Murmansk birth rate continues to drop

Far less babies born in the Murmansk region for the second year in a row. Last year, 7,880 children were born, Severpost reports with reference to the regional Ministry of Health.

That is down 8% from 2016 when 8,566 newborns came to the Russian northern region. Over the two-years period from 2015, birthrate in Murmansk is down 13,5%.

In Russia, birthrates dropped sharply in the 90s following the breakup of the Soviet Union. Then, with economic growth, the population developments improved in the 2000s, but is no again declining.

In Murmansk Oblast, covering the Kola Peninsula, population was by November 1 last year 754,200. That is down 3,500 over the first ten months of 2017, newly released figures from Russian Statistics’ (RosStat) Murmansk branch office show.

Since 2010, population decline in the region is more than 40,000 people.

Last November, President Vladimir Putin said the current decline in birth rates in Russia was predictable. He pointed to the link with the previous, deep declines in the 90s. The Russian government has allocated women an allowance of $180 for 18 months after birth of their fist child.

ADVERTISEMENT