Russian Federation

Russian Federation
Peter the Great · Public domain · source
Conventional long name	Russian Federation
Common name	Russia
Capital	Moscow
Official languages	Russian
Largest city	Moscow
Area km2	17098242
Population estimate	144 million (approx.)
Government	Federal semi-presidential constitutional republic
President	Vladimir Putin
Prime minister	Mikhail Mishustin
Currency	Russian ruble (RUB)

Russian Federation is a transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and northern Asia, notable for its vast landmass, diverse peoples, and influence on global affairs. It contains major cities like Moscow, Saint Petersburg, and Novosibirsk, and plays a central role in organizations such as the United Nations and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation. Its history intersects with entities including the Kievan Rus', the Tsardom of Russia, the Russian Empire, the Soviet Union, and post-Soviet institutions like the Commonwealth of Independent States.

Etymology and Names

The name derives from the medieval polity of Rus' and was adopted by rulers of Muscovy as they expanded, later used by the Russian Empire and revived in post-1991 official usage. Variants in other languages reflect historical contacts with Byzantium and Grand Duchy of Lithuania, and the formal short form "Russia" appears in diplomatic documents like the Treaty of Nystad and correspondence at the Congress of Vienna. Toponymic studies reference sources such as chronicles tied to Novgorod and Kiev and analyses by scholars focusing on the Primary Chronicle.

Geography and Environment

The country extends from the Baltic Sea and Poland-bordering regions in the west to the Bering Strait and Alaska in the east, encompassing Arctic areas abutting the Barents Sea and Pacific coasts along the Sea of Okhotsk. Major physical features include the Ural Mountains dividing Europe and Asia, the Caucasus Mountains near Georgia and Azerbaijan, the Siberian Taiga, and lakes such as Lake Baikal. Climate zones range from tundra in Murmansk Oblast to temperate forests around Kaliningrad Oblast, affecting resources exploited by firms like Gazprom and projects such as the Nord Stream pipeline. Environmental challenges involve deforestation in regions studied by researchers at institutions like Lomonosov Moscow State University and pollution incidents documented by organizations including Greenpeace.

History

Early states include Kievan Rus', which interacted with Byzantium and adopted Eastern Orthodox Church traditions. The rise of Muscovy and figures such as Ivan IV shaped the Tsardom of Russia, followed by expansion under the Romanov dynasty culminating in the Russian Empire era marked by rulers like Peter the Great and Catherine the Great. The 19th century brought conflicts including the Napoleonic Wars and the Crimean War, while intellectual currents involved writers such as Leo Tolstoy and Fyodor Dostoevsky. The 1917 February Revolution and October Revolution led to the Russian Civil War and the creation of the Soviet Union under leaders like Vladimir Lenin and Joseph Stalin. The USSR's role in the Second World War (the Great Patriotic War) impacted global order, culminating in the Cold War with the United States and events like the Cuban Missile Crisis. Post-1991 transformations involved the presidency of Boris Yeltsin, the 1990s reforms debated by institutions such as the World Bank, and later administrations under Vladimir Putin including conflicts like the Russo-Ukrainian War and diplomatic disputes involving NATO.

Government and Politics

The federal structure comprises subjects including oblasts, krais, republics, and autonomous areas governed under a constitution adopted in 1993 after the 1993 constitutional crisis involving the Supreme Soviet of Russia and the presidency. Key political parties include United Russia and opposition movements associated with figures like Alexei Navalny. Electoral practices have been observed by missions such as the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe and debated in reports by bodies including the Council of Europe. The country maintains a significant diplomatic presence in forums like the United Nations Security Council and military institutions rooted in the Soviet Armed Forces legacy, with operations involving units formerly part of the Red Army.

Economy

Natural resources drive sectors dominated by companies such as Gazprom, Rosneft, and Lukoil extracting hydrocarbons from regions including Sakhalin and the Kara Sea. Manufacturing centers like Yekaterinburg and technology clusters around Skolkovo Innovation Center contribute alongside finance institutions such as the Central Bank of the Russian Federation and exchanges like the Moscow Exchange. Trade relationships involve partners including China, the European Union, and Turkey, and are shaped by sanctions regimes imposed by entities such as the United States Department of the Treasury and the European Commission. Infrastructure projects reference corridors like the Trans-Siberian Railway and pipelines connected to initiatives such as Nord Stream 2.

Demographics and Society

The population includes ethnic groups such as Russians (ethnic group), Tatars, Ukrainians, Bashkirs, and many indigenous peoples in Siberia and the North documented by anthropologists from institutions like the Russian Academy of Sciences. Urban centers include Moscow, Saint Petersburg, Novosibirsk, and Omsk with migration trends influenced by labor flows from countries such as Belarus and Kazakhstan. Social services and public health systems involve hospitals associated with Sechenov University and public debates over pension reform referenced in legislation passed by the Federal Assembly of Russia. Civil society actors include NGOs registered with the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation and media outlets such as RT and TASS.

Culture and Education

Cultural heritage features composers like Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, authors such as Alexander Pushkin and Anton Chekhov, and visual artists including Ilya Repin; institutions include the Hermitage Museum, the Bolshoi Theatre, and literary archives at Pushkin House. Religious life centers on the Russian Orthodox Church alongside communities of Islam in Russia, Buddhism in Russia, and Judaism in Russia. Higher education includes Lomonosov Moscow State University, Saint Petersburg State University, and technical institutes such as Bauman Moscow State Technical University, while research organizations like the Russian Academy of Sciences contribute to science and technology programs. Sporting traditions involve clubs like CSKA Moscow and international events hosted in cities such as Sochi for the 2014 Winter Olympics.

Category:Countries of Europe Category:Countries of Asia