MOSCOW, October 20. /TASS/. The natural annual population loss in Russia will shrink by almost one and a half times to 402,000 people by 2045, thanks to an increase in the birth rate, the Federal Statistics Service (Rosstat) said in its demographic forecast until 2046.

The forecast was made taking into account the results of the All-Russian population census, which was conducted in October - November 2021. The forecast does not take into account the population living in new regions of Russia.

"The natural annual population decline will shrink by almost one and a half times - from 600,700 people in 2023 to 402,400 people in 2045 thanks to an increase in the birth rate from 1.245 million babies in 2023 to 1.426 million babies in 2045," according to the forecast published on the statistics service’s website.

The service clarifies that as of January 1, 2023, 146.45 million people lived in Russia, and by January 1, 2046, the country’s population will be 138.77 million people.

"Migration growth will decrease from 233,000 people in 2023 to 221,800 people in 2045. The total annual population decline will be more than halved from 367,700 people in 2023 to 180,600 people in 2045," the forecast states.

According to Rosstat, over the entire forecast timeframe, the share of the country’s female population will be higher than that of the male population. However, the predominance of women over men will gradually decrease. As of January 1, 2023, there were 1,151 women per 1,000 men (68.1 million men and 78.35 million women), and in 2045 there will be 1,138 women per 1,000 men (64.91 million men and 73 .86 million women).