THE Russia, whose official name is the Russian Federation, is the largest country in terms of land area in the world.
Despite being the 11th largest economy in the world, Russia has an important geopolitical role, as it is the second most armed country on the planet.
Russia General Data
- Name: Russian Federation
- capital: Moscow
- Coin: russian ruble
- government regime: semi-presidential republic
- president: Vladimir Putin (from 2012 to the present)
- Language: Russian (official) and 31 other co-official languages
- Population: 144 million (2017)
- Area: 17,075.200 km2
- Demographic density: 8 inhabitants per km2.
- Cities: Moscow, St. Petersburg, Volgograd, Yekaterinburg, Vladivostok, Sochi.
Russian flag
The Russian flag is made up of three white, blue and red horizontal lines. Its origins date back to the 17th century when it was the flag of the kingdom of Russia, already under the Romanov dynasty.
After being replaced by the flag of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics in 1917, the pavilion fluttered again when the USSR dissolved. In this way it has been the symbol of the country since December 1993.
Learn more at Russian flag
Russia map
Russian territory has been expanding for centuries. First, occupied by the slav peoples who were organizing to fight the Vikings.
The lands to the east were occupied by the Mongol Empire founded by Genghis Khan and as this weakened, the Russians added to their achievements.
Currently, the Russian Federation borders 17 countries and has 11 different time zones.
Russian borders
- Finland
- Norway
- Estonia
- Lithuania
- Latvia
- Poland
- Belarus
- Moldavia
- Ukraine
- Georgia
- Azerbaijan
- Kazakhstan
- Mongolia
- China
- North Korea
- Japan and U.S (water borders)
USA x Russia
Although Russia is no longer the world's second economic power, its geopolitical weight is undeniable.
The relationship with the United States remains delicate, as both vie for supremacy in Asia. Equally, there is always care with the military and nuclear arsenal that this immense country has.
Since the beginning of War in Syria, in 2011, Russia and the United States have been fighting a tense battle where they dispute the influence of the conflict and the region.
For now, the Russians have taken the lead in sending in troops. However, they support Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, who has now become the "non-grata persona" for the West.
also the president Vladimir Putin he has been accused of interfering in American internal affairs as was the case with the election of American President Donald Trump in 2015.
Civil Rights in Russia
Democracy is consolidated in Russia through elections and the elimination of censorship. However, some civil rights are still not fully respected.
Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia
On April 20, 2017, the Russian Supreme Court of Justice declared the activities of Jehovah's Witnesses throughout the country as extremist.
Thus, their properties were confiscated and any believer who belongs to this religion is caught distributing material or gathered together, can be sentenced to up to 10 years in prison. The Russian Court's decision raised protests around the world.
Jehovah's Witnesses were persecuted during the Stalinism in the USSR and an estimated 10,000 have been deported or imprisoned.
With the return of democracy it seemed that the problem was over, but in 2004 a Moscow court had already accused them of inciting its members to suicide. Thus, the Muscovite community had to be dissolved.
With 170,000 practitioners in Russia, Jehovah's Witnesses have become the new target of Vladimir Putin's centralist policy.
Russian history
In 1547, the Grand Duchy of Moscow was already a considerable regional power and Prince Ivan is the first to be crowned Tsar, a Russian word meaning “Caesar”. After all, the Russians considered themselves the spiritual heirs of the Byzantine Empire.
From this reign, the Russians crossed the Ural Mountains and began their expansion across Asia. After a period known as the “Time of Troubles”, the Russians elect a prince of the Romanov dynasty to be their monarch.
The 19th century will be of extreme importance for Russia. The country emerges victorious from Napoleonic Wars and conquers territories such as Finland, Turkestan, China, the South Caucasus and Alaska.
The Russian Empire begins to crumble with the reign of Tsar Nicholas II. Despite abolishing serfdom and bringing improvements to the population, its role in wars against Japan and First World War ended up diminishing its popularity.
Nicholas II reigned until 1917 when he abdicated under pressure from the Russian revolution and later, murdered with his family by the socialists.
In the 20s, with the death of Lenin and under the iron leadership of Stalin, Russia becomes the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR).
Using methods of forced collectivization, censorship, personality cults and prisons such as the Gulag, Stalin manages to raise the country to an industrial, agricultural and military power.
In this way, the country is ready for the Second World War and manages to face the German Army at the cost of great sacrifice.
Allied with the United Kingdom and the United States, the Red Army is victorious and the USSR extends its influence to the Eastern Europe.
This polarity between capitalism and socialism will be accentuated in subsequent decades with the period of Cold War.
At this time, the USSR and the US will wage an ideological war that will permeate all areas of civil, political and military life.
The Olympic Games, the space race, culture, everything was a pretext for the two powers to show the world the advantages of each of the systems.
The two countries never faced each other directly, but through their allies. The world held its breath, for example, during the Korean War and the Missile Crisis in Cuba. The danger of nuclear war seemed real and imminent.
However, wars continued to be carried out on the periphery of the world and without great damage to both countries.
End of USSR
In the 80s, with the rise of Mikhail Gorbachev as Communist Party secretary a new era began for the Soviet Union. Gorbachev established dialogue with the president Ronald Reagan and the British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher.
The objective was to ensure that the policies of Perestroika and Glasnost international approval in order to ensure a smooth transition to the Soviet Union.
However, this was not possible because domestic nationalist pressure was greater. Several countries then took the opportunity to proclaim independence and cut ties with Russia.
