At the beginning of the 20th century, the Russian Empire, along with the United States, occupied a leading position in world agriculture. This is especially evident in the example of grain crops: in the first 14 years of the 20th century, the area under crops increased by 15%, grain yield by 10%, grain harvest per capita by more than 20% . Gross grain harvest - 5637 million poods (92.5 million tons) - 1st place in the world (half of the world rye harvest, second place in wheat harvest), as well as 1st place in grain exports - 647.8 million poods (10.61 million tons) of grain. The total volume of grain exports amounted to 651 million rubles. Russia ranked first in the production and export of butter (exported 77,576 tons of butter).
On the eve of the revolution, the country's national income was 16.4 billion rubles (7.4% of the world's total). According to this indicator, the Russian Empire ranked fourth after the United States, Germany and the British Empire. In terms of the growth rate of national income, the Russian Empire was ahead of many countries, and in certain periods, for example, from 1908 to 1917. they were among the highest in that period over 7% in some years. The latest estimates of the growth rate of Russia's national income are more modest; the American researcher P. Gregory estimates the average growth for the period 1885-1913 at 3.25% per year (with an increase to 4.7% per year in per year during the period of greatest growth (1889-1904)), which is estimated as a growth rate slightly higher than developed European countries, but lower than the United States.
At the same time, in terms of GDP per capita, the Russian Empire was not among the world leaders. GDP per capita, calculated in 1990 international Geary-Khamis dollars, in the Russian Empire in 1913 was $1,488 per person, with a world average of $1,524, which was below the level of all European countries except Portugal, and approximately corresponded to that of Japan and the average level of Latin America. GDP per capita was 3.5 times lower than in the USA, 3.3 times lower than in England, 1.7 times lower than in Italy.
The volume of industrial production in Russia in 1913 amounted to 6938.9 million rubles . Russia's share in world industry in 1913 was, according to various estimates, from 5.3% (fifth place in the world) to 12.73% (third place in the world). According to the well-known economic historian P. Bairoch, Russia's share in world industrial production in 1913 was 8.2% and it ranked 4th after the USA, Germany and Great Britain. However, in 1910, per capita coal consumption was 4% of US consumption, and steel was 6.25%.
For individual industries of the Russian Empire was characterized by extremely rapid growth. From 1894 to 1914 in the Russian Empire, coal production increased by 306%, oil - by 65% (growth stopped in 1901, since then there has been no increase), gold - by 43%, copper - by 375%; cast iron - by 250%; iron and steel - by 224%. Russia supplied 50% of world egg exports; it owned 80% of the world's flax production.
The state budget from 1031 million rubles. in 1894 it increased, in 1916 it almost quadrupled - 4 billion. And this despite the fact that railway tariffs were lowered, redemption payments and many taxes were canceled, and in 1914 state sales of alcohol were closed.
The annual per capita income was 126.20 rubles per year, while in France it was 343 rubles, in Germany 287.50 rubles, in Great Britain 310.50 rubles. Wages in total production costs exceeded 60%. In 1912, the average wage of workers was 25 rubles. per month: from 44 rubles. (at power plants), and 42 rubles (engineering) up to 18 rubles. (flax mills) and 15 rubles. (worker in a food business).
In 1914, with the fall in prices, the average wage of a worker was already 47 rubles. per month - from 51 rubles. in mechanical engineering up to 43 rubles. in the manufacturing industry. The technician received 150 rubles. per month, and the engineer 240 rubles. per month.
Taxes in the empire were significantly lower than in other countries. Direct taxes per 1 inhabitant in the Russian Empire amounted to 3 rubles. 11 kopecks, and indirect - 5 rubles. 98 kopecks (7.2% of annual income).
In France, they amounted to 12.25 and 10 rubles (6.5%), respectively; in Germany - 12.97 and 9.64 rubles (7.7%); in the UK - 26.75 and 15.86 rubles (13.7%). In 1913, Russia's most important trading partners were Germany (29.8% of Russian exports and 47.5% of imports) and Great Britain (17.6 and 12.6%, respectively). In Asia in 1913, Russia's largest trading partners were China (2.1% of Russian exports and 6.1% of imports) and Iran (3.8 and 3.3%, respectively).
