Russia is a multinational state, home to over 193 ethnic groups nationwide. In the 2021 Census, nearly 72% of the population were ethnic Russians and approximately 19% of the population were ethnic minorities.

The acquisition of territories such as Siberia, the Caucasus, and the Far East contributed significantly to Russia's vast size and diverse population, which includes numerous ethnic groups, languages, and religions.

Russia's natural population growth has be negative or flat since 2000, which means that overall deaths have outnumbered births. Only 1.27 million babies were born in Russia last year, the lowest number since 2000. The drop in the birth rate echoes the massive drop in the 1990s following the breakup of the Soviet Union.

It is the world's ninth-most populous country and Europe's most populous country.