Russia data questions answered
The 15 questions people search most about Russia's official figures, each answered from the body that publishes them, with a link to check the latest number yourself.
What is the population of Russia?
Russia had 143,513,328 people in 2025, down from 143,669,648 in 2024, according to the World Bank's World Development Indicators, updated on 8 October 2026.
The national source is Rosstat, the Federal State Statistics Service, which publishes the resident population on 1 January each year and monthly demographic estimates, based on the 2021 All-Russian Population Census. Rosstat's territorial coverage can differ from that of international series, so totals may not match. Rosstat's website could not be opened with a trusted security certificate on 13 October 2026, so its latest figure is not quoted here.
What is the Bank of Russia key rate?
The Bank of Russia's key rate is 14.00%, in effect since 27 July 2026, according to the Bank of Russia's key rate page, last updated on 13 October 2026. It was 14.50% in May 2026 and 14.25% in June, according to the Bank's table of the key rate and inflation. The Bank's website lists the next Board of Directors meeting on the key rate for 23 October 2026.
The key rate is the Bank's main monetary policy tool; it guides interbank rates such as RUONIA (13.84% on 12 October 2026) and, with a lag, the rates banks charge on loans and pay on deposits. The Board holds key rate meetings on a published schedule and issues a press release with each decision.
What is the inflation rate in Russia?
Consumer prices in Russia were 6.35% higher in September 2026 than a year earlier, against 6.33% in August and 5.98% in July, according to the Bank of Russia's table of the key rate and inflation, which uses Rosstat's consumer price index. The Bank of Russia's target is 4.0%. Its English home page rounds the September figure to 6.4%.
The figure is the annual change in Rosstat's consumer price index for the whole country. It compares prices with the same month a year earlier, so a single month's price change can move it only gradually. The Bank of Russia sets the key rate with the aim of bringing this figure back to its target.
What is the ruble exchange rate?
The Bank of Russia set the official rate at 83.9153 rubles per US dollar for 13 October 2026, and 83.8675 rubles for 14 October, according to its English home page. The euro rate for 13 October was 94.0355 rubles and the yuan rate 12.5360 rubles.
The Bank of Russia sets official rates each business day, usually for the following day, based on market trading; they are used for accounting, customs and tax purposes, not as a rate at which the Bank will buy or sell. Banks set their own cash and transfer rates. Daily rates for all currencies are on the official exchange rates page.
What is Russia's GDP and is the economy growing?
Russia's GDP was US$2.56 trillion in 2025 and real growth was 1.0%, down from 4.9% in 2024, according to the World Bank's World Development Indicators. The IMF's World Economic Outlook database, read on 13 October 2026, also shows growth of 1.0% in 2025 and projects 0.9% for 2026.
Rosstat produces Russia's national accounts, with a first estimate of annual GDP in February, quarterly estimates and revisions over following years. Dollar figures depend on the ruble exchange rate, so growth in rubles at constant prices is the better guide to output. Rosstat's site could not be opened with a trusted certificate on 13 October 2026.
What is Russia's GDP per capita?
Russia's GDP per person was US$17,547 in 2025, up from US$14,962 in 2024, according to the World Bank's World Development Indicators. The IMF's World Economic Outlook database gives US$17,864 for 2025.
Both convert ruble GDP into dollars at market exchange rates, so much of the rise between 2024 and 2025 reflects a stronger ruble rather than more output; real GDP grew about 1% in 2025. The two organisations use slightly different exchange-rate and population inputs, which explains the gap. Figures at purchasing power parity, also published by both, are more suitable for comparing living standards across countries.
What is Russia's federal budget deficit?
Russia's federal budget had a deficit of 5,185.6 billion rubles in January to September 2026, on preliminary figures, with revenue of 29,639.5 billion and spending of 34,825.1 billion rubles, according to the Ministry of Finance's monthly summary of federal budget execution, published on 9 October 2026. Oil and gas revenue was 5,471.0 billion rubles; spending on national defence was 3,573.6 billion.
The figures are cumulative from the start of the year, so monthly changes are the difference between successive releases; the deficit had been 5,799.9 billion rubles at the end of August. They cover the federal budget only, not regional budgets or state social funds, which are in the consolidated budget published separately. Some spending is classified and does not appear in the open breakdown.
How much is Russia's national debt?
