Baby boom boosts birthrate in Russia

Russia’s Minister for Health and Social Development, Tatyana Golikova, says the country is experiencing a baby boom after a decade-long drop in its national birthrate. Around 1.5 million babies were born in 2007 – 120,000 more than in 2006.

The current birthrate is now the highest in 25 years. From 1993 the country's population had shrunk by almost six million.

The recent boom follows policies undertaken by the authorities to stem a fall in the population.

Mothers now get financial grants for having a second child and other maternity benefits have also been boosted.