Official statistics in Russian economy is often far from the reality of life because big part of economy is based on shadow schemes.
The average salary of Russian citizen in January 2004 increased by 27.7 percent and reached the figure of 6,022 roubles ($ 110). These are the data from the report of Russian Ministry of Economic Development.
The report contains information of the economic activity of Russian people as well. In the end of 2004 there lived 72.2 million people of working age in Russia (1.8 million more than in 2003).
The Ministry estimates the number of unemployed decreased by 628 thousand people and became 5.8 million (8 percent of people of working age). In the end of January 2004 1.64 million people were officially registered as unemployed. Real earnings of Russian people in January 2004 increased by 16.5 percent in comparison with January 2003, and real salary increased by 14.8 percent.
Data of the Ministry of Economic development are considered to be more realistic than information of the State Statistics Committee. However, they are still far from reality: there are too many shadow schemes in Russian economy. The process Íf "laundering" is in progress, although it is still slow. Statistics is approaching the reality, and this may be the real reason for Russian impressive "growth" in all parameters - the data not counted earlier started being taken into account.
