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Russia is the largest country in the world by land area, spanning 17,075,400 km² across eleven time zones. Administratively, it is divided into eight federal districts, each grouping multiple regions, republics, and territories under a shared federal authority. As of 2025, Russia’s total population stands at 143,659,377, a slight decline from 144,699,673 recorded in the 2021 census. This guide breaks down every federal district by population, area, density, and growth trend.

Russia Total Population in 2025

Russia’s population has contracted modestly over the past few years, falling by roughly 1,040,296 people (-0.72%) between the 2021 census and 2025 estimates. This decline reflects a combination of factors including a low birth rate, an aging population, and demographic pressures tied to broader geopolitical and economic conditions. Unlike most countries profiled in population guides, Russia is one of the few major nations currently experiencing a net population decrease rather than growth.

Population by Federal District (2025 vs. 2021)

Data source: City Population

Population Density by Federal District

Because Russia’s federal districts vary enormously in size — from 167,450 km² to nearly 7 million km² — raw population figures only tell part of the story. Density reveals a very different picture of where people actually live:

The contrast is striking: the Central and North Caucasian districts are nearly 60 times denser than the Far Eastern district, despite the latter covering over 40% of Russia’s entire landmass.

Central Federal District: Russia’s Population Core

Home to Moscow, the Central Federal District is Russia’s most populous region by a wide margin, housing 40,298,690 people — roughly 28% of the country’s entire population — within just 652,800 km², less than 4% of Russia’s total land area. Despite its dominance, the district recorded a marginal decline of -0.09% since 2021, essentially holding steady while much of the rest of the country contracted more sharply.

Volga Federal District: The Second-Largest Population Center

The Volga Federal District, centered on Nizhny Novgorod, remains Russia’s second most populous region with 28,408,677 residents. However, it posted one of the steepest declines among all districts at -1.85%, losing over 534,000 people since the 2021 census — a trend consistent with broader outmigration from central Russia’s industrial heartlands.

Siberian Federal District: Vast Territory, Sparse Population

Spanning 4,332,000 km², the Siberian Federal District is Russia’s second-largest by area but home to only 16,492,894 people, giving it one of the lowest population densities in the country at roughly 3.8 people per km². The district saw a -1.79% population decline between 2021 and 2025.

Southern Federal District: Steady Mid-Sized Region

Centered on Rostov-on-Don, the Southern Federal District recorded 14,128,518 residents in 2025, down -0.95% from 2021. Its relatively compact area of 418,500 km² gives it a moderate density of roughly 33.8 people per km², among the higher densities of Russia’s federal districts.

Northwestern Federal District: Saint Petersburg’s Region

Home to Saint Petersburg, Russia’s second-largest city, the Northwestern Federal District held nearly steady at 13,876,648 people, a decline of just -0.29% — one of the smallest drops among all districts, suggesting Saint Petersburg continues to anchor population stability in the region.

Ural Federal District: Industrial Stability

The Ural Federal District, anchored by Yekaterinburg, recorded 12,282,737 residents in 2025, a modest -0.15% decline. As one of Russia’s key industrial and mining regions, its population has remained comparatively stable relative to more sharply declining districts.

North Caucasian Federal District: The Only District Growing

The North Caucasian Federal District, with its capital at Pyatigorsk, stands out as the only federal district to grow between 2021 and 2025 — rising from 10,171,434 to 10,310,935, a gain of +1.37%. This growth is generally attributed to higher birth rates in the North Caucasus republics compared to the national average, along with lower rates of outmigration.

Far Eastern Federal District: Largest Area, Smallest Population

Covering 6,962,700 km² — over 40% of Russia’s total territory — the Far Eastern Federal District is home to just 7,860,278 people, making it both the least populous and least densely populated district at roughly 1.1 people per km². It also recorded the second-steepest decline of any district at -1.45%, continuing a long-standing trend of outmigration from Russia’s remote eastern regions toward the more developed west.

Key Takeaways

1. Russia’s population is declining overall, down -0.72% between the 2021 census and 2025 estimates.
2. The North Caucasian Federal District is the only region growing, driven by comparatively high birth rates.
3. The Far Eastern Federal District covers the most land but has the fewest people, highlighting Russia’s extreme east-west population imbalance.
4. The Central Federal District remains the demographic and economic core, housing over a quarter of the national population in under 4% of its land area.
5. Population density varies by nearly 60x between the most crowded district (Central) and the least crowded (Far Eastern).

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most populous federal district in Russia? The Central Federal District is the most populous, with 40,298,690 residents in 2025.

Which Russian federal district is growing in population? The North Caucasian Federal District is the only one showing population growth, up 1.37% since the 2021 census.

What is the least densely populated federal district in Russia? The Far Eastern Federal District has the lowest density, at roughly 1.1 people per km², despite covering the largest area.

What is Russia’s total population in 2025? Russia’s estimated total population in 2025 is 143,659,377.

Is Russia’s population growing or shrinking? Russia’s population is shrinking overall, down approximately 1,040,296 people (-0.72%) since the 2021 census.

Source:

Data compiled from City Population. Figures represent estimates and are subject to revision by Rosstat (Russia’s federal statistics service).