Russia Map

Description:

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Russia (officially the Russian Federation) is the largest country in the world by land mass, covering over 17 million square kilometers and spanning eleven time zones. It extends across northern Asia and Eastern Europe, bordering fourteen countries and stretching from the Baltic Sea in the west to the Pacific Ocean in the east.

The country has a population of approximately 146 million people (2024), making it the ninth most populous nation globally. Moscow is the capital and the largest city, as well as the most important political, economic and cultural center of the country. Other major cities include Saint Petersburg, Novosibirsk, and Yekaterinburg.

Russia possesses the world's largest natural gas reserves and the second-largest coal reserves. It is also one of the world's leading oil producers and exporters. The country's vast natural resources have made it one of the world's largest energy exporters, significantly influencing global energy markets.

The country features diverse landscapes, including tundra, forests, mountains, and subtropical beaches. The Ural Mountains form a natural boundary between Europe and Asia. Russia is home to the world's deepest lake, Lake Baikal, containing approximately 20% of the world's unfrozen freshwater reserves. The country's highest point is Mount Elbrus in the Caucasus Mountains, reaching 5,642 meters above sea level.

Russian culture has made significant contributions to world literature, music, ballet, and architecture. The country is known for its historic buildings such as Saint Basil's Cathedral in Moscow and the Winter Palace in Saint Petersburg. The Trans-Siberian Railway, connecting Moscow with the Russian Far East, is the world's longest railway line.

The Russian language is the most widely spoken Slavic language and the largest native language in Europe. The country uses the Cyrillic alphabet, which was developed in the 9th century. Russia's education system is highly regarded, with a literacy rate of nearly 100%. The country has produced numerous notable scientists and has made significant contributions to space exploration, including launching the first human into space in 1961.

The Facts:

Flag:
Capital:	Moscow
Area:	6,601,670 sq mi (17,098,246 sq km)
Population:	~ 146,150,789 (2024 estimate)[1]
Official language:	Russian
Religion (2024):	61.8% - Russian Orthodoxy 2.6% - Other Christian 9.5% - Islam 1.4% - Other religions 21.2% - No religion 3.5% - Undeclared
Ethnic groups (2021):	80.85% - Russians 3.62% - Tatars 1.29% - Chechens 1.21% - Bashkir 0.83% - Chuvashs 0.78% - Avars 0.72% - Armenians 0.68% - Ukrainians 0.49% - Dargins 0.45% - Kazakhs 0.43% - Kumyks 0.41% - Kabardins 0.40% - Ingush 0.37% - Lezgins 0.37% - Ossetians 0.37% - Mordvins 0.37% - Yakuts
Currency:	Ruble (₽) (RUB)
Driving side:	Right
Calling code:	+7
Internet TLD:	.ru
Time zone:	UTC+2 to +12
Gross domestic product (PPP) (2024 estimate):	$6.909 trillion (Total) $47,299 (Per capita)
Gross domestic product (nominal) (2024 estimate):	$2.184 trillion (Total) $14,953 (Per capita)
Official government website:	www.gov.ru

Google Map of Russia

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List of the Largest Cities in Russia

1. Moscow (13,010,112)
2. Saint Petersburg (5,601,911)
3. Novosibirsk (1,633,595)
4. Yekaterinburg (1,544,376)
5. Kazan (1,308,660)
6. Nizhny Novgorod (1,228,199)
7. Chelyabinsk (1,189,525)
8. Krasnoyarsk (1,187,771)
9. Samara (1,173,299)
10. Ufa (1,144,809)
11. Rostov-on-Don (1,142,162)
12. Omsk (1,125,695)
13. Krasnodar (1,099,344)
14. Voronezh (1,057,681)
15. Perm (1,034,002)

16. Volgograd (1,028,036)
17. Saratov (901,361)
18. Tyumen (847,488)
19. Tolyatti (684,709)
20. Barnaul (630,877)
21. Izhevsk (623,472)
22. Makhachkala (623,254)
23. Khabarovsk (617,441)
24. Ulyanovsk (617,352)
25. Irkutsk (617,264)
26. Vladivostok (603,519)
27. Yaroslavl (577,279)
28. Kemerovo (557,119)
29. Tomsk (556,478)
30. Naberezhnye Chelny (548,434)

