From Russia with Love
4
Everything you Need to Know for your Visit
By Claire Polkosnik
Size, Population & Landforms
Spanning over one eighth of the world’s land surface, Russia is the largest country by area. Sharing borders with Norway, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Belarus, Ukraine, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, China, Mongolia, North Korea, the Sea of Okhotsk, and the Bering Strait, this vast country sprawls over 17,075,200 square kilometers, or 12% of the world’s land mass.
Offering a wide variety of landscapes including a windswept tundra, grassy plains, snowcapped mountain ranges, sprawling coniferous forests, pristine lakes, and over 100,000 rivers, Russia has almost every climate zone in the world with the exception of tropical climates. This enormous nation is home to Lake Baikal, the most voluminous lake in the world. It contains 20% of the world’s unfrozen surface fresh water, and is estimated to be 25 million years old. Russia’s diversity in landscape and climate is unparalleled.
With 143 million inhabitants, Russia is the 9th most populous nation in the world. Of that number, 28.1% of the population is under 24 years of age, while 71.9% is over 25, bringing the average age to 39. The mix of young and old allows Russia to stay on the world’s cutting edge while keeping its traditional beliefs. The life expectancy in Russia is quite low; on average men reach the age of 60 years, and women live to be 73. The population is well educated, with 99.6% of the population being literate.
Government & Capital City
Russia was a communist country and member of the Soviet Union for 75 years. It has been independent since 1991 and is a democratic nation. Their government is set up as a Federal Presidential Republic. This means that the executive power is split equally between the Prime Minister and President with the President being a more dominant figure. The president resides in the iconic Moscow Kremlin overlooking the Moskva River, St. Basil’s Cathedral, and Red Square.
Russia’s capital is Moscow. It is the largest city in Europe, and the 6th largest in the world. Covering 2,500 square kilometers of land and housing a population of nearly 12 million, Moscow is renowned for its political, economic, scientific and cultural sites. Served by an extensive transit network, Moscow has 4 international airports, railway terminals, and one of the largest underground metro systems in the world. 9 railway terminals, and one of the largest underground metro systems in the world. The city is home to several historical landmarks and world heritage sites including the Moscow Kremlin, St. Basil’s Cathedral, Red Square, and the Novodevichy Convent. Moscow’s flourishing arts scene boasts many theaters, museums and galleries. When visiting Moscow, be sure to take a look at the numerous upscale shops and restaurants this vibrant city has to offer. The climate and weather in Moscow is comparable to Edmonton with warm summers and long, cold winters. Average summer temperatures range from 15 to 30 degrees Celsius, while winters are usually -0 to -25 degrees. The record high is 38.2 degrees, the low is -42.2. Moscow receives approximately 1731 hours of sunlight annually.
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