The total area of ​​the Russian Federation is over. Russia

Brief information about the country

Date of foundation

Official language

Form of government

Presidential republic

Territory

17 125 187 km² (1st in the world)

Population

143 666 931 people (9th in the world)

Russian ruble (RUB)

Time Zones

UTC + 2 ... + 11, without UTC +5

Largest cities

Moscow, St. Petersburg, Novosibirsk, Yekaterinburg, Nizhny Novgorod, Samara, Omsk

$ 3.373 trillion (6th in the world)

Internet domain

Telephone code

Russian Federation- the largest state in the world, occupying 1/8 of the land and located in the northeast of Eurasia. Russia is a country with a long history, rich cultural heritage and generous nature. In Russia, you can find almost everything that a traveler meets individually in a particular country - sunny beaches of the subtropics and snow Mountain peaks, endless steppes and deep forests, turbulent rivers and warm seas.

Video: Russia through the eyes of a foreigner

Geography

Russia covers an area of ​​17 million square kilometers, which exceeds the size of Australia or Antarctica. Russia is almost twice the size of Canada, the United States and China.

Neighbors of the country: China and North Korea in the southeast, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Mongolia and Kazakhstan in the south, Belarus, Latvia, Norway, Estonia and Finland in the west. The Russian enclave, Kaliningrad Oblast, borders Lithuania and Poland.

In the east, the country is washed by the Okhotsk, Japanese, Berengov Seas and the Berengov Strait; in the north - by the Laptev Sea, the Barents, Chukchi, Kara and East Siberian seas; in the south - the Azov and Black seas; in the west - the Baltic Sea and the Gulf of Finland.

The largest Russian rivers are the Ob, Volga, Yenisei, Lena and Amur. The largest lakes in the country are Baikal, Ladoga, Onega and the Caspian Sea.

The European and Asian parts of the country are separated by the Ural Mountains, the highest of which is Mount Narodnaya (1895 meters). From the Ural ridge to the Primorsky Territory, Siberia is located, divided by the Yenisei and Lena rivers into three natural regions. In the south of the Asian part, the Altai Mountains rise, the highest point of which is Mount Belukha (4056 meters). To the east of the Altai Mountains are the Sayan, Baikal and Transbaikal regions. Further, in the direction of the Pacific Ocean, the mountain system of the Far East begins, the highest point of which and the whole Asian part - the Klyuchevskaya Sopka volcano (4750 meters) is located on the Kamchatka Peninsula. In the south of Russia there are the mountains of the North Caucasus, crowned with Elbrus (5642 meters), the highest point not only in Russia, but also in Europe.

The country's territory is divided into 4 natural zones and 11 natural zones. The far north is a zone of arctic deserts. To the south, in the Subarctic, there are tundra and forest-tundra. The temperate zone is more than half occupied by the taiga. The rest of it contains zones of mixed forests, forest-steppe, steppe, semi-desert and desert. On the Black Sea coast of the Caucasus, there is a subtropical zone, which makes up only 0.05% of the country's area.

More than 100 reserves, 40 natural and 35 national parks have been created in Russia.

Climate

Russia is located mainly in the temperate continental climatic zone. North Islands Arctic Ocean and the northern continental territories are influenced by the arctic and subarctic climate. A hot subtropical climate is typical for the Black Sea region and the south of the Far East. The continental climate increases from west to east. The European part of the country is dominated by a temperate climate with hot summers and winter temperatures up to -15 degrees. Starting from Western Siberia, the climate becomes sharply continental, with frequent and abrupt weather changes. In winter, the air temperature here can drop to -40 °, and in the north and east of Siberia - to -50 ° and even to -60 ° (Oymyakon, Verkhoyansk).

Most of the precipitation falls in the mountains of the Caucasus and Altai, and the most arid place Russia - Caspian lowland.

Summer is the most favorable season for traveling in Russia. At this time, positive temperatures prevail here - on average from 0 ° on the Arctic coast to + 25 ° in the southern regions.

Winter continues in central Russia for about five months - snow cover is established in November, and frosts continue until the end of March.

Early spring is not best season for traveling around the country. In April, there is a lot of slush on the city streets from the occasional snow, and in countryside stormy rivers overflow. It often rains in May, accompanied by strong winds and thunderstorms.

The beginning of autumn is the most beautiful season and a great time to get to know Russia. September temperatures, as a rule, do not drop below + 15 °. In addition, at the beginning of the month, Russians and guests of the country are pleased with the "Indian summer" - warming up to + 25 °, lasting from several days to two weeks. In October, prolonged drizzling rains become more frequent, the temperature drops, and there are frosts at night.

Cities of Russia

All cities of Russia

sights

Even after several trips, it is impossible to see all the sights of Russia, the abundance of which will make the most experienced traveler dizzy. The List of UNESCO World Heritage Sites, 27 of which are located in Russia, can help tourists navigate:

• The Kremlin and Red Square are the most famous and recognizable symbols of Russia. Kremlin impersonation Russian statehood, not only the largest fortress in Europe, which is a historical monument, but also the workplace of the President of the Russian Federation, as well as the venue important events and celebrations;
• the historic center of St. Petersburg and related monuments;
• historical and cultural center "Solovetsky Islands" - male monastery with a tragic fate (Arkhangelsk region);
• Ferapontov Monastery, famous for its frescoes created in 1502 (Ferapontovo village, Vologda region);


• the architectural ensemble of the Kizhi churchyard - unique wooden churches and a bell tower (Republic of Karelia, not far from the town of Medvezhyegorsk);
• monuments of Novgorod and its environs, including Novgorod Detinets with the rarest square churches;
• white-stone monuments of Suzdal and Vladimir;
• The Church of the Ascension of the 16th century, located in the village of Kolomenskoye, Moscow Region, is the first stone hipped-roof temple in Russia, built in honor of the birth of Ivan IV (the Terrible);
• Trinity-Sergius Lavra - the largest Orthodox male monastery in Russia (Sergiev Posad, Moscow region);
• the forests of the Komi Republic - the largest virgin forests in Europe;


• the deepest lake on the planet - Baikal, which is also the largest reservoir of fresh water;
• volcanoes of Kamchatka (30 active and about 300 extinct);
• Sikhote-Alin Nature Biosphere Reserve - a habitat for sable, Amur tigers, mink and other rare animals (Primorsky Territory);
• Golden Mountains of Altai (Altai and Katunsky reserves, Ukok plateau);
• The Ubsunur Basin is a habitat for 80 species of mammals, including the snow leopard (irbis) and argali (argali) listed in the Red Data Book, as well as 350 bird species (Tyva Republic);
• Caucasian nature reserve;
• Kazan Kremlin is the most north point Muslim civilization, a unique combination of Tatar and Russian architectural styles;


• The Curonian Spit is a sandy spit with a unique natural landscape, which has no analogues in the world (Kaliningrad region);
• Fortress Karyn-Kala VIII century, Old city Derbent and its unique double defensive wall (Republic of Dagestan);
• Wrangel Island, which has the largest number of polar bear dens in the world and the largest bird colonies and walrus rookeries in the Arctic (Chukotka Federal District);
• Novodevichy Convent (Moscow);
• the historical center of Yaroslavl;
• Struve Geodetic Arc - 34 stone cubes dug into the ground and used to determine the parameters of our planet (Gogland Island, Leningrad Region);
• Putorana plateau with numerous waterfalls and lakes ( Krasnoyarsk region);
• Lena Pillars - sheer bare rocks over 100 meters high, over 400 thousand years old (Republic of Sakha);
• architectural and historical ensemble Bulgar (Republic of Tatarstan).

Traditional places of pilgrimage for tourists are Moscow and St. Petersburg with their world famous museums, churches, monasteries, palaces and parks. Going to St. Petersburg, do not forget about its beautiful suburbs: Tsarskoe Selo, Peterhof, Pavlovsk and Lomonosov. Also, from the Northern capital it is convenient to go on a trip around Karelia and to the island of Valaam.

