📜 A long story
Russia, 1800 → today
Russia grew from 31.3 million in 1800 to 145 million; a newborn can expect 41.3 more years of life than in 1896, and output per person is 34× its 1860 level, adjusted for inflation.
Told with long-run reconstructions, not the yearly series used elsewhere on the site: each chapter names its source. Scroll to move through the years.
☺ Chapter 1 · Population
How many people live there?
1800
In 1800, about 31.3 million people lived in Russia.
1900
64.8 million people.
2.1× the 1800 level
Reached twice the 1800 level in 1897.
1950
103 million people.
1.6× the 1900 level
2023
145 million people, the latest year in this series.
1.4× the 1950 level
Long-run series: before 1950, reconstructions by HYDE and Gapminder, filled in between benchmark years by those sources. Log scale: equal steps up mean equal growth rates.
✚ Chapter 2 · Life expectancy
How long do people live?
1896
In 1896, a newborn in Russia could expect to live 31.9 years, on average.
1950
55.5 years.
+24 years since 1896
Passed 40 years in 1936.
Passed 50 years in 1948.
The sharpest fall in the data: down 6.1 years between 1928 and 1932 (38.9 years → 32.8 years).
2023
73.2 years, the latest year in this series.
+18 years since 1950
Passed 60 years in 1955.
Passed 70 years in 1986.
Long-run series: before 1950, historical estimates (Riley, Clio Infra, Human Mortality Database), only for years they cover. Dashed stretches are years without data.
◎ Chapter 3 · GDP per person (PPP)
How much is produced per person?
1860
In 1860, Russia produced about Int$754 per person, in 2011 prices.
1900
Int$1,050.
1.4× the 1860 level
1950
Int$3,310.
3.2× the 1900 level
Reached twice the 1860 level in 1933.
The sharpest fall in the data: down 51% between 1913 and 1921 (Int$1,160 → Int$567).
2022
Int$25,400, the latest year in this series.
7.7× the 1950 level
Reached 5 times the 1860 level in 1953.
Reached 10 times the 1860 level in 1967.
Reached 20 times the 1860 level in 2005.
Long-run series (Maddison Project) in 2011 international dollars: adjusted for inflation, so not the same unit as today’s PPP figure. Log scale: equal steps up mean equal growth rates.
❦ Chapter 4 · CO₂ per person
How much CO₂ does each person emit?
1830
In 1830, fossil fuels and industry in Russia emitted about 0.00033 t of CO₂ per person.
1900
0.7 t.
2,178× the 1830 level
Reached twice the 1830 level, reached 5 times the 1830 level in 1850 (no data between 1833 and 1850, so it may have happened earlier).
Reached 10 times the 1830 level in 1855 (no data between 1850 and 1855, so it may have happened earlier).
Reached 20 times the 1830 level in 1858 (no data between 1855 and 1858, so it may have happened earlier).
Reached 50 times the 1830 level in 1866.
1950
4 t.
5.7× the 1900 level
The sharpest fall in the data: down 76% between 1913 and 1920 (1 t → 0.2 t).
2024
12.3 t, the latest year in this series.
3.1× the 1950 level
Long-run series: fossil CO₂ emitted within each country’s borders (Global Carbon Budget); early estimates are less certain. Log scale: equal steps up mean equal growth rates. Dashed stretches are years without data.
☕ Chapter 5 · Years of schooling
How long do people go to school?
1870
In 1870, people aged 15–64 in Russia had spent 0.2 years in school, on average.
1900
0.4 years.
+0.27 years since 1870
1950
4.1 years.
+3.7 years since 1900
Passed 2 years in 1935.
Passed 4 years in 1950.
2015
11.6 years, the latest year in this series.
+7.5 years since 1950
Passed 6 years in 1970.
Passed 8 years in 1980.
Passed 10 years in 1990.
Passed 12 years in 2010.
Long-run series (Lee & Lee, Barro & Lee) for people aged 15–64, every 5 years until 2015: a different age group than today’s figure (25 and older).