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Russia
Relevant information about Russia.It is the largest country in the world, with an area of 17,075,400 square kilometers, more than one ninth of the Earth´s land surface.
This territory has an uncountable variety of natural environments and reliefs. It is also the ninth most populated country. Its shores are washed by the Arctic Ocean, North Pacific Ocean, and inland seas like the Baltic, Black Sea and the Caspian Sea. Russian history starts in the second century, making a historical and cultural interesting destination.
At January 1, 1991, Russia´s total population was of 142 million people. The ninth most populated country in the world. But it is also the largest, turning it into one of the countries with lowest population concentration. It is a diverse and multi-ethnic society, home to over 160 different indigenous ethnic groups. Few births and many deaths have reduced the population in Russia by 0.5% per annum during the 1990s. This rate is accelerating. Every 1,000 Russians there are 16 deaths and only 10.5 births, getting the population to decrease from 800,000-750,000 in just one year. Since 2007, strong incentive measures (economic and labor) have been taken in order to revert this constant, looking for a higher birth rate and the return of migrants and Russians from the former USSR. Up to a 73% of the population lives in urban centers. The biggest ones are Moscow, Saint Petersburg, Kazan, Novosibirsk, Nizhny Novgorod and Volgograd. An 80% of the population is Russian, an 8% Turks, 4% Indo, 4% Caucasia. There is only a 1.6% that are not from Russia. Russian is the official language. It is spoken by 142 million people. It is estimated that almost 5 million Russians speak Tartar and 3 million German. It is also calculated that the 160 ethnical groups speak in 100 different languages. Russia is a secular state. Freedom of religion is guaranteed by the Constitution. Sociological research said 43.3% of adults are considered adherent of the Russian Orthodox Church, while 50.6% is considered simply a Christian. Although the Russian Orthodox are predominant, other communities Christian and Armenian Orthodox, Catholics, Protestants and Mormons also exist in smaller amounts. According to a 1997 law on religion, the four traditional religions of Russia are the Russian Orthodox Church, Islam, Buddhism and Judaism. All other religions must meet certain requirements for registration and right to preach. Russian literature is considered one of the most developed and influent in the world. Pushkin, Tolstoy, Gogol, Turgenev, Dostoyevsky, Chéjov and Nabokov are recognized almost everywhere. While in the industrialized countries of the West, motion pictures were considered at first as a cheap form of recreation and leisure for the working class, the noted Russian film production from the revolution of 1917 to explore the issue as how primary cinematic expression. Eisenstein and Tarkovski are the most innovative and influential in the sector. Russian composers are worldwide known: Tchaikovsky, Scriabin, Stravinsky, Rajmáninov, Prokófiev and Shostakovich. Winter sports are most popular in Russia. Among other sports, athletics is very popular in almost all its facets, but especially so is the tennis and the gym where several outstanding athletes. Football and Rugby became started to be more popular after the USSR collapse. Chess is a highly appreciated sport in Russia, champions Kasparov and Karpov are worldly famous.
The economic crisis that affected all soviet countries in 1990 was even worse than the 1930`s Great Depression for Europe and U.S.A. In half a year, Russia´s GDP fell a 50%. With the turn of the century, the rising oil prices, an increased foreign investment and a higher domestic consumption, altogether with a new political stability, reinforced Russian economic growth. In 1998, during the financial crisis, up to a 40% of the population was poor, ten years later that proportion decreased to a 14%. Something similar happened with unemployment: un 1999 it was of 12,4% and in 2007 decreased to 6%. The country has the largest natural gas reserves in the world, the second largest reserves of coal and the eighth largest oil reserves. It is the world’s biggest natural gas exporter and the second in oil exportations. Gas, metals and timber account for 80% of Russian exports. Nevertheless, since 2003, exports of natural resources started to decline in economical importance. That year gas contributed only to the 5.6% of the GDP and it is predicted than in 2011 it will decrease until it reaches just a 3.7% of the annual GDP. The country’s economic development is very uneven, geographically speaking: all Moscow regions contribute a disproportionate amount to the GDP while rural Siberian communities are far behind.
Moscow, St. Petersburg, Novosibirsk, Nizhni Novgorod, Kiev, Baikal lake (the alergest in the world), Vassilievski island, Russian Tower, Annunciation and Saint Basil´s Cathedral
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