Having visited Moscow, try to visit its environs: the cities of Chekhov, Klin and Serpukhov, the villages of Abramtsevo, Arkhangelsk and Ostafyevo.

One of the most popular tourist routes is the "Golden Ring" of Russia, linking old Russian cities: Vladimir, Sergiev Posad, Pereslavl-Zalessky, Suzdal, Yuriev, Kostroma, Rostov and Yaroslavl.

Russian North - Arkhangelsk and Vologda region where samples of national wooden architecture are carefully protected and ancient traditions are maintained. There is a real nature reserve of ecotourism - Karelia.

The Volga region is Nizhny Novgorod with its Kremlin and monuments; this is the Volga River, cruises along which provide an excellent opportunity to see and fall in love with the beauty of central Russia.

The Ural attracts tourists with picturesque landscapes and historical sites. Famous monuments of the Ural region are associated with last days life of the royal family of the Romanovs - the Monastery in Ganina Yama and the Ipatiev House, where Tsar Nicholas II and his family were shot. The Ural is an excellent place for ecotourism, the natural attractions of which are the Chusovaya River, the Kungura ice caves, Lake Uveldy, the Turgoyak and Ilmensky nature reserves, mineral springs in Obukhovo.

South of Russia - these are the resorts of the Caucasus, the sights of Rostov-on-Don and the capital of the Russian merchants of Astrakhan. Kuban and its capital Krasnodar are becoming more and more popular with tourists. Novorossiysk is one of the largest port cities in the country. Here travelers tend to visit Lake Abrau and take pictures with the monument to Leonid Brezhnev.

The cities of Central Russia: Tula, Kaluga, Ryazan, Smolensk, Pskov, Kirov, Tver, are ancient Russian settlements with interesting architecture and centuries-old history.

Siberia will give travelers an acquaintance with Altai, one of the most beautiful and ecologically clean places in Russia; with the steppes and forests of Khakassia; with the distinctive cities of Tobolsk and Tomsk. Those who wish can make a unique journey to the place of the fall of the Tunguska meteorite.

The Far East is famous for diamond Yakutia, Kamchatka Valley of Geysers, bear fishing, untouched nature.

The Transsib is a 9000 km long railway that crosses Russia from west to east and connects Moscow and Vladivostok. Traveling along the Transsib, a tourist will switch the hands on his watch 8 times, get acquainted with the natural diversity of Russia, visit the large cities of the Volga region, the Urals and Siberia.

All sights of Russia

Flora and fauna

There are about 25,000 plant species in Russia. The richest flora (more than 6,000 species) is found in the Caucasus and the Far East (up to 2,000 species), the least amount of vegetation is found on the Arctic islands.

The tundra and forest-tundra are located in the permafrost zone, which does not allow large representatives of the flora to develop; only lichens and mosses, dwarf shrubs and trees can survive here.

Forests cover almost half of the country's territory, with most of them located in the Asian half of Russia. Taiga stretches from Karelia to the Urals, then stretches across the whole of Siberia, including Kamchatka and Sakhalin. In Siberian forests, mainly conifers grow (pine, cedar, spruce, larch), diluted with oak, aspen and birch. In the Far East there are mixed forests, similar to those that occupy the middle zone of Russia. Oak, ash, hornbeam and maple grow closer to the south. The warm regions of Russia are dominated by areas occupied by forest-steppe (Middle Volga, South Ural and West Siberian Plain) and steppe with dense vegetation and a small number of trees (South Volga and south of West Siberia).

The fauna of Russia is rich and diverse: in the Far North and in the tundra regions live polar fox and hare, polar bear, seal, walrus and reindeer, from birds - partridge, gulls, loons and snowy owls. The Siberian taiga is home to the maral, elk, brown bear, fox, wolf, hare, lynx and sable. Typical representatives feathered local forests - black grouse, wood grouse, owl, nutcracker, crossbill.

The Far East is famous for the Ussuri tiger and leopards, Kamchatka - for a large number of brown bears and deer.

Mixed and deciduous forests are home to mink, wild boar, numerous snakes and birds.

Many rodents live in the steppes: hamsters, ground squirrels, marmots. The antelope is found here, and the predators are represented by the Tatar fox and the steppe ferret. The most notable birds are cranes, golden eagles and eagles.

Several species of mountain goats live in the regions of the Caucasus, as well as deer, roe deer, leopards, wild boars, bears and porcupines. Here you can find various types of reptiles and insects.

State structure and general information

The Russian Federation (RF) includes 85 equal subjects - 22 republics, 9 territories, 46 regions, 3 federal cities (Moscow, St. Petersburg and Sevastopol), 1 autonomous region (Jewish) and 4 autonomous regions.

Russia is a democratic, federal state, the head of which is the president. Legislative power is exercised by the Federal Assembly, which consists of two chambers - the Federation Council and the State Duma. Executive power belongs to the government headed by the prime minister.

Russia is home to 146 million people, which puts the country in ninth place in the world in terms of population.

The Russian Federation is a secular state, the Constitution of which enshrines the right of a citizen to any religion. Of all the religious confessions, the most numerous is Orthodox, the inhabitants of Russia also profess Islam, Buddhism, Catholicism, Judaism and other religions.

Representatives of more than 160 nationalities live in the country, of which Russians 82%, Tatars - 4%, Ukrainians - 3%.

The largest cities in Russia with a population of more than a million people: Moscow (the capital of the Russian Federation), St. Petersburg, Novosibirsk, Yekaterinburg, Nizhny Novgorod, Kazan, Chelyabinsk, Samara, Volgograd, Omsk, Ufa, Rostov-on-Don.

The state language of the country is Russian.

There are 11 time zones in Russia. In the first time zone (Kaliningrad), the difference with Moscow time is minus 1 hour. In the 11th time zone (Kamchatka), the time is 9 hours ahead of Moscow time.

History

Primitive people appeared on the territory of Russia more than a million years ago. And the formation of Russian statehood proper took place in the 7th-19th centuries, when Slavic peoples began to move from Central Europe to the east. The settlers founded two independent centers - Novgorod and Kiev.

The date of the formation of the Old Russian state is considered September 8, 862, when the Novgorodians, wishing to end internecine wars, called for the kingdom of Rurik. The Varangian prince managed to unite the largest East Slavic tribes, and his successor, Prophetic Oleg, conquered Kiev and annexed the southern lands to the Russian state.

The highest prosperity and power of Russia reached in the XI century under Yaroslav the Wise, who saved it from the raids of the Pechenegs and carried out important judicial and church reforms.

However, the sons of Yaroslav began internecine wars, because of which the Old Russian state fell apart into several independent principalities. In the 13th century, the scattered Slavic lands became easy prey for the Mongol-Tatar hordes. Taking advantage of the weakening of Russia, the Swedish and German crusaders attacked it. The Novgorod prince Alexander Nevsky, having united the Russian troops, drove out the enemy, which prevented the forced assimilation of the Slavs.

The independence of Russia from the Golden Horde was restored by Prince Ivan the Great in the 15th century.

The first tsar in 1547 was Ivan IV the Terrible, who significantly expanded the territory of the state and carried out important reforms that contributed to the centralization of Russia.

In 1613, the reign of the Romanov dynasty began, the annexation of Siberia and the Far East took place. In 1654 Ukraine became part of Rus.

Peter I. "Here the city will be founded", author Nikolay Dobrovolsky

Thanks to the reforms of Peter I, who ruled from 1689 to 1725, Russia turned into powerful empire... The king transformed the army and navy, developed education, industry and shipbuilding. Peter I conquered the shores of the Baltic Sea from the Swedes, where he founded the new capital of the state - St. Petersburg (instead of Moscow, former capital since 1389).

After the death of Peter I, time began in the country palace coups... Under Empress Elizabeth Petrovna (1741 - 1761), power stabilized, Moscow University was founded, and was abolished the death penalty, Russia waged a successful war with Prussia.

After Elizabeth, Catherine II came to the throne, nicknamed the Great for transformations in the state structure and the strengthening of the country.

