Russia
Russia is a country spanning Eastern Europe and Northern Asia. It is the largest country in the world, covering over 17 million square kilometres and 11 timezones, and encompassing more than one-eighth of Earth's inhabited land. It has the most borders of any country in the world, with sixteen sovereign nations. It is the most populous country in Europe, and the ninth-most populous country in the world. Moscow, the capital, is the largest city in Europe.
The medieval state of Rus' arose in the 9th century. In 988, it adopted Orthodox Christianity, beginning the synthesis of Byzantine and Slavic cultures that defined Russian culture for the next millennium. By the 18th century, the nation had greatly expanded to become the Russian Empire, the third-largest empire in history. Following the Russian Revolution, the Russian SFSR became the largest and leading constituent of the Soviet Union. The Soviet Union played a decisive role in the Allied victory in World War II, and emerged as a superpower and rival to the United States during the Cold War. Following the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, the Russian SFSR reconstituted itself as the Russian Federation.
Russia is ranked very high in the Human Development Index, with a universal healthcare system, and a free university education. Russia's economy is the world's eleventh-largest. It is a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, a member of the G20, the SCO, the Council of Europe, the APEC, the OSCE, the IIB and the WTO.
Founding Date
Rurikids: 862 | Tsardom: 1547 | Russian Federation: 1991
Type
Geopolitical, Country
Capital
Alternative Names
Russian Federation | Russian: Российская Федерация
Predecessor Organization
Demonym
Russian
Government System
Democracy, Presidential
Power Structure
Federation
Neighboring Nations
Related Ethnicities