Demographic Situation and Mortality Trends in Russia

During transition from totalitarian socialist system to democratic system with a market economy Russia has experienced dramatic transformations in its demographic development. In the period 1991–1998, the population of the country declined by more than 1.4 million people (Figure 14.1). Natural increase since 1992 has been negative and during the last few years oscillated around 705 thousand. Due to positive annual net migration, which since 1992 has been about 5 million, the total population size of Russia has been decreasing not as rapid as it could have been otherwise (Figure 14.2).