Russia population pyramid 2026
143,394,458 people in 2026 (projected). Russia’s pyramid is jagged with echoes of the Second World War and the 1990s birth collapse, and it has one of the largest female surpluses at older ages.
- 2026 population
- 143.4Mrank 9 of 237
- Median age
- 40.7 yearsoldest rank 57
- Fertility rate
- 1.47births per woman · below replacement
- Structure
- Older18.4% age 65+
Russia population pyramid
2026 · Share of total by five-year age group and sex
Hover over or tap a bar to see exact values.
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The UN series provides historical estimates through 2023. Figures from 2024 onward—including 2026—are medium-scenario projections, not counts or predictions guaranteed to occur.
Russia age distribution in 2026
Children under 15 account for 16.7% of the population, while 18.4% are aged 65 or older. The remaining 64.9% are in the conventional working-age range of 15–64. On these shares, the site classifies Russia’s age structure as older; the guide to constrictive population pyramids explains what that shape implies.
The total age dependency ratio is 54.1: about 54 people under 15 or 65+ for every 100 people aged 15–64 (25.8 children and 28.3 older people). This is an age-balance indicator, not a literal count of economic dependants per worker.
What shapes Russia’s population pyramid
War deficits and their echoes
The deepest scar in Russia’s pyramid comes from the Second World War. Births collapsed between 1942 and 1945, and military and civilian deaths removed millions of young men; the Russia 1950 pyramid shows both, with a notch at ages 5–9 and a severe shortage of men over 25. In 2026 the wartime birth cohorts are aged 81–84, and the 80–84 band is narrower even than the older 85–89 band among women, an inversion that only a cohort deficit can produce.
Because a small generation has relatively few children, the deficit echoed: the children of the war cohorts, born in the late 1960s, form a shallow dip at ages 55–59 in 2026, narrower than the 60–64 band above it. Repeated echoes of this kind give Russia alternating wide and narrow cohorts rather than a smooth slope.
The late-1980s peak and the 1990s trough
Fertility rose in the 1980s, a rise often linked to family benefits introduced early in the decade, and the cohorts born in 1987–91 now form the wide 35–39 band. After the Soviet Union dissolved, births fell sharply: the total fertility rate dropped to about 1.2 by the end of the 1990s. Those small cohorts, born 1992–2001, are now aged 25–34, and the 25–29 band is the narrowest of any adult band under 50. Maternity capital payments introduced in 2007 coincided with a recovery in births, visible as a wider 10–14 band (born 2012–16). The base has narrowed again since, as the small 1990s generation itself became parents. The Russia vs Ukraine comparison shows a closely related profile.
The missing older men
The overall sex ratio is about 86 men per 100 women, one of the lowest anywhere. From the late forties onward women increasingly outnumber men, and at ages 70–74 there are fewer than six men for every ten women. The cause is a very large gap in life expectancy between men and women, widely linked to high male mortality from cardiovascular disease, alcohol and injuries; the guide to sex ratios by age explains how such gaps build up across the top of a pyramid.
Under the UN medium scenario Russia’s population declines to about 136 million by 2050, with a median age near 42 and the 1990s trough then visible as a narrow waist at ages 45–54.
What to notice across the years
Distinctive cohorts and turning points
Comparing each five-year band with its neighbours picks out the cohorts that break a smooth slope. These irregularities usually record past surges or deficits in births, or migration concentrated at particular ages; the pattern alone does not identify which. The guide to baby booms and echo cohorts explains how to date and interpret them.
| Age band in 2026 | Born about | Feature | Versus neighbouring bands |
|---|---|---|---|
| 35–39 | 1987–1991 | Bulge (larger cohort) | +19% |
| 10–14 | 2012–2016 | Bulge (larger cohort) | +17% |
| 65–69 | 1957–1961 | Bulge (larger cohort) | +14% |
| 25–29 | 1997–2001 | Notch (smaller cohort) | −14% |
Deaths have exceeded births every year since 2017; they also did so in 1992, but births then outnumbered deaths again. People aged 65 and older came to outnumber children under 15 between 2023 and 2025.
Births, deaths, and migration
A pyramid changes in only three ways: births add to the base, deaths remove people at every age, and migration adds or removes people mainly in young adulthood. In 2026, Russia is projected to record 1,213,374 births (about one birth every 26 seconds) and 1,868,418 deaths, a natural decrease of 655,044. Net migration adds +324,924 people, ranking #46 in the net migration rate ranking.
