Russian Demographic Trends by Region in the 1990s

Abstract

This article analyses regional aspects of the Russian depopulation that started in 1992 and has accelerated since 1999. The decrease in population from 1992 was mainly due to natural decreases, especially in the central regions, and negative net migration, especially in the far eastern and northern regions. Since 1999 natural depopulation has accelerated in the central, Volga and north-west regions. There are two factors that contributed to the depopulation in Russia: an increase in early deaths of males observed, especially in the central and north-west regions and in large cities, and an overall decrease in birth rates.