At the beginning of the 19th century, relations between Russia and France deteriorated, which led to Patriotic War 1812 In 1814, Russian troops defeated Napoleon's half-million army and entered Paris.

The 19th century was marked by an industrial revolution, the abolition of serfdom, monetary and liberal reforms.

In 1894, the last one ascended the throne Russian emperor Nicholas II, whose reign was accompanied by both stormy economic development country, and the growth of socio-political contradictions. In 1914, the country entered the First World War, which led to the overthrow of the monarchy and the collapse of the Russian Empire.

In October 1917, the Bolsheviks seized power in the country under the leadership of Vladimir Lenin. The communists succeeded in winning over a huge part of the population to their side thanks to the promise to end the war and socialize private property. In its quest to improve the lives of the common people, the Soviet government often resorted to repression.

In 1922 Russia, Belarus, Ukraine and the Transcaucasian republics formed the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR).

In the 1920s and 1930s, the industrialization of the country was accelerated, its industrial and technical potential increased significantly.

On June 22, 1941, Nazi Germany attacked the USSR, the purpose of which was to occupy the country, exterminate and enslave the population. At the cost of incredible sacrifices Soviet people in 1945 he defeated the fascist army and liberated Europe from Nazism.

At the end of the 40s, the period began cold war with the West. In the process of confrontation with the largest world powers, powerful military-industrial and scientific-technical complexes were created in the USSR. In 1957, the country was the first in the world to launch an artificial Earth satellite into space, and on April 12, 1961, for the first time in human history, a spacecraft with a man on board, Yuri Gagarin, was launched into near-earth orbit.

The growing stagnation in the economic and political life of the country in the 70s and 80s of the XX century led the USSR to the need for modernization. However, the reforms initiated by Mikhail Gorbachev failed to cope with the crisis and led to the country's disintegration in 1991. Successor Soviet Union became Russia.

The 90s were a period of radical reforms in the economy, which led to the capitalization of the country and a significant stratification of society, the flourishing of criminal structures.

In 2000, Vladimir Putin became the president of Russia, under whose leadership important socio-economic reforms were carried out, which contributed to the stabilization of the situation in the country.

2014 was marked by a new round of the Cold War with the United States and Europe due to political crisis in Ukraine. In March, Crimea, which did not recognize the results of the coup d'état, held a referendum on returning to Russia. The US and the EU reacted to the annexation of Crimea by introducing economic sanctions against Russia.

Culture

Foreign travelers coming to Russia seek to unravel the phenomenon of the “mysterious Russian soul” and the character of the people who have created one of the richest and most beautiful cultures in the world. The national mentality was formed on the basis of historical conditions, geography, climate, religion and the vast area of ​​the country. One of the most outstanding trends in Russian culture is painting. The artists Vrubel, Levitan, Aivazovsky, Bryullov, Serov made an invaluable contribution to the cultural development of Russia. The richest collection of the country's picturesque heritage is kept in the Tretyakov Gallery (Moscow) and in the Hermitage (St. Petersburg).

Artistic products are known far beyond the borders of Russia:

"Heroes" - painting by Viktor Vasnetsov

• Gzhel - blue and white ceramics;
• Zhostovo and Tagil painted metal trays;
• Dymkovo toy - original colorful clay amusing crafts;
• Khokhloma - wooden dishes with black-red-gold painting;
• Kasli casting;
• Palekh miniature;
• Matryoshka is a detachable wooden painted toy, consisting of several dolls of different sizes.

Russian literature not only reflected the spiritual and aesthetic worldview of the people, but also became the philosophy of the state. The most famous writers of Russia: Dostoevsky, Tolstoy, Chekhov, Nabokov, Turgenev. Alexander Pushkin is called the "Sun of Russian poetry", and Russians also honor such poets as Lermontov, Nekrasov, Fet, Yesenin, Blok.

The Russian musical heritage consists of the works of world famous composers: Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninov, Glinka, Shostakovich, Prokofiev.

Russian ballet, which has become the country's hallmark, is recognized as the basis of ballet art.

Such giants of theatrical art as the Mariinsky Theater, Bolshoi and Maly Theaters, Theater Russian Army, Moscow Art Theater named after Chekhov and others.

Holidays in Russia

Anyone can choose the most suitable option for a vacation in Russia.

• Excursion tourism offers many routes and will satisfy the desire to learn about Russia, its history, life, culture and nature.
• Beach holidays await tourists on the shores of the Black Sea (from Anapa to Tuapse and in Sochi), in the Primorsky Territory, in the resorts of the Krasnodar Territory.
• Health tourism is developed in almost all regions of the country. The resorts of the Caucasian Mineral Waters (Essentuki, Kislovodsk, Pyatigorsk, Zheleznovodsk) have unique healing springs that restore health. The Altai resort of Belokurikha is famous for its curative microclimate, clean ecology and excellent sanatorium facilities. The balneological resorts of Anapa, Arshan (Buryatia), Darasun (Chita Region), Kuldur (Khabarovsk Territory), Nachik (Kamchatka), Shmakovka (Primorsky Territory) will help you to improve your health. Excellent mud and climatic resorts await vacationers in Yeisk (Krasnodar Territory), in the Vladivostok resort area, in Gelendzhik, in Kaliningrad, in Paratunka (Kamchatka), in Sochi.
• Active and extreme recreation in Russia is popular due to its unique natural diversity. Winter sports enthusiasts will enjoy the winter resorts of Sochi, Elbrus, Ural, Altai, Sheregesh (Kemerovo region). Water tourism is developed in Altai, the Urals, the Valdai Upland, the Kola Peninsula, and in Karelia. Mountaineering fans are welcome in any region of the country where there is mountain systems- in the Caucasus, Altai, Urals, in the Krasnoyarsk Territory and in the Amur region.
• Pilgrimage tourism gives believers the opportunity to touch the Orthodox shrines of Russia, visit places associated with significant historical events: Holy Trinity-Sergius Lavra, Optina Pustyn, Valaam, Diveevo and other, no less important, monasteries. Many believers are convinced that prayer offered to God in a specific place will be most effective.
• Automobile tourism will give the traveler an excellent opportunity to get acquainted with the Russian province, with its natural diversity, and visit any places they like.

Kitchen

Russian cuisine is not characterized by sophistication and intricacy, national dishes are simple in execution, hearty and tasty. The most famous representatives of Russian gastronomy are borsch, fish soup, pancakes, pies with all kinds of fillings, dumplings.

Soup is an obligatory dish in a Russian lunch. In Russia, soups are prepared on the basis of meat, fish or mushroom broth followed by the addition of vegetables, seasonings and herbs. In the heat, Russians happily eat okroshka - a mixture of finely chopped vegetables, boiled eggs, meat and herbs seasoned with kvass.

In Russia, a lot of meat is traditionally eaten due to the cool climate. The Russians also pay tribute to fish, catching which is one of the most popular hobbies among men.

In regions rich in forests, in summer and autumn, many residents go to pick mushrooms. Porcini mushrooms, birch trees, honey agarics, chanterelles, boletus, milk mushrooms are very tasty. Russians fry mushrooms, stew in sour cream, pickle, salt and dry for the winter.

Russian cuisine is rich in vegetable dishes. Cabbage, beets, potatoes, turnips, carrots, pumpkin and zucchini are boiled, stewed, added to soups and main courses.

Traditionally loved in Russia dairy products- sour cream, kefir, fermented baked milk, varenets, cottage cheese.

Various cereals are popular in the country, serving both as an independent dish and as a side dish for meat or vegetables.

Some dishes of Russian cuisine - Easter cake, pancakes, memorial kutia - have religious and ritual significance and are prepared during certain holidays or rituals.

Shopping

Shopping in Russia is quite expensive due to the high cost of delivery of goods and rental of premises, as well as high duties. But in the shopping centers of any large Russian city, you can easily find shops of popular international brands. The price for the same product can vary significantly depending on the region. The country does not have a fixed time of sales, as in most Western countries. The biggest discounts are offered to customers in January and from mid to late summer. But Russian sales are not distinguished by a significant decrease in the price of goods, usually sellers drop only 20-30% of the original cost.