Between 2000 and 2023 the UN estimates 38,688,803 births, 49,575,410 deaths, and cumulative net migration of +9,140,563. Over that period the balance of births and deaths moved the total more than migration did. See how migration shapes a pyramid and birth rate versus fertility rate. The medium scenario assumes net migration of +7,937,407 between 2026 and 2050.
Annual values 1950–2100; dashed lines after 2023 are the UN medium projection. The trend table below lists the values by decade.
Life expectancy and mortality
- Life expectancy, women
- 79.5 years58.9 in 1950
- Life expectancy, men
- 67.9 years51.0 in 1950
- Further years at 65
- 17.1 yearsboth sexes
- Infant mortality
- 3.9per 1,000 births · 109 in 1950
- Under-five mortality
- 4.9per 1,000 births
- Mother’s mean age at birth
- 29.3 yearssex ratio at birth 105.6
Women in Russia are projected to live 11.6 years longer than men, which is why the female side of the pyramid widens relative to the other at older ages (see the life expectancy gap ranking). Infant mortality has fallen from 109 to 3.9 deaths per 1,000 live births since 1950, ranking #191 of 237 in the infant mortality ranking (highest first). A mean age at childbearing of 29.3 years sets the spacing between generations, and so how far apart echo cohorts sit in the pyramid.
Median age, fertility rate, and global ranks for Russia
The median age of 40.7 years splits the population into two equal halves. A total fertility rate of 1.47 births per woman is below the replacement level of roughly 2.1, and life expectancy at birth is 73.7 years.
These ranks compare all 237 countries and areas in this dataset using the same 2026 UN medium projection. Ranks use the stored source precision, so displayed rounding can make adjacent values look identical; small differences should not be overinterpreted.
| Indicator | 2026 value | Global rank | Ranking direction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 143,394,458 | #9 | Largest first |
| Median age | 40.7 years | #57 | Oldest first |
| Fertility rate | 1.47 | #174 | Highest first |
| Annual growth | -0.2% | #191 | Fastest first |
| Life expectancy | 73.7 years | #142 | Highest first |
| Population aged 65+ | 18.4% | #59 | Highest share first |
Largest age groups in Russia
The five largest cohorts identify where the 2026 population is concentrated. They can reflect past birth patterns, survival, and migration; the chart alone does not establish which cause dominates.
| Rank | Age group | Population | Share of total | Male / female |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 35–39 | 12,097,735 | 8.4% | 6.1M / 6M |
| 2 | 40–44 | 11,990,070 | 8.4% | 5.9M / 6.1M |
| 3 | 45–49 | 10,651,861 | 7.4% | 5.1M / 5.6M |
| 4 | 50–54 | 9,671,653 | 6.7% | 4.5M / 5.2M |
| 5 | 10–14 | 9,597,498 | 6.7% | 4.9M / 4.7M |
Sex ratio and the balance by age
In the 2026 projection, Russia has 66,459,250 males and 76,935,208 females. That is 86.4 males per 100 females, ranking #231 when the dataset is ordered from the highest male-to-female ratio to the lowest.
Males account for 46.3% of the population and females for 53.7%. There are 10,475,958 more females than males overall. Among people aged 65 and older, the ratio is 51.9 males per 100 females.
The overall balance can conceal large differences by age; how sex ratios change with age explains the usual pattern. The ratio reflects the male/female categories in the UN source and is not a measure of gender identity. Compare all profiles in the sex-ratio ranking.
At birth, 105.6 boys are projected to be born for every 100 girls in 2026, close to the biological norm of about 105 (compare the sex ratio at birth ranking). The ratio at birth sets the balance at the base of the pyramid; how it changes with age then depends on survival and migration.
How Russia has changed since 1950
The population has increased from 103,392,360 in 1950 to 143,394,458 in 2026, a change of 39%. Over the same span, median age moved from 23.0 to 40.7 years.
The under-15 share changed from 30.3% to 16.7%, while the share aged 65 and older changed from 5.1% to 18.4%. These shifts show why total population growth and age-structure change need to be read separately. See the Russia population pyramid in 1950 for the full starting shape.
How the population could change by 2050
Under the UN medium scenario, Russia’s population is projected to decline by about 5%, reaching 136,132,775 in 2050. The median age changes from 40.7 to 41.7 years.
