Over the first two months of 2002, Russia's population decreased by 160,200 people, or by 0.1 percent, to amount to 143.8 million by March 1. According to forecasts for the whole of this year, the country's population is expected to diminish in numbers by about 598,000 people - to 143.2 million people.
Statisticians forecast that even if the demographic situation develops favourably in Russia (with an increase in the number of marriages and the life-span), Russia's population will number 122.6 million people by 2050. However, if the situation continues developing unfavourably, the country's population will diminish to 77.2 million people (less than the present indicators by 47 percent.
According to an average (most probable) version of the forecast, the Russian population will diminish to 131 million people by 2020, to 121.5 million by 2030, to 111.6 million by 2040, and to 101.9 million people by 2050. In 48 years, the number of men is expected to drop by 32.2 percent, and of women - by 27.4 percent.
Any version of the forecast shows that by 2050 the number of pensioners in Russia will double as compared with the present figures, and their share in the total population will increase to 35.2 percent. Thus, there will be one pensioner per every Russian in the active age.
In 2020, the average age of mothers giving birth to a child will be 27.4 years, and in 2050 - 27.8 years (as against 25.9 years now). In 2050, every 100 Russian women will give birth to 140 children (on average) over their entire life, as against 120 children now.
By 2020, the average life-span of Russian men will increase to 62.5 years from the present 59 years, and by 2050 - to 66.3 years. The average life-span of Russian women will increase to 77.7 years by 2050, from the present 72.2 years.