CHAPTER XII. 



MATERIAL AND SOCIAL CONDITION OF EUSSIA. 



HE present population of the Russian Empire is estimated at 

 95,000,000, of whom 81,000,000 are in Europe, making rather more 

 than one-fourth of the inhabitants of this continent. But as Russia 

 and Finland combined are somewhat more than half the size of 

 ^ Europe, the population is about half as dense as that of other 

 European states. From Poland to the confluence of the Volga and Kama there 

 stretches a densely peopled zone, which may be regarded in this respect as an eastern 

 continuation of the continent. With a mean breadth of 2-1:0 miles, this zone 

 embraces Volhynia, Podolia, the Dnieper basin between Xiev and the rapids, Great 

 Russia from Tver to Yoronej, gradually tapering farther eastwards, and ramifying 

 into two branches, one stretching beyond Kazan, the other reaching the Volga at 

 Saratov. North, south, and east of this zone the population diminishes everywhere 

 in proportion with the severity of the climate, the infertility of the soil, and the 

 shortness of the period of settlement. The rich lands of New Russia, between the 

 Sea of Azov and Ciscaucasia, are still but very thinly peopled, emigrants being 

 largely excluded from these lands by the laws affecting passports and other 

 administrative obstacles. 



Vital Statistics. 



In most of the empire the growth of population is very rapid. In 1722, when 

 European Russia was only one-fifth smaller than at present, it contained approxi- 

 mately no more than 14,000,000 inhabitants. 



Sixty years thereafter the number had doubled, and in 1830 the total had 

 ag.an been doubled, while it is now nearly six times greater than at the time of 

 the first valuation. Judging from the rate of progress maintained during the 

 present century, the population is doubled every sixty-five j^ears. The yearly 

 increase by excess of births over deaths is at present more than 1,000,000, whereas 

 it was only 500,000 during the first decade of the nineteenth century, so that at the 

 same, or even a slightly less, rate, European Russia will certainly have a population 

 of 100,000,000 before the close of the century. At the same time the rate varies 



