken language.
According to Policy Brief No. 153 from the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA), entitled “India overtakes China as the world's most populous country”, between 2023 and 2050, the number of persons aged 65 or over is expected to nearly double in China and to increase by more than double in ...
Japan's population has fallen for the 12th consecutive year, as deaths rise and the birth rate continues to sink, according to government data released Wednesday. The population stood at 124.49 million in 2022 – representing a decline of 556,000 from the previous year, figures show.
A new study released by the European Commission demographic agency Eurostat predicts that Germany's population will go down by 14 percent in the year 2060, making it only the third-biggest country in Europe.
- CON: Weather
As Russia is such a large country, the weather varies dramatically. No matter where in the country they live though, expats must prepare themselves and adapt their lifestyles for long, cold winters, and shorter spring, summer and autumn seasons. Winters can be harsh.
Life for expats in Russia is generally comfortable, with expenses such as groceries and utility bills being fairly inexpensive even in major cities such as Moscow.
The Russian Federation
The unhealthy lifestyle of its residents has made high blood pressure the most common reason for death in the country by far, with 562,933 deaths followed by 301,068 due to smoking, 268,420 by obesity, 257,066 due to high blood sugar, and 189,865 deaths owed to alcohol use.