Shops are usually open every day, from morning until late at night. Many grocery stores are open around the clock. A restriction has been introduced on the sale of alcoholic beverages in Russia - they cannot be purchased at night.

There are several outlets in the Moscow region: Vnukovo Outlet Village near Vnukovo airport, Outlet Village Belaya Dacha at the 14th kilometer of the Moscow Ring Road, Fashion House near the village of Chornaya Gryaz.

But Russia is famous not for traditional shopping, but for original souvenirs and goods from different regions of the country. Tourists bring birch bark products from Novgorod; Karelia is famous for its cloudberry jam; no one leaves Kaliningrad without amber handicrafts and jewelry. In St. Petersburg, they buy magnets and decorative plates with views of the Northern capital, fake Faberge eggs, vodka. central region famous for its handicrafts, here tourists are offered Zhostovo trays, Palekh boxes, Gzhel products, nesting dolls, samovars. In Myshkin, Yaroslavl region, you will be offered cute mice, which are the symbol of the town. In the Kuban, tourists buy Cossack attributes, in the Crimea - Massandra wines. Nizhny Novgorod, the birthplace of Khokhloma painting, offers a variety of colorful wooden products - from a simple magnet to a dinner service. Tatarstan is generous with all kinds of sweets: chak-chak, baklava, baursak. The famous Orenburg shawls are knitted from the highest quality down. From Bashkiria and Altai, they bring magnificent honey collected by bees in the cleanest places on the planet. The Ural offers to those who wish a whole placer of precious and semi-precious stones and products made from them. Siberia is generous with natural resources - pine nuts, fish, antlers (antlers with medicinal properties).

Accommodation

Hotels in Russia are represented by both inexpensive hostels and modern hotels of various categories. Almost any hotel can be booked through our website. It is popular in Russia to rent housing from owners who are distinguished by Russian hospitality and receive guests on a large scale.

All types of transport are well developed in Russia - air, rail, bus, and in some regions, water. Public transport - buses, trolleybuses, trams, trains, taxis. There are metro stations in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Novosibirsk, Samara, Yekaterinburg, Nizhny Novgorod and Kazan.

Those traveling in Russia should remember that local time is indicated on plane tickets, and Moscow time is indicated in travel documents for a train.

Car rental in Russia is not as popular as in many other countries. Nevertheless, in any major city there are companies that provide car rental services. The cost of renting a car depends on the city - a car will cost the most in Moscow and St. Petersburg, in the provinces the prices are much lower.

Wi-fi is available in many cafes, cinemas, hotels, airports, train stations. Internet cafes are available in all major cities.

The telephone code of Russia is +7.

In some remote and mountainous areas, there is no mobile connection. As a rule, at the entrance to such places, posts of the Ministry of Emergency Situations are installed, where in a special register each person entering, his place of stay and the date of the expected departure are registered. Such measures are necessary in case of emergencies.

Useful information

Before entering Russia, it is advisable to familiarize yourself in advance with the customs rules governing the import and export of certain goods.

When traveling by car, when leaving the Russian Federation, it is allowed to take out no more than 20 liters of fuel, not counting the fuel in the tank.

In Russia, there is a ban on the transport of any liquids in the cabin of an aircraft. The medicines required by the passenger during the flight are allowed on board the aircraft upon presentation of the relevant medical certificate.

Citizens foreign states, except for the CIS countries or those who have signed an agreement on visa-free regime, a visa is required to visit the Russian Federation. Get acquainted with the procedure for issuing visas and the list required documents can be at the consulates of Russia abroad.

The national currency of the Russian Federation is the ruble. The currency code of the ruble is RUB. On the territory of Russia, you can only pay in rubles. In the banks of the country, the ruble can be exchanged for almost any currency in the world.

In theory, most major shopping malls, hotels and restaurants accept bank cards. But before making a purchase, it is advisable to make sure that this service really works. Visitors to Russia always need to have a certain amount of cash with them.

Gratuities in Russia are not included in the bill. Service rewards are optional, but encouraged.

Electric network voltage - 220 V.

The safety of those traveling by car in Russia is often threatened by bad roads, so if you are planning a car trip, it will be useful to inquire in advance about the condition of the road surface in a particular area.

Visitors to Russia should take the usual precautions required when staying in a foreign country: watch your belongings, not display valuables and large sums of money, distrust strangers, and avoid appearing at night in uncrowded places.

In case of a sudden illness, it is necessary to take care of purchasing health insurance in advance.

in contact with facebook twitter

Russia(from the Greek Ρωσία - Rus; officially - Russia or the Russian Federation) - a state located in Eurasia (eastern part of Europe and northern part of Asia). The largest state in the world (17,075,400 km² or 11.46% (1/9) of the entire land area of ​​the Earth, or 12.65% (1/8) of the land inhabited by humans).

Official titles"The Russian Federation", in abbreviated form the Russian Federation, "Russia" are equivalent in the constitution. Russian Federation, Russia (English); Russische Föderation, Russland (German); Fédération de Russie, Russie (fr.)

State in Eastern Europe and North Asia. Russia also owns a number of archipelagos in the Pacific and Arctic oceans.

Russia borders on land:

• in the northwest with Norway, Finland;
• in the west with Poland and Lithuania (Kaliningrad region), Estonia, Latvia, Belarus, Ukraine;
• in the Caucasus with Georgia (part of the border - with Abkhazia and South Ossetia) and Azerbaijan;
• The European part of Russia and Siberia border on Kazakhstan; Eastern Siberia also with China and Mongolia;
• in the Far East, Russia has land borders with China and North Korea, sea borders with Japan and the United States (in the extreme northeast of Asia).

short info

1. Capital- Moscow (55º44´45 "N, 37º37´47" E - coordinates of the Moscow Kremlin)
2. Square: 17 million 098.2 km²
3. Population: 142 million 834 thousand people. (estimate as of 21.08.2011), 73.1% are city dwellers.
4. Major peoples: Russians 79.8%, Tatars 3.8%, Ukrainians 2%, Bashkirs 1.15%, Chuvashs 1.13%, Chechens 0.9%, Armenians 0.8%, Mordovians 0.58%, Avars 0, 56%, Belarusians 0.56%; in 2002 there were 82 peoples, the number of which on the territory of Russia was more than 10 thousand people.
5. Official language: Russian; the republics that are part of the Russian Federation have the right to establish their own state languages along with Russian
6. Political system- democratic federal constitutional state with a republican form of government
7. Head of state- President elected by universal suffrage (from May 7, 2012 - Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin)
8. Head of the government- Chairman of the Government, appointed by the President with the consent of the State Duma (from May 8, 2008 - Dmitry Anatolyevich Medvedev)
9. Parliament- The Federal Assembly, consisting of two chambers: the Federation Council (178 representatives of the subjects of the Federation) and the State Duma (450 deputies)
10. International dialing code7
11. Time difference with Greenwich, in hours: Kaliningrad +3, Moscow, St. Petersburg, Rostov-on-Don, Kazan and Samara +4, Ufa and Yekaterinburg +6, Omsk, Novosibirsk and Kemerovo +7, Krasnoyarsk +8, Irkutsk +9, Chita and Blagoveshchensk +10, Vladivostok, Khabarovsk and Sakhalin +11, Magadan, Anadyr and Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky +12.
12. Currency unit: Russian ruble (denoted by RUB according to the ISO standard, within the country it is often abbreviated as rubles or rubles). 1 ruble is 100 kopecks.
13. Barcode prefix for products produced in Russia: from 460 to 469
14. Domain zone on Internet.ru
15. Place in the rating of instability: 82 (out of 177 in 2011; in 2010 71st out of 177; in 2009 71st out of 177; in 2008 72nd out of 177; in 2007 63rd out of 177; in 2006 43rd out of 146) / Relatively unstable state
16. 15 most important partner countries in foreign trade(the share of the total turnover is indicated in brackets foreign trade in 2007) - Germany (9.6%), Netherlands (8.4%), China (7.3%), Italy (6.5%), Ukraine (5.4%), Belarus (4.7%), Turkey (4.1%), Japan (3.6 %), Poland (3.2%), USA (3.2%), Great Britain (3%), Kazakhstan (3%), France (3%), Switzerland (2.9%), Finland (2.9%); the total volume of foreign trade turnover in 2007 amounted to $ 552.18 billion.

