World Population Awareness

Albania at Risk of Disaster From Heightened Pollution Levels.

Albania is facing pollution from gases that are 10 times above the level set by the WHO. Every day growing numbers of people suffer from cancer, cardiovascular and pneumonia diseases due to gases and carbon dioxide. 50,000 tons of air bubbles and carbon dioxide fall on the capital every year making Tirana one of the most polluted cities, behind New Delhi and Beijing. 90% of vehicles in the capital are old, 70% use diesel and 30% petrol containing lead and sulfur. No reliable data exists, but experts said that deaths due to pollution have increased by 20% in the past two years with respiratory diseases third on the list. An increasing number of babies are born with deformities, particularly in the region west of Tirana, where pollution is 15 times the acceptable levels. There have been cases of four-legged roosters and two-headed calves or rabbits in the centre of steel production with no regular pollution control. Cement-and metal-producing factories emit 40,000 tons of dust per year. The government has threatened to close all factories that fail to take anti-pollution measures. Throughout Albania, tens of thousands of tons of chemical and toxic waste was abandoned in the ruins of communist-era factories. The danger is higher nowadays as families, fleeing poor regions, camp or build temporary huts near these centers. Cancerous substance had been found in ground water in the area, due to left-over pesticides. International institutions are called on to help Albania. rw

For Albanians, It's Come to This: a Son for a TV.

Since the collapse of Stalinism in Albania, an estimated 6,000 children have been sent abroad in begging and prostitution rackets, or sold for adoption. A majority come from a group of 300,000 Albanian-speaking Gypsies who have fared poorly. More than 1,000 children are in Greece, working as beggars. One or two are arrested every day and sent home. This is part of a trade including East European women for prostitution, and an outgrowth of the organized crime in this clannish society. In Albania most cases of child trafficking have involved older children who are sold or rented to minders (pimps), who take them to Greece and Italy, where they work as beggars or child prostitutes. Many families believe that their children will gain better lives abroad and to send a child abroad is a success and not exploitation. The Albanian government has introduced campaigns to alert families to the dangers of such decisions. Laws penalizing child trafficking have been enacted, and policing stepped up. rw

Armenia: 11 Newborn Infants out of Each 1,000 Do Not Live up First Week of Life.

The Ministry of Health of Armenia said that about 11 newborn infants out of each 1,000 do not live up the first week of life. Last year about 36 women in childbirth out of 100,000 died during delivery. During the last 10 years the Ministry of Health has implemented a series of programs and reduced the percentage of infantile mortality under 5 years old, as well as the maternal mortality. 10 large-scale and 10 local programs aimed at protection of health of mother and child are implemented in the republic today, both by the government and international organizations. By 2015 it is planned that infant and maternal mortality will decrease by a third. rw

Government Moves to Boost Armenian Birth Rate.

The government approved a plan aimed at boosting the birth rate in Armenia. The $8.6 million program, financed by Western donors, is to boost the country's population. It is aimed at boosting the birth rate and creating favorable conditions for healthy childhood and maternity.

Armenia's population has shrunk since the Soviet collapse as a result of the out-migration of hundreds of thousands of its citizens and a decreased birth rate. Giving birth in any maternity hospital is officially free of charge in Armenia. However, this is rarely enforced due to a well-entrenched system of informal payments levied from the parents and typically involves hundreds of dollars.

The director of the Maternity and Gynecology Institute claimed that parents must pay only for having separate wards and other "special services" in maternity hospitals.

In general, delivery is free of charge for socially vulnerable or poor people he told reporters. rw

Should Azerbaijan Adopt Law on Reproductive Health and Family Planning.

The bill on "Reproductive health and family planning" rejected by parliament caused broad discussions.

The parliamentarians were divided while discussing the bill. Those who are against it say artificial insemination, surrogate mother and sperm donors contradict national mentality. Those who support the bill consider it will prevent divorce. There is a need to adopt the bill to protect motherhood.

Much work had been done in the country to protect women health, maternal and infant death.

Reproductive health is on the agenda, because AIDS has been declared pandemic in the world.

AIDS is considered a global threat in all countries. In Azerbaijan there are 1771 AIDS-infected people in the country. The majority were foreigners before, but now 70% of the infected are young. Breast cancer has increased by three times in Azerbaijan. 32 in every 10,000 women suffer uterine cancer. rw

The Axis of Oil: How a Plan for the World's Biggest Pipeline Threatens to Wreak Havoc .

The US estimates that the Caspian region could produce 3.7 million barrels per day as world demand grows to 118.9 million by 2020. The pipeline would pump 4.2 million barrels per year using a 1,090-mile, 42-inch pipe from Baku, in Azerbaijan, to Ceyhan, in Turkey. It will cost $4 billion (£2.4bn) and is being built by a consortium of companies. Three quarters of the funding will come in bank loans from the World Bank and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, government agencies will underwrite the risk from civil war or terrorism. An arm of the World Bank, will have to approve its loan based on a vote of its 173 members. The US, has almost 25% of the votes, and the UK 5%. Opponents claim the pipeline would break lending guidelines and be an environmental threat as there is a chance of a major earthquake during its operation. The Caspian receives each year a million cubic metres of untreated wastewater, much from oil production. In Georgia and Turkey, the project could affect rare and endangered species. Legal agreements make BP the governing power over-riding all other laws for the next 40 years. Amnesty International says the plan will strip local people and workers of their civil rights. Turkey has handed so much power to the consortium that it is in breach of treaties signed ahead of its accession to the European Union. Critics say the pipeline will destroy the livelihoods of farmers and fishermen along the route and fuel ethnic tensions. Since the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks, the US has started offering financial aid to country governments in exchange for permission to build military bases. The pipeline will be guarded by the US Army or local forces dependent on US support. The US-led Afghan campaign has altered the power equations in central Asia, which has become the new focus of American foreign power. The project is now 40% complete, will go ahead even if the IFC turned it down and other members of the consortium pulled out. BP has a 30% stake so failure would jeopardise $1 billion revenue. The pipeline is expected to bring in £65m annually to the regions through which it passes. rw

Belarus Propagates Economic and Demographic Successes.

Belarus shed a favorable light on living standards and economic progress in the country. The payment of debt to Gazprom has not had any impact on internal stability. Over seven months of 2007, GDP rose by 8.8% compared to last year, keeping pace with the official prognosis of 8-9% while industrial output increased by 7-8% and consumer goods output by 6.2%. Production of food goods fell to 99% of the 2006 level, but labor productivity increased by 8%. The demographic problems appear to be abating as over the first six months of 2007, the national birth rate has risen by 108.8% compared to 2006. The biggest rise is in towns (109.8%), but in rural regions also (106.2%). The most significant improvements are in Homel and Brest oblasts, whereas Vitsebsk region experienced a net loss once again. The mortality rate has dropped to 95.8% of last year's level, with the average lifespan for Belarusian men 63.3 and for women, 75.5.

The Health Ministry allotted payments of $432 to families for the birth of a first child and seven $605 for the second. A program will provide free food for children during the first year of life. The number of people working in the Belarusian economy has risen to 4,409,200, and is anticipated to increase to up to 4,448,000. Only about one-third of Belarusian industries are operating at a profit. 93 investment projects are under way, which include the modernization of several large enterprises.

Foreign investment has led to some joint ventures, Venezuela is prepared to extend credit of $500,000 at an interest rate of 3.5% over 15 years, toward the establishment of joint enterprises in the South American country. But Belarus needs cash and credits. The country has gold reserves of $3 billion, but these could become depleted rapidly. Economic relations with Russia are clouded by fears of the larger country's political goals.

The political power rests on its image of fostering prosperity and stability. Reports of successes are obligatory in order to shore up confidence in the government. They belie problems, particularly outdated factories and a shortage of ready cash. rw

Population Decline Continues in Bulgaria in 2005.

Last year in Bulgaria, 1,189 more children were born than in 2004, but the natality rate remained 0.5% and at the end of the year there were five Bulgarians less in each 1,000.

