Russia’s population declines once more

And Putin is trying to reverse the drop once more.

Marcus Roberts | Dec 15 2017 | comment

In the last few years, the Russian population decline that began in the 1990s slowed and then reversed. In 2013-16 the natural population growth went into positive territory for the first time since 1992. Although the working aged population was predicted to fall in the years ahead (due to the decline in numbers of the cohort born in the 1990s and now starting to enter the workforce) at least the population overall was starting to turn itself around into the black.

However, the news this year isn’t good. According to the Russian statistics agency, there were over 100,000 more deaths than births in the Federation between January and October 2017. This means that the natural increase seen in the three years 2013-16 was more than wiped out in the first ten months of this year. The population now stands at about 146.5 million people (three million of whom live in the recently annexed Crimea).

This news is somewhat of a concern for Russian President Vladimir Putin who has made improving the country’s demographic position a priority during his three presidential terms. In a meeting on child policy in Moscow, the President noted that “Russia's demographic situation is once again deteriorating” although this was “predictable” due to the previous “overlapping deep demographic declines”.

To try and reverse the current decline, he announced that the Government would reset its demographic development policy and pay particular attention to low-income families. Thus, USD2.4 billion would be allocated to a new scheme which would provide new monthly handouts for the birth of a first child. From January 1, Russian women would be paid an allowance of $180 for the first 18 months after the birth of their first child. One wonders whether such a policy will have much impact on Russia’s rapidly worsening demographic situation.

December 15, 2017

After two days we have quite a line-up of articles to end the year. Not surprisingly, several of them have a Christmas theme, but view the great holy day (holiday) from very different angles: through Tolkien’s Father Christmas letters to his children; from beneath the Southern Cross constellation; through the nature imagery of a charming Neapolitan song; from outside an abortion clinic where carollers gather, and from inside a new animated film from Sony starring a donkey, a bird and a sheep.

Speaking of film, Michael Cook has highlighted some of the best movies of 2017. Peter Kopa reflects on the news that the mystery buyer of the ‘Salvator Mundi’ painting is none other than the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia -- might this be good news for Christians in the strict Muslim state? I’ve sketched the moving story of a Polish born New Zealand woman who survived deportation to Siberia as an infant with her family during World War II. Toni Saad has already provoked discussion on the question of cremation…. And there is yet more. All links below.

Now it’s time for me to say, Merry Christmas! Thank you for participation in the MercatorNet community during 2017! And you will hear from us again in the second week of January.