Understanding of Demographic Crisis in Russian Federation, 1991-2013

Demography is a systematic study of population i.e. changes in patterns of births, deaths, and migration which affect population composition, size, and distribution. In the context of the Russian Federation, which is geographically the world's largest country, a unique demographic decline has been undergoing since the early 1990s. The irregularities in the age-sex structure of the population are caused by low fertility and high mortality rate. As a result, the country is experiencing continued negative population growth. Observers call it a demographic catastrophe wherein the number of deaths exceeds the number of births. These challenges are exacerbated by new ones, connected with a worsening age balance, decrease in the working age population and increase of an aging population. There are various reasons for this depopulation. Despite the fact that many scholars often describe Russia as a "Dying Bear," the country's demographics have been improving over the past few years. There are grave consequences of depopulation on the economy, society, political system and overall security scenario of the country. A field trip was undertaken to Russia for conducting surveys and interviews.

Autorentext
Dr. Naresh Sudhaveni holds a PhD from Center for Russian and Central Asian Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. His specialization includes Population Studies, International Migration, and International Relations. He completed M.Phil and did MA in Politics (with specialization in International Relations) and was awarded SRF from UGC.