History

Pre-state period

The earliest history of our country goes back to the time of the existence of the ancient Slavs. Until now, it is not known exactly where our ancestors came from, but over time they occupied vast areas in the eastern part of Europe along the Dnieper, Desna, Oka. Being a sedentary tribe, the Slavs cultivated agriculture, cattle breeding, various crafts, but at the same time, according to Byzantine sources, they are also known as excellent warriors.

The period of existence of the ancient Russian state (IX-XII centuries)

At the end of the 9th century, the Eastern Slavs, with the participation of the neighbors of the Normans, created a state - Kievan Rus. According to the legend, set forth in the main chronicle of the "Tale of Bygone Years", the Novgorodians called on the Varangians to reign, and in response to this, Rurik came to the city together with the brothers Sineus and Truvor. True, the last two hardly existed, most likely, this is the mistake of the monk Nestor (the author of "PVL"), who took the Scandinavian words "house" and "squad" for names.

Russian Empire (1721-1917)

Soon after the proclamation of Russia as an empire, Peter I dies. The era of palace coups begins. There is a noticeable rollback. This is a period of foreign domination, openly weak rulers, political instability and deep crisis. Only at the end of the era, the youngest daughter of Peter I, Elizabeth, is trying to restore what was lost.

At the end of the 18th century, the "Golden Age" of Catherine II (1762-1796) begins. At this time, there is an economic upsurge, strengthening of the position of the nobility, serfdom reaches its apogee. Great successes in foreign policy-two victories won in the Russian-Turkish wars made it possible to provide access to the Black Sea and annex the Crimea, the divisions of the Commonwealth significantly pushed the western border.

Russia met the new XIX century with liberal reforms and plans of Alexander I - a decree on free farmers, the opening of universities, the creation of ministries, a project political reforms M. Speransky, which quickly faded away, replaced by a conservative decision to create military settlements. Russia actively participates in anti-French coalitions, not quite successfully helping its European partners to defend themselves against Napoleon. And then she herself defeats him in the Patriotic War. After its completion, the Decembrists rightly pointed to the crisis, but failed to offer a worthy program to overcome it.

Modern Russia (since 1992)

The modern history of Russia began with liberal reforms new authorities. The period of Boris Yeltsin's presidency (1991-2000), associated with the transition to the market and the building of democracy, was accompanied by a serious economic recession, confrontation between the executive and the legislature, spiritual degradation. The symbols of the 90s are the crimson jacket of the new Russian, the shooting of the White House, the Chechen war, inflation, terrorist attacks, and Black Tuesday. In 2000, Vladimir Putin became president. Russia was gradually emerging from the deep crisis, gaining good rates of economic growth. The head of state strengthens the vertical of power and creates Federal Districts. Order is being restored in the North Caucasus.

High prices for hydrocarbons made it possible to pursue a more active social policy - National projects are adopted, social payments are indexed. The program is introduced maternity capital... Russia holds major international forums - the Winter Olympics, the Summer Universiade, and will host the FIFA World Cup.

Against this background, an escalation with the West begins, which turned into mutual sanctions and a large-scale information war.

National holidays

Public holidays:

• January 1, January 2, January 3, January 4, January 5 New Year's holidays
• January 7 Christmas
• 23 February Defender of the Fatherland Day
• 8 March International Women's Day
• May 1 Spring and Labor Day
• June 12 Russia Day
• 4th November National Unity Day

Regions of Russia

There are several largest regions that have developed historically and differ in natural conditions: the European part of Russia, the Kaliningrad region, the North Caucasus, the Urals, Western and Eastern Siberia, the Far East.

In everyday life, regions are also called the constituent entities of the Russian Federation, of which (as of 1.3.2008) there are 85 .

european part of Russia

european part of Russia- the most populated and most developed part of the country, located in Europe; separately from European Russia, the North Caucasus, located in Asia or on the border of Asia and Europe, is also considered.

Square 3 million 447 thousand km², 20% of the area of ​​the entire country.

Population 78.8 million people (as of 1.1.2010), 55% of the population of Russia

European part for Russia- the historical core, where the most numerous peoples of the country were formed - Russians, Tatars, Chuvash, Mordovians. The united Russian state was formed in the XIV century and by the end of the reign of Peter I (1725) included the entire territory of present-day European Russia.

In the administrative sense, 43 constituent entities of the Russian Federation on the territory of the European part of the country belong to 4 federal districts: Central, Northwestern, Southern, Privolzhsky:

Central Federal District (in full) ===

• Belgorod region
• Bryansk region
• Vladimir region
• Voronezh region
• Ivanovo region
• Kaluga region
• Kostroma region
• Kursk region
• Lipetsk region
• Moscow region
• Oryol Region
• Ryazan Oblast
• Smolensk region
• Tambov Region
• Tver region
• Tula region
• Yaroslavskaya oblast

Northwestern Federal District (except for the Kaliningrad Region)

• Arkhangelsk region
• Vologodskaya Oblast
• Republic of Karelia
• Komi Republic
• Leningrad region
• Murmansk region
• Novgorod region
• Pskov region
• Nenets Autonomous District (part of the Arkhangelsk Region)

Southern Federal District (except for its Asian part) ===

• Astrakhan region
• Volgograd region
• Republic of Kalmykia
• Rostov region

Volga Federal District (west of the Urals)

• Kirov region
• Mari El Republic
• The Republic of Mordovia
• Nizhny Novgorod Region
• Penza region
• Samara Region
• Saratov region
• Republic of Tatarstan
• Udmurtia
• Ulyanovsk region
• Chuvash Republic

Kaliningrad region

The Kaliningrad region is located in Europe, on the southeastern coast of the Baltic Sea, in the Pregolya River valley and in the lower reaches of the Neman. Separated from the rest of Russia; in fact, it is a special region, part of the Baltics.

It borders on land in the north and east with Lithuania, in the south - with Poland.

The region is formed from the third part of German East Prussia, which became part of the Soviet Union after World War II. The territory is fully occupied Soviet troops by May 8, 1945, when the last grouping of Nazi troops on the Frische-Nerung Spit ceased resistance. On April 7, 1946, the Königsberg Region was formed, which was renamed on July 4 of the same year to the Kaliningrad Region.

Square Kaliningrad region 15.1 thousand km²; 0.09% of the country's territory.

Population 937.9 thousand people (1.1.2010) 75; 0.66% of the population of all of Russia.

In the administrative sense, the Kaliningrad region belongs to the Northwestern Federal District.

North Caucasus

The North Caucasus is a part of Russia located in the mountains and foothills of the Caucasus. Geographically, it is located in Asia, south of the European part of Russia. In this region there are most fertile lands, the most important resorts and highest peaks country.

This most populous region of the Russian Federation is the cradle of the Caucasian peoples of 20 different ethnic groups... The total number of representatives of the North Caucasian peoples living in Russia, established during the 2002 census, is about 6 million people.

Square 258.3 thousand km², 1.5% of the area of ​​the entire country.

Population 14.8 million people (1.1.2010), 10.5% of the population of Russia

The North Caucasus has been part of the Russian state since the 16th century; fully incorporated in 1859 at the end of the Caucasian War.

The subjects of the federation located in the North Caucasus belong to the Asian part of the Southern Federal District (Krasnodar Territory and the Republic of Adygea) and the North Caucasian Federal District. These are 7 republics and 2 regions:

Republics

• The Republic of Dagestan
• The Republic of Ingushetia
• Kabardino-Balkar Republic
• Karachay-Cherkess Republic
• Republic of North Ossetia - Alania

The edges

• Krasnodar region
• Stavropol region

Ural is a region between European part Russia and Western Siberia. Located in Ural mountains and their foothills. According to natural conditions, there are:

• Southern Urals(Orenburg, Chelyabinsk, Kurgan regions and the Republic of Bashkortostan), where the forest-steppe turns into broad-leaved and mixed forests.

