Moscow, 20 January: Russia finished 2011 with a 160,000 increase in its population, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said. "In 2011 births came to 1,793,900 and mortality fell by 5.6 per cent, and these are the best figures for Russia for 19 years," he told a sitting of the federal government.
The rate of population decline was slower by 80 per cent, he said, and average life expectancy in 2011 increased by 1.5 years to 70.3.
"Including migration, Russia's population grew by 160,000 to over 143m," Putin said.
Demography remains an acute issue, he noted, although ministers' efforts in this direction "are not going to waste".
Moscow, 20 January: Russia finished 2011 with a 160,000 increase in its population, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said.
"In 2011 births came to 1,793,900 and mortality fell by 5.6 per cent, and these are the best figures for Russia for 19 years," he told a sitting of the federal government.
The rate of population decline was slower by 80 per cent, he said, and average life expectancy in 2011 increased by 1.5 years to 70.3.
"Including migration, Russia's population grew by 160,000 to over 143m," Putin said.
Demography remains an acute issue, he noted, although ministers' efforts in this direction "are not going to waste".