The number of children born outside a marriage soared to a record level of 49%.

Most of the children were born by couples who are not interested in registering their relationship, but 19.6% were born to an unknown or an undeclared father. rw

Population in Bulgaria Steadily Grows Older and Decreases.

Bulgaria is steadily experiencing a reduction of population. It was 7,679,300 people in the end of 2006. The population decreased by 39,500 people between 2005 and 2006.

In 2006, the growth was minus 5.1 per thousand, which is a decrease of 0.3 compared with the 2005 rate.

The extramarital birth rate continued growing. The number of women in fertile age decreased.

The ratio of Bulgarians up to 15 years old was 13.4% of the population, while the people over 65 years comprised 17.3%.

The average life expectancy was 72.61 years. rw

In Shrinking Bulgaria, Where Are the People?; Population Decline is Killing Its Cities.

Lucky Bulgaria was founded in 1959. Today the population is 4,000, down from 10,000 in 1990. Only two of the five lead-zinc mines still operate. The streets are tidy and organized and many of the public buildings are freshly painted. Only people are missing. There is no work and all the young people have left.

Bulgaria has a population decline considered to be one of the most severe. The 20 main cities all have lost population since 1989, except for Sofia, the capital.

Bulgaria's population will decline by 34% from 2005 to 2050, from 7.7 million to 5 million.

The the only country likely to lose more of its people was Swaziland, where 38% of the population has HIV.

The problem in Bulgaria is made more complicated by the low standard of living. A national strategy is being started to improve living standards so that Bulgarians have more children. In Bulgaria, there are 1.5 workers for every 2 pensioners and the ratio is getting worse. The population decline began during the Communist era and accelerated when the old system ended in 1989 and the economy collapsed. The fertility rate is now 1.3 in Bulgaria. About 800,000 Bulgarians emigrated from 1989 to 2004. 144 villages have no population and 337 villages have 10 or fewer residents. rw

Chechen Leader Proposes Polygamy for Population Problem.

Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov put forward polygamy as a solution to the diminishing population in his republic, and perhaps the whole of Russia. There are 10 percent more women than men in the republic and there are men who have two or three wives. Since Chechens are Muslims, religious law allows them to have four wives. Polygamy is an unwritten law in the Russian Caucasus republics and has become more popular since the break-up of the Soviet Union. Polygamy is failing to develop for economic reasons, not for fears of penalties. The former president of the republic of Ingushetia authorised men in 1999 to have up to four wives. But the local parliament voted to annul the measure in 2001 at the request of Moscow, which said that it went against the constitution and the Russian family code. rw

After Yoga and Sunday Shopping, Croatia's Catholic Church Targets Condoms.

Croatia's Catholic Church is opposing a safe-sex programme, labelling it against Christian moral teaching, and opposes contraception and condom distribution. A psychologist said that it is unacceptable that the Church interferes in matters which should be decided by experts. The Church has never raised its voice against fraudulent privatisations, social injustice or the rights of Roma children. The government abandoned plans to introduce optional yoga classes for high school teachers after the Church slammed this as heretical. The Church also claimed to have the workers' interests at heart when it initiated a law banning Sunday trading. Many Croatians see the move as a bid to stem declining church attendances. The bishops have not demanded an end to the AIDS programme but their position has been made clear by priests without understanding the science and medical issues involved. The programme is taught by experts and peer educators through optional workshops in public high schools. It has been approved by the health ministry and is designed to help adolescents learn about HIV-AIDS. The proper use of condoms is only a small part of the programme. Bishop Valter Zupan argued that condoms increase the risk of HIV and outraged the medical community with claims that the HIV virus passed through "pores" in condoms. Out of Croatia's population of 4.4 million, 400 are estimated to have the HIV virus and there are 216 people with AIDS. rw

Ten Per Cent of Croatia's Population Lives in Absolute Poverty.

The goals of a September 2000 meeting in Croatia included eradicating poverty and famine, ensuring elementary education, promoting gender equality, reducing the infant death rate, improving mothers' health, fighting AIDS and other contagious diseases, sustainable development and the development of global cooperation. The deadline is 2015. Croatia's economic growth over the past decade has averaged 4.3% annually from 1994 through 2002 but the benefits have not been equally distributed. Under national criteria 400,000 people live in poverty and this figure should be halved by 2015. 55,000 people are extremely poor and live on a monthly 400 kuna (53 euros) per adult. By international criteria the poverty rate is low at 4.8%. This places Croatia, Slovenia and the Czech Republic among transition countries with the lowest poverty rate. Welfare beneficiaries receive assistance for a long time, nearly five times as long as in Germany and in the last four years their number has been increasing to between 1.5 and 2.5 percent of the population. ) rw

Eu Parliament Slams Croatia's Church-backed Sex Education .

The European Parliament slammed a proposed Church-backed sex education program in Croatia, saying it encouraged discrimination.

The EU parliament voiced "concern regarding the potential implementation of a reproductive health and sexual curriculum."

The program "supplies medically inaccurate and information about sexual health and family planning as well as about contraceptive methods," read the letter.

The deputies warned the curriculum was "gender-biased and features negative attitudes towards homosexuality, thus contradicting Croatian laws."

The program is backed by the Roman Catholic Church and is in line with Vatican teaching that there should be no sexual relations outside marriage, no safe sex, and no homosexuality.

It needs the health ministry's approval in order to be introduced in schools.

Local NGO's have urged authorities to reject the program because it was not based on scientific research. Croatians have sex for the first time at an average age of 17.

Almost 90% of Croatia's population of 4.4 million are Roman Catholics. rw

Croatia;: Low Birth Rate - the Result of a Lack of Marriages.

The book "Social Sterility In Croatia, Why We Are Unmarried" by Andelka Akrap and Ivan Cipin, “Marriage is the basic reproductory institution, and the less marriages there are directly influences the reproductive potential".

The book was financed by the ministry of families, veterans and intergenerational solidarity.

The main aim is to discover what affects the late entry into marriage and the late birth of children.

Some of the important factors are social and economic conditions, inequality between the sexes, unemployed female work force, inability to find a partner, war of independence, housing problems, poor support for those wanting to have children, the trend of living with your parents longer and other. rw

Czech Birth Rate Hits Record High in 2005.

The Czech birth rate hit a record high, but the country depends on immigration to keep its population numbers growing. The country took in 28,000 immigrants this year, helping boost the country's population by 26,000 people over the first nine months of the year to more than 10 million. The country's largest immigrant communities have come from the former Soviet Union and Asia. The country also saw a record number of births at 78,000, the highest number in a decade. Some 80,000 people died over the same period. Approximately 30% of the children were born to unmarried mothers. One in two marriages in the Czech Republic ends in divorce. rw

Czech Court Rules in First-ever Case Heard on 'Coercive Sterilisation' of Roma Women.

Helena Ferencikova was sterilised against her wishes, after giving birth to her second son. The regional court of Ostrava ruled that the hospital which performed the sterilisation owes Mrs Ferencikova an apology. The court's decision would be the first finding in any Eastern European court of legal violations concerning the coercive sterilisation of Roma women. From the 1970s, Roma (Gypsy) women were routinely sterilised in Communist Czechoslovakia following an official policy in place to curb the birth rate of that minority group. Social workers were authorised to give state money to women who underwent sterilisation and are alleged to have used the threat of enforced foster care to get reluctant women to agree to the operation. This policy was decried by the Czechoslovak dissident initiative Charter 77. Human Rights Watch concluded that the practice ended in mid-1990, but human rights groups in the Czech Republic and Slovakia have unearthed evidence that doctors and hospital staff continue to pressure Roma to undergo sterilisation. Doctors claimed they were right to sterilise Helena Ferencikova because, after two caesarean sections, a third would have endangered her health. The hospital intends to appeal the court decision. Mrs Ferencikova says she was in labour and would have signed any paper; she didn't understand its contents and doctors ignored her request to consult with her husband. Lawyer Michaela Tomisova is representing nearly seventy Roma women who have filed complaints over sterilisations allegedly carried out without their consent. She says just because a woman signed a release form, doesn't mean the procedure was legal. Helena Ferencikova was the first to have her day in court. Dozens more cases are certain to follow. Last year, Health Minister Milada Emmerova appointed a commission to investigate the women's claims. In nearly every case, hospitals had failed to follow elementary legal procedures and made "serious errors" in the paperwork. rw

Abortion Rate Drops to Lowest Level Ever; Spread of Birth Control and Sex Education Credited with Decline in Ex-soviet Bloc.

