Support The Moscow Times!

UN Predicts Falling Population, Rising Urbanization in Russia Through 2050

Kirill Zykov / Moskva News Agency

Russia’s population will shrink by 11 million people by 2050 and will increasingly be concentrated in cities, according to the latest United Nations estimates.

Russia has been in the midst of a generational demographic crisis, which newly inaugurated President Vladimir Putin said he would seek to reverse in his term in office until 2024. Official data indicates that Russia’s birth rate fell to its lowest level in a decade last year.

As the world’s population is projected to grow, Russia’s population will decline from 143.9 million to 132.7 million by 2050, the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs population division said in a report on urbanization released on Wednesday.

Three-quarters of Russians in 2050, or 110.6 million people, will live in urban areas. Urbanization will lead to a decline in Russia’s rural population from 36.8 million to 22.1 million.

Globally, the UN report estimates the urban population will increase to two-thirds by 2050.

Sign up for our free weekly newsletter

Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview
Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy

A Message from The Moscow Times:

Dear readers,

We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."

These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.

Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.

By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.

Once
Monthly
Annual
Continue
paiment methods
Not ready to support today?
Remind me later.

Read more