# First census and the gold standard (1897)

URL: https://history-russia.com/timeline/1897-first-census-and-the-gold-standard
Categories: main-event

The first general census of the Russian Empire counted about 125 million people. Finance Minister Witte put the ruble on the gold standard the same year. Industry grew rapidly with foreign investment. The census remains a key source on the empire's peoples.

## Why it matters
The census remains a key source on the empire's peoples.

Ruler at the time: [Nicholas II](https://history-russia.com/rulers/nicholas-ii)

## Sources
- [Wikipedia — 1897 Russian census](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1897_Russian_census)
- [Wikipedia — Sergei Witte](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sergei_Witte)
- [Wikipedia — Russian Empire](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_Empire)
- [Encyclopaedia Britannica topic lookup — First census and the gold standard](https://www.britannica.com/search?query=First+census+and+the+gold+standard)
- [Wikipedia — Timeline of Russian history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_Russian_history)