MOSCOW, December 20 (RIA Novosti) - Russia's population declined 0.43% to 142.9 million people as of November 1, 615,500 people less than it was in November of last year, the Federal Service for State Statistics said Tuesday.
"The decline was due to the natural loss of population, which increased by 56,700 in January-October, compared to the same period in 2004. Migrant flows compensated for 12% of the loss," the service said.
However, it added that the number of migrants in January-October 2005 declined by 4.5% year-on-year.
The service pointed to a decline in the birth rate in the said period (in 83 constituent regions) and an increase in the mortality rate (in 61 regions), which contributed to the decline.
The natural population growth was only registered in 17 Russian regions.
