Russia

Russia Russia is an incredibly large country and it expands over much of Eurasia. Much of Northern Asia and some of Western Europe are part of this country and it is bordered by the Arctic Ocean and the North Pacific Ocean. It shares its borders with many countries. The geographical coordinates for Russia are 60 00 N, 100 00 E. Moscow is the capital city. It took many years for Russia to grow and develop as a country. This development essentially started when the Principality of Muscovy began to conquer and absorb surrounding principalities. In the 17th century, the Romanov Dynasty continued this expansion. Whether its the snowy peaks of the Caucasus Mountains or the ancient domed majesty of Saint Petersburg, Russia has a lot to offer. And access to the most beautiful and remote locations as well as to the bustling cities is readily available; all you need to do is book your tickets. Generally speaking, the most popular spots and attractions in Russia are Moscow, Saint Petersburg, the Trans-Siberian Railroad, Sakhalin Island, Lake Baikal, Altai, the Far East, the Kamchatka Peninsula, the Golden Ring, Karelia and North Russia, the Caucasus Mountains and Yakutia The travel networks of the country are many and varied. Some are more extensive than others, so it is a good idea to see what is available in the area you plan to visit before you leave home. Below is a basic description of these services. Air Russia has quite a few international airports which provide for travel in and out of the country. Most visitors will arrive in the country by air and then travel to their destinations with some other form of transport. Helicopters are very popular in the country as they provide easy access to great skiing spots. Train The network of railways in Russia probably provides the most extensive form of transportation throughout the country. The Railway system was started with the building of the Trans-Siberian railway many years ago and it has since gone from strength to strength. In more recent years, a metro system is being properly established. Transport by train is cheap and reliable and you can usually find a train that will take you to where you want to go. Bus There are a few busses which can be boarded for inter-town transportation. These are handy if you wish to explore the cities along your planned route at your own pace. They usually do not operate after working hours so if you are relying on bus services, you take this into consideration. Car You can hire cars in Russia to use for the duration of your trip. There is a good highway system to accommodate the growing usage of motor vehicles in the country. There are also quite a few jeep tours available for the more adventurous. Boat Some places in Russia can be better reached by crossing the icy waters of this vast continent. There are quite a few ferry services but boats are mostly used to explore the polar regions above Russia where there are a few wildlife reserves. There are also a few pleasure cruises on offer. Map of Russia… Российская Федерация Rossiyskaya Federatsiya Russian Federation Flag Coat of arms Anthem: Государственный гимн Российской Федерации (Russian) Gosudarstvenny gimn Rossiyskoy Federatsii (transliteration) State Anthem of the Russian Federation Capital (and largest city) Moscow 55°45′N, 37°37′E Official languages Russian official throughout nation; twenty-seven others co-official in various regions Demonym Russian Government Federal semi-presidential republic – President Dmitry Medvedev (Ind.) – Prime Minister Vladimir Putin (UR) – Chairman of the Federation Council Sergey Mironov (FR) – Chairman of the State Duma Boris Gryzlov (UR) Founded (862)1 Novgorodians invited prince Rurik to keep law and order, thus giving birth to the Rurik dynasty that ruled over all Russian lands throughout more than 700 years Area – Total 17,075,400 km² (1st) 6,592,800 sq mi – Water (%) 13 Population – 2008 estimate 142,008,838 (9th) – 2002 census 145,166,731 – Density 8.3/km² (209th) 21.5/sq mi GDP (PPP) 2007 estimate – Total $2.088 trillion (7th) – Per capita $14,692 (52nd) GDP (nominal) 2007 estimate – Total $1.290 trillion (11th) – Per capita $9,075 (54th) Gini (2005) 40.5 HDI (2005) ▲ 0.802 (high) (67th) Currency Ruble (RUB) Time zone (UTC+2 to +12) – Summer (DST) (UTC+3 to +13) Internet TLD .ru (.su reserved), (.рф2 2009) Calling code +7 1 The Russian Federation is the successor to earlier forms of continuous statehood, starting from 9 century AD when Rurik, a viking warrior, established “Russ” or “Rhos” state at Novgorod, traditionally taken as the beginning of Russian statehood. 2 The .рф Top-level domain will be available for use in the Russian Federation in the second quarter of 2009 and will only accept domains which use the Cyrillic alphabet.