The Central Federal District was the most populated in Russia with around 40.2 million residents as of January 1, 2024. The Volga Federal District followed, with a population of roughly 28.5 million. The lowest population was recorded in the Far Eastern Federal District at less than 7.9 million inhabitants. In total, over 146.1 million people were estimated to be living in Russia as of the beginning of 2024. The country ranked ninth worldwide by population size.

Russia's capital, Moscow, was the largest city in the country with over 13.1 million residents as of January 1, 2024. Less than a half of Moscow's population resided in Saint Petersburg, the second-most populous city in the country. The third-largest city, Novosibirsk, was located in the Siberian Federal District, being the highest-populated city in the Asian part of Russia. Why is Moscow so populated? The Russian capital is the center of political, industrial, business, and cultural life in Russia. Despite being one of the most expensive cities worldwide, it continues to attract people from Russia and abroad, with its resident population following a generally upward trend over the past decade. Wages in Moscow are higher than in Russia on average, and more opportunities for employment and investment are available in the capital. Furthermore, the number of people living in Moscow was forecast to continue rising, exceeding 12.8 million by 2035. Urbanization in Russia In 2024, around 109 million Russian residents lived in cities. That was approximately three-quarters of the country’s population. The urbanization rate increased steadily over the 20th century, leading to a decline in the rural population. Among the country’s regions, the Northwestern Federal District had the highest share of residents in urban areas, measured at 85 percent. In the Central Federal District, the tendency was that more people moved to Moscow and cities in the Moscow Oblast.

In 2023, Washington, D.C. had the highest population density in the United States, with 11,130.69 people per square mile. As a whole, there were about 94.83 residents per square mile in the U.S., and Alaska was the state with the lowest population density, with 1.29 residents per square mile. The problem of population density Simply put, population density is the population of a country divided by the area of the country. While this can be an interesting measure of how many people live in a country and how large the country is, it does not account for the degree of urbanization, or the share of people who live in urban centers. For example, Russia is the largest country in the world and has a comparatively low population, so its population density is very low. However, much of the country is uninhabited, so cities in Russia are much more densely populated than the rest of the country. Urbanization in the United States While the United States is not very densely populated compared to other countries, its population density has increased significantly over the past few decades. The degree of urbanization has also increased, and well over half of the population lives in urban centers.

Population with Income per Capita below Living Cost: % of Total: CF: City of Moscow data was reported at 4.500 % in 2023. This records a decrease from the previous number of 4.800 % for 2022. Population with Income per Capita below Living Cost: % of Total: CF: City of Moscow data is updated yearly, averaging 10.300 % from Dec 1995 (Median) to 2023, with 29 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 23.600 % in 2000 and a record low of 4.500 % in 2023. Population with Income per Capita below Living Cost: % of Total: CF: City of Moscow data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Federal State Statistics Service. The data is categorized under Russia Premium Database’s Demographic and Labour Market – Table RU.GA015: Population with Income per Capita below Living Cost.

Population: FE: Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) data was reported at 1,007,058.000 Person in 2024. This records an increase from the previous number of 1,001,664.000 Person for 2023. Population: FE: Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) data is updated yearly, averaging 967,159.000 Person from Dec 1989 (Median) to 2024, with 36 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 1,118,983.000 Person in 1990 and a record low of 948,636.000 Person in 2002. Population: FE: Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Federal State Statistics Service. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Russian Federation – Table RU.GA002: Population: by Region.

Population: NW: Kaliningrad Region data was reported at 1,033,128.000 Person in 2024. This records a decrease from the previous number of 1,033,914.000 Person for 2023. Population: NW: Kaliningrad Region data is updated yearly, averaging 953,395.500 Person from Dec 1989 (Median) to 2024, with 36 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 1,033,914.000 Person in 2023 and a record low of 881,211.000 Person in 1989. Population: NW: Kaliningrad Region data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Federal State Statistics Service. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Russian Federation – Table RU.GA002: Population: by Region.