In 2004, Czech women had 27,574 abortions, five times fewer than in the 1980s and gave birth to 97,664 babies. It shows women have gained the freedom to plan their families. In 1989, nine in 10 pregnancies were aborted. Couples used risky methods. They wanted to have sex when their parents weren't home. The only other method was abortion. In the late 1980s Czech doctors performed about 116,000 abortions a year; by the mid-1990s the number dropped to 58,000. It has more than halved since with a corresponding rise in the use of contraceptive pills. A 29-year-old dentist says 90% of her friends take birth-control pills. It's a big freedom to decide when to have a child. Her grandmother wanted two kids, but she had three kids and two abortions. Communist leaders sought total control over citizens, and sexual liberty, discussing sexuality, wasn't welcomed. During the Cold War, limited access to contraceptives resulted in high abortion rates. In 1980s Russia, abortion rates were two times higher than birth rates, and Russian women had an average of six abortions in their lifetimes. rw

Czech Population Rises for the First Time Since 1995 .

The Czech population increased in the first half of this year for the first time since 1995, owing to a higher birth and immigration, 2,200 more than in the first half of last year. It had a natural loss of 4,300 inhabitants, 2.5 times lower than the first half of last year. 2003, 1.5% more than in the same period last year. rw

Safe Sex Among Young People in Czech Republic Declining.

Increasing numbers of young people in the Czech Republic are not protecting themselves against HIV.

A survey among 139 young people 16 to 19 found that most do not take precautions during sex to avoid contracting sexually transmitted infections. Two-thirds said that they fear HIV but do not believe they can acquire the virus.

39% insist on using condoms during sex. "The disease is no longer discussed and, Czech young people believe that it curable. The country has recorded 920 HIV cases, although some doctors say the number country could be five times as high. rw

Czechs, Others Sterilize Gypsies; a New Draft UN Report and Rights Activists Say a Soviet-era Campaign to Sterilize Romany Women Continues.

Human rights activists say that the fall of communism 16 years ago did not put an end to a Soviet-era practice that targeted Romany women for sterilizations as a means of population control.

A draft report from the UN says the Czech government failed to answer to the charges of more than 80 Romany women who said they were sterilized without informed consent.

These cases, from 1986 to 2004, formed the basis for a report released in December after a yearlong investigation. It concluded that the cases had merit, and urged the government to change legislation involving sterilizations and compensating victims.

The Health Ministry says it is investigating the cases in the public defender's report but calls charges of forced sterilization in recent years "misleading and without merit." Activists say the sterilization of Romany women was regionwide. But researching allegations is difficult, because doctors and hospitals balk at releasing information. Most charges are reported by the marginalized Romany populations.

Many of the country's roughly 12,000 Roma are in Ostrava, a city with high unemployment. Children abound, within a culture that values family above all.

Last year, an Ostrava court said doctors failed to get informed consent when they sterilized a woman in 2001, and ordered the hospital to apologize. The hospital is now appealing.

Ten years ago, information provided to a patient was on a different level than it is now. Women must wait at least six weeks after childbirth before being sterilized. rw

Czech Republic;: Forced Sterilization of Roma Women Continues.

Women's advocates charge that the Czech government has failed to stop coercive sterilization on Roma (Gypsy) women. In December of 2005, a report cites dozens of cases of sterilization of Roma women between 1979 and 2001 in which no consent was given that would be free of error and fully unrestrained. The Czech Health Ministry acknowledges sterilization procedures were not followed properly, but refuses to provide compensation to victims and many hospitals deny that their actions were illegal, claiming medical reasons for sterilization. Many Roma women are taking their cases to court. In 2005, Helena Ferencikova became the first Roma woman to sue the hospital that sterilized her. The District Court ruled that the hospital should acknowledge malpractice and must issue her a formal apology. The hospital denied Ferencikova's demand for compensation, and both parties are appealing. rw

Sixty Percent of Estonian Children Born Out of Wedlock.

Estonia leads the EU with 60% of children born to unmarried parents. In the enlarged EU, the average percentage in 2004 was 31.6%. In Estonia, the main reason why so many children are born out of wedlock is that young parents lack the money to make their own home, so they postpone formal marriage. People think that the formalisation of a partnership is not important and society has tolerated this approach. The proportion of young mothers in Estonia who work while raising their children has increased, as has the average age of first-time mothers. This year, 330 more children had been born in Estonia compared with the first 11 months of 2004. But despite an increase of around eight% in the birth rate over the past two years, population growth continues to be negative, with 3,000 more deaths than births this year with a population of 1.3 million. rw

Estonia's Population Decline Slows.

Estonia's population fell by 2,500 to 1.34 million during 2006. During the first decade of Estonia's independence the nation lost 200,000 people due to the low birth rate and mass emigration. However, the population reduction was less than in recent years, due to a slightly higher birth rate.

During the 1990s, live births registered in Estonia dropped from 19,300 per year to 13,000. Authorities expect the country's depopulation trend to continue for the foreseeable future, raising issues for the economy and society. rw

Buoyed by Strong Economy, Estonians Make More Babies.

Estonians' confidence in the economy means more couples are having children. There were 500 more births last year than the previous year, putting the population at 1.342 million.

Women feel they can't postpone having a child any more because of their age, and they are encouraged by the positive development of the economy. Estonia's population has dropped by 14.6% from 1.57 million in 1991. But since Estonia became a member of the EU with economic growth in the double digits, the population has grown.

A sense of economic security has pushed families to have more children.

The improved parental benefit system has also helped. Estonia is a small country and needs to pay special attention to this matter to ensure its future viability. rw

Estonia;: TFR Increasing in Part Because of Incentives to Have Children.

Estonia's total fertility rate (TFR) has increased to 1.5 children per woman from 1.3 in the late 1990s. This could be the result of a government initiative for providing women who have children with monthly stipends.

The initiative was pushed after a report by the UN showed Estonia as "one of the fastest-shrinking nations on earth." Estonia provides employed women who have children with their salary, up to $1,560 monthly, over a 15-month period and unemployed women with $200 monthly. The average monthly salary in Estonia is $650. Many employed women could not afford to have children and taking time off could have a negative impact on job security. Some other factors include advances in birth control and ideas about personal freedom and happiness.

The Estonian government plans to continue strategies, such as expanding pre-abortion counselling and subsidizing child-care providers and private day care Estonia needs a TFR of 2.1 children per woman to maintain its current population. rw

Eastern Europe's Falling Birth Rates Spell Problems for An Ageing EU.

The ex-communist eastern European countries have large, young workforces but falling birth rates. Poland has lost one million inhabitants in four years. Estonia's population will drop by 36% and Hungary by 20%. All the countries have birth rates of less than 1.5 children per woman. At the end of the 1990s Slovenia, the Czech Republic and Latvia had the lowest birth rates in the world, a drop of more than 30%. The average age of the Slovakian population will climb from 36 in 2001 to nearly 48 in 2050. In these countries children have a high risk of poverty. Under communism homes were distributed according to the number of children, women's employment was guaranteed, and there were plenty of creches and nursery schools. The ageing population will cause problems for pension systems and social security. The crumbling population is not of general concern except in Hungary where the Socialist government increased family grants by 20% and doubled grants to help families with children build their own homes. Poland's Catholic Church blames western ways for the decline. Slovakia has tried in vain to ban voluntary abortions. The drop in workforce numbers and economic growth in eastern Europe will cause labour shortages forcing a return to immigration. rw

Five More Die as Southeast Europe Sizzles.

