The Russian mortality crisis

Russia will be hit hard by demographic change, says a new UNDP-report: Substantial population ageing and decline is expected and the demographic burden of the working age population will grow. In short: Less people than today will work, but pension expenditures will rise sharply.

The situation is severed by Russia’s mortality crisis. In 2008, life expectancy at birth was nearly 62 years for men and 74 years for women. In the same year, Germany had a life expectancy at birth of 77 years for men and 82 years for women.

Thus, many people who are desperately needed as part of the Russian workforce die at a very young age. The current UN Human Development Report places Russia in terms of life expectancy 118th in the world – even behind many developing countries.

Unfortunately, Russia has failed to establish efficient control over mortality from the causes, which become prominent at this stage. The most dangerous of them are diseases of circulatory system and external causes. More than ever the Russian government and society face the demographic challenge which is among other factors related to the mortality crisis.

Researchers and politicians will discuss causes and consequences of the recent mortality developments in Russia as well as newest research findings about ageing societies of Russia and Germany at the 2nd DiaDem-Conference (www.dia-dem.de) which takes place on November 2 – 3, 2010, in Moscow.

DiaDem – German-Russian Dialogue on Demography – is a joint project of the Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research and the Institute of Demography, State University – Higher School of Economics.

For further information please contact:
Dorothea Rieck, Scientific Coordinator DiaDem, MPIDR, +49 (0)381 2081 231, rieck@demogr.mpg.de
DiaDem – German-Russian Dialogue on Demography
A joint project of the Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research and the Institute of Demography at the State University – Higher School of Economics

http://www.dia-dem.de