Main sights in Russia

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Federal districts of Russia

List of Federal districts of Russia

Federal district	Administrative centre	Area	Population (2021)	Federal subjects
North Caucasian	Pyatigorsk	170,400 sq km (65,792 sq mi)	10,171,000	Dagestan, Ingushetia, Kabardino-Balkaria, Karachay-Cherkessia, North Ossetia–Alania, Chechnya, Stavropol Krai
Southern	Rostov-on-Don	427,800 sq km (165,174 sq mi)	16,746,000	Adygea, Kalmykia, Krasnodar Krai, Astrakhan Oblast, Volgograd Oblast, Rostov Oblast, Republic of Crimea, Sevastopol
Central	Moscow	650,200 sq km (251,044 sq mi)	40,342,000	Belgorod Oblast, Bryansk Oblast, Vladimir Oblast, Voronezh Oblast, Ivanovo Oblast, Kaluga Oblast, Kostroma Oblast, Kursk Oblast, Lipetsk Oblast, Moscow Oblast, Oryol Oblast, Ryazan Oblast, Smolensk Oblast, Tambov Oblast, Tver Oblast, Tula Oblast, Yaroslavl Oblast, Moscow
Northwestern	Saint Petersburg	1,687,000 sq km (651,354 sq mi)	13,917,000	Karelia, Komi Republic, Arkhangelsk Oblast, Vologda Oblast, Kaliningrad Oblast, Leningrad Oblast, Murmansk Oblast, Novgorod Oblast, Pskov Oblast, Saint Petersburg, Nenets Autonomous Okrug
Volga	Nizhny Novgorod	1,037,000 sq km (400,388 sq mi)	28,943,000	Bashkortostan, Mari El, Mordovia, Tatarstan, Udmurtia, Chuvashia, Kirov Oblast, Nizhny Novgorod Oblast, Orenburg Oblast, Penza Oblast, Perm Krai, Samara Oblast, Saratov Oblast, Ulyanovsk Oblast
Ural	Yekaterinburg	1,818,500 sq km (702,126 sq mi)	12,301,000	Kurgan Oblast, Sverdlovsk Oblast, Tyumen Oblast, Chelyabinsk Oblast, Khanty–Mansi Autonomous Okrug – Yugra, Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug
Siberian	Novosibirsk	4,361,800 sq km (1,684,100 sq mi)	16,793,000	Altai Republic, Tuva, Khakassia, Altai Krai, Krasnoyarsk Krai, Irkutsk Oblast, Kemerovo Oblast, Novosibirsk Oblast, Omsk Oblast, Tomsk Oblast
Far Eastern	Vladivostok	6,952,600 sq km (2,684,413 sq mi)	7,976,000	Buryatia, Sakha (Yakutia), Primorsky Krai, Khabarovsk Krai, Amur Oblast, Kamchatka Krai, Magadan Oblast, Sakhalin Oblast, Zabaykalsky Krai, Jewish Autonomous Oblast, Chukotka Autonomous Okrug