Four more Romanians have died from a heatwave, raising the region's death toll from the past few days to at least 30.

In western Turkey, a 60-year-old man died in hospital as temperatures there hit 111.2F.

Turkey reduced working hours for state officials and urged the elderly and children to stay at home, out of the heat.

This was Greece's hottest June ever, with more emergency calls.

By contrast, northern had severe flooding, caused by torrential rain, which killed a 68-year-old man and a teenager in Sheffield and a man in his 20s in Hull.

Southeastern Europe was suffering a drought, even before the latest heatwave.

Grain producers say Romania might have to import a million tonnes of wheat to cover a domestic shortfall.

In Ukraine, the government has imposed limits on grain exports for three months in an attempt to keep down bread prices. rw

Europe;: Plunging Birthrates Spread Eastward.

After a decline, birthrates in European countries have reached a historic low. European women, better educated and integrated into the labor market than ever before, say there is no time for motherhood and that children are too expensive.

The number of elderly increasingly exceeds the number of young. The EU estimates that, if birthrates remain this low, the bloc will have a shortfall of 20 million workers by 2030.

Immigration from non-European countries would not fill the gap even if Europe's countries were willing to embrace millions of foreign newcomers.

These developments could pose barriers to achieving the EU goals of full employment, economic growth and social cohesion.

The free fall in births is most recent and precipitous here in Eastern Europe, where Communist-era state incentives that made it economical to have children have been phased.

EU put the rate at 1.2 children per woman in the Czech Republic, Slovenia, Latvia and Poland, far below the rate of 2.1 needed to maintain population.

Eastern Europe is faced with a plummeting birthrate combined with emigration to Western Europe. Almost all governments are increasing baby bonuses.

The Czech Parliament voted to double the payment given to women on maternity leave.

In the Czech Republic, the population is projected to drop by 20% over the next 40 years, to 8 million from 10 million. In Brussels, the EU has asked that all new European policies be evaluated for their effect on demography.

France has long encouraged larger families through incentives; it recently offered women about $960 a month for a year if they had a third child.

With greater educational and professional opportunities available, the average age of first-time mothers has risen from the early 20's to around 30.

Most Communist countries provided housing, education and child care. In Prague, the only way a young couple could be allocated an apartment was to wed and have a child. But such policies and services were abolished with the fall of Communism. At the same time, women are better educated and their jobs more demanding. rw

Former Soviet Republics;: One Leak's Notice.

As global oil production nears its peak, the tension between supply and demand has become so taut that the slightest perturbation can wreak havoc. A Russian pipeline to central Europe sprung a leak temporarily shutting down a route that supplies an eighth of Europe's imported oil. Estimates of the amount spilled ranged from 550 gallons to 11,000; the pipeline resumed function yesterday. News of the leak instantly cranked oil prices up to $74.04 a barrel but as the small impact was reported, prices then dropped. rw

Pollution in the Caspian Sea.

The Caspian Sea is in environmental danger and gets 80% of the pollution from Russia. Azerbaijan is producing some of the worst kinds of pollutions because of their outdated oil installations. Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan are after Azerbaijan in the pollution production. Untreated waste from the Volga River, into which half the population of Russia and most of its heavy industry drains its sewage, empties directly into the Caspian Sea. Oil fields, refineries, and petrochemical plants have generated large quantities of toxic waste. Radioactive solid and liquid waste deposits near the Gurevskaya nuclear power plant in Kazakhstan are polluting the Caspian as well. The Caspian's sturgeon catch has decreased from 30,000 tons in 1985 to 2,100 tons in 1994. Each year an average of 60,000 metric tons of petroleum byproducts, 24,000 tons of sulfites, 400,000 tons of chlorine and 25,000 tons of chlorine are dumped into the sea. Thousands of seals have died in Caspian Sea connected to oil pollution. An encouraging sign has been a move towards greater cooperation in protecting the Caspian. rw

Hungary: Sterilization Law Debated.

The board of Hungarian gynecologists has protested against a ruling which rejected restrictions on sterilization. Previously, only women over 35, or those who had given birth to at least three children, were allowed to be sterilized.

Now, any woman over 18 will be able to opt for sterilization. The annual number of abortions is higher than the EU average, with 94-96,000 births per year. The number of births should be as high as 130-150,000 per year.

The opposition parties last week said they would propose that sterilization be granted when a woman is in poor health and pregnancy would endanger her life. rw

Hungary: Population Decline Slows in Q1, 2006.

Hungary's population decline slowed in the first three months of 2006, as deaths fell more than births compared to the same period of 2005. Hungary's population was 10,074,000 at the end of March.

In the Jan-March period, 23,951 babies were born, and there were 33,763 deaths and 5,500 marriages.

The number of new-borns fell 0.4% in Jan-March while the mortality rate was down 9.3%.

There were more marriages in March this year than in the same month of last year, but the percentage of marriages in Q1 remained the same. rw

Number of Births, Deaths Up in Hungary - Statistics.

In Hungary, compared to the same period of 2004, the number of births rose by 4.0% and there were 3.2% more deaths, with 39,400 babies born and 59,700 people died. Due to international migration, Hungary's population decreased by about 12,000 people. In late May 2005 Hungary had a population of 10,086,000, with 9.4 live births and 14.3 deaths per 1,000. Infant mortality decreased from 7.4 per thousand in January-May 2004 to 6.3 per thousand by the first five months of this year. The number of couples getting married declined by 2% with 14,000 marriages registered in the first five months of the year. rw

Hungary: Population Decline Picks Up.

The population declined Hungary 17% more in January-August 2003 compared to the corresponding period last year. The population dropped 4.2 per thousand in the first eight months of the year, compared to 3.6 per thousand in the same period of 2002. If estimates for migration are taken into account, the inhabitants of Hungary numbered 10,120,000 in late August. There were 32,500 marriages, 63,500 births and 91,700 deaths in the period under survey. Births fell by 0.6%, while mortality rose by 4.3%. rw

Population Continues to Decline.

The population of Hungary continues its decline. In the first half of 2003 the decline increased by 22% as against last year. The population was 10,121,000 at the end of July. In the first seven months of 2003, the number of births fell by 1%, while deaths rose by 4.4%. In the period under survey, the birth rate was 9.4 per thousand and the death rate 13.8 per thousand. rw

Population Decline Picks Up.

The number of Hungarian citizens was 10,119,000 in late June declining 22% in January-June compared to the first half of last year. The population dropped by 4.9 per thousand in the first six months as against 4 per thousand from January to June 2002. Births fell by 2% while mortality rose by over 5%. There were 19,400 marriages, 46,000 births and nearly 71,000 deaths in the first half of 2003. rw

Population Decline Slows Significantly in Hungary.

Hungary's population decline slowed in the first six months of 2006. The country's population was estimated at 10,070,000 at the end of June, dropping by 3.7 per thousand in the first six months of 2006 compared to 4.6 per thousand during the same period of 2005.

In the January-June period, 48,149 babies were born, while there were 66,411 mortalities and 17,742 marriages.

The positive effects of international migration added to the number of residents, so the country's population declined by merely 7,000.

In Budapest, the KSH reported 8,204 births or a 5.5% birth rate increase in the January-June period , and 11,411 deaths or 6.8% drop in the mortality rate than 2005. rw

Kazakhstan: As a Sea Rises, So Do Hopes for Fish, Jobs and Riches.

In dozens of villages in Kazakhstan, water now laps against long-abandoned harbors, and fishing vessels retrieved have been put back to sea.

The Aral Sea, which has this year taken on millions of cubic feet of new water years ahead of schedule, surpassing the predictions made when a new dam was completed last summer.

The Aral Sea's 155-square-mile retreat from its original shoreline was a consequence of the Soviet-era policy of diverting the Aral's two main tributary rivers to irrigate cotton plants across Central Asia.

