Population - 140.04 million (data at July 2009). The population has declined from 148.7 million since 1991, with a significantly higher death rate and lower birth rate following the breakdown of the Soviet social care system.
Population below poverty line: 15.8% (2007).
Life expectancy: men - 59 years, women - 73 years (2009 estimates).

Ethnic groups: Russian 80%, Tatar 4%, Ukrainian 2%, other or unspecified 14% (2002 census).
About 20 million ethnic Russians live in former republics of the Soviet Union. In Europe the treatment of ethnic Russians in Estonia and Latvia continues to be a concern.

Trafficking: Russia is a source, transit, and destination country for men, women, and children trafficked for various purposes, including sexual exploitation.

Language – European Russian is the unifying language of the Federation, used as the 2nd language among many ethnic minorities and in former Soviet states that are now independent. Russian is written in the Cyrillic alphabet.

Religion – after seven decades of Soviet rule many religious believers do not practise and there is a substantial proportion of non-believers. Practising religions: Russian Orthodox 15-20%, Muslim 10-15%, other Christian 2% (2006 estimates).

Education – Education expenditure: 3.8% of GDP (2005). Literacy 99.4%.  Free education guaranteed to all citizens.