• Middle Ural(Perm Territory and Sverdlovsk Region), covered with mixed forests and taiga;

• North, Subpolar and Polar Ural (the eastern part of the Komi Republic and the Nenets Autonomous Okrug, northwest of the Tyumen region), where the taiga turns into the forest-tundra and tundra.

Since the north of the region is sparsely populated, the name Ural usually means the most developed Middle and South Urals.

Their common square 781.1 thousand km², 4.5% of the area of ​​the entire country; population 17.7 million (as of 1.1.2010), 12.5% ​​of the population of Russia.

In the administrative sense, 6 constituent entities of the Russian Federation on the territory of the Middle and South Urals belong to the Volga and Ural Federal Districts:

Volga Federal District (eastern part)

• Republic of Bashkortostan
• Orenburg region
• Perm Territory
• Kurgan region
• Sverdlovsk region
• Chelyabinsk region

Western Siberia

Western Siberia is a part of Siberia between the Urals and the Yenisei valley. An extremely important region for the Russian economy. In Western Siberia, there are the country's largest oil and gas provinces, the most fertile lands in Siberia, important centers of metallurgical and chemical industry... Western Siberia was annexed to the Russian state and mastered by the Russians in the 16th-17th centuries.

Square Western Siberia 2 million 454.1 thousand km², 14% of the area of ​​the entire country.

Population 14.6 million people (as of 1.1.2010), i.e. 10.3% of the population of Russia.

From an administrative point of view, in Western Siberia there are subjects of the Russian Federation belonging to the Ural and Siberian federal districts:

Siberian Federal District (western part)

• Altai Republic
• Altai region
• Kemerovo region
• Novosibirsk region
• Omsk region
• Tomsk region
• Tyumen region
• including the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug - Yugra, which is part of the Tyumen Region
• including the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug, which is part of the Tyumen Region

Eastern Siberia

Eastern Siberia is the eastern, mountainous part of Siberia between Western Siberia and the Russian Far East. It includes the basin of the Yenisei River, Transbaikalia, Yakutia, the Taimyr Peninsula and the archipelagos of the seas of the Arctic Ocean - Severnaya Zemlya and Novosibirsk Islands.

Eastern Siberia stretches from the borders of Mongolia and China in the south to the polar seas in the north. This huge country was annexed to the Russian state in the second half of the 17th century. Today it is still the least populated region of Russia.

Square Eastern Siberia 7 million 280.2 thousand km², 43% of the area of ​​the entire country.

Population 9.4 million people (as of 1.1.2010), i.e. 6.6% of the population of Russia.

In the administrative sense, it is entirely located on the territory of the Siberian and Far Eastern Federal Districts:

Siberian Federal District (eastern part)

• The Republic of Buryatia
• Zabaykalsky Krai
• Irkutsk region
• Krasnoyarsk region
• including the Taimyr Dolgano-Nenets municipal district, which is part of the Krasnoyarsk Territory
• including the Evenki municipal district, which is part of the Krasnoyarsk Territory
• The Republic of Khakassia
• Republic of Tuva (Tuva)
• Far Eastern Federal District (western part)
• The Republic of Sakha (Yakutia)

On the territory of the Russian Federation there are 83 constituent entities, including republics, territories, regions, autonomous districts and cities of federal significance. The occupied territory by some Russian regions surpasses even such significant states as France, Spain, Great Britain, etc.

Top 10 includes the largest regions in Russia by the occupied area.

Area 144 thousand sq. km

Opens the ten largest regions of the Russian Federation. It is located on an area of ​​144 thousand square meters. km, which in percentage terms is equal to approximately 0.85% of the entire territory of the country. It is home to about 1.2 million people, and the population density is 8.22 people / sq. km. The subject was formed in 1937 by separation Northern region to Arkhangelsk and Vologda.

Area 145 thousand sq. km

Ranked ninth among the largest regions the Russian state... It covers an area of ​​145 thousand square meters. km. - 0.85% of the entire territory of the Russian Federation. The date of its formation is May 28, 1938. 762 thousand 173 people live on the territory of the subject, which in terms of density is 5.26 people / sq. km. About 70% of the area is occupied by the Kola Peninsula. On the territory of the region, there is the Baltic Crystalline Shield, which is a real mineralogical treasury, unmatched in the world in terms of the variety of minerals and minerals. Some of them are not found anywhere else.

Area 177 thousand sq. km

It occupies the eighth line among the largest regions of the Russian Federation. The area occupied by it is 177 thousand square meters. km, which is 1.4% of the entire territory of Russia. The region is home to about 2.7 million people, and the population density is 15.54% people / sq. km. The bulk of the population is Russian (93%), about 7% are Germans, Ukrainians and Tatars. The entity was formed in 1937, when the West Siberian Territory was divided into the Altai Territory and the Novosibirsk Region. More than 500 deposits of various natural resources of the country are located here.

Area 194 thousand sq. km

It is one of the largest in Russia. Its lands are located on 194 thousand square meters. km, as a percentage of the country's area, this is 1.14%. The subject is part of the Ural Federal District. Its foundation took place in 1732. The administrative center is the city of Yekaterinburg, which was previously called Sverdlovsk. More than 4 million people live here, which in terms of density is 22.28 people / sq. km. This is one of the most densely populated regions of the state. On its territory there are deposits of gold, platinum, asbestos, bauxite, nickel, iron, manganese, chromium and copper. The largest chemical plant in the Russian Federation, Uralchimplast, is located here.

Area 314 thousand sq. km

It ranks sixth among the largest regions of the Russian Federation. It accounts for 314 thousand square meters. km, which is 1.84% of the entire territory of the state. Taiga forests occupy about 63% of the total area, and swamps account for 29%. In terms of the occupied territory, the Tomsk region is slightly larger than Poland (310 thousand sq. Km). The subject is part of the Siberian Federal District. The date of its formation is August 13, 1944. More than 1 million people live in the Tomsk region, which is 3.42 people / sq. km. As for natural resources, the territory abounds in them: there are about 100 oil fields, the largest reserves of coal, non-ferrous and ferrous metals, peat and natural gas.

Area 362 thousand sq. km

It is in fifth place among the largest regions of Russia. It covers an area of ​​362 thousand square meters. km, which as a percentage is equal to 2.12% of the entire area of ​​the Russian Federation. The date of formation of the subject is considered to be October 20, 1932. Long time it was part of the Khabarovsk Territory, but in 1948 it was separated into an independent region. In total, 805 thousand 689 people live in the region, and the population density is 2.23 people / sq. km. Currently, one of the world's largest gas processing plants is being built here, which will include the largest helium production complex. In addition, this subject is rich in minerals and has huge reserves of timber.

Area 462 thousand sq. km

Ranks fourth among the largest regions of Russia. Subject with a total area of ​​462 thousand sq. km occupies 2.7% of the entire state. The region was founded on December 3, 1953. 146 thousand 345 people live on the territory of the subject, which is equal in density to 0.32 people / sq. km. The bulk of the population is made up of Russians (72%) and Ukrainians (15%). The Magadan Region belongs entirely to the regions of the Far North, where permafrost reigns. On its territory there are large deposits of silver, gold, tin and tungsten. At the end of 2015, 979 tons of silver and 22 tons of gold were mined here.

Area 590 thousand sq. km

Opens the top three leaders of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation in terms of area. The territory occupied by the subject is 590 thousand square meters. km, which is equal to 3.5% of the area of ​​the entire country. According to this indicator, the region surpasses such states as Spain (504 thousand sq. Km) and France (547 thousand sq. Km). The formation of the subject took place in 1937, when the Northern Region of the RSFSR of the USSR was divided. About 1.2 million people live here, which in terms of density is 1.22% people / sq. km. The largest deposits of gypsum, limestone and anhydride are concentrated in the region.