Federal subjects of Russia

List of Federal subjects of Russia

Federal subject	Capital	Federal district	Area	Population (2021)
Adygea	Maykop	Southern	7,792 sq km (3,009 sq mi)	496,934
Bashkortostan	Ufa	Volga	142,947 sq km (55,207 sq mi)	4,091,423
Buryatia	Ulan-Ude	Far Eastern	351,334 sq km (135,641 sq mi)	978,588
Altai Republic	Gorno-Altaysk	Siberian	92,903 sq km (35,881 sq mi)	210,924
Dagestan	Makhachkala	North Caucasian	50,270 sq km (19,406 sq mi)	3,182,054
Ingushetia	Magas	North Caucasian	3,628 sq km (1,401 sq mi)	509,541
Kabardino-Balkaria	Nalchik	North Caucasian	12,470 sq km (4,814 sq mi)	904,200
Kalmykia	Elista	Southern	74,731 sq km (28,856 sq mi)	267,133
Karachay-Cherkessia	Cherkessk	North Caucasian	14,277 sq km (5,513 sq mi)	469,865
Karelia	Petrozavodsk	Northwestern	180,520 sq km (69,685 sq mi)	533,121
Komi Republic	Syktyvkar	Northwestern	416,774 sq km (160,938 sq mi)	737,853
Mari El	Yoshkar-Ola	Volga	23,375 sq km (9,026 sq mi)	677,097
Mordovia	Saransk	Volga	26,128 sq km (10,090 sq mi)	783,552
Sakha (Yakutia)	Yakutsk	Far Eastern	3,083,523 sq km (1,190,511 sq mi)	995,686
North Ossetia–Alania	Vladikavkaz	North Caucasian	7,987 sq km (3,084 sq mi)	687,357
Tatarstan	Kazan	Volga	67,847 sq km (26,189 sq mi)	4,004,809
Tuva	Kyzyl	Siberian	168,604 sq km (65,093 sq mi)	336,651
Udmurtia	Izhevsk	Volga	42,061 sq km (16,234 sq mi)	1,452,914
Khakassia	Abakan	Siberian	61,569 sq km (23,772 sq mi)	534,795
Chechnya	Grozny	North Caucasian	16,165 sq km (6,243 sq mi)	1,510,824
Chuvashia	Cheboksary	Volga	18,343 sq km (7,082 sq mi)	1,186,909
Altai Krai	Barnaul	Siberian	167,996 sq km (64,861 sq mi)	2,163,693
Krasnodar Krai	Krasnodar	Southern	75,485 sq km (29,146 sq mi)	5,838,273
Krasnoyarsk Krai	Krasnoyarsk	Siberian	2,366,797 sq km (913,473 sq mi)	2,856,971
Primorsky Krai	Vladivostok	Far Eastern	164,673 sq km (63,592 sq mi)	1,845,165
Stavropol Krai	Stavropol	North Caucasian	66,160 sq km (25,543 sq mi)	2,907,593
Khabarovsk Krai	Khabarovsk	Far Eastern	787,633 sq km (304,083 sq mi)	1,292,944
Amur Oblast	Blagoveshchensk	Far Eastern	361,908 sq km (139,705 sq mi)	766,912
Arkhangelsk Oblast	Arkhangelsk	Northwestern	413,103 sq km (159,457 sq mi)	978,873
Astrakhan Oblast	Astrakhan	Southern	49,024 sq km (18,927 sq mi)	960,142
Belgorod Oblast	Belgorod	Central	27,134 sq km (10,476 sq mi)	1,540,486
Bryansk Oblast	Bryansk	Central	34,857 sq km (13,459 sq mi)	1,169,161
Vladimir Oblast	Vladimir	Central	29,084 sq km (11,231 sq mi)	1,348,134
Volgograd Oblast	Volgograd	Southern	112,877 sq km (43,573 sq mi)	2,500,781
Vologda Oblast	Vologda	Northwestern	144,527 sq km (55,789 sq mi)	1,142,827
Voronezh Oblast	Voronezh	Central	52,216 sq km (20,159 sq mi)	2,308,792
Ivanovo Oblast	Ivanovo	Central	21,437 sq km (8,276 sq mi)	927,828
Irkutsk Oblast	Irkutsk	Siberian	774,846 sq km (299,170 sq mi)	2,370,102
Kaliningrad Oblast	Kaliningrad	Northwestern	15,125 sq km (5,841 sq mi)	1,029,966
Kaluga Oblast	Kaluga	Central	29,777 sq km (11,498 sq mi)	1,069,904
Kamchatka Krai	Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky	Far Eastern	464,275 sq km (179,225 sq mi)	291,705
Kemerovo Oblast	Kemerovo	Siberian	95,725 sq km (36,961 sq mi)	2,600,923
