Geography

The Russian Federation covers 1/8th of the earth's surface (6,592,812 sq. miles/ 17,075,400 sq. km.) from Europe to Asia. Even after the dissolution of the Soviet Empire, Russia is easily the world's largest country. Vast plains cover most of Russia's territory. Mountain ranges are found mostly in the eastern and southern regions, with the Ural Mountains constituting a natural backbone from north to south separating European and Asian Russia.

Most of Russia's territory is located in the temperate belt, though the range of climates and habitats spans from Arctic tundra and forest tundra to forests, forest-steppes and semi-deserts.

Russia has the world's fifth largest population (148.8 million people) after China, India, the United States and Indonesia. It contains some 130 nations and ethnic groups including Russians, Tartars, Ukrainians, Chuvashs, Jews, Bashkirs, Byelorussians and Mordovians.

People and Life

Since the collapse of the Soviet Union, Russia has experienced a decline in population. This is due in part to the difficult economic conditions the nation has endured, especially in the 1990s, which has led to a low birth rate, and to a reduced male life expectancy. The population drop has been slowed somewhat by immigration consisting mainly of ethnic Russians from other areas of the former Soviet Union.

There are at least 60 different recognized ethnic groups in Russia, but the vast majority of the population are Russians (80%). There are also Ukrainians (2%) and such non-Slavic linguistic and ethnic groups as Tatars (4%), Bashkirs, Chuvash, Komi, Komi-Permyaks, Udmurts, Mari, Mordovians, Jews, Germans, Armenians, and numerous groups in the Far North and in the Caucasus. Russian is the official language.

Political Structure

The Russian Federation is governed under the constitution of 1993, as amended. The head of state is a popularly elected president who is eligible to serve two consecutive four-year terms. The president appoints the prime minister and can dissolve the legislature if it three times refuses to approve his choice for that post. The legislature, or Federal Assembly, is divided into an upper Federation Council and a lower State Duma. The Federation Council has 178 members, consisting of two representatives from the governments of each republic, territory, region, and area. The seats are distributed proportionally among those parties whose national vote is at least 7%. All legislators serve four-year terms. The Public Chamber, which was established in 2005, is empowered to investigate elected and appointed government officials and advise on national legislation. Its 126 members are appointed by the president or chosen by the members of the chamber from among prominent nongovernmental individuals. Administratively, the country is divided into 48 Russian regions, 21 ethnically non-Russian republics, seven autonomous national areas, and seven largely Russian territories, the federal cities of Moscow and St. Petersburg, and one autonomous region.

Symbols

Here are the official symbols of the Russian Federation (the name "Russian Federation" and "Russia" are equal): national emblem and flag:

The double-headed eagle of the Russian Empire returned in 1993 to replace the Soviet "Hammer and sickle symbolism. On the breast of the eagle is a shield bearing the arms of Moscow.

Equally the notorious Soviet red banner was replaced by the Old Russian flag.