As of August 2004, the number of Russia's permanent residents total 143.7 million, having dwindled by 458,500 people, or 0.32 percent since the year began, the Federal Statistics Service says in a report.
In January through July 2004, the Russian population declined by 59,900 people as compared with the same period of last year . With the migrant inflow on the decrease, the population loss was compensated for by a mere 2.7 percent.
The birth rate increased in 47 of the Federation member states. Seventy-one of Russia's regions saw the mortality rate go down (the tendency had continued into this year from late 2003).
In the first half of 2004, the birth rate in Russia surpassed the mortality rate by a factor of 1.5, on the average, as against 1.6 percent in the same period of last year; in 22 of this countries' regions, the figure was 2-2.7 percent. The natural population growth in January through July 2004 was registered only in 16 regions of Russia (compared with 15 regions in the first six months of 2003).
The January-July period of 2004 saw the number of migrants grow by 2,5000 people, which is a 0.2 % increase from the same period of last year. Russia's migrant population growth decreased by 12,200, or 48.5 percent, owing to a dramatic decrease (by 21,000 people, or 25.6 percent) in the number of registered non-residents, including at the expense of immigrants from former Soviet republics (by 28.1 percent, or 20,800 people).