Kirov Oblast	Kirov	Volga	120,374 sq km (46,465 sq mi)	1,153,680
Kostroma Oblast	Kostroma	Central	60,211 sq km (23,248 sq mi)	580,976
Kurgan Oblast	Kurgan	Ural	71,488 sq km (27,600 sq mi)	776,661
Kursk Oblast	Kursk	Central	29,997 sq km (11,578 sq mi)	1,082,458
Leningrad Oblast	Gatchina	Northwestern	83,908 sq km (32,397 sq mi)	2,000,997
Lipetsk Oblast	Lipetsk	Central	24,047 sq km (9,284 sq mi)	1,143,224
Magadan Oblast	Magadan	Far Eastern	462,464 sq km (178,489 sq mi)	136,085
Moscow Oblast	Moscow and Krasnogorsk	Central	44,329 sq km (17,114 sq mi)	8,524,665
Murmansk Oblast	Murmansk	Northwestern	144,902 sq km (55,929 sq mi)	667,744
Nizhny Novgorod Oblast	Nizhny Novgorod	Volga	76,624 sq km (29,590 sq mi)	3,119,115
Novgorod Oblast	Veliky Novgorod	Northwestern	54,501 sq km (21,043 sq mi)	583,387
Novosibirsk Oblast	Novosibirsk	Siberian	177,756 sq km (68,624 sq mi)	2,797,176
Omsk Oblast	Omsk	Siberian	141,140 sq km (54,487 sq mi)	1,858,798
Orenburg Oblast	Orenburg	Volga	123,702 sq km (47,761 sq mi)	1,862,767
Oryol Oblast	Oryol	Central	24,652 sq km (9,519 sq mi)	713,374
Penza Oblast	Penza	Volga	43,352 sq km (16,742 sq mi)	1,266,348
Perm Krai	Perm	Volga	160,236 sq km (61,870 sq mi)	2,532,405
Pskov Oblast	Pskov	Northwestern	55,399 sq km (21,385 sq mi)	599,084
Rostov Oblast	Rostov-on-Don	Southern	100,967 sq km (38,987 sq mi)	4,200,729
Ryazan Oblast	Ryazan	Central	39,605 sq km (15,290 sq mi)	1,102,810
Samara Oblast	Samara	Volga	53,565 sq km (20,685 sq mi)	3,172,925
Saratov Oblast	Saratov	Volga	101,240 sq km (39,092 sq mi)	2,442,575
Sakhalin Oblast	Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk	Far Eastern	87,101 sq km (33,631 sq mi)	466,609
Sverdlovsk Oblast	Yekaterinburg	Ural	194,307 sq km (75,040 sq mi)	4,268,998
Smolensk Oblast	Smolensk	Central	49,779 sq km (19,214 sq mi)	888,421
Tambov Oblast	Tambov	Central	34,462 sq km (13,313 sq mi)	982,991
Tver Oblast	Tver	Central	84,201 sq km (32,516 sq mi)	1,230,171
Tomsk Oblast	Tomsk	Siberian	314,391 sq km (121,374 sq mi)	1,062,666
Tula Oblast	Tula	Central	25,679 sq km (9,918 sq mi)	1,501,214
Tyumen Oblast	Tyumen	Ural	160,122 sq km (61,826 sq mi)	1,601,940
Ulyanovsk Oblast	Ulyanovsk	Volga	37,181 sq km (14,358 sq mi)	1,196,745
Chelyabinsk Oblast	Chelyabinsk	Ural	88,529 sq km (34,180 sq mi)	3,431,224
Zabaykalsky Krai	Chita	Far Eastern	431,892 sq km (166,768 sq mi)	1,004,125
Yaroslavl Oblast	Yaroslavl	Central	36,177 sq km (13,971 sq mi)	1,209,811
Moscow	Moscow	Central	2,561 sq km (989 sq mi)	13,010,112
Saint Petersburg	Saint Petersburg	Northwestern	1,403 sq km (542 sq mi)	5,601,911
Jewish Autonomous Oblast	Birobidzhan	Far Eastern	36,271 sq km (14,007 sq mi)	150,453
Nenets Autonomous Okrug	Naryan-Mar	Northwestern	176,810 sq km (68,267 sq mi)	41,434
Khanty–Mansi Autonomous Okrug – Yugra	Khanty-Mansiysk	Ural	534,801 sq km (206,449 sq mi)	1,711,480
Chukotka Autonomous Okrug	Anadyr	Far Eastern	721,481 sq km (278,521 sq mi)	47,490
Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug	Salekhard	Ural	769,250 sq km (297,020 sq mi)	510,490
Republic of Crimea	Simferopol	Southern	26,081 sq km (10,071 sq mi)	1,934,630
Sevastopol	Sevastopol	Southern	864 sq km (333 sq mi)	547,820

