俄羅斯多地出現“鬼城” 近2萬個村莊空無一人
俄羅斯統計局週四發布的2010年人口調查初步結果表明，俄羅斯人口下降已經到了危險水平。 由於出生率持續下降加上農村人口向城市搬遷，俄羅斯多個地方都出現了“人去樓空”的鬼城，近20000個村莊已經無人居住。
俄羅斯聯邦統計局3月28日發布的數據表明，截至去年19月底俄羅斯總人口為1.429億，與2002年的1.452億相比減少230萬人，與2001年的1.463億相比減少340萬。
從性別比例看，女性人口大約7670萬，男性人口大約6620萬，女性比男性多1050萬人，與2002年的995萬相比差距進一步拉大。 從地理分佈看，遠東地區人口數量大約629萬，與2002年相比下降6%。 首都莫斯科和聖彼得堡人口顯著增加。 莫斯科人口去年超過1150萬，與2002年相比增加11%；聖彼得堡人口480萬，增加4%。
俄羅斯聯邦統計局局長Alexander Surinov表示，雖然人口減少在預料之內，但減少速度之快還是令人感到震驚。 他指出，目前俄羅斯境內無人居住的村莊總數已經從8年前的13000個增加到19400個。 另外有36200個村莊的常住人口不足10人，已經處於荒廢狀態。
這次調查結果顯示，不僅農村地區受到了人口持續下降的嚴重衝擊，一些中小城市也因為人口減少而瀕臨荒廢。 越來越多的人從中小城市湧向大城市尋找機會，尤其是嚴重依賴單一行業發展的城市在前蘇聯解體後受到衝擊更大。
俄羅斯人口下降始於1995年。 過去10年間，得益於多項醫療保健措施，人口死亡率逐年下降，出生率有所上升。 俄羅斯上世紀90年代起大批吸收外國移民，一定程度上紓解了人口不足。
人去樓空的俄羅斯鬼城
There were wide streets,
big schools,
some buildings had pillars styled by the top Soviet architects.
Areas and yards around houses are now covered with grass wich found its way through an asfalt and concrete.
You can clearly see the grass here almost destroyed the paved roads during the last 20 years.
Big buildings but nobody cares. Nobody needs them.
Shops, schools, restaraunts.
And unknown structures whith domes covering them.
This is a cloths shop, there is still a sign “Cloths” on it.
And this was a school. Let’s come in and see what is inside…
Just a typical school.
Probably now the ghosts of the students still wander by nights, moving the chairs,
…playing some ball in this gym,
…walking around this stairways,
…and trying to sit at those desks.
“Bon apetit” say friendly animals looking at them from the walls…
…calling them to stand up and play some funny games…
…but the ghosts can’t play, they only pass thru them on their way to infinity….
They are no more interested in the books…
“Native Language”, who might be interested in Native language now, and what is native language for them?
Maths is off no interest also, no new mathematical genius, future solvers of Perelman conjecture, would study here… Only on twilight ghosts appear passing by the classrooms, just because school should not be empty.
Russian classics on the walls are the only company for the wandering ghosts. They have to mind the distance while their midnight talks or they easily come through the wall on which writers dwell.
And that’s another building that was visited by a photographer.
Here those students lived in happy families together with their parents.
In luxury appartments, spending their cold evenings in the reliable shelter of those houses.
Surrounded by green grass lawns.
Starring on the stars from their penthouses.
Going sometimes skatink for fun (“A Skating Rink” sign is written here),
…and making parties in magnificient halls,
…chatting with their guests,
…under those pillars.
Oh world where are all those people now?