Area 774 thousand sq. km

It ranks second among the largest regions of Russia. The total occupied territory of the subject is approximately equal to 774 thousand square meters. km, which is almost 5% of the total area of ​​the state. In terms of the occupied territory, it is practically equal to Turkey, the area of ​​which is 780 thousand square meters. km. The region was founded on September 26, 1937, when the East Siberian region of the RSFSR was divided into Irkutsk and Chita. According to data for 2016, about 2.5 million people live here, which in terms of density is equal to 3.11 people / sq. km. The Irkutsk Region is one of the main suppliers of oil products, timber, coal and aluminum.

Area 1,464 thousand sq. km

The largest region in Russia. The area of ​​the subject is 1464 thousand square meters. km, which is equal to 9% of the entire territory of the Russian Federation. If you unite Germany, Italy, France and Great Britain, then the territory they occupy will just be equal to the Tyumen region. Its foundation took place in 1944 by separating some areas of the Kurgan and Omsk regions. The population according to the data for 2016 is 3 615 485 people, the density is 2.47 people / sq. km. Approximately 90% of the districts belong to the regions of the Far North. It is here that the main deposits of such minerals and natural resources as gas and oil are concentrated.

The official name of Russia is Russian Federation, in abbreviated form RF.
RF - the legal successor of the RSFSR (Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic, one of the republics of the former Soviet Union).
RF was founded on December 26, 1991.
Capital - Moscow.
Official language - Russian.

Square

The area of ​​the Russian Federation is 17.1 million km2.

Russia - the largest country in the world by area occupying 1/8 of the earth's land area; almost half of Europe and one third of Asia. The area of ​​the Russian Federation is approximately equal to the area of ​​the entire territory of South America.
The length of the Russian Federation from south to north is about 4,000 km, from west to east over 10,000 km.

Location

The Russian Federation is located in the eastern part of Europe and the northern part of Asia, occupies 31.5% of the territory of Eurasia. European Russia represents 23% of the area of ​​the state, but 78% of the population is concentrated in it.
Modern Russia can be considered a northern country. Its main part is located between 70 ° and 50 ° north latitude, about 20% of the territory lies beyond the Arctic Circle.

Extreme points

• northern
  • continental extreme northern point - Cape Chelyuskin (on the Taimyr Peninsula) - 77 ° 43 minutes north,
  • sea ​​- Rudolf Island (in the archipelago of Franz Josef Land) - 81 ° 11 min. s.sh.
• southern
  • in the North Caucasus on the border with Azerbaijan - 41 ° 11 min. south latitude
• western
  • not far from Kaliningrad - 19 ° 38 min. west longitude
• eastern
  • mainland - Cape Dezhnev - 169 ° 40 min. v.d.
  • sea ​​- Ratmanov island in the Bering Strait - 170 ° E

Time Zones

On the territory of Russia there is 11 time zones. 8 of them lie in Siberia. Daylight saving time is applied in all time zones.
Moscow time operates in almost the entire territory of the European part of Russia.
Moscow time is ahead of Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) by 3 hours; Moscow is 2 hours ahead of Prague.
The timetable for long-distance trains is indicated throughout Russia, Moscow time.

In 2011, constant daylight saving time was introduced, which in the fall of 2014 was replaced by constant winter time.

Boundaries

The Russian Federation has a state border with 16 states, with a total length of about 61 thousand km (including 38 thousand sea).
The total length of the RF borders is approximately 60,900 km... North and eastern border- sea, western and southern - mostly land. The western and southwestern borders do not have clearly defined natural boundaries, since in most cases these are borders with former Soviet republics or states that were part of the Russian Empire in the past.
Czechs crossing the borders of the Russian Federation are required to issue an entry or transit visa.

Land borders

RF borders on northwest with Norway and Finland,
on west with Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Belarus and
Ukraine,
on southwest with Georgia, Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan,
on east with China, Mongolia and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea
Republic.

Sea neighbors of Russia

Russia's sea neighbors are Japan and the United States of America.

In 2014, the borders were changed due to the annexation of Crimea (from the point of view of the Russian Federation, the annexation of the peninsula is not recognized not only by Ukraine, but also by the international community).

The influence of space on Russian national character

The vastness of the territory of Russia, in all likelihood, influenced the Russian national character and entered the folk mythology. The fact that Russia is the largest state in the world in terms of area forms the basis of national pride and self-affirmation of every Russian (“my native country is wide”). Everything is big in Russia - cities, squares, wide and long streets(for example, the length of Nevsky Prospekt in St. Petersburg is 4 km). Hence the gravitation towards megalomania and the habit of Russians to waste a lot - natural resources ("we have everything"), human labor, the lives of their fellow citizens. Also, the attitude of Russians to nature reflects the belief that Russia is an ultra-abundant country: if, for example, they caught fish in one river, then soon there will be new river for fishing, and there is no need to worry about whether nature itself can revive life in the river.

On the other hand, it is precisely the great distances that the Russians explain the problems with ensuring order and the lack of organization in the state, arguing that in such big country you can't keep an eye on everything, take care of everything.
Many areas in Russia have not yet been fully explored. Previously, maps of some districts did not even exist, many regions and cities were "closed", that is, entry for nonresidents was prohibited there. People could not move freely in their country. It is possible that due to the growing danger of terrorism, this practice will be resumed.
Russia is a country of plains, endless spaces (steppe, taiga, tundra, polar regions). Russian dalas sometimes cause melancholy not only among Russians, but also among foreigners - a person is sad when he travels by train for several days and the landscape outside the window practically does not change - plains, mixed forests, birches, swamps, abandoned villages and industrial cities. (“Překonávání vzdálenosti způsoboje jakýsi druh fatalismu, odevzdání se tomu, co přijde.“ David Št'áhlavský: Rusko mezi řádky).

“Boundless” spaces affect the mood and lifestyle of the population, cause some peculiarities Everyday life inhabitants of Russia.
Many writers and philosophers believe that Russians are vagabonds, not tied to a place, people accustomed to being on the road, and, therefore, accustomed to the lack of comfort and elementary conveniences.
Russians, accustomed to travel long distances, have formed a special attitude towards time: they do not value it, do not save it. In order to arrange any business in Russia, it is necessary to allocate a lot of time for this ("in reserve", "just in case"). Time here seems to flow differently: one Russian proverb says: hurry up and make people laugh. One hour is practically nothing here.
In Russia you have to wait often: in different institutions, at bus stops, in shops. Russians are very patient people. Especially the older generation is afraid to take personal initiative.
Russians estimate time and distance very roughly. For example, the expression “near Moscow” means 200 km around Moscow. When you are told that you will reach the station in 8 minutes, it will take 25 minutes. In some regions of the country, the road is indicated in this way: you have to go for two days and then turn right.
The working day begins a little later than ours (for example, the first "pair" in the university is at 9 o'clock), but in the evening there is a lot of traffic on the streets until midnight. Many modern shops are open around the clock, 24 hours a day.

Expansion of Russia over the centuries

Although Russia plays an important role in international relations, from a geographic point of view, it is located on the outskirts and at some stages of history was practically isolated.
Important landmarks in the country's territorial development were conquests with access to the seas: in the north under Peter I, in the south under Catherine II.
The dream of "Great Russia" was born in the Middle Ages and still does not leave Russians. After the collapse of the USSR, Russia lost a lot of territories, most of which were relatively pleasant to live in, with a warm climate.

Transport

Railway transport

Railways dominate transport system country. In terms of the length of railways, the Russian Federation ranks second in the world, but the density railway tracks in the country is only 50 km per 10 thousand km2

Suburban trains (electric trains)

Suburban trains run up to 100-200 km and connect Big city with suburbs, villages and summer cottages. In carriages, sellers usually offer ice cream, newspapers and other small goods.

