Russian estimates suggest that the total population of the Soviet Union in 1941 was 195.4 million people, before it fell to 170.5 million in 1946 due to the devastation of the Second World War. Not only did the USSR's population fall as a consequence of the war, but fertility and birth rates also dropped due to the disruption. Hypothetical estimates suggest that, had the war not happened and had fertility rates remained on their pre-war trajectory, then the USSR's population in 1946 would have been 39 million higher than in reality.
Gender differences
When it comes to gender differences, the Soviet male population fell from 94 million in 1941, to 74 million in 1946, and the female population fell from 102 to 96 million. While the male and female population fell by 19 and 5.5 million respectively, hypothetical estimates suggest that both populations would have grown by seven million each had there been no war. In actual figures, adult males saw the largest change in population due to the war, as a drop of 18 to 21 percent was observed across the three age groups. In contrast, the adult female population actually grew between 1941 and 1946, although the population under 16 years fell by a number similar to that observed in the male population due to the war's impact on fertility.
Total population of the Soviet Union by gender in 1941 and 1946, and hypothetical populations had the Second World War not happened
(in millions)
Characteristic
Male: under 16 years
Male: 16-59 years
Male: over 59 years
Female: under 16 years
Female: 16-54
Female: over 54 years
1946 (hypothetical - if WWII hadn't happened)
36.4
58.6
5.9
36.3
59.8
12.8
1946
28.5
41.5
4.4
28.7
55.9
11.6
1941
36.1
52.3
5.3
36
54.1
11.6
Created with Highcharts 7.2.2Population in millions36.136.128.528.536.436.452.352.341.541.558.658.65.35.34.44.45.95.9363628.728.736.336.354.154.155.955.959.859.811.611.611.611.612.812.8195.4195.4170.6170.6209.8209.8Male: under 16 yearsMale: 16-59 yearsMale: over 59 yearsFemale: under 16 yearsFemale: 16-54Female: over 54 years194119461946 (hypothetical - if WWII hadn't happened)
050100150200250
Add this content to your personal favorites. These can be accessed from the favorites menu in the main navigation.
You have no right to use this feature.
Make sure to contact us if you are interested in scientific citation.
You can upgrade your account to enable this functionality for all statistics.
This feature is not available with your current account.Request access
Learn more about how Statista can support your business.
Russian Federal State Statistics Service. (December 31, 2015). Total population of the Soviet Union by gender in 1941 and 1946, and hypothetical populations had the Second World War not happened (in millions) [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved February 28, 2025, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/1260605/soviet-population-changes-wwii-gender-age/
Russian Federal State Statistics Service. "Total population of the Soviet Union by gender in 1941 and 1946, and hypothetical populations had the Second World War not happened (in millions)." Chart. December 31, 2015. Statista. Accessed February 28, 2025. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1260605/soviet-population-changes-wwii-gender-age/
Russian Federal State Statistics Service. (2015). Total population of the Soviet Union by gender in 1941 and 1946, and hypothetical populations had the Second World War not happened (in millions). Statista. Statista Inc.. Accessed: February 28, 2025. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1260605/soviet-population-changes-wwii-gender-age/
Russian Federal State Statistics Service. "Total Population of The Soviet Union by Gender in 1941 and 1946, and Hypothetical Populations Had The Second World War Not Happened (in Millions)." Statista, Statista Inc., 31 Dec 2015, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1260605/soviet-population-changes-wwii-gender-age/
Russian Federal State Statistics Service, Total population of the Soviet Union by gender in 1941 and 1946, and hypothetical populations had the Second World War not happened (in millions) Statista, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1260605/soviet-population-changes-wwii-gender-age/ (last visited February 28, 2025)
Total population of the Soviet Union by gender in 1941 and 1946, and hypothetical populations had the Second World War not happened (in millions) [Graph], Russian Federal State Statistics Service, December 31, 2015. [Online]. Available: https://www.statista.com/statistics/1260605/soviet-population-changes-wwii-gender-age/
Profit from additional features with an Employee Account
Please create an employee account to be able to mark statistics as favorites.
Then you can access your favorite statistics via the star in the header.
Profit from the additional features of your individual account
Currently, you are using a shared account. To use individual functions (e.g., mark statistics as favourites, set
statistic alerts) please log in with your personal account.
If you are an admin, please authenticate by logging in again.