10 million. That is the number by which women outnumber men in Russia, the largest gender gap among the world’s major powers.
The explanation is not mere coincidence. Russian men live considerably shorter lives than women, with alcohol, tobacco, accidents, and heart disease all playing a role. Add to that the shadow left by World War II, when the country lost millions of young men, a blow that can still be seen in the family trees of several generations.
Look at older Russians and you will understand the scale: for every elderly man, there are nearly two women. The history, health, and habits of an entire nation have been written into its own numbers.