Contested territories situated within the internationally recognised borders of Ukraine: Republic of Crimea, Sevastopol, Donetsk People's Republic, Luhansk People's Republic, Zaporozhye Oblast, Kherson Oblast.

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Geography of Russia

Russia occupies 17,098,246 square kilometers, making it the largest country in the world. It spans eleven time zones and extends across northern Asia and Eastern Europe. The country borders 14 nations and stretches from the Baltic Sea in the west to the Pacific Ocean in the east.

The Russian landscape comprises several major geographical regions. The East European Plain dominates the western region, while the West Siberian Plain and Central Siberian Plateau characterize the central territories. The Ural Mountains, extending north-south for approximately 2,500 kilometers, form a natural boundary between European and Asian Russia. Major mountain ranges include the Caucasus in the south, the Altai in central Asia, and the Verkhoyansk Range in the northeast.

Russia's climate varies significantly due to its vast size. The majority of the country experiences a continental climate with warm summers and very cold winters. The northern regions lie in the arctic and subarctic zones, while the Black Sea coast (Sochi) maintains a subtropical climate. Siberia records some of the world's most extreme temperature variations, with winter temperatures dropping below -70°C in some areas and summer temperatures reaching 40°C.

The country contains diverse water resources, including major rivers like the Volga, Ob, Yenisey, and Lena. Lake Baikal, the world's deepest and most voluminous freshwater lake, contains approximately 20% of Earth's unfrozen fresh water. Russia's northern coast includes several seas of the Arctic Ocean, while the eastern coast borders the Pacific Ocean and its seas.

Bordering Countries: Ukraine, Belarus, Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Finland, Norway, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, China, North Korea, and sea borders with Japan, Turkey and the United States.

Seas and Oceans: Atlantic Ocean, Pacific Ocean, Arctic Ocean, Bering Sea, the Sea of Okhotsk, the Sea of Japan, the Black Sea, Baltic Sea, Sea of Azov, White Sea, Barents Sea, Kara Sea, Laptev Sea, East Siberian Sea, the Chukchi Sea, and Caspian Sea (the world's largest inland body of water or the world's largest lake).

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List of islands of Russia

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List of the Longest Rivers in Russia

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List of the largest lakes in Russia

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The Highest Mountains in Russia

Mountain Ranges: Caucasus Mountains, Altai Mountains, Ural Mountains, Sayan Mountains, Sredinny Range (Kamchatka), Eastern Range (Kamchatka), Chersky Range, Kodar Mountains, Suntar-Khayata Range, South Siberian Mountains, Stanovoy Highlands, Baikal Mountains, Ikat Range, Kalar Range, Chikokon Range, Synnyr Massif, Khentei Range, Orulgan Range, Taikan Range, Yam-Alin, Sunnagyn Range, Badzhal Range, Sikhote-Alin, Oloy Range, Anyuy Mountains, Primorsky Range, Yablonoi Mountains, Bureya Range, Crimean Mountains, Khibiny Mountains, Verkhoyansk Range.

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Brief History of Russia

The history of Russia began with East Slavic tribes establishing settlements in Eastern Europe during the 9th century. The Rurik dynasty founded the Kievan Rus, marking the first Russian state. Prince Vladimir's adoption of Orthodox Christianity in 988 CE fundamentally shaped Russian culture and society.

The Rurikid dynasty, founded by the semi-legendary Varangian prince Rurik, ruled various Russian principalities from 862 to 1598. Notable rulers included Vladimir the Great, Yaroslav the Wise, and Vladimir Monomakh, who contributed to Kievan Rus's golden age. The dynasty established a complex system of succession, trade routes along the "path from the Varangians to the Greeks," and developed a sophisticated legal code called the Russkaya Pravda.

During the Rurikid period, Kievan Rus became Europe's largest state, fostering cultural and economic ties with Byzantium. The dynasty's princes built impressive architectural monuments, promoted literacy, and established the first Russian written chronicles. However, internal conflicts and the practice of dividing territories among heirs gradually weakened the state.

The Mongol invasion in the 13th century fractured Kievan Rus into multiple principalities. Moscow emerged as the dominant power center under Rurikid princes, particularly Ivan Kalita and Dmitry Donskoy. Ivan the Terrible, the last major Rurikid ruler, became the first Russian Tsar in 1547, expanding territory and establishing central authority.

The Romanov dynasty ruled from 1613 to 1917, transforming Russia into a major European power. Peter the Great modernized the nation through Western-style reforms, while Catherine the Great expanded territory and promoted cultural development. The empire reached its territorial peak in the 19th century, stretching from Poland to Alaska.

The Russian Revolution of 1917 established the world's first socialist state under Vladimir Lenin's leadership. The Soviet Union emerged as a global superpower, competing with the United States during the Cold War. The USSR achieved significant technological advances, including the first human spaceflight in 1961.

The Soviet Union's dissolution in 1991 created the Russian Federation and 14 independent states. Under Boris Yeltsin and Vladimir Putin's leadership, Russia transitioned to a market economy, experiencing significant political and economic changes. Today, Russia maintains influence as a major world power, possessing vast natural resources, nuclear capabilities, and permanent membership in the UN Security Council.

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References

1. ^ Estimates of the resident population as of January 1, 2024 and averaged over 2023 and the components of change. (XLSX). Russian Federal State Statistics Service (in Russian).

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