The sea shrank and became a mineral stew that has brought disease and poverty to the villages and cities in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan that once lived off its bounty. The sea has even split in two. Hoping to save the small northern Aral, the World Bank and the Kazakhstan government commissioned the Kok-Aral Dam and a series of dikes designed to create spillways to allow the flushing of excess salt from the sea while improving overall water levels.

A sluice sends any excess water to the big Aral Sea.

Eventually, the project will repair a damaged second dam, dig a channel to connect the two Arals and provide additional water management structures, some able to harvest hydroelectric power from the water flows.

The $85.8 million project, is to be completed in September.

The dam has caused the small Aral's sea level to rise to 125 feet, from a low of less than 98 feet, with 138 considered the level of viability.

The small Aral's surface area has already expanded by 30%, with 350 million cubic feet of water.

The Aral was once the fourth largest lake in the world, and was a major provider of fish for the entire Soviet Union.

On a good day now, a fisherman can earn $85, an astronomical sum in a region where many people survive on a few dollars a day.

With the disappearance of the sea, fish and the ecologically interconnected freshwater lakes that supported livestock, many people in the region migrated to larger cities.

Many are now returning. One village's population has more than doubled, to more than 1,700, in the past two years.

For many in the Aral region, the new water is confirmation that the Aral's past is prologue. Kudaibergen Sarzhanov, a former Soviet minister of fisheries for Kazakhstan, plans a 2009 release of 30,000 fish native to the Aral, that he has been incubating at home, financing his project from a small UN grant and money from his local government.

"It's going to take decades to solve this problem," said Murat Abenov, the deputy mayor, of the large Kizbilordinsk region abutting much of the Aral.

He said the fishing should be encouraged "even if it's going to be in five years that they see results."

Kazakhstan has huge oil reserves, and oil revenues now provide 90% of local government budgets, he said.

Many still predict that the big Aral will disappear. rw

Kazakh Dam Condemns Most of the Shrunken Aral Sea to Oblivion .

A seven-mile dam is being built across a section of the Aral Sea described as the world's worst environmental disaster. The inland sea has been drying for 25 years, since the USSR began drawing water from its rivers to grow cotton and rice. One of its two rivers has ceased to flow. In places the depth of water has fallen from 54 m (177ft) to 28 m. Kazakhstan will abandon most of the sea by building a dam to impound the second main river. Tension between Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan has been increased by border incidents, and Uzbekistan has barred its part of the sea to visitors and aid agencies. Cancer and liver and kidney failure are commonplace in adults and children. Protesters in Uzbekistan have been jailed. Kazakhstan says its river, the Syr-Daria, cannot keep the sea alive. It is spending £50m of its oil wealth on reducing losses from irrigation and winter flooding. By building a dam across a narrow neck of dry land it hopes to restore the fishery and reduce dust storms. The World Bank is helping to fund the dam. Five countries - Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan - have used the two rivers for irrigation for centuries. But the area irrigated was increased to 8m and the sea began to shrink. There is tension over water and within 10 years if nothing changes there will be armed conflict. To restore the sea it needs 1,000 cu km of inflow a year, but there is 110 cu km - all from the north. The shore line has receded 250 kilometres, salination has increased and the waters leave behind a salt paste containing pesticides and other minerals. The northern part is in better condition because there was still some river inflow and three fish species survived, but the south was dead. A new action plan involves growing less thirsty crops and cutting water use by half with modern irrigation. The people are drinking out of muddy ditches, which remains from the mighty river. There was a plan to relocate the people but Uzbekistan refused to agree. rw

Huge Oil Find 'Threatens Caspian'.

Western oil companies are developing a field believed to be the world's largest. But pumping out the oil threatens the northern Caspian with catastrophe and developers are asked to scale back production. The Kashagan field is believed to contain 40 billion barrels of oil, 10 billion of them recoverable, and is compared with the largest Saudi Arabian fields. The Caspian is a challenge for the oil companies, with part of the sea 1,000 m deep, and the central belt 4-500 m down. But the northern basin averages 10 m in depth. The companies cannot use traditional drilling rigs, and have to build artificial islands to extract the oil. Many Kazakhs claim it will increase air pollution. It will push the Caspian sturgeon closer to extinction. Some fear a cataclysmic threat. The oil in the north Caspian is pressurised to 1,000 atmospheres at 100 to 120 C and we do not have experience of such extreme conditions. Emptying the oil and gas from could trigger earthquakes. Tremors have already been felt near Atyrau, and could destabilise the Kashagan reservoirs. A fire in the Tenghiz field burnt for more than a year, and caused damage over a 300 km radius. rw

Kyrgyzstan: Women Face Uphill Battle for Property Rights.

While gender discrimination has decreased in Kyrgyzstan, the rights of women, who make up 52% of the population, are violated. Levels of discrimination are high in rural areas where 66% of the country's 5.1 million inhabitants live. Women participate in many projects, but when it comes to political power, financial resources and the distribution of land, women are not to be seen. The United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM), launched a unique project entitled: "Women's Rights to Land in Kyrgyzstan". The project was initiated by the local NGO Women Entrepreneurs Support Association (WESA) in 2002 following problems with land reform and the failure to include women's rights in rural areas. In the beginning, the project offered only legal consultations, but began offering advice on women profiting from land, gender expertise, gender budgeting, the participation of women in local budget planning, monitoring of women's rights for land, as well as an information component involving TV, radio and print media. According to UNIFEM, relations with local administrative officials are getting better, while four or five years earlier there was much resistance to their work. With offices throughout the country, the project provides free legal consultations and organise trips to remote villages and areas to help people on a monthly basis. But the majority of problems remain, particularly with regard to contradictions between the country's land code and civil law. Land and property disputes can languish in the court system for up to four years. rw

Kyrgyzstan: Rising Teen Pregnancy Blamed on Ignorance.

Sex education remains a controversial topic in Kyrgyzstan, where abortion is usually the solution to unwanted pregnancies. When 15-year-old Myskal left rural Kyrgyzstan she found a boyfriend and, just six months later became pregnant. The baby's father disappeared and Myskal opted for an abortion. Myskal was ignorant; she did not know what sex is at all. One in every ten women has at least one termination, as the operation is available on demand during the first three months of pregnancy. Those on the frontline like gynaecologist Kubanychbek Askuliev blame the rise in teenage pregnancy and the abortions on a lack of information about safe sex and contraception. Girls from the country, who are ignorant, come to us in the early stages of pregnancy. Sex education is non-existent in Kyrgyz schools and any attempts to deal openly with the issue are met with embarrassment by many in society who feel the girls themselves are to blame. Secondary school teacher Tattygul Samudinova admits teenage pregnancy is a problem but teachers blush at anatomy lessons in the 9th class and sex education is given in one to two lessons once a year. There have been efforts at sex education including the Healthy Lifestyle book published two years ago for use in Kyrgyz schools. But the book caused a storm of controversy and was called depraved by groups including the conservative Committee for the Protection of Honour and Dignity who said "Our children are being taught depravity: anal, oral and other types of sex. This book goes against the Kyrgyz mentality, traditions and customs." Kyrgyzstan's ombudsman, Tursunabi Bakir uulu, said “Children shouldn't be told about this". The authors of the book used real cases from the lives of Kyrgyz teenagers, many of whom had been raped several times. How can we say no to such topics as AIDS, rape and undesired pregnancy? It is long overdue to forget about embarrassment and time to learn. In the past women stayed home to look after their children, but today are forced to go out and earn a living. A housewife and mother of four, said, “No one brings up the children. The mother and father are busy earning money. Children are left to themselves, on the street and watching television." While the head of the society of Muslim women Mutakalim urges a national family planning campaign to address the problem, others think restricting access to abortions is the answer. "This type of medical services will simply go into the shadows, even more than it is now," said the deputy head of the department of gynaecology and obstetrics at the Medical Academy. rw

Lithuanian Population Shrinks by More Than 18,000 Over 10 Months.

