Birthrates of its Asians have Russia concerned

Soviet planners, apparently concerned that population in their Central Asian republics outstrips growth in European areas of the country, are complaining that citizens spend too much time studying and not enough having babies. Demographer Victor Perevedentsev says too many extra classes for young people in the Soviet Union are interfering with childbearing and suggests further schooling is a good idea -- for the elderly.

In the mostly Muslim Central Asian areas of the USSR, there are 36.5 births per thousand, against 15.8 in the European republics. There are occasional indications of a concern about being outnumbered by the Asians the Russians conquered.