Yes, Russia's population is in a significant and accelerating decline, driven by low birth rates, high death rates (worsened by the Ukraine war and lifestyle factors), and significant emigration, creating a deep demographic crisis that official pronouncements and pro-natal policies struggle to counter, leading to an older, shrinking population.
Since the 2022 invasion of Ukraine, hundreds of thousands of Russians, with estimates ranging from 650,000 to over 900,000 people, have left the country, creating Russia's largest exodus in decades, primarily fleeing conscription, political repression, and economic uncertainty, with popular destinations including Kazakhstan, Georgia, Turkey, and Armenia.
The consensus among Russian analysts is clear — under current conditions of tight monetary policy, the economy is doomed to contract.” Signals of deterioration in Russia's economy are only intensifying. One key indicator — the so-called recession exit index — collapsed in October 2025 from 0.345 to 0.1.
With the total land area of over 17 million square kilometres. But if you split it down the Euro Mountains, almost everyone lives in the west while the east remains mostly uninhabited. So why is that? Well, the answer lies in Russia's extreme geography.
The European part of Russia is comparable by population density with the U.S.A. (in European Russia – 27 and in the U.S.A. – 29 people per 1 square kilometer). On the other hand, the historical core of the country appears to be underpopulated when compared to the industrialized countries of Western Europe.
The leading cause of death in Russia is overwhelmingly diseases of the circulatory system, primarily ischemic heart disease and stroke, followed by cancers (especially lung cancer), with significant mortality also from external causes like accidents, alcohol poisoning, and suicide, reflecting high rates of preventable deaths compared to Western Europe. Cardiovascular diseases account for over half of all deaths, a much higher proportion than the European average.
1. Greenland. Greenland has a population density of 0.14 people per square kilometre (0.36 people per square mile) and is the least densely populated country in the world.
The French emperor—intent on conquering Europe—sent 600,000 troops into Russia. Six disastrous months later, only an estimated 100,000 made it out.
The official poverty rate in Russia has been slowly declining in recent years: from 12.6 percent in 2018, 12.3 percent in 2019 to 12.1 percent in 2020. Cumulative quarterly data for 2021 shows poverty rose to 14.2 percent in the first quarter and then fell to 13.2, 12.1, and 11.0 percent in following quarters.
Russia performs most strongly in Education and Economic Quality but is weakest in Personal Freedom. The biggest improvement compared to a decade ago came in Social Capital.
While the average yearly salary in Russia sits around 1.24 million rubles (roughly $14,771), it's important to remember this doesn't show the whole picture. In Russia, salaries can vary greatly, with the lowest average being just 26,200 rubles and the highest reaching 463,000 rubles.
Everyone may freely leave the Russian Federation. Citizens of the Russian Federation shall have the right freely to return to the Russian Federation.
The 2011 census recorded 36,313 people born in Russia resident in England, 687 in Wales, 2,180 in Scotland and 349 in Northern Ireland. The Office for National Statistics estimates that 73,000 people born in Russia were resident in the UK in 2020.
According to the World Jewish Congress, the Jewish community in Ukraine is Europe's fourth largest and the world's 11th largest. 2021 est. 43,000 core – 140,000 enlarged 45,000 by 2023 est. The presence of Jews in Ukrainian territory is first mentioned in the 10th century.
Clearly, the typhus epidemic played a key role in the fate of Napoleon's army. The retreating French army and the pursuing Russians spread typhus throughout eastern Europe.
Wellington in contrast famously said that Napoleon's presence on the battlefield “was worth forty thousand men”. Privately he criticised his military and political rule, referring to him as 'Buonaparte' to emphasise his non-French origins. “His whole life, civil, political and military, was a fraud'.
Ultimately, the War of 1812 ended in a draw on the battlefield, and the peace treaty reflected this. The Treaty of Ghent was signed in modern-day Belgium on December 24, 1814, and went into effect on February 17, 1815, after both sides had ratified it.
Russia. In Russia, a 500ml Coca-Cola is priced at 94 RUB (i.e. INR 94).
Alcohol: Alcohol is relatively cheap in Russia - a pint of beer can be purchased for around 250 roubles ($4) and a glass of decent wine for 300 roubles ($5).
1. South Sudan ($455 | GDP-PPP per Capita) South Sudan ranks as the poorest country globally, grappling with prolonged civil war, oil dependency, and severe food insecurity. The ongoing conflict disrupts agricultural production, leaving over 60% of its population in need of humanitarian assistance.
Postcard from Indonesia: The world's “Biggest Invisible Country” — but for how long? I've just returned from a whirlwind trip to Jakarta, and wow, Indonesia truly surprised me. This country, often flying under the radar, is the fourth most populous nation on Earth and the largest economy in Southeast Asia.
The cleanest country in the world is Estonia, according World Population Review's Cleanest Countries in the World 2025. The most sustainable countries include Honduras, Moldova, Norway, Sweden, New Zealand, and the UK, based on varying environmental, social and economic factors.