| January 1897 (Russia): | 125,006,000 |
| December 1926 : | 147,000,000 / 167,676,000* |
| 1937: | 162,000,000 - 164,000,000** |
| January 1939: | 162,000,000 - 193,077,00** |
| End-year 1950: | 181,760,00 |
| January 1959: | 208,827,000 |
| January 1970: | 241,720 |
| 1985: | 272,000,000 |
| July 1991: | 293,047,571 |
* J.A Newth2 states 167 millions, RGAE3 states 147 millions.
** The census data from 1937 and 1939 is disputed. The censuses were classified, and estimates vary widely. The RGAE states roughly 162 millions for both censuses. Eric Hobsbawm4 states 164 millions for 1937. J.A. Newth states 193 millions for 1939. See History of the Soviet Union.
Population growth rate: 0.7% (1991)
Birth rate: 17 births/1,000 population (1991)
Death rate: 10 deaths/1,000 population (1991)
Net migration rate: 0 migrants/1,000 population (1991)
Infant mortality rate: 23 deaths/1,000 live births (1991)
Life expectancy at birth: 65 years male, 74 years female (1991)
Total fertility rate: 2.4 children born/woman (1991)
Ethnic groups: The Soviet Union was one of the world's most ethnically diverse countries, with more than 100 distinct national ethnicities living within its borders.
Ethnic divisions: Russian 50.78%, Ukrainian 15.45%, Uzbek 5.84%, Belorussian (Byelorussian or Belarusian) 3.51%, Kazakh 2.85%, Azeri 2.38%, Armenian, 1.62%, Tajik 1.48%, Georgian 1.39%, Moldovan 1.17%, Lithuanian 1.07%, Turkmen 0.95%, Kirghiz 0.89%, Latvian 0.51%, Estonian 0.36%, other 9.75%
Religion: Russian Orthodox 20%, Muslim 10%, Protestant, Georgian Orthodox, Armenian Orthodox, and Roman Catholic 7%, Jewish less than 1%, atheist 60% (est.)
Language: Russian (official); more than 200 languages and dialects (at least 18 with more than 1 million speakers); Slavic group 75%, other Indo-European 8%, Altaic 12%, Uralian 3%, Caucasian 2%
Literacy: 98% (male 99%, female 97%) age 15 and over can read and write (1989)
Labor force: 152,300,000 civilians; industry and other nonagricultural fields 80%, agriculture 20%; shortage of skilled labor (1989).
References
1: CIA World Factbook 1991 - most figures.
2: J. A. Newth: The 1970 Soviet Census, Soviet Studies vol. 24, issue 2 (October 1972) pp. 200-222. - Population figures from 1897 - 1970.
3: ''The Russian State Archive of the Economy:
Soviet Censuses of 1937 and 1939'' - Population figures for 1937 and 1939.
" class="external">http://www.library.yale.edu/slavic/census3739.html
4Eric Hobsbawm: Age of Extremes, 1994 - population figure for 1937.