For the last two decades, demographics and its effect on Russian society and future development prospects have been at the center of discussions on that country.

There is now universal agreement that unless Russia solves this most serious problem, its status as a world power will be seriously compromised. A new government offers the possibility of properly addressing this issue.

Demographics has been called the kingmaker of countries and, some say, of civilizations, but it can also be their downfall. Russia's experiencing over the last decades is similar to that of several rich countries; a rapidly aging of population couple with falling birthrates. However, while the rich industrialized countries have rising life spans, those in Russia are seriously compromised by the relatively low health status of its population.