While many know Russia as the world's largest nation by land, few realize that with a population density of just 8.5 people per square kilometer and a current growth rate of -0.39%, it is a country of vast, empty spaces quietly grappling with a declining and aging populace.
Key Takeaways
- Russia's total population as of January 1, 2023, was 146,447,424 people
- Russia's population density is 8.5 people per square kilometer as of 2023
- The median age in Russia is 40.3 years as of 2023
- Russia's GDP (nominal) was 2.240 trillion USD in 2022
- GDP per capita (nominal) in Russia was 15,345 USD in 2022
- GDP (PPP) in Russia was 5.336 trillion international dollars in 2022
- Total land area of Russia is 17,098,242 square kilometers
- Russia's exclusive economic zone is 4,667,700 square kilometers in the Arctic Ocean
- Highest point is Mount Elbrus at 5,642 meters
- Russia's government is a federal semi-presidential republic
- President Vladimir Putin has been in office since May 7, 2012
- Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin appointed January 16, 2020
- Russia's Gini coefficient (income inequality) was 36.0 in 2021
- Homicide rate is 5.4 per 100,000 population as of 2021
- Internet users penetration is 85% of population (123 million) as of 2023
Russia is a vast, sparsely populated nation experiencing demographic decline and economic strain.
Demographics
1Russia's total population as of January 1, 2023, was 146,447,424 people
Verified2Russia's population density is 8.5 people per square kilometer as of 2023
Verified3The median age in Russia is 40.3 years as of 2023
Verified4Russia's total fertility rate is 1.5 children per woman as of 2023
Directional5Life expectancy at birth in Russia is 73.1 years for the total population as of 2023
Single source674.7% of Russia's population lives in urban areas as of 2023
Verified7Russia's population growth rate is -0.39% annually as of 2023
Verified8Net migration rate into Russia is 0.4 migrants per 1,000 population as of 2023
Verified979.8% of Russians are ethnic Russians as of 2023
Directional10Tatar ethnicity makes up 3.7% of Russia's population as of 2023
Single source11Ukrainian ethnicity comprises 1.4% of Russia's population as of 2023
Verified1271.3% of Russians speak Russian as their first language as of 2023
Verified13Age structure 0-14 years: 17.2% of population as of 2023
Verified14Age structure 15-64 years: 66.5% of population as of 2023
Directional15Age structure 65+ years: 16.3% of population as of 2023
Single source16Dependency ratio total in Russia is 50.4 as of 2023
Verified17Russia's sex ratio at birth is 1.06 male(s)/female as of 2023
Verified18Maternal mortality rate is 14 deaths/100,000 live births as of 2020
Verified19Infant mortality rate is 5.4 deaths/1,000 live births as of 2023
Directional20Total migrant stock in Russia is 11,644,000 people or 7.9% of population as of 2020
Single source21Russia's population pyramid shows a contracting population trend as of 2023
Verified22Literacy rate for population 15+ years is 99.7% in Russia as of 2023
Verified23School life expectancy is 15 years in Russia as of 2023
Verified24Youth unemployment rate (15-24 years) is 12.3% as of 2022
Directional25Obesity rate among adults is 23.1% as of 2016
Single source26HIV/AIDS prevalence is 1.2% among adults 15-49 as of 2021
Verified27Drinking water access is 98.9% of population as of 2020
Verified28Sanitation services access is 94.2% of population as of 2020
Verified29Suicide rate is 20.1 per 100,000 population as of 2021
Directional30Population below poverty line is 12.1% as of 2019
Single sourceDemographics Interpretation
Russia, a nation spanning one-eighth of the world's landmass, presents a portrait of a highly educated, urbanized, yet slowly shrinking society, where a near-universal literacy rate grapples with the sobering mathematics of a low birth rate, an aging population, and the heavy psychological toll reflected in its statistics.