Lithuania's population shrank this year. There were 3,406,000 residents in Lithuania in early November, 18,500 people fewer than at the beginning of this year. The data shows that 25,604 babies were born over the January-October period, 51 babies fewer, year-on-year. Meanwhile, 36,026 people died over the ten months, 1,851 people more, year-on-year. The majority of deaths are caused by vascular system diseases (19,577), malignant tumors (6,675), external reasons (4,537). There were 639 marriages and 190 divorces more over the 10 months of this year than over the same period last year. Some 13,681 people left Lithuania over the January-October period of this year, 1,160 people more, year-on-year. The number of people arriving in Lithuania is on the rise as well. A total of 5,584 people came to the country over the ten months of this year, 1,022 people more, year-on-year. rw

Malta: Population Grows 5.8% Since Last Census.

The population of the Maltese Islands has grown 5.8% since 1995. At the end of 2003, it stood at 388,867. Including foreigners, 399,867, for an increase of 4.8% for Maltese and 5.8% total population averaging a yearly increase of 0.6% and 0.7%. In 1993, natural increase represented 71% of the total population growth. Ten years later this went down to 43% as the result of low fertility rates. Mortality rates had no fluctuations and migration flows were low. Most European countries have a decrease in fertility; Malta is an example. Ten years ago, the birth rate was 14.11 per 1000; by 2003 it had reduced to 10.03, although last year, there was an increase of 100 babies over the previous year. rw

Europe and Africa Warned Over TB.

Tuberculosis (TB) has reached alarming proportions in Africa, where a third of global TB deaths occur. Since 1990, rates in Africa have tripled and the rise continues, fuelled by high rates of HIV and poor healthcare. A third of the 1.7 million TB deaths a year occur in Africa. In Eastern Europe, drug resistance is to blame. Russia continues to be challenged by resistant strains of the bacterium that cannot be treated with conventional medications. It will be impossible to beat Africa's TB and HIV epidemics unless they are were tackled together. In some regions over half of patients did not have access to TB treatments. WHO recommends that people with TB be tested and if appropriate treated for HIV and vice versa. The Department for International Development (DFID) has pledged 5 million over the next three years to help halt the spread of TB. rw

Latvian Population Still in Decline.

The population of Latvia has continued to decline and a drop of 7,000 people has been registered this year. From January to June almost 17,000 people died, and over 10,000 infants were born, while 500 left the country. As of July 1 the population was 2.31 million. Since 1999 more babies have been born – from 8.1 per 1,000 in 1999 to nine per 1,000 in 2004. The mortality rate remains high and gained 1.4% this year, with deaths from accidents claiming many lives. The average life expectancy in Latvia was 65.9 years for men and 76.9 years for women in 2003. rw

Gypsies in Slovakia Complain of Sterilizations.

Since the fall of communism in 1989, 110 young Gypsy women have been sterilized against their will. One 17 year old mother of two remembers being handed a paper after giving birth and marking three crosses on the paper, even though she was illiterate, and thus unwittingly agreed to be sterilized. An investigation into the unfair treatment of Slovak Gypsy women also found that far more women are forced to have Caesarean births and they are also segregated into different wards than other patients. The study by the Health Ministry found that all the medical records for Gypsies were marked with the letter R for Romany, something they call themselves. Therefore, doctors and clinics are differentiating these patients from others. Many of the clinics claim that the women who were sterilized were due to gynecological reasons and infections. However, the Gypsies claim that they were never told of such things, nor authorized their sterilizations. Some of the government investigators claimed that they "will expand our charges to the report's authors, that they knew about a crime for a year and did not report it to a prosecutor. And if we prove it is not true, they will be charged with spreading false information and damaging the good name of Slovakia." Of course, they found the charges to be "false" and claimed that sterilizations were being no more frequently authorized to Gypsies than to other ethnic Slovaks.

Polish Parliament Approves Law Offering Payments to Families Who Have Children.

Poland's parliament passed a new law that foresees a one-time payment to women for each child they have. The government is to pay 1,000 zlotys (260; US$310) to women for each birth. Supporters hope that, by encouraging more births, they can help stave off a population decline in Poland, a country with one of Europe's lowest birth rates. But the vote was only a partial victory for the government which had previously backed a version that would offer payments only to poor women. The minority government was forced to broaden the law to apply to all women to get it through. rw

Poland: Hear Them Roar; In a Catholic country, Feminism is Now Trendy.

Poland has ranked near the bottom among European nations in terms of women and legal protections. Abortion, reproductive rights and gender equality were seldom discussed, but 2001 elections increased the number of women in Parliament and changes are in the air. A bill giving equal status to women in the workplace, and setting quotas for them in government jobs and establishing an agency to monitor gender discrimination, is likely to pass. Women's groups have pushed a bill legalizing abortion during the first three months of pregnancy and mandating sex education in the first year of grammar school. The bill isn't expected to pass, but getting this far is a victory and the old paternalistic culture is on the run. Women make up about 20% of Parliament. This generation may see gender equality as a normal human right. rw

Polish Demographers Worried by Declining Population.

The Government is preparing a programme to prevent the decline. Today if the assumptions do not change and married couples and the population in Poland are going to carry on until 2030 as has been assumed, the population is going to decline by 2.5 million. The situation will affect unfavourably the country's development. It will cause a deterioration in the ratio of those in employment and those living from old-age and disability pensions. More children have to be born. The causes of the low birth rate are problems with employment and lack of housing. But the demographers hope that programme to be created will slow down or reverse the trends. rw

Romanian Population to Drop Consistently.

Romania's population may drop to nearly 17 million until January 1, 2051 which is 3.7 million less than the total number of people currently living in the country. A study conducted in January 2004 recorded 21.7 million Romanians. By 2051, the birth rate is expected to drop lower than the death rate. Also, about half a million Romanians are expected to immigrate to other countries in the next half a century. rw

Low Birthrate Harming Romania.

The Romanian President said that he is worried his country was going through a demographic desert because of a drop in birthrates since 1990.

In 17 years, Romania has lost 1.4 million people due to emigration and the lower birth rate. If this birth rate remains there will only be 16 million residents in Romania in 2050, 11 million in 2075 and 8.5 million in 2100. He said Romania needed to urgently review its demographic policies. In 2050, there will be 145 pensioners for every 100 active persons.

That figure shows the burden that is weighing on the children's shoulders. rw

Romanians Burdened by Birth Rate Decline.

Romania's population is dwindling and retirees would place an increasingly heavy burden on the country's working population.

Authorities should do more to support women who have young children.

Creches and kindergartens are not free, and childcare facilities are lacking. Romania has four million employed people, while retirees number six million.

Romania had a population of 23 million in 1989. It has dropped to fewer than 22 million and is set to decline further.

In the 1990s, many people opted to not have children owing to economic instability. Birth rates have fallen especially in villages, where poverty is higher and many younger women have traveled to Western Europe to find work. By 2050 there would be 100 working age people, to 149 citizens of retirement age.

Ceausescu tried to increase Romanian's population by banning contraception and abortion. Women who had five children were given financial benefits rw

Romania;: Fewer Abortions, Birth Rate on the Rise After 15 Years of Family Planning.

One of 3 Romanian women ages 15 to 44 now uses a modern method of birth control. Fewer women rely on abortion, while birth rates have begun to rise.
Maternal mortality rates are falling. U.S. Ambassador Nicholas Taubman praised Romania's Ministry of Public Health for supporting family planning, attributing the achievements to the strong partnerships between international donors, the Romanian Government, and the civil society. Romania's Family Health Initiative is funded by the U.S. Government through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). rw

Russia's Birth, Mortality Rates to Equal by 2011 - Ministry.

Russia's health ministry predicted that the birth rate in Russia would equal mortality rate by 2011.

