A Russian Observant Windows…
Eastern Europe and Northern Asia, bordering the Arctic Ocean, between Europe and the North Pacific Ocean. Largest country in the world in terms of area; Mount Elbrus is Europe’s tallest peak in Europe. Area: total: 17,075,200 sq km water: 79,400 sq km Climate: ranges from humid continental in much of European Russia through steppes in
Geography The Russian Federation is the largest of the 21 republics that make up the Commonwealth of Independent States. It occupies most of eastern Europe and north Asia, stretching from the Baltic Sea in the west to the Pacific Ocean in the east, and from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Black Sea
Fast Facts about Russia Country name The official name for Russia is either Russian Federation or Russia. Both names are equal according to the Russian Constitution. In Russian script, they are spelled as Российская Федерация and Россия accordingly. Capital city The capital of Russia is Moscow, or Москва in Russian script. Moscow is the largest
Official state holidays 8 state holidays January 1 — New Year´s Day January 7 — Christmas February 23 — Defender of the Motherland Day March 8 — International Women’s Day May 1 — Labour Day May 9 — Victory Day June 12 — Russia Day November 4 — National Unity Day
Religion Four religions are official: Orthodox Christianity, Islam, Buddhism and Judaism Since the fall of communism, religion has thrived with churches and monasteries springing up all over the country Decades of Soviet rule have left their mark: up to half of Russians declare themselves atheists, although figures vary. Among believers Orthodox Christianity dominates, but smaller
Administrative division 83 federal entities Russia is made up of 83 federal entities. Some of them are called republics, others are regions and there are also autonomies They all have equal representation in the Russian parliament but differ in the degree of autonomy they enjoy. Their administrative heads are often referred to as “governors”, although
Political system The Constitution was adopted by national referendum on December 12, 1993 Russia is a federal presidential republic The executive power is split between the President and the Prime Minister, but the President is the dominant figure. The legislature is represented by the Federal Assembly of Russia. It has two chambers: the State Duma
Population 160 ethnic groups Population — 142 million A blend of cultures and religions Russia has one of the world’s most diverse societies – as many as 160 ethnic groups live there. The population of about 142 million may look like a lot but its density is low because of the country’s vast size. It’s
Language Russian alphabet — Cyrillic A tongue of harsh accents, alien alphabet and a reputation as being hard to crack… Russian may be all that and more but it’s certainly not the only language spoken in Russia. About 100 others are used across the country. But you don’t need to know all of them –
Economy The bulk of Russia’s manufacturing base dates back to the Soviet era For over half a century, the Russian economy, like that of the rest of the USSR, was centrally planned The state controlled virtually all investment, production and consumption across the country. Economic policy was shaped by the Communist Party. The transition towards