Economy
1Russia's GDP (nominal) was 2.240 trillion USD in 2022
Verified2GDP per capita (nominal) in Russia was 15,345 USD in 2022
Verified3GDP (PPP) in Russia was 5.336 trillion international dollars in 2022
Verified4GDP per capita (PPP) was 36,485 international dollars in Russia in 2022
Directional5Real GDP growth rate in Russia was -2.1% in 2022
Single source6Inflation rate (CPI) averaged 13.8% in Russia in 2022
Verified7Unemployment rate was 3.9% in Russia in 2022
Verified8Public debt was 19.2% of GDP in Russia in 2022
Verified9Russia's budget balance was -2.0% of GDP in 2022
Directional10Current account balance was 10.5% of GDP in Russia in 2022
Single source11Exports of goods and services were 29.5% of GDP in Russia in 2022
Verified12Imports of goods and services were 22.4% of GDP in Russia in 2022
Verified13Foreign direct investment net inflows were 1.2 billion USD in Russia in 2022
Verified14Russia's oil exports revenue accounted for 45% of federal budget in 2022
Directional15Natural gas production was 616 billion cubic meters in Russia in 2022
Single source16Crude oil production averaged 10.95 million barrels per day in Russia in 2022
Verified17Gold production was 331 tons in Russia in 2022
Verified18Wheat production reached 92 million tons in Russia in 2022
Verified19Labor force participation rate was 61.6% in Russia in 2022
Directional20Corporate tax rate is 20% in Russia as of 2023
Single source21VAT (consumption tax) standard rate is 20% in Russia as of 2023
Verified22Minimum monthly wage is 16,242 RUB (about 177 USD) as of 2023
Verified23Average monthly wage was 73,709 RUB (about 803 USD) in 2023
Verified24Stock market capitalization was 0.68 trillion USD in Russia in 2022
Directional25Ease of doing business rank was 28th out of 190 countries in 2020
Single sourceEconomy Interpretation
Russia's economy resembles a robust but rudderless tank, boasting vast resource wealth and a shockingly low unemployment rate, yet it is fundamentally hobbled by a staggering over-reliance on volatile energy exports, a plummeting GDP, and crippling inflation that leaves its citizens feeling much poorer than the raw PPP numbers suggest.
Geography
1Total land area of Russia is 17,098,242 square kilometers
Verified2Russia's exclusive economic zone is 4,667,700 square kilometers in the Arctic Ocean
Verified3Highest point is Mount Elbrus at 5,642 meters
Verified4Lowest point is Caspian Sea at -28 meters
Directional5Mean elevation is 600 meters in Russia
Single source6Longest river is Lena River at 4,400 kilometers
Verified7Largest lake is Caspian Sea with 374,000 square kilometers area
Verified8Russia has 23,889 kilometers of coastline
Verified9Climate varies from steppes to subarctic in Russia
Directional10Natural hazards include permafrost over half territory and volcanoes
Single source11Irrigated land covers 48,000 square kilometers as of 2012
Verified12Renewable water resources total 4,508 cubic kilometers per year
Verified13Land use arable land 7.4%, permanent crops 0%, permanent pasture 8.4% as of 2018
Verified14Forest coverage is 49.8% of land area as of 2020
Directional15Protected areas cover 13.2% of land and sea territory as of 2022
Single source16Average annual precipitation in Moscow is 707 mm
Verified17Permafrost covers 65% of Russia's territory
Verified18Number of earthquakes annually exceeds 1,000 with magnitude over 2.0
Verified19Active volcanoes number 12 in Kamchatka Peninsula
Directional20Biodiversity includes 766 mammal species in Russia
Single source21Siberia covers 77% of Russia's land area
Verified22Volga River basin drains 8% of European Russia
Verified23Ural Mountains span 2,500 km dividing Europe and Asia
Verified24Baikal Lake holds 23% of world's fresh surface water
Directional25Tundra biome covers northern coastal regions
Single source26Steppe grasslands in southern Russia cover millions of sq km
VerifiedGeography Interpretation
While Russia's vast and formidable landscape, from its frostbitten permafrost to its fiery volcanoes, might seem like an epic novel of extremes, it is ultimately a fragile and colossal national portfolio where managing the delicate balance between immense resources and immense vulnerabilities is the only plot that truly matters.
