Russia
The Country of the Week
Quick Facts
- Capital
- Moscow
- Population
- 140,134,279 (2025 est.)
- Area
- 17,098,242 sq km
- Government
- semi-presidential federation
- Religions
- Russian Orthodox 15-20%, Muslim 10-15%, other Christian 2% (2006 est.)
- Ethnic Groups
- Russian 77.7%, Tatar 3.7%, Ukrainian 1.4%, Bashkir 1.1%, Chuvash 1%, Chechen 1%, other 10.2%, unspecified 3.9% (2010 est.)
- Currency
- Russian rubles (RUB)
- Life Expectancy
- 72.3 years (2024 est.)
- Internet Domain
- .ru
- Climate
- ranges from steppes in the south through humid continental in much of European Russia; subarctic in Siberia to tundra climate in the polar north; winters vary from cool along Black Sea coast to frigid in Siberia; summers vary from warm in the steppes to cool along Arctic coast
- Terrain
- broad plain with low hills west of Urals; vast coniferous forest and tundra in Siberia; uplands and mountains along southern border regions
- Natural Resources
- wide natural-resource base including major deposits of oil, natural gas, coal, and many strategic minerals, bauxite, reserves of rare earth elements, timber
- Major Exports
- crude petroleum, refined petroleum, natural gas, coal, fertilizers (2023)
Source: CIA World Factbook (public domain)
Overview
Founded in the 12th century, the Principality of Muscovy emerged from over 200 years of Mongol domination (13th-15th centuries) and gradually conquered and absorbed surrounding principalities.