Dataset for paper: Wolves in the borderland – changes in population and wolf diet in Romincka Forest, along the Polish-Russian-Lithuanian state borders

https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.qfttdz0qn

The dataset provides data to assess the wolf numbers and diet in the Romincka Forest in northern Poland.

Description of the data and file structure

Data are grouped into three files:

Nowak_Repository_genotyping.txt. Results of genetic fingerprinting based on 13 DNA microsatellite markers for non-invasive samples found during the fieldwork in the Romincka Forest, along with reference samples from Baltic, Central European, and Carpathian wolf subpopulations. This is a TAB-separated file that contains the following columns:

(1) ID - identification number of the sample;

(2) sex - sex of the individual based on the analysis of DBX intron 6 and DBY intron 7;

Followed by columnes with numerical data for allele sizes of 13 polymorphic microsatellite loci: FH2001, FH2010, FH2017, FH2054,...

As of 2024, the number of women exceeded that of men in Russia in all age categories above 30 years. The lowest female-to-male ratio was recorded among Russians between 20 and 24 years old, measuring at 932 women per 1,000 men. Within the category aged 70 years and older, the number of women was approximately 2.1 times higher than that of men. Fertility rate in Russia According to the United Nations' report World Population Prospects 2019, Russia could have less than 84 million population by 2100. Despite the numerous programs implemented by the government to encourage births, such as maternal capital benefits, the fertility rate has been declining in recent years. One contributing factor was a decline in births in the early 1990s, which resulted in fewer Russian women entering reproductive age. Maternity capital benefits in Russia Launched in 2007, the maternal capital program by the Russian state announced that a woman, or in particular cases, a man receiving a second child would receive a bonus from the government. They could decide to spend on mortgage, pension of the parent, or education of a child. The main objective of the program, which was introduced in 2007, was resolving the demographic problem. In 2020, the program was slated for extension until 2026, with a subsidy per family receiving a second child increased and set to be indexed annually. Furthermore, the program also applied to mothers receiving their first child starting from 2020.

Russia is the largest country in Europe, and also the largest in the world, its total size amounting to 17 million square kilometers (km2). It should be noted, however, that over three quarters of Russia is located in Asia, and the Ural mountains are often viewed as the meeting point of the two continents in Russia; nonetheless, European Russia is still significantly larger than any other European country. Ukraine, the second largest country on the continent, is only 603,000 km2, making it about 28 times smaller than its eastern neighbor, or seven times smaller than the European part of Russia. France is the third largest country in Europe, but the largest in the European Union. The Vatican City, often referred to as the Holy Sea, is both the smallest country in Europe and in the world, at just one km2. Population Russia is also the most populous country in Europe. It has around 144 million inhabitants across the country; in this case, around three quarters of the population live in the European part, which still gives it the largest population in Europe. Despite having the largest population, Russia is a very sparsely populated country due to its size and the harsh winters. Germany is the second most populous country in Europe, with 83 million inhabitants, while the Vatican has the smallest population. Worldwide, India and China are the most populous countries, with approximately 1.4 billion inhabitants each. Cities Moscow in Russia is ranked as the most populous city in Europe with around 13 million inhabitants, although figures vary, due to differences in the methodologies used by countries and sources. Some statistics include Istanbul in Turkey* as the largest city in Europe with its 15 million inhabitants, bit it has been excluded here as most of the country and parts of the city is located in Asia. Worldwide, Tokyo is the most populous city, with Jakarta the second largest and Delhi the third.

In 2023, around 197 deaths per 100,000 population in Russia were attributed to malignant neoplasms. The highest mortality rate due to that reason across the country was recorded in the Kurgan Oblast, measuring at over 276 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants. The Ingushetia Republic had the lowest mortality rate from cancer, at approximately 44 deaths per 100,000 population. Cancer mortality in Russia Cancer is the second-leading cause of mortality in Russia, being only superseded by circulatory system diseases which were responsible for 567 deaths per 100 thousand population in 2022. However, the number of deaths from cancer has been steadily decreasing year-on-year. In 2021, approximately 279 thousand Russians deceased due to a malignant tumor. That marked a four-percent decrease from the previous year. Furthermore, the five-year cancer survival rate reached an all-time maximum. As of 2021, nearly six in ten patients in Russia continued to be registered with an oncological establishment for five years or more after receiving their diagnosis. Growth in cancer risk factors in Russia Some well-known risk factors for cancer include sun exposure, tobacco and alcohol use, a poor diet, and being overweight. Despite the merits of a healthy lifestyle being widely recognized, the share of healthy lifestyle followers in Russia has been following a downward trend over the past years. In particular, the rates of heavy smokers have increased. In 2022, a fifth of Russians consumed one pack of cigarettes a day or more, a three-percent growth from 2020.