Government
1Russia's government is a federal semi-presidential republic
Verified2President Vladimir Putin has been in office since May 7, 2012
Verified3Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin appointed January 16, 2020
Verified4Federal Assembly consists of Federation Council (170 seats) and State Duma (450 seats)
Directional5Constitution adopted December 12, 1993
Single source6Suffrage age is 18 years universal
Verified7Executive branch power vested in president elected for 6-year term
Verified8Judicial review by Constitutional Court and Supreme Court
Verified985 federal subjects including 22 republics and 46 oblasts
Directional10Corruption Perceptions Index score 28/100 in 2022 (CPI rank 137/180)
Single source11Human Freedom Index rank 114th out of 165 in 2022
Verified12Press Freedom Index rank 155th out of 180 in 2023
Verified13Political parties registered: 37 active as of 2023
Verified14State Duma election last held September 2021, next due 2026
Directional15Presidential election last March 2018, next March 2024
Single source16Federal budget revenue 492.7 billion USD, expenditure 496.6 billion USD in 2022
Verified17Tax revenue 29.5% of GDP in 2021
Verified18Military expenditure 4.1% of GDP in 2022 ($86.4 billion)
Verified19Citizenship by birth no, by descent yes under certain conditions
Directional20Independence from Soviet Union December 25, 1991
Single source21National holiday Russia Day June 12
Verified22Diplomatic relations with 190 UN member states
Verified23UN Security Council permanent member with veto power
Verified24Administrative divisions include 3 federal cities: Moscow, St. Petersburg, Sevastopol
Directional25Central Bank interest rate was 16% as of December 2023
Single sourceGovernment Interpretation
Russia's political system boasts all the formal machinery of a modern democracy—a lively 37-party landscape, two legislative chambers, and regular elections—yet the gears seem to be permanently aligned to produce outcomes favoring a singular, long-standing authority, a reality underscored by its dismal rankings on corruption, press freedom, and human liberty.
Society
1Russia's Gini coefficient (income inequality) was 36.0 in 2021
Verified2Homicide rate is 5.4 per 100,000 population as of 2021
Verified3Internet users penetration is 85% of population (123 million) as of 2023
Verified4Mobile cellular subscriptions 170 per 100 people as of 2022
Directional5Electricity access 100% of population as of 2020
Single source6Physicians density 4.7 per 1,000 population as of 2020
Verified7Hospital beds 7 per 1,000 population as of 2020
Verified8Railways total length 85,497 km as of 2022
Verified9Roadways paved 1,283,387 km total as of 2022
Directional10Telephones fixed lines 19.5 per 100 as of 2021
Single source11Orthodox Christianity adherents 71-75% of population
Verified12Muslim population 10-15% as of 2023
Verified13No official religion but Orthodox Christianity predominant
Verified14Time zones UTC+2 to UTC+12 across 11 zones
Directional15Drives on the right side
Single source16Electricity voltage 220V 50Hz
Verified17Broadband fixed subscriptions 30 per 100 as of 2022
Verified18Television broadcast stations over 7,300 as of 2021
Verified19Daily newspapers over 400 as of 2021
Directional20Life satisfaction score 5.5/10 in 2022 World Happiness Report (rank 70)
Single source21PISA score average 478 in reading (2022)
Verified22Tertiary education enrollment 56% gross as of 2020
Verified23Gender parity index in primary education 0.99 as of 2020
VerifiedSociety Interpretation
Russia presents a portrait of sprawling infrastructure and near-universal connectivity where one can easily surf the web, make a call, or travel by rail, yet these threads of modern life are woven through a social fabric of modest life satisfaction, persistent inequality, and a homicide rate that quietly underscores the distance between technical access and human contentment.
Sources & References
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