In the first eleven months of 2007 the mortality rate was 14.7 deaths per 1,000 live births, and 15.3 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2006. The average mortality rate for the 27-member European Union in 2006 was 10.1 deaths per 1,000 live births. The first time in European modern history the death rate exceeded births.

Experts are concerned that Russia will be hit by a demographic crisis in the near future: Russia's population could fall by 30% by the middle of the century.

President Putin approved a set of targets to improve the country's demographic policy to 2025, designed to lower the national mortality rate, raise birth rates, improve national health and regulate immigration.

In 2008-2010, the country plans to invest almost 500 billion rubles in socio-demographic programs.

Maternity incentives, including payouts of about $9,500 for the birth of two or more children, were introduced in early 2007 following a presidential initiative. rw

Russian Population Dropped This Year.

Russia lost more than 200,000 people this year and this decline of 0.15% was smaller than in 2006, The country's population was 142 million as of Nov. 1. The death rate continued to exceed the birth rate, and the number of immigrants was up 87%. Most were from former Soviet republics.

The working age population was 75.1 million or about 53% of the total population.

If current trends continue, Russia's population will be one-third smaller in 2050 than it is now. The President has pushed to force the birth rate up, including increased maternity benefits and additional benefits for families with children. Real income grew by 10.1% in the first 11 months of 2007, with the top 10% of the population receiving more than 30% of all income. More than 15% of the population had incomes below the subsistence level. rw

Russia Faces Demographic Disaster.

Russia's population is declining by 700,000 people each year and may halve by the middle of this century.

Official Russian forecasts predict a decline from 146 million to between 80 and 100 million by 2050.

But the decline was likely to accelerate and the Russian leadership should accept the population had reached a "tipping point".

Birth-rates in many developed countries are stagnant or declining. But when this is combined with very low life-expectancy and an increasingly unhealthy population, the term "catastrophe" reflects reality. In Russia, people have children earlier than in Western countries. But the percentage of potential parents of child-bearing age is so small that state-funded efforts, can bring only temporary results.

The Soviet government in the 1980s produced a mini "baby boom", lasting just two or three years, before the long-term decline reasserted itself.

The seriousness of this problem has led to an urgent, debate in Russia about ways to tackle the problem.

Many medical specialists berate the government's apparent inaction over the country's health crisis. It is estimated that a third of Russian men abuse alcohol, while smoking rates are among the highest in the world. The rapid spread of HIV compounds the situation

One commentary suggested Russian sociologists making the gloomy predictions were in the pay of western organisations committed to destroying Russia.

Economists have suggested a programme of controlled immigration, to encourage workers from the former Soviet republics to come to live in Russia. This appears to have been rejected at the very top.

President Putin said "no sort of immigration will solve Russia's demographic problem".

At the same time, some officials have begun to use the loaded term "differentiated birth-rates".

It reflects concern that while ethnic Russians fare so badly, there are other, predominantly Muslim, population groups that are experiencing very rapid growth.

The last Soviet census (1989), showed 611 Chechens for every 100,000 population. The most recent Russian census (2002) showed that figure had increased to 937 - an increase of more than 50%. rw

Russian President Changes Route of Siberian Pipeline to Protect Lake.

President Putin said that the East Siberia-Pacific Ocean oil pipeline should pass outside the drainage basin north of Lake Baikal. Environmental groups welcomed the move. Putin said the pipeline should run beyond a proposed line 40 km to the north of the lake. Academy of Sciences Vice President Nikolai Laverov proposed that the pipeline should run along the line of the watershed to the north of Baikal.

The leader of the Green Party of Russia, said Putin's statement was "a great victory for public pressure. It will save Baikal."

Transneft chief executive said that the length and cost of a new route line could be estimated within two months. He said he had been unprepared for Putin's decision, but that the project would go ahead as scheduled. Construction would start simultaneously from both ends and that Transneft would draft a new feasibility study and conduct an environmental study for the new route. Transneft's previous plans included a stretch of pipeline running 800 meters from the shore of Baikal. Environmentalists said any leaks could cause irreparable damage to the lake.

Head of conservation programs with the World Wildlife Fund in Russia, said the decision could signify that Russia would not follow the example of countries where state monopolies are more important than parliamentary opinions.

The pipeline is slated to carry up to 80 million metric tons a year from Taishet in the Irkutsk Region to Perevoznaya Bay in the Primorye Territory and could also supply oil to the Asia-Pacific region. Putin said construction of an oil refinery in Russia's Far East would help derive maximum profits from the pipeline and open up new markets.

The Ministry of Economic Development estimated the cost of the refinery between $2.19 billion and $2.92 billion, and Rosneft could start construction next year. rw

Russia's Population May Decrease by 30 % by 2035.

The demographic situation in Russia is critical because of the high mortality rate which reached 16.1 deceased per 1,000 population in 2005, as well as the low birth rate that fails to ensure simple reproduction. So intensive the depopulation processes in the country are that if no measures are taken, Russia's population will decrease to dangerous limits in the coming decades. As of January 1, 2006, it totaled 142.3 million, and may drop to 100 million by 2035. The state should make it a national priority. rw

Russia to Build Oil Pipeline Within Half-mile of World's Deepest Lake.

A 2,550-mile-long oil pipeline is set to be built within 900 yards of the world's deepest lake. Lake Baikal lies along the cheapest route for Russia to expand the oil exports to Asia. Scientists have warned of erosion, water pollution, and the possibility that earthquakes, which happen regularly in the area, could rupture the pipeline and cause oil to flow into the lake. A government commission of experts was increased by 34 members and asked to review the project again, after which they approved it. rw

Russia: Health Ministry Considers Solutions to Population Decline.

Russia's population, around 143 million, is shrinking by 700,000 every year. This has economic, and geopolitical implications. Russia may have too few people to control its territory. The main factors are a low birth rate, a high mortality rate, short life expectancy, and a growing number of deaths from "unnatural causes." Russia's death rate per 1,000 people has reached 16. In comparison, the rate in the European Union is 5, in the US 6.5, and in Japan 3.4. Of the over 150,000 people a year who die from "unnatural causes," 46,000 were suicides, 40,000 were killed in traffic accidents, 36,000 alcohol poisoning, and 35,000 murdered. Also a high maternal mortality rate, 23.4 per 100,000 mothers, and an infant mortality rate of 11 per 1,000 births, compared with 8 in the US and 5 in the EU. In 2005, Russian women had 1.6 million abortions, although unofficial estimates put this as high as 4 million. Russia's male life expectancy is around 58 years for men and 72 for women and 30% of Russians do not reach pension age. Russia's birth rate of 1.34 children per woman is less than the 2.14 children required to turn around the trend. Some experts suggest the depopulation is the result of the cataclysms of the 1990s. Liberal economic reforms were badly planned and led to societal insecurity and to families having less children. Others argue that this is part of a wider trend. Russian experts stressed that the birth rate also depends on values and societal outlook and a liberal immigration policy could address the population decline. But Zurabov said that this is unrealistic. Last year, Russia's migrant population increased by only 107,000, not enough to reverse the trend. However some estimate that Russia could be home to 5-10 million illegal immigrants. Zurabov suggested stimulating the birth rate, reducing infant mortality rates, and enhancing the reproductive health and quality of life of the population. He said his ministry will prepare a new demographic development concept that will set out goals such as increasing the average life expectancy and the birth rate. But just how to do that remains unclear. The chairman of the Duma health commission called for the improvement of pediatric health care and for the increase of the child-birth allowance by the end of 2006 to 10,000 rubles ($357). Other Duma deputies were unimpressed. Vladimir Nikitin said that the reasons for the low birth rate and high mortality rate are identical, the low living standards of 80% of the population. rw

Russian Population Falls by Almost Six Million Over 12 Years.

High male mortality rates and a low birth rate have led the Russia's population to drop by 5.8 million people over the last 12 years. In 2005 there were 142.7 million people living in Russia, whose mortality rate of 16 per 1,000 is higher than in Europe and the US. Mortality rates are high among men of working age. Some 30% of Russian men die before their retirement age. Average life expectancy in Russia is 58.8 years for men and 72 for women. rw

Russian Government Says Infant Mortality Down.