Nearly 3,900 cancer patients per 100,000 population were recorded in the Mordovia Republic of Russia in 2023, which was the highest prevalence of cases of that disease across the country. The lowest figure was observed in the Tyva Republic almost 1,000 cases per 100,000 inhabitants.

In 2022, India overtook China as the world's most populous country and now has almost 1.46 billion people. China now has the second-largest population in the world, still with just over 1.4 billion inhabitants, however, its population went into decline in 2023. Global population As of 2025, the world's population stands at almost 8.2 billion people and is expected to reach around 10.3 billion people in the 2080s, when it will then go into decline. Due to improved healthcare, sanitation, and general living conditions, the global population continues to increase; mortality rates (particularly among infants and children) are decreasing and the median age of the world population has steadily increased for decades. As for the average life expectancy in industrial and developing countries, the gap has narrowed significantly since the mid-20th century. Asia is the most populous continent on Earth; 11 of the 20 largest countries are located there. It leads the ranking of the global population by continent by far, reporting four times as many inhabitants as Africa. The Demographic Transition The population explosion over the past two centuries is part of a phenomenon known as the demographic transition. Simply put, this transition results from a drastic reduction in mortality, which then leads to a reduction in fertility, and increase in life expectancy; this interim period where death rates are low and birth rates are high is where this population explosion occurs, and population growth can remain high as the population ages. In today's most-developed countries, the transition generally began with industrialization in the 1800s, and growth has now stabilized as birth and mortality rates have re-balanced. Across less-developed countries, the stage of this transition varies; for example, China is at a later stage than India, which accounts for the change in which country is more populous - understanding the demographic transition can help understand the reason why China's population is now going into decline. The least-developed region is Sub-Saharan Africa, where fertility rates remain close to pre-industrial levels in some countries. As these countries transition, they will undergo significant rates of population growth

During the eighteenth century, it is estimated that France's population grew by roughly fifty percent, from 19.7 million in 1700, to 29 million by 1800. In France itself, the 1700s are remembered for the end of King Louis XIV's reign in 1715, the Age of Enlightenment, and the French Revolution. During this century, the scientific and ideological advances made in France and across Europe challenged the leadership structures of the time, and questioned the relationship between monarchial, religious and political institutions and their subjects. France was arguably the most powerful nation in the world in these early years, with the second largest population in Europe (after Russia); however, this century was defined by a number of costly, large-scale conflicts across Europe and in the new North American theater, which saw the loss of most overseas territories (particularly in North America) and almost bankrupted the French crown. A combination of regressive taxation, food shortages and enlightenment ideologies ultimately culminated in the French Revolution in 1789, which brought an end to the Ancien Régime, and set in motion a period of self-actualization.

War and peace

After a volatile and tumultuous decade, in which tens of thousands were executed by the state (most infamously: guillotined), relative stability was restored within France as Napoleon Bonaparte seized power in 1799, and the policies of the revolution became enforced. Beyond France's borders, the country was involved in a series of large scale wars for two almost decades, and the First French Empire eventually covered half of Europe by 1812. In 1815, Napoleon was defeated outright, the empire was dissolved, and the monarchy was restored to France; nonetheless, a large number of revolutionary and Napoleonic reforms remained in effect afterwards, and the ideas had a long-term impact across the globe. France experienced a century of comparative peace in the aftermath of the Napoleonic Wars; there were some notable uprisings and conflicts, and the monarchy was abolished yet again, but nothing on the scale of what had preceded or what was to follow. A new overseas colonial empire was also established in the late 1800s, particularly across Africa and Southeast Asia. Through most of the eighteenth and nineteenth century, France had the second largest population in Europe (after Russia), however political instability and the economic prioritization of Paris meant that the entire country did not urbanize or industrialize at the same rate as the other European powers. Because of this, Germany and Britain entered the twentieth century with larger populations, and other regions, such as Austria or Belgium, had overtaken France in terms of industrialization; the German annexation of Alsace-Lorraine in the Franco-Prussian War was also a major contributor to this.

