Russia
Russia is the largest country in the world and is divided into
five vast regions: the European region, the Ural area, Siberia, Caucasia
and the Central Asian region. Population is densest in the European
part of Russia, and in the Ural mountains area and in the
south-western parts of Siberia;
Most of the roughly 145 million Russians derive from the Eastern
Slavic family of peoples, whose original homeland was probably
present-day Poland. Russian is the official language of Russia and
is one of the six official languages of the United Nations. Russia's
educational system has produced nearly 100% literacy. About 3
million students attend Russia's 519 institutions of higher
education and 48 universities. As a result of great emphasis on
science and technology in education, Russian medical, mathematical,
scientific, and space and aviation research is generally of a high
order. The number of doctors in relation to the population is high
by American standards, although medical care in Russia, even in
major cities, is far below Western standards.
| Capital: | Moscow |
| Government type: | Federation |
| Population: | 144,530,000 (July 2005 est.) |
| Languages: | Russian; more than 140 other languages and dialects |
| Ethnicity: | Russian 82%, Tatar 4%, Ukrainian 3%, other 11% |
| Official Currency: | Russian Ruble (RUB)
Current Exchange Rates |
| Climate: | Northern continental, from subarctic to subtropical |
| Independence Day: | 24 August 1991 |
| Religion: | Russian Orthodox, Islam, Judaism, Roman Catholicism, Protestant, Buddhist, other |
| Area: | total: 17,000,026 sq km |
| Country Phone Code: | 7 |
Top Destinations in Russia
New York | San Francisco | Miami | Las
Vegas | Philadelphia | Hawaii
Los Angeles | Orlando | Chicago | Denver | Boston | San Diego