The population of the planet is growing rapidly. According to the UN, in the next few decades it is unlikely to rectify the situation. Currently, 7.3 billion people are registered in the world. The scale of growth of the last century can be estimated by comparing this figure with that which was back in the 60s of the last century. Its value was almost 4 times less (a little more than 2 billion). What place does Russia occupy in terms of population now, what problems are there at the moment, does the country face overpopulation in the coming years?
How many of us
Various international organizations are trying to carefully monitor the number of people on Earth. There are several reasons for this, and population control is one of the most important. Although sociologists have not so long ago argued that the population explosion will quiet down a bit and mankind will be able to slow down the birth rate, but recent studies show that this point of view does not justify itself.
It is important to know what place Russia occupies in terms of population among other countries. Recent ratings indicate that our country occupies only 9th place with a population of 146 million people. This indicator is quite low, especially in relation to the fact that it surpasses all other countries in the RF area .
Like a sprat in a jar
Information about what place Russia occupies in terms of the world's population is interesting, especially compared to how densely populated people are throughout the country. On average, 30 people per 1 km², but there are territories where 700 people have to get along on such an area. In general, this shows the uneven distribution of people.
Traditionally, the highest populations are countries in Asia, the United States and Western Europe. In Russia, in its European part, as well as in economically developed regions, there is a rather high level of concentration of human resources. Moreover, most of it is urban residents (more than 100 million), and in rural areas there are completely abandoned settlements. Now you know what place Russia occupies in terms of population.
Who has more
It is expected that the countries with the highest birth rates top the ratings by the number of people. The first places are rightfully given to China and India. It is impossible to attribute them, as well as many other countries, to leaders in terms of living. However, in addition to countries with developing economies, the top ten were the prosperous USA and Japan, and in Russia, no matter how difficult the situation was, things were not so bad.
Although such ratings are interesting, they do not always adequately assess the real state of things. It is important to take into account not only the economic component, but also the mentality of the population, level of education, commitment to traditions and religions, and after that to study which country takes what place. Russia in terms of population in the world exceeds dozens of other countries, but most importantly, the country has managed to overcome the serious consequences of the transition economy and the birth crisis. If we take it in comparison with other countries, the demographic situation in the Russian Federation is very similar to pan-European trends, where there is a significant aging of nations, and families do not have more than 1-2 children.
The demographic crisis in Russia
What place Russia occupies in terms of population was the result of a protracted crisis in the country. It is worth noting that over the past century, residents settled across the territory of modern Russia have had to go through many terrible events. Wars, famines, revolutions with a change of power and the device of the country led to the fact that the demographic situation has suffered greatly. The following items can be included in the list of factors directly affecting the indicator that estimates what place Russia occupies in terms of population among the countries of the world:
- high mortality;
- bad medicine;
- low birth rate.
The nineties showed how strongly the standard of living affects fertility and mortality in the country. The poverty of people, the inadequacy of all social state structures, and the poor environmental situation have become insurmountable obstacles for many years. In addition, the situation was greatly aggravated due to the large number of emigrants.
But recent years show that the authorities have managed to some extent overcome these negative trends. Since 2012, the difference between mortality and fertility has finally gained positive momentum.
Increase rate
While in some countries the authorities are doing their utmost to reduce the birth rate due to rapid population growth, in the Russian Federation things are somewhat different. What place Russia will have in terms of population in the long run will largely depend on the work of the state apparatus.
The creation of more favorable conditions for economic activity, the policy of providing high-quality and affordable medical services to all segments of the population, and supporting young families have become priorities for the government.
Such work stimulates the creation of families, contributes to the return of many Russians to their homeland from other countries. It is also important that life expectancy in Russia has increased significantly. Quitting alcohol abuse, pursuing a healthy lifestyle and affordable medicine have done their job.
Immigrants have a strong influence on demographics. In Russia, a huge number of immigrants from the CIS and Asia who seek not only to work here, but also to obtain citizenship.
What awaits us
At the moment, Russia is ninth in terms of population in the world. This position may change over time. Predicting which direction is very difficult. According to the UN, in 2100 there will be 11 billion people in the world. So many people are facing a real catastrophe. According to scientists, the planet is able to feed only 1.5-2 billion people. Exceeding this number by several times is a deplorable prospect.