Russia Population Shrinks to 143 Million

Yahoo ^ | Oct 21 | AP

[george76]

Russia's population has shrunk by more than half a million people this year...

Russia's population — the largest in Europe — has been declining steadily since the 1991 breakup of the Soviet Union, with increased poverty, alcoholism, emigration and degradation of the health care system blamed for reducing birth rates and life expectancy.

Demographers predicted that Russia's population will fall to 100 million by 2050, and could even drop to 80 million.

[JAWs]

And guess what's gonna rush into the vacuum?

[timsbella]

What was that book from seventies "Population Explosion" -- yeah, right.

However, it could be repopulated by Chechens if Putin doesn't get his act together.

[television is just wrong]

Wow. Incredible.

[The Cuban]

Gloria Stienem is in extasy.

[Virginia Queen]

Haven't read this yet but the title compelled me to say:
I am not surprised. All their women are finding husbands anywhere but Russia. Leaving - running off - splitting the scene for what they believe will be better lives. People forget that when the women leave, all the children they will have are gone too. Plays hell with the population numbers. :)

[A message]

has been declining steadily since the 1991 breakup of the Soviet Union, with increased poverty, alcoholism, emigration and degradation of the health care system blamed for reducing birth rates and life expectancy.

Of course, nearly 80 years of mostly unrestricted abortion had nothing to do with their population decline.

[cynicom]

China is cheering at such good news. One day China will pull a Mexico on Russia.

[TCats]

They mention reduced life expectancy but do not give stats. Anyone have them for Russia?

[kabar]

Russia also has one of the highest rates of abortion. It is the most popular form of birth control.

[texianyankee]

too bad China cant catch this.....

[joshhiggins]

with increased poverty, alcoholism, emigration and degradation of the health care system blamed for reducing birth rates and life expectancy.

And what is it that is fueling the population explosion in some other world countries such as mexico?

[The Iguana]

Amazing what 74 years of communism will do for your national psychology.

[cynicom]

China has a huge surplus of men and they are looking for some place to send them. Also a large slice of Siberia actually belongs to China.

[kabar]

Russia's total fertility rate, which hovered around two lifetime births per woman from the late 1960s through the early 1980s, has dropped steeply since 1987, falling to 1.4 births per woman in 1994. This decline has been accompanied by a trend toward earlier marriage and child-bearing. Contraceptive use is limited, and abortion is the main fertility regulation method for many women. In 1992, the abortion rate was 98 per 1,000 women aged 15-49 and abortions outnumbered births by more than two to one. These are among the findings that Russian analysts presented at a 1995 conference on demo-graphic trends in post-Soviet Russia.

[hedgetrimmer]

Russia has no WTO brokered "free trade" agreements. All they have to do is sign up, and the third world will begin to pour in, using the GATTs Mode 4 rule "free movement of persons", to get in.

That rule, and "free trade" are precisely the reason we have unchallenged illegal immigration in this country.

[timsbella]

OECD data from last year had male life expectancy hovering at less than 56 years.

[RobbyS]

I remember that it was already shrinking. Communists states were the first to push systematic distribution of birth control devises and to authorize abortions. One reason for the rapid decrease in the population of Germany was the annexation of the former DDR, where the policy was abortion on demand. Of course, consumerism has also contributed. Over all a prfound pessimism dominates the modern world view. Children are regarded as threats.

[MrNatural]

..Russia also has one of the highest rates of abortion. It is the most popular form of birth control..

There was another thread on the Rusisan demographic implosion just the other day, a Mark Steyn article. One of the points mentioned: 70% of Russian women have had at least one abortion.

[CommandoFrank]

And guess what's gonna rush into the vacuum?

Duh, does it start with an 'M'???