The 65+ share is projected to rise by 5.4 percentage points to 23.8%. At the same time, the under-15 share is projected at 15.7%. The Russia population pyramid for 2050 shows the projected shape in detail. How UN projections work explains the assumptions behind these figures.
The annual UN series reaches its highest estimated population of 149,448,433 in 1991. Historical population totals are estimates rather than exact head counts. Compare timing across countries in the population peak ranking.
Population trend: 1950–2100
Mid-year population for every year. Estimates through 2023; dashed line shows the UN medium projection.
| Year | Population | Median age | Fertility | Life exp. | Births | Deaths | Net migration | Growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 103,392,360 | 23.0 | 2.93 | 55.5 | 2,884,600 | 1,363,061 | −69,764 | +1.4% |
| 1960 | 119,934,141 | 26.3 | 2.63 | 68.3 | 2,864,147 | 900,712 | −234,895 | +1.4% |
| 1970 | 130,367,189 | 29.7 | 2.01 | 68.7 | 1,918,531 | 1,133,128 | −264,464 | +0.4% |
| 1980 | 138,572,623 | 30.1 | 1.92 | 67.5 | 2,266,723 | 1,518,677 | +10,440 | +0.6% |
| 1990 | 148,979,540 | 32.2 | 1.91 | 69.3 | 2,026,802 | 1,652,350 | +299,863 | +0.5% |
| 2000 | 146,717,782 | 35.7 | 1.19 | 65.0 | 1,268,072 | 2,286,160 | +550,401 | -0.3% |
| 2010 | 143,934,466 | 37.0 | 1.59 | 68.2 | 1,815,200 | 2,101,578 | +307,555 | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 146,371,298 | 38.7 | 1.50 | 71.2 | 1,458,020 | 2,158,766 | +334,094 | -0.3% |
| 2023 | 145,440,500 | 39.5 | 1.45 | 73.2 | 1,297,207 | 1,794,857 | +27,807 | -0.3% |
| 2024* | 144,820,423 | 39.9 | 1.46 | 73.3 | 1,270,354 | 1,862,626 | −178,042 | -0.5% |
| 2026* | 143,394,458 | 40.7 | 1.47 | 73.7 | 1,213,374 | 1,868,418 | +324,924 | -0.2% |
| 2030* | 141,889,410 | 42.2 | 1.49 | 74.4 | 1,185,844 | 1,890,862 | +305,075 | -0.3% |
| 2040* | 138,281,831 | 43.9 | 1.52 | 76.2 | 1,371,411 | 1,961,170 | +322,698 | -0.2% |
| 2050* | 136,132,775 | 41.7 | 1.54 | 77.9 | 1,363,837 | 1,933,396 | +322,727 | -0.2% |
| 2060* | 132,893,469 | 43.4 | 1.56 | 79.6 | 1,169,743 | 1,840,508 | +340,306 | -0.3% |
| 2070* | 129,710,829 | 43.9 | 1.57 | 81.1 | 1,239,908 | 1,811,706 | +295,645 | -0.2% |
| 2080* | 127,837,919 | 42.9 | 1.58 | 82.4 | 1,260,913 | 1,671,968 | +313,182 | -0.1% |
| 2090* | 127,144,110 | 43.8 | 1.59 | 83.8 | 1,160,536 | 1,495,642 | +279,309 | -0.0% |
| 2100* | 126,386,515 | 45.0 | 1.59 | 85.0 | 1,165,957 | 1,544,585 | +273,559 | -0.1% |
* 2024 onward is the UN medium projection. Fertility is births per woman; life expectancy is years at birth; births, deaths, and net migration are counts for that calendar year.
Download every year, 1950–2100 (CSV)
2026 population by age and sex
The table provides the counts behind the chart. Age groups are five-year bands, with everyone aged 100 or older combined.