Infant and maternal mortality rates in Russia have been falling in the past four years, but have not reached the European average. Infant mortality in 2005 was 11 deaths per 1,000 births, as compared with 11.6 deaths in 2004, 12.4 deaths in 2003, and 13.3 in 2002. The average rate for the European Union was 4.5 in 2004, according to Eurostat. Maternal mortality was 23.4 deaths per 100,000 newborns in 2004 and 31.9 deaths in 2003, he said. The southern republic of Daghestan posted the highest birth rate in 2005 when 40,695 babies were born here. The figures indicate a reverse of the infant and maternal mortality rates following the Soviet Union's collapse in 1991. The rise was largely attributed to poverty, alcoholism, and Russia's ailing health care system. rw

Short, Nasty and Brutal -- the Life of Russia's Disappearing Men.

Over 17,500 unidentified bodies were discovered in Moscow over the last five years. About two thirds are male. They are mostly drunks and poor immigrant workers from ex-Soviet countries who were killed in the winter weather. The 3,000 unidentified bodies are the tip of a wider and potentially disastrous tendency in Russia. Russian men have "short, brutal lives" due to heart disease, alcoholism and traffic accidents and that the country faces an "alarming population decline." Just 143 million people live in the world's biggest country, down 6 million from 1992, because average male life expectancy is only 58 years, 16 less than in western Europe. Fertility rates have plummeted from 2.0 to 1.3 children per woman and last year there were more abortions than births. Their life expectancy is 72 - better than for men, but still low by Western standards. Throw in an HIV pandemic and a mortality rate for traffic accidents - it is almost double that in big Western countries and the statistics portray a country heading toward disaster. Explanations include the stress of existence for many in the wake of the Soviet collapse, an inefficient, poorly equipped health service, and above all, a centuries-old love affair with heavy drinking. Alcohol is linked to 30% of all deaths in Russia. Graphic artist Sergei Ivanov, 33, said that the stress of having to adapt to capitalism was the real killer. "In Soviet days, you got paid and you knew that tomorrow you'd get the same amount. Now you have no idea whether you'll be fired the next day. Disrespect for human life has penetrated male society. There is a culture of not looking after your own health, your life or security." With each early death, Russia approaches the day when it will have trouble finding men to protect its borders and workers to pay the elderly's pensions. By 2050 Russia's population could fall by a third to about 100 million people. To recover, the birthrate would have to jump to three children per family at least. Every 21 seconds a new birth is recorded. Every 14 seconds, another death. rw

Demographic Crisis Poses Serious Danger to Russia's Future.

A Russian public opinion showed 75% said that a raise of family allowances could provide more or less acceptable living conditions for young Russian families. The majorities said that the population does not face extinction, although it does experience demographic problems. 44% said that they viewed the situation as critical. The death rate in Russia is 1.7 times higher than the birth rate and the Russian population will reduce by 2050 to 80 or 10 million. 37% believe the crisis is connected with alcohol and drug addiction. The decreasing number of able-bodied citizens was pointed out as serious problems by 14%. Sexually transmitted diseases exacerbates the crisis 9% said. The growing amount of immigrants is considered a negative trend, according to 5%. 40% are certain that the conditions have been caused with the Yeltsin era. 31% look for the problem in declining public morality. 75% said that government needs to raise family allowances to young families. 45% said that one should develop the social infrastructure (schools, kindergartens, etc). 24% said they believed in the effect of healthy lifestyle propaganda. Very few pointed out the need to introduce the Orthodox culture. Financially secure and wealthy Russians do not think that a problem of depopulation exists. Up to 60% of Russians are elderly people, children and disabled individuals. It seems that the Russian government does not do anthing to stop the crisis despite the depressive results of the poll. The current economic policy bears some resemblance to the 1960s, when Nikita Khrushchev allowed women to make abortions, which relieved many of maternity burden and attracted them to the national economy. rw

Russia's Population to Reduce Further in Years to Come.

Russia's population will continue to fall. Soviet scientists made such forecasts based on the national population census back in 1979 and according to their forecast, Russia's population was to reduce by the end of the 20th century. However Soviet specialists could not have guessed then the upcoming war in Afghanistan and the future collapse of the Soviet Union. Mortality reduction should be the priority of Russia's modern society. Russia has experienced depopulation since 1992, when the mortality rate rose 50-60% above the birth rate and Russia ranks first as to the mortality rate on the list of industrialized countries. Men account for over 80% of deaths under the retirement age. Every year 200,000 able-bodied die due to unnatural reasons. A government-run campaign for the healthy life style, as well as incentives for childbearing may help partially solve the problem. rw

Russia's Population Shrinks by 0.2 Percent in the First Quarter of 2005 .

Russia's population dropped by 286,600 in the first four months of the year. The population dropped by 0.2% from Jan. 1 and stood at 143.2 million as of May 1. The number of births in 76 of Russia's 89 regions decreased, while the number of deaths in 50 regions grew. The number of deaths on average exceeded the number of births by 70%. Russia's population has been declining since the 1991 breakup of the Soviet Union. The U.N. Development Program urged Russian officials to pay attention to the country's demographic crisis. The report forecast that the population could shrink by about 30% percent by mid-century if the state fails to provide better medical and social care to its citizens. rw

Fifty Percent of Russian Women are Short of Men: Russian Women's Ability to Love is Directly Connected with Men's Ability to Make Money.

The center for demography and ecology of man has told reporters that only 535 of 1,000 Russian women were married. 50% have never had a husband, lost their spouse, or were leading single lives. Russian women's inability to find their lifetime partners may lead to serious problems. The number of women in the reproductive age will be decreasing very fast and the number of potential mothers will halve by 2050. The birth rate will reduce considerably. The number of abortions dropped over the past ten years but the frequency at which women decide to get rid of an unborn child is still very high. Two newly-born babies account for three unborn children in present-day Russia. Russian women picture a perfect man as a smart, strong and rich. A happy family for a Russian woman is a family, where a man guarantees the well-being and safety to his family. The majority of Russian women do not doubt that they are married to their "only loved one," whose income gives them the pleasure of living. Women who provide their own financial stability say it is very hard for them to find true love. Russian women's ability to love is directly connected with men's ability to make money. rw

Shell Moves Russian Pipeline Route to Save Gray Whale.

Royal Dutch/Shell Group will move a pipeline route to protect the feeding grounds of the endangered Western gray whale. Shell is tapping Sakhalin oil and natural-gas reserves and has contracted to sell gas to buyers such as Korea Gas, Tokyo Gas Co. and Tokyo Electric Power Co. Sakhalin Energy delayed construction of the pipe after environmental groups and the International Whaling Commission said the link may kill the 100 remaining gray whales. Shell's Sakhalin Energy Investments Co. will move the link 20 kilometers (12 miles) south of the planned route between two drilling platforms and the eastern shore of Sakhalin Island. The pipe will allow year-round oil and gas production at part of the Sakhalin-II project that plans by the end of this year to have sold 9.6 million tons a year that an LNG processing plant on the island will be able to produce, The rerouting depends on Russia's approval, but Russia's Natural Resources Ministry created a working group to make sure the whales are protected. The government will complete an ecological study of the new route. The changes won't affect the cost and only environmental factors were considered. The venture is negotiating with the Russian government to increase investment in the project amid higher costs from currency rates and Sakhalin Island's infrastructure. Conservation groups have asked public lenders to refuse $5 billion in loans needed for Sakhalin-II until satisfied that social and environmental standards are met. Sakhalin-II began operating six years ago and produces oil only during the five or six ice-free months of the year. A report by a panel of 14 North American, European and Russian scientists recommended a further delay of the pipeline to allow more study of the whales. The panel's advice to relocate the platform as far from foraging grounds as possible a way of saying that, on the evidence to date, Sakhalin Energy can not be trusted. rw