Mr Putin, Mr Zorin and Mr Sokolin discussed the initial stage of summarising the results of the 2002 nationwide census. Mr Sokolin said modern data-processing methods had made it possible to complete the initial stage in 12 months, rather than the three years after the 1989 census.
Nationwide census statistics were summarised during the initial stage. Vladimir Sokolin said the second stage, due to be completed in 2004, would provide more detailed information about Russian regions, cities and villages.
When asked by President Putin about the main census results, Mr Sokolin replied that Russia had the seventh largest population in the world, 145.2 million people.
Mr Sokolin said Russia had seven ethnic groups numbering one million each, that Russians accounted for 80% of the population and were followed by Tartars and Ukrainians.
Mr Zorin said census results had confirmed that Russia was among the most multi-ethnic states, with over 160 ethnic groups. He said 23 ethnic groups numbered over 400,000 people, and that not a single ethnic group had disappeared since 1989.
Mr Sokolin said Russian citizens accounted for 142.5 million out of the country’s 145.2 million people, and that 40,000 people had dual citizenship.
Mr Zorin said initial census results showed that Russia was the third most open country to immigrants after the United States and Germany, and that it had moved ahead of such immigrant friendly nations as Canada and the United Kingdom.