World Wars and contemporary France

Coming into the 1900s, France had a population of approximately forty million people (officially 38 million* due to to territorial changes), and there was relatively little growth in the first half of the century. France was comparatively unprepared for a large scale war, however it became one of the most active theaters of the First World War when Germany invaded via Belgium in 1914, with the ability to mobilize over eight million men. By the war's end in 1918, France had lost almost 1.4 million in the conflict, and approximately 300,000 in the Spanish Flu pandemic that followed. Germany invaded France again during the Second World War, and occupied the country from 1940, until the Allied counter-invasion liberated the country during the summer of 1944. France lost around 600,000 people in the course of the war, over half of which were civilians. Following the war's end, the country experienced a baby boom, and the population grew by approximately twenty million people in the next fifty years (compared to just one million in the previous fifty years). Since the 1950s, France's economy quickly grew to be one of the strongest in the world, despite losing the vast majority of its overseas colonial empire by the 1970s. A wave of migration, especially from these former colonies, has greatly contributed to the growth and diversity of France's population today, which stands at over 65 million people in 2020.

Bulgaria, with the help of the Russian Empire, achieved independence from the Ottoman Empire in 1878. In the decades before independence, Bulgaria's population had remained between 2.2 and 2.8 million people, and growth was much slower then the following century. Although most at the time assumed that it would become a Russian ally, Bulgaria defied the expectations and aligned itself with the western powers, and developed into a modern European state by the turn in the late 1800s. Bulgaria at war In the early twentieth century Bulgaria was involved in both World Wars, as well as two Balkan Wars. The Balkan states were unhappy with the borders assigned to them by the western powers, and instead wanted to re-draw them based on the dispersal of ethnic groups. This led to the first Balkan War in 1912, which saw Bulgaria fight alongside Greece and Serbia against the Ottomans. Bulgaria fought the second Balkan War on all sides, this time against Greece, Serbia, Romania and the Ottomans, as the dispute over borders continued. Bulgaria was defeated this time, and sustained heavy casualties, amassing in 58 thousand fatalities and over 100 thousand wounded in the two wars.

In the First World War, Bulgaria remained neutral at first, in order to recover from the previous wars, but then aligned itself with the Central powers in 1915, and played a vital role in maintaining their control in the Balkans. While Bulgaria was initially successful, its allies weakened as the war progressed, and then Bulgaria eventually succumbed to Allied forces and surrendered in 1918, with almost 200 thousand Bulgarians dying as a result of the war. The interwar years was a period of political and economic turmoil, and when control was re-established, Bulgaria was then able to maintain it's neutrality throughout most of the Second World War, (although there was some conflict and bombings in certain areas). Rise and fall of communism After the war, Bulgaria became a communist state, and life became harsh for the civil population there until the late 1950s when the standard of living rose again. In the late 1980s, like many Eastern European countries, Bulgaria experienced economic decline as the communist system began to collapse. Political failures also contributed to this, and approximately 300 thousand Bulgarian Turks migrated to Turkey, greatly weakening the agricultural economy. This trend of mass migration abroad continued after the fall of the iron curtain, as well as the rise of unemployment. Bulgaria reached it's peak population size in 1985 at 8.98 million inhabitants, but then the number decreases each year, and is expected to be 6.94 million in 2020. This drop in population size has been attributed to the economic collapse at the end of communism in Eastern Europe, causing many to leave the country in search of work elsewhere. Bulgaria also has one of the lowest fertility rates in the world, with 8.7 births per 1,000 people per year (in 2018).