The Russian National Government
The President andhis aides (helpers)
The Council of Ministerswith the Prime Minister
The Federal Council (the upper house)
The State Duma(the lower House)
The Federal Assembly(the Parliament)
Geographical Position Geographical Position With an area of 17,075,400 square kilometres, With an area of 17,075,400 square kilometres, Russia is the world's largest country.Russia is the world's largest country.
Geographical PositionGeographical PositionIt It covercoverss almost twice the territory of almost twice the territory of
either the United States or China. either the United States or China.
PopulationPopulation RussiaRussia ranks sixth in the world in population. The great ranks sixth in the world in population. The great majority of the people are Russians, but there also are majority of the people are Russians, but there also are some 70 smaller national groupssome 70 smaller national groups..
PopulationPopulationMany of these are extremely small—in some cases Many of these are extremely small—in some cases consisting of only a few thousandconsisting of only a few thousand individuals—individuals—and, in addition to Russians, only a handful of and, in addition to Russians, only a handful of groups have more than a milliongroups have more than a million members each:members each:
ChuvasChuvashh
TatarsTatars
UkrainiansUkrainians BashkirBashkir
BelarusiansBelarusians
and and Mordvins.Mordvins.
On its northern and eastern sides Russia is bounded On its northern and eastern sides Russia is bounded by the Arctic and Pacific oceans. On the south it by the Arctic and Pacific oceans. On the south it borders North Korea, China, Mongolia, and the borders North Korea, China, Mongolia, and the former Soviet republics of Kazakstan, Azerbaijan, former Soviet republics of Kazakstan, Azerbaijan, and Georgia. On the southwest and west it borders and Georgia. On the southwest and west it borders the former Soviet republics of the former Soviet republics of the the Ukraine, Belarus, Ukraine, Belarus, Latvia, and Estonia, as well as Finland and Norway. Latvia, and Estonia, as well as Finland and Norway.
The Borders
The largest European river is the Volga. Rising in the Valdai Hills, it follows a course of 3,530 km to the Caspian Sea. Smaller, but still impressive, rivers in the European section are the Don (1870 km), the Northern Dvina and the Pechora.
Rivers
the Volga-Don Ship Canal
the Avacha River,Kamchatka
the Volga River near Saratov
the Don
In Siberia there are many gigantic rivers: the Ob (3,650 km), which with its main tributary, the Irtysh (4248 km), extends for a continuous 5,410 km, the Yenisey (4,090 km), and the Lena (4,400 km). The Amur (2,820 km) forms the boundary that divides Russia and China.
Rivers
the Lena River
the Ob River
The Angara River
The Yenisey River
the Amur River
the Irtysh
LakesLakes
Lake Onega
Lake Ladoga The Baikal
The Baikal
There are a lot of lakes in There are a lot of lakes in Russia. Lake BaikalRussia. Lake Baikal is the is the oldest existing freshwater oldest existing freshwater lake on Earth (20–25 million lake on Earth (20–25 million years old), as well as the years old), as well as the deepest continental body of deepest continental body of water, having a maximum water, having a maximum depth of 1,620 metres.depth of 1,620 metres.
Lakes in Karelia
Blue Lakes in Kamchatka
There is hardly a country in the world where There is hardly a country in the world where such a variety of scenery and vegetation such a variety of scenery and vegetation can be found. We have steppes in the south, can be found. We have steppes in the south, plains and forests in the midland, tundra plains and forests in the midland, tundra and taiga in the north, highlands and and taiga in the north, highlands and deserts in the east. Russia has one-sixth of deserts in the east. Russia has one-sixth of the world’s forests.the world’s forests.
SteppeSteppeBirch forestBirch forest
TundraTundra TaigaTaiga
DesertDesert
the Caucasus mountain range
MountainsMountainsThere are many high mountains in Russia. Among them there are the Caucasus mountains, the Urals, the Altai Mountains, the Sayan Mountains and many others. Mount Elbrus is the highest peak of the Caucasus mountains. It’s 5,642 m. Of the 127 volcanoes in Kamchatka, 22 are still active.
Southern Ural Mountains
Mount Elbrus
the Altai MountainsA volcano in Kamchatka
the Khibini Mountains
Moscow Moscow is the capital of Russia, is the capital of Russia, its its political, economic, commercial and political, economic, commercial and cultural centre. It was founded 8,5 cultural centre. It was founded 8,5 centuries ago by Prince Yuri Dolgoruky centuries ago by Prince Yuri Dolgoruky
in 1147.in 1147. It is one of the largest and most It is one of the largest and most beautiful cities in Europe. beautiful cities in Europe.
The Kremlin and the Arkhangelsky Cathedral on the Moskva River
A vestibule of the Kremlin
Red Square and Cathedral of St.
Basil the Blessed
MoscowMoscow
The Bolshoi Theatre
Triumphal Arch
Tretyakov Gallery
Christ the Savior Cathedral
The Tsar Bell
The Tsar Cannon
St. St. PetersburgPetersburg
the Hermitage Museum the Hermitage Museum
The Winter Palace and Alexandiisky column Ismailovsky
Cathedral
St. Isaac Cathedral The monument to chyzhik-pyzhik
The Summer Garden
Petropavlovsky Fortress
The Suburbs of St. The Suburbs of St. PetersburgPetersburg
Petrodvorets
The Grand Cascade at Petrodvorets