MOSCOW. April 30 (Interfax) - Income differences between various Russian social strata increased somewhat in the first quarter of 2008, as they did before, the Federal State Statistics Service said on Wednesday.

The Service said the richest 10% controlled 30.3% of the population's total income in the year's first quarter. By comparison, this group controlled 30% of the Russians' total income in the first quarter of 2007, 29.7% in the first quarter of 2006, and 29.6% in the first quarter of 2005.

The poorest 10% were the recipients of 1.9% of the total income in the first quarter of 2008, compared with 2% for the first quarter of 2007 and 2006 and with 2.1% for the first quarter of 2005.

The population's money income for the first quarter of 2008 totaled 5.27 trillion rubles compared to an income of 4.19 trillion for the first quarter of 2007. The Russians' money expenditures totaled 5.42 trillion rubles for the first quarter of 2008 compared with those of 4.27 trillion for the first quarter of 2007.

The Service said 2.2% of the population had a monthly income of less than 2,000 rubles in the first quarter of 2008 compared with a level of 4.3% for the first quarter of 2007.

Recipients of income of 2,000 to 4,000 rubles made up 11.2% (16.9%); 14.8% (18.4%) were earning between 4,000 and 6,000 rubles; 13.9% (15.1%) were making between 6,000 and 8,000 rubles; 8,000 to 10,000 rubles were the income of 11.6% (11.3%); 19.7% (16.9%) were earning between 10,000 to 15,000 rubles; and earners of 15,000 to 25,000 rubles accounted for 16.8% (11.9%).

Earners of more than 25,000 rubles made up 9.8% (5.2%).