Social and Demographic Situation in Regions: Results of 2017

Natalia Zubarevich – Main Research fellow of the Demography and Migration Research Department, Institute of Social Analysis and Forecasting, Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration, Doctor of Geographic Sciences, Professor. E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Ramilya Khasanova – Senior Research fellow of the Demography and Migration Research Department, Institute of Social Analysis and Forecasting, Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration, Candidate of Economic Sciences. E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Aleksandra Burdyak – Senior Research fellow of the Living Standard and Social Safety Net Research Department, Institute of Social Analysis and Forecasting, Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration. E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Yulia Florinskaya – Leading Research fellow of the Demography and Migration Research Department, Institute of Social Analysis and Forecasting, Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration, Candidate of Geographic Sciences. Е-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Despite negative trends observed in households’ incomes in most regions in 2017, as well as a slump in housing building, the labor market saw positive changes. The number of regions with overdue debts on wages and salaries fell to the minimum, underemployment was steadily falling, while the rate of unemployment remained at a low level. Budgets’ expenditures on education increased as those on healthcare, but to a lower extent. There was easing of budgets’ deficit. Budget expenditures remain socially oriented as a result of shortages of resources on other purposes. Generally, the fiscal capacity of regions has become more polarized on the back of fast growth in the Moscow city budget.

In 2017, the natural decline in the population amounted to 134,000 persons as a result of considerable drop in the number of births (by 11%) and insignificant reduction of the mortality rate (by 4%) as compared to the previous year. The rate of death from all the main causes keeps slowly decreasing. The only source of population growth is the migration: in the period under review migration growth amounted to 212,000 people.  The temporary migration to Russia is declining, however, the number of labor migrants did not virtually change. Labor migrants come mainly from the Central Asia. 

In 2017, retail sales of the two main types of alcoholic products – vodka and beer – fell by 10%. It is to be noted that death from incidental alcohol intoxication and misuse decreased by 28%. Generally, the higher consumption of strong spirits in regions, the higher the rate of deaths from alcohol intoxication.

Key words: regional analysis, budget expenditures, birth rate, mortality rate, alcohol consumption, migration.