Long-distance trains

Trans-Siberian Railway

Trans-Siberian Railway - world's largest railway(length - 9288 km). The highway connects European part Russia with Siberia and the Far East. The Transsib begins in Moscow at the Yaroslavl station and ends in Vladivostok (although only the eastern part of the highway, from Chelyabinsk to Vladivostok, can be called the Transsib itself).
This railway was built in 1891-1916. The route is laid in impassable taiga, in swamps, in permafrost zones; it passes through 89 cities, crosses 16 large rivers and is located in 7 time zones. The journey lasts 8 and a half days. The main line was built mainly by soldiers and prisoners, and at a rather fast pace (5-6 km per day).

Baikal-Amur Mainline

In Soviet times, a large railway was built (mainly by Komsomol members) - the Baikal-Amur Mainline (BAM) - 4800 km long. It connects Tashkent with the Sea of ​​Okhotsk.

Road transport

Off road

Roads in Russia are in a terrible state (except for a few highways). 34% rural settlements have no connection on paved roads with the public transport network. In Russian there is a word "off-road", denoting the poor condition of the roads - in spring and autumn the roads are swampy, in winter they are covered with ice, in summer clouds of dust rise behind each car

Urban transport

In almost all large Russian cities, urban transport is overloaded. Works in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Yekaterinburg, Nizhny Novgorod, Novosibirsk and Samara underground... A feature of Russian urban transport is the presence of a conductor in trams, buses, and trolleybuses. The conductor must show a ticket, he sells single tickets.

A commonly used way of getting around big cities is route taxi (minibus)... The minibus goes along a certain route, you have to "catch" it on the street and then tell the driver where you want to get off.

In Russia, you can also go by taxi or "private trader". Any car driver who agreed to take you somewhere becomes a private owner. The Russians agree on the price and route before getting on the car. You can argue about the price, in other words, bargain.

Air Transport

Air transport plays an important role in the Russian transport system; this is especially true for passenger traffic.
There is an international airport in Moscow Sheremetyevo-2 and domestic airport Sheremetyevo-1, in St. Petersburg - international airport Pulkovo-2 and domestic airport Pulkovo-1.
Some regions of the country (northeastern Siberia) can only be reached by plane.

Russians can rightfully claim that they live in the largest country in the world. The area of ​​Russia at the beginning of 2014 was about 17,125 thousand square kilometers, which is twice as large as Canada, which ranks second. And such a large territory of our state was formed gradually, over many centuries. It all started with a chain of small settlements that arose along the trade route from Scandinavia to Constantinople ("from the Varangians to the Greeks") with the main cities of Novgorod and Kiev. The area of ​​Russian cities at that time was extremely small.

The political and economic ties of Russia were then mainly directed towards Europe, but the state had to expand to the northeast, since there lived relatively small Finno-Ugric peoples, who, mixing with the arriving Slavic tribes, began to form the basis of the Russian ethnos. In the west lay European states where was large enough.

Nascent Russia was larger than modern Saudi Arabia

In the 10-12th centuries, the Slavs began to actively develop the territories between the Oka and Volga rivers, where Krivichi began to move from Novgorod, and Vyatichi from the south-west. A new trade route was formed along the Volga, which flows into the Caspian Sea, and new trade centers appeared in the northeast (Ryazan, Suzdal, Yaroslavl, Vladimir, etc.).

By the end of the 12th century, the area of ​​Russia (Rus) was 2.5 million square meters. kilometers. However, the next few centuries were unfavorable for territorial acquisitions, since in the 13-15th centuries Russia underwent disintegration into small principalities and conquest by Mongol-Tatar troops, Polish-Lithuanian armies. The development of the territories at that time went only in the northern direction (people fled there, founding a sub-ethnos of the Pomors on the shores of the Barents and White Seas). At that time, the area of ​​Russia was only 2 million square meters. kilometers, which, however, more territory modern Mexico or Saudi Arabia(about 1.9 million square kilometers each country).

Russia square triples

In the 14th century, the Moscow principality began to play a special role in the Russian expanses, which received from the Golden Horde the right to collect tribute from the rest of the land. it state formation gradually strengthened and in 1380 won the first victory over the Mongol-Tatars. Further, Veliky Ustyug, Tula, Rzhev, Nizhny Novgorod were annexed to the existing territories, and the victory in 1480 freed the Russian lands from the Horde dependence and made it possible to expand to the east.

Ivan the Terrible, who came to power, annexed the Astrakhan and Kazan khanates to the Moscow principality, while attempts to expand to the west in the 14-17th centuries were unsuccessful. At the end of the 16th century, the predominantly peaceful development of Siberia and the Urals began, Russian settlers came to the shores of building cities everywhere and organizing the fur trade. By the end of the 17th century, the area of ​​Russia is 7 million square meters. km.

Formation of the Russian Empire

In the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, the formation of the Russian Empire began, when it left the jurisdiction of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and became part of the then Russia. In the same period, Peter the Great "opened a window to Europe" and took possession of the territories of modern Estonia and Latvia. Further, with the division of the Commonwealth, Belarus, Lithuania and Right-bank Ukraine... In the east, they manage to conquer the coasts of the Azov and Black Seas from the Ottomans, and in the west, at the beginning of the nineteenth century, annex Finland. In addition, during this period Bessarabia was annexed. The total area by the end of the above period was 16 million square meters. kilometers.

The area of ​​the Russian Empire reached 24 million square meters. kilometers

Another approximately 8 million square meters. kilometers (up to 24 million sq. km) the area of ​​Russia increased by the beginning of the 20th century due to the entry of Georgia and Armenia (at the request of the rulers of these territories), a number of lands of the North Caucasian peoples, voluntary accession almost all Kazakh territories, Kyrgyz lands. The Khiva and Bukhan kingdoms were introduced as a result of wars, and Alaska (which was later sold to America, in 1867), Primorye and Amur region - in the order of peaceful annexation.

Heavy twentieth century

A series of wars and revolution in the twentieth century constantly changed political map Russia, where certain territories appeared and disappeared. For example, Finland, which signed independence from the Russian Empire at the beginning of the twentieth century, transferred part of the territories (Vyborg and the surrounding area) back as a result of the Second World War, etc. The Soviet Union, formed on the former territories of the Russian Empire in the post-war period, had a common territory in 22.4 million km and did not carry out any major actions to change the territory, except for the internal transfer of Crimea from the RSFSR to the Ukrainian SSR in 1954.

and the return of Crimea to Russia

About 17 million 125 thousand square kilometers - this is the area of ​​Russia after the collapse of the Soviet Union and the separation of 15 republics. At the same time, it should be borne in mind that mainly southern territories with a more favorable climate were separated, while the territory modern Russia includes vast lands with permafrost, where there are sufficiently difficult natural conditions for human habitation. Therefore, the population of the Russian Federation, the average density of which is just over 8 people per sq. km., distributed unevenly - most of it is concentrated in the European part of the country, where the maximum density of 4.6 thousand people per one square meter was revealed. km. - in Moscow, while in Chukotka it does not exceed 0.07 people for the same area.

In March 2014, as a result of the expression of will, this territory with a wonderful climate returned to our country, and the area of ​​Russia with Crimea began to amount to 17,151 thousand square meters. kilometers, including the area of ​​the Crimean Federal District - about 26.9 thousand square meters. km.

Most of the population of Russia lives in cities

Once a large area of ​​Russia was covered with forests, and during the period of Soviet power, the predatory plunder of this natural resource was not particularly allowed, therefore, after the collapse of the USSR, about 46% Russian territory possessed enviable woodlands. Today this figure is significantly less. However, the area of ​​Russia (with the Crimea) is a land that is still rich in various minerals, with beautiful flora, fauna, water resources and in places of rare beauty. In the post-Soviet period rural population due to the collapse of collective farms and lack of work, they were drawn to cities, where today up to 77% of the total number of Russians live. The total area of ​​Russian cities has not yet been established. It is only known that megalopolises with an area of ​​100 sq. km and more in the Russian Federation as of the spring of 2014, there are more than 120 units, including Moscow with an area of ​​2550 sq. km, Volgograd - about 860 sq. km, St. Petersburg - about 1440 sq. km. and etc.