| Age group | Male | Female | Total | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0–4 | 3,301,939 | 3,125,391 | 6,427,330 | 4.5% |
| 5–9 | 4,093,544 | 3,872,528 | 7,966,072 | 5.6% |
| 10–14 | 4,930,481 | 4,667,017 | 9,597,498 | 6.7% |
| 15–19 | 4,330,431 | 4,128,619 | 8,459,050 | 5.9% |
| 20–24 | 3,911,972 | 3,775,057 | 7,687,029 | 5.4% |
| 25–29 | 3,509,349 | 3,397,539 | 6,906,888 | 4.8% |
| 30–34 | 4,192,709 | 4,093,095 | 8,285,804 | 5.8% |
| 35–39 | 6,057,628 | 6,040,107 | 12,097,735 | 8.4% |
| 40–44 | 5,879,225 | 6,110,845 | 11,990,070 | 8.4% |
| 45–49 | 5,087,997 | 5,563,864 | 10,651,861 | 7.4% |
| 50–54 | 4,496,721 | 5,174,932 | 9,671,653 | 6.7% |
| 55–59 | 3,835,939 | 4,558,858 | 8,394,797 | 5.9% |
| 60–64 | 3,834,479 | 5,087,316 | 8,921,795 | 6.2% |
| 65–69 | 3,644,265 | 5,596,654 | 9,240,919 | 6.4% |
| 70–74 | 2,578,383 | 4,695,029 | 7,273,412 | 5.1% |
| 75–79 | 1,607,152 | 3,443,050 | 5,050,202 | 3.5% |
| 80–84 | 515,637 | 1,358,533 | 1,874,170 | 1.3% |
| 85–89 | 471,945 | 1,561,783 | 2,033,728 | 1.4% |
| 90–94 | 135,733 | 504,140 | 639,873 | 0.4% |
| 95–99 | 39,904 | 160,223 | 200,127 | 0.1% |
| 100+ | 3,813 | 20,628 | 24,441 | 0.0% |
Countries with the most similar age structure
These profiles have the 2026 age distributions closest to Russia’s, measured by the total difference in the share of the population in each five-year band. Similar shapes can arise from very different histories, so the match is a starting point for comparison, not an explanation.
- Belarus97% overlap · median age 41.8
- Moldova96% overlap · median age 39.1
- Ukraine96% overlap · median age 41.8
- North Macedonia95% overlap · median age 41.4
- Estonia95% overlap · median age 43.2
- Slovakia95% overlap · median age 42.8
Compare Russia with other countries
Side-by-side pages put two pyramids on the same percentage scale, with a full indicator table and the projected change to 2050.
To calculate school-age, working-age, or older groups with other boundaries, use the age-group calculator for Russia.
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Charts and tables may be reused with attribution. Please link to this page and credit the United Nations as the data source.
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APA
World Population Pyramid. (2026, October 19). Russia Population Pyramid 2026. https://worldpopulationpyramid.com/countries/russia/
MLA
“Russia Population Pyramid 2026.” World Population Pyramid, 19 Oct. 2026, worldpopulationpyramid.com/countries/russia/.
Chicago
World Population Pyramid. “Russia Population Pyramid 2026.” Last modified October 19, 2026. https://worldpopulationpyramid.com/countries/russia/.
Underlying data: United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2024). World Population Prospects 2024.
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Russia in 2026?
Under the UN World Population Prospects 2024 medium scenario, Russia's population in 2026 is projected at 143,394,458.
What is the median age in Russia?
The projected median age in Russia in 2026 is 40.7 years: half the population is younger and half is older.
What is the fertility rate in Russia?
The projected total fertility rate in 2026 is 1.47 births per woman, below the replacement level of about 2.1 in low-mortality populations.
Is Russia's population projected to grow?
Between 2026 and 2050, the UN medium scenario indicates the population will decline by about 5%, from 143.4M to 136.1M.
What share of Russia is aged 65 or older?
In 2026, 18.4% of the projected population is aged 65 or older. By 2050, the medium scenario places the share at 23.8%.
How many babies are born in Russia each year?
The UN medium scenario projects 1,213,374 births and 1,868,418 deaths in 2026, about one birth every 26 seconds. Deaths exceed births by 655,044.
What is life expectancy in Russia for men and women?
Life expectancy at birth in 2026 is projected at 79.5 years for women and 67.9 years for men, a gap of 11.6 years in favour of women.
Does Russia have more immigrants or emigrants?
Russia is projected to gain about 324,924 more people through migration than it loses in 2026. Between 2000 and 2023 the UN estimates cumulative net migration of +9,140,563.
What is the sex ratio in Russia?
The projected 2026 population sex ratio is 86.4 males per 100 females. This all-age ratio is different from the sex ratio at birth and can vary substantially by age.
Sources and notes
- United Nations, DESA, Population Division: World Population Prospects 2024, medium scenario.
- Population values are mid-year figures. Source values published in thousands are converted to people; displayed figures may imply more precision than is appropriate for planning.
- Historical values through 2023 are estimates. Values from 2024 onward are projections.
- Calculations follow the site methodology.