Russia's domestic state debt was 36,682.1 billion rubles on 1 October 2026, up from 30,654.8 billion on 1 January, and its external state debt was US$57.32 billion, according to the Ministry of Finance's state debt statistics, updated on 12 and 13 October 2026. The IMF's World Economic Outlook database puts general government gross debt at 16.6% of GDP in 2025, and projects 19.3% for 2026.
Domestic debt is mostly ruble government bonds (OFZ) and state guarantees; external debt is in foreign currency, including guarantees. The IMF ratio covers general government, which includes regional budgets, so it is not directly comparable with the ministry's federal state debt totals.
How large are Russia's international reserves?
Russia's international reserves were US$733.2 billion on 2 October 2026, down from US$742.7 billion a week earlier, according to the Bank of Russia's weekly international reserves data. They were US$774.2 billion on 28 August.
Reserves include foreign currency, gold, special drawing rights and the reserve position in the IMF, valued at market prices, so changes in the gold price and exchange rates move the total even without transactions. Monthly data with a breakdown by type of asset are published separately on the Bank's website.
What is the life expectancy in Russia?
Life expectancy at birth in Russia was 73.4 years in 2024, up from 73.3 years in 2023, according to the World Bank's World Development Indicators, updated on 8 October 2026.
Rosstat publishes the national figure, with separate values for men and women and by region. Life expectancy is a period measure based on one year's death rates, not a forecast. Rosstat's site could not be opened with a trusted security certificate on 13 October 2026, so its latest figure is not quoted here.
What is the birth rate in Russia?
Russia's total fertility rate was 1.42 children per woman in 2024, up slightly from 1.41 in 2023, according to the World Bank's World Development Indicators, updated on 8 October 2026.
The total fertility rate estimates how many children a woman would have at current age-specific birth rates; about 2.1 keeps a population stable without migration. Rosstat publishes births, deaths and the total fertility rate nationally and by region. Rosstat's site could not be opened with a trusted security certificate on 13 October 2026, so its latest figures are not quoted here.
What is the unemployment rate in Russia?
Russia's unemployment rate was 2.2% in 2025, down from 2.5% in 2024, according to the IMF's World Economic Outlook database, read on 13 October 2026. The IMF projects 2.2% for 2026.
The national figure comes from Rosstat's monthly labour force survey, which uses the International Labour Organization definition: people without work who looked for a job and could start. It is separate from the much smaller number of people registered as unemployed with employment services. The World Bank's modelled ILO estimate for 2025 is 2.1%. Rosstat's site could not be opened with a trusted security certificate on 13 October 2026, so its latest monthly rate is not quoted here.
What is the minimum wage in Russia?
Russia's federal minimum wage (MROT) is set each year by federal law, as an amendment to the Federal Law on the Minimum Wage, and takes effect on 1 January. The 2026 amount could not be read on an official page that was reachable on 13 October 2026, so no figure is quoted here; the law's current text is published on the official legal information portal and by the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection.
The MROT is a monthly amount for full-time work, before personal income tax. Regions can set a higher regional minimum wage by agreement, and in the far north and similar areas regional coefficients are added on top.
What is the average salary in Russia?
Russia's official average monthly wage is published by Rosstat, the Federal State Statistics Service, as average accrued nominal wages per employee, monthly and by region and industry. Rosstat's website could not be opened with a trusted security certificate on 13 October 2026, so no current figure is quoted here.
The Rosstat figure is gross pay before personal income tax and includes bonuses, so it can swing from month to month. It is a mean and is pulled up by high earners; a median wage, where published, is a better guide to typical pay. Averages also differ widely between regions and industries. The Ministry of Finance's federal budget execution data show personal income tax receipts but not wages.
When was Russia's last census and what did it find?
Russia's most recent census, the All-Russian Population Census, was held in autumn 2021, delayed from 2020 by the COVID-19 pandemic, and its results were published by Rosstat in 2022 and 2023. Rosstat's website could not be opened with a trusted security certificate on 13 October 2026, so the census figures are not quoted here; for an internationally comparable population series, see the World Bank's World Development Indicators, which put the population at 143,513,328 in 2025.
Census results include population by region, age, sex, nationality and language, all of which are self-declared. Annual population estimates are rolled forward from the census.
Source guides
- Bank of Russia
- Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation
- Russian court records: GAS Pravosudie, arbitrazh case files and the Supreme Court
Questions were chosen from the searches people make most about this country's figures, and each answer was written from the official page it links to, read on 14 October 2026. These answers give no verdict on any claim. To report an error, send a correction request.