The decline was due to a natural decrease in population, which was 38,400 people less in January-November 2003 compared with a corresponding period last year. The inflow of migrants declined, offsetting the loss of population by only 4.1 percent.

According to the State Statistics Committee, the inflow of migrants into Russia more than halved in January-November compared with the same period last year. At the same time, the number of people who emigrated from Russia in January-November 2003 exceeded the number of immigrants to Russia over the same period by 36,094 people. 120,919 people came to Russia in January-November 2003, and 87,818 people left the country.

The State Statistics Committee reported that 2,260,500 people had died in Russia last year. 300,100 people died as a result of accidents, poisoning and injuries, which is 0.5 percent less than a year earlier. Of them, 47,900 people committed suicide (3.9 percent less than in 2002), and 83,800 people were crime victims (1.6 percent less than in 2002). 39,300 people died in road accidents (0.8 percent more than in the previous year), and 37,100 people died as a result of alcohol poisoning (0.8 percent more than in 2002).