Russia

Overview

Russia, officially the Russian Federation, is the largest country on Earth by land area, spanning roughly 17.1 million square kilometres across Eastern Europe and northern Asia. It shares borders with more nations than any other country and holds enormous reserves of natural resources, from Siberian oil fields to Arctic mineral deposits. This page covers Russia's geography, people, economy, and practical information for travelers and researchers.

Geography

Russia stretches from the Baltic exclave of Kaliningrad in the west to the Kamchatka Peninsula in the far east, covering eleven time zones. The Ural Mountains divide the European and Asian portions of the country, while the West Siberian Plain forms one of the world's largest expanses of flat terrain. Major rivers include the Volga, Ob, Yenisei, and Lena, the last of which drains into the Arctic Ocean. Lake Baikal in southern Siberia holds approximately one-fifth of all unfrozen freshwater on Earth. Climate varies from subarctic tundra in the north and east to humid continental conditions in central European Russia, with semi-arid steppe zones in the south near the Caspian Sea. The Caucasus Mountains in the far southwest include Mount Elbrus, the highest peak in Europe at around 5,642 metres.

Demographics

Russia's population is approximately 144 million, making it the ninth most populous country in the world. Population density is low overall at fewer than nine people per square kilometre, but distribution is highly uneven. The vast majority of the population lives west of the Urals or in a narrow corridor along the Trans-Siberian Railway. Around three-quarters of Russians live in urban areas, with Moscow home to roughly 12 to 13 million people and Saint Petersburg to around 5 million. Ethnic Russians form around 80 percent of the population; other significant groups include Tatars, Bashkirs, Chechens, Armenians, and dozens of smaller indigenous nationalities. The Russian Orthodox Church is culturally central for a large portion of the population, alongside communities of Muslims concentrated mainly in the Volga-Ural region and the North Caucasus.

Culture & Language

Russian is the sole official language and is spoken by nearly all residents. It uses the Cyrillic script and belongs to the East Slavic branch of the Indo-European language family. Russian literature, from Tolstoy and Dostoevsky to Chekhov and Bulgakov, has shaped world culture, and the country has a deep tradition in classical music, ballet, and the visual arts. Institutions such as the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow and the Mariinsky Theatre in Saint Petersburg remain globally significant. Traditional cuisine features dishes like borscht, pelmeni, blini, and solyanka, with tea served from a samovar remaining a cultural touchstone. Football is the most popular spectator sport, though ice hockey holds strong national importance and Russia has produced generations of elite players.

Government & Politics

Russia is a federal semi-presidential republic. The constitution adopted in 1993 established a bicameral parliament — the Federal Assembly — consisting of the State Duma and the Federation Council. Executive power is divided between a directly elected president, who holds predominant authority over foreign policy and security, and a prime minister who leads the government and oversees day-to-day administration. Russia traces its modern statehood to the dissolution of the Soviet Union in December 1991, when the Russian Federation emerged as an independent state and the principal successor to the USSR. The capital is Moscow, which also serves as the seat of federal government.

Economy

Russia has one of the largest economies in the world measured by purchasing power parity, with a GDP estimated at several trillion US dollars, though precise figures shift significantly with commodity prices and exchange rates. GDP per capita is roughly in the range of 10,000 to 15,000 US dollars at market exchange rates, reflecting a middle-income country with significant internal inequality. The economy is heavily dependent on hydrocarbons: oil and natural gas together account for a large share of government revenues and export earnings. Other key industries include metals and mining, chemicals, defence manufacturing, agriculture, and timber. Major exports include crude oil, refined petroleum, natural gas, steel, aluminium, and wheat. The currency is the Russian ruble (RUB, symbol ₽).

Quick Facts

• Capital: Moscow
• Currency: Russian ruble (RUB) ₽
• Time zone: UTC+03:00 (Moscow Time; multiple zones across the country)
• Calling code: +7
• Internet TLD: .ru

Infrastructure & Development

Internet penetration in Russia stands at around 85 percent of the population, with a large and active domestic internet ecosystem including the search engine Yandex and the social network VKontakte. The transportation network is extensive: Russia operates one of the longest railway systems in the world, anchored by the Trans-Siberian Railway connecting Moscow to Vladivostok over roughly 9,000 kilometres. Sheremetyevo, Domodedovo, and Vnukovo international airports serve Moscow, while Saint Petersburg's Pulkovo airport handles major international traffic. Education follows an eleven-year general schooling system followed by university and vocational tracks; literacy is near universal. Healthcare is provided through a combination of state-funded facilities and growing private clinics, with quality and access varying considerably between major urban centres and remote regions.

Tourism & Highlights

Russia holds a significant number of UNESCO World Heritage Sites, including the historic centre of Saint Petersburg and its associated palaces, the Kremlin and Red Square in Moscow, Lake Baikal, the volcanoes of Kamchatka, and the Golden Mountains of Altai. The Trans-Siberian Railway journey itself is considered one of the world's great rail experiences. The Hermitage Museum in Saint Petersburg is one of the largest and most visited art museums on Earth. The Golden Ring cities northeast of Moscow — including Suzdal, Vladimir, and Yaroslavl — preserve medieval Russian Orthodox architecture. Natural attractions range from the taiga forests of Siberia to the geothermal landscape of Kamchatka.

History

Slavic peoples settled the region around what is now western Russia during the early medieval period, with the Kievan Rus emerging as a major political entity from the ninth century. The Mongol invasions of the thirteenth century fractured this state, and the Grand Duchy of Moscow gradually consolidated power over subsequent centuries. Ivan IV, known as Ivan the Terrible, became the first Tsar of Russia in 1547, beginning a period of territorial expansion. Peter the Great modernised the state in the early eighteenth century and founded Saint Petersburg as a new capital. The Russian Empire grew into one of the world's largest, before being overthrown in the revolutions of 1917. The Soviet Union, formed in 1922, reshaped the country through industrialisation, collectivisation, and the enormous losses of the Second World War. The USSR dissolved in December 1991, and the Russian Federation emerged as its primary successor state.

Practical Information

If you are planning to visit Russia, you should check current visa requirements well in advance, as most foreign nationals require a tourist visa obtained through a Russian consulate or embassy. Entry requirements and travel advisories can change, and many governments have issued significant travel warnings since 2022; consult your national foreign affairs ministry before making plans. Driving is on the right side of the road. Emergency services can be reached by dialling 112, which connects to a unified emergency dispatch service; 101 is the fire service, 102 is police, and 103 is ambulance. Russia spans eleven time zones, so plan carefully if your itinerary crosses multiple regions. Summers in Moscow and Saint Petersburg are mild to warm, while winters are severe, with temperatures regularly falling well below freezing. Carry cash in rubles for smaller purchases, as international payment cards may face restrictions.