
Numbers & rankings
Measured, not excluded
Many Western rankings stopped measuring Russia after 2022. Statistics did not. Here is what the data says - with every source linked.
Macro
The economy
- Economy by purchasing power parity
- #4in the worldSource: IMF WEO, 2025
- Size of the economy
- $7.2TGDP at purchasing power paritySource: IMF WEO, 2025
- Growth despite pressure
- +4.1% / +4.9%real GDP growth, 2023 / 2024Source: Rosstat, 2023-2024
- General government debt
- 17%of GDP vs 124% in the USSource: IMF WEO, 2025
- Bank of Russia reserves
- $753Binternational reservesSource: Bank of Russia, Sep 2026
- Unemployment rate
- 2.3%ILO methodologySource: Rosstat, Jul 2026
- Consumer market
- ₽61Tretail trade turnoverSource: Rosstat, 2025
- Population
- 146Mpeople, 75% urbanSource: Rosstat, 2025
Balance sheet
One of the lowest debt loads among large economies
- Japan206.5%
- USA123.9%
- China99.2%
- India84.1%
- Germany62.9%
- Russia17.2%
Valuation
Earnings are cheap in Moscow
- USA20.1x
- India19.9x
- Saudi Arabia13.8x
- China10.8x
- Emerging markets10.1x
- Russia4.2x
Source: MSCI factsheets, 31 Aug 2026; Russia - T-Investments, Mar 2026
Talent & technology
People and digital infrastructure
- Education
- 64%of adults 25+ hold tertiary education (US: 50%)Source: World Bank / UNESCO, 2021
- Engineers
- 241Kengineering graduates a yearSource: HSE ISSEK, 2025
- IT talent
- 1.87Mpeople employed in IT (+20% in a year)Source: Government of Russia, 2025
- Payments
- 88%of retail payments are cashlessSource: Bank of Russia, 2025
- Instant payments
- 18.3Binstant payments via SBP in a yearSource: Bank of Russia, 2025
- Starting a business
- 3 daysto register a company online, no state feeSource: Federal Tax Service, 2026
- Connectivity
- $0.25per GB of mobile data (global avg $2.61)Source: Cable.co.uk, 2023
- Domestic investor base
- 42.5Mretail investors at Moscow ExchangeSource: Moscow Exchange, Aug 2026
Resources
Natural wealth
- Territory
- 17.1M km²the largest country on Earth - 11 time zonesSource: World Bank, 2023
- Natural gas
- #1proved natural gas reservesSource: OPEC ASB via US EIA, 2024
- Forests
- #1forest area - about a fifth of the world's forestsSource: FAO FRA 2025, 2025
- Water resources
- #2renewable freshwater resources, 4,312 km³Source: World Bank / FAO, 2022
- Food exports
- #1wheat exporter - 48 Mt in 2025/26Source: USDA FAS, 2025/26
- Palladium
- 44%of world palladium - #1 producerSource: USGS, 2025
- Diamonds
- #1gem diamonds by volume and by reservesSource: USGS, 2025
- Gold
- #2gold producer and gold reservesSource: USGS, 2025
Rankings
Russia in international rankings
| Ranking | Publisher | Russia | Year | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GDP by purchasing power parity | IMF | #4 | 2025 | Active |
| International Comparison Program | World Bank | #4 (#1 in Europe) | 2021 | Active |
| Doing Business | World Bank | #28 of 190 | 2020 | Discontinued in 2021 after a data-integrity review |
| Global Competitiveness Index | World Economic Forum | #43 of 141 | 2019 | Discontinued |
| World Competitiveness Ranking | IMD | #45 of 64 | 2021 | Russia excluded since 2022 |
| Sovereign credit ratings | S&P, Moody's, Fitch | Cut to junk, then withdrawn | 2022 | Withdrawn in 2022 after EU rules barred rating Russian entities |
| Global Innovation Index | WIPO | #60 of 139 | 2025 | Active |
| Index of Economic Freedom | Heritage Foundation | #145 | 2026 | Active, survey- and policy-based |
| Country risk classification | OECD | Category 7 of 7 | 2024 | Active |
| E-Government Development Index | UN DESA | Very high group | 2024 | Active |
| Proved natural gas reserves | OPEC / EIA | #1 | 2024 | Active |
| Wheat exports | USDA | #1 | 2025/26 | Active |
Survey-based indicators such as 'rule of law' produce the widest gaps in how Russia is assessed. Statistical indicators are more stable. All sources are listed in our research file.
Great Russia Index
An open index for the Global South
Eight factors, open data from international organisations, published weights and sensitivity tests - with a penalty for capital restrictions, including Russia's own.
- 0120%
Market scale and growth
GDP (PPP), growth outlook, population, income.
- 0215%
Macro-financial stability
Debt, budget balance, current account, reserves, inflation.
- 0315%
Human capital
STEM graduates, tertiary education, researchers.
- 0412%
Resources and energy cost
Energy output per capita, power prices, food self-sufficiency.
- 0510%
Infrastructure and digital
E-government, connectivity, logistics performance.
- 0610%
Cost of doing business
Tax rates, labour cost vs productivity, cost of living.
- 0710%
Capital mobility (with penalty)
Capital account openness, FDI restrictions, arbitration enforcement.
- 088%
Global South connectivity
Trade with BRICS+, national-currency settlements, investment treaties.
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