Likewise, the capitalist powers did not provide any kind of financial aid to the country.
Read more about USSR it's the End of the ussr.
Russian Federation
After the dissolution of the Soviet Union, Russia was renamed the Russian Federation, adopted the old pre-1917 flag and organized free elections.
There was great expectation as to how the largest of the Soviet republics would act vis-à-vis its former member states.
In order not to lose the influence and contact of the former Soviet republics, Russia proposed the creation of Commonwealth of Independent States (CEI). This organization intends to be a non-governmental association that brings together the former member republics of the USSR.
Internally, President Boris Iéltsin manages, through a coup, to close the Parliament (the Duma) and make the transition from socialism to the neoliberalism. This passage was not easy due to the lack of regulation and corruption of the Russian oligarchy. The president also faced conflicts in Chechnya and Kosovo.
Without popular support and support from his own party, Yeltsin resigns from the presidency on December 31, 1999. His post would be occupied by then Vice President Vladimir Putin who would become a leading figure in Russian politics in the first two decades of the 21st century.
Russian economy
Russian territory is rich in nickel, iron, diamond, oil, natural gas, and the country holds 1/4 of the planet's fresh water reserve. The industry, on the other hand, is focused on the armaments and aerospace sector.
After the 90's were very complicated because of the transition from socialism to capitalism, the Russian economy started to grow again.
From 2000, with the election of Vladimir Putin, the country definitely adopted the liberal economy to compete with the capitalist world. In the period 2000-2008 Russia achieved growth rates of 8% per year.
However, with the crisis of 2008, the great Slav nation suffered a severe blow. First, there was a 10% devaluation of the ruble and an increase in public spending. At the same time, Putin stripped the civil rights of citizens and stifled any attempt by the states that make up the Russian Federation for more autonomy.
So in 2012, the economy started to slow down. We can point out some reasons such as the lack of:
- integration into international trade;
- competitiveness;
- legal certainty.
Added to this are the economic sanctions imposed on account of the crisis in Ukraine and the annexation of Crimea.
Currently 19 million people in Russia are below the poverty line. Paradoxically, it is the country that registers the largest number of billionaire growth in the world.
Therefore, to get out of its isolation, Russia has encouraged its participation in economic agreements such as the Eurasian Economic Union or the brics.
Russia is part of several economic forums such as the G8 it's the G20.
Russian culture
As it is a vast country that mixes a dozen peoples, Russian culture is rich and varied.
Russian kings sponsored the arts and bought a large quantity of paintings, sculptures and antiques to impress their neighbors. Suffice it to mention that the largest museum in the world, the Hermitage, is located in the country.
In addition, 25 Russian cities are considered a World Heritage Site by Unesco such as Derbente, Bogar or the historic center of St. Petersburg.
Russian craftsmanship is rich in detail and their embroidered clothes were a sign of distinction for the peasants.
The most popular object of Russian crafts is the "matriochkas". These constitute a series of dolls in increasing sizes that allow them to be fitted one inside the other.
We highlight the Russian artistic contributions that influenced the West.
russian music
Russian music has a long tradition and its instrumentalists are among the best in the world. Composers such as Alexander Borodin, Igor Stravinski, Sergei Rachmaninoff, Modeste Moussorgski and Mikhail Glinka have their plays performed to this day in every major theater in the world.
russian dance
In addition to vigorous folk dancing, the Russians have taken ballet to a new level through elaborate choreographies, new techniques and performers.
The Bolshoi Theater's ballet school is considered one of the best in the world. In 2000, the institution opened its only branch around the world in the city of Joinville, in Santa Catarina.
One of the most influential composers of classical ballet was Piotr Tchaikovsky, who composed works such as “Swan Lake”, “The Nutcracker”, “Sleeping Beauty” and “Onegin”.
Russian Literature
Russia stood out in the field of letters with writers such as Leon Tolstoy, Fyodor Dostoievski, Anton Chekhov, Vladimir Maïakovski and Alexander Pushkin.
The country has already been awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature 5 times.
Russian painting
heirs of Byzantine art, Russian painting developed alongside the religiosity and spirituality of religious icons.
One of the most influential painters of the 20th century was the Russian Wassily Kandinsky who opened up new possibilities with his expressionism and abstractionism in his paintings.
After the Russian Revolution, the artistic school that predominated in the country was socialist realism. This work aimed to exalt the new world that was being built by the socialists.
Russian religion
Russians adopted Christianity in 988 when the Grand Prince of Kiev and All Russia, Vladimir I, introduced the religion of the Byzantine Empire. In this way, most Russians are Orthodox Catholics.
It is also for this reason that the Russians adopted the Cyrillic rather than Latin alphabet.
Curiosities
- Russians also have their superstitions. It is considered in bad taste to present someone with a bouquet with an even number of flowers, as it would bring bad luck. Only an arrangement of 5.7 or 9 flowers is well regarded.
- Despite currently adopting the Gregorian calendar, the Russian Orthodox Church still follows the old calendar. Therefore, the country celebrates Christmas in January.
- Russia has about 9 million more women than men.
- In Moscow, private cars can be taxis. Just sign up and agree the price of the race with the driver.
- Russia is reputed to be a country in which curious situations happen and which are disseminated via the Internet. Therefore, Paraná has been called "Brazilian Russia" because of the seemingly bizarre events that take place in that state and are posted on social networks.
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- European countries
- APEC
- the Vikings
