Our country, the Russian Federation or Russia is the largest state in the world. It occupies about one-seventh of the earth`s surface. Its territory is over 17 million square kilometres, the population being about 150 million. 80 per cent of which are ethnic Russians. It borders on Norway, Finland, Poland, Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, Belarus, the Ukrain, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, China, Mongolia and Korea. It has a sea border with the USA.
Russia was one of the fifteen republics of the former Soviet Union or the USSR. The Russian Federation is a member of what is called Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). The Commonwealth consists of several states – former Union Republics of the USSR.
Russia is a multinational state. Over one hundred peoples inhabit it, each with its own language, culture and traditions.
Russia is a democratic federative law-governed state with a republican form of government. The Russian Federation consists of 89 constituent entities (republics, krays, oblasts,cities of federal significans, autonomus oblasts and autonomus okrugs, which have equal rights). The head of the state is the President. The sate symbols of Russia are the national emblem, the national hymn and a three-coloured flag. Russian is the official language of the state.
The capital of Russia is Moscow, its political, administrative, cultural and scientific centre.
Russia is rich in raw materials and energy and mineral resources, which enabled the country to develop different industries. Russia has all kinds of surface – mountains, hills, lowlands, downs, plains and deserts. There are vast areas of forestsin Siberia and the European North. The Urals are the natural boundary separating the European and the Asian parts of the country. Other mountainous areas ere the North Caucasus and Karelia in the north west. The most important rivers are the Volga with its tributaries, the Ob, the Yenisei, the Irtish and others.
At present, the country`s economy is being transformed into a free market model. There are a lot of problems in the national economy of the Russian Federation. But in spite of the problems Russia is facing at present, there are a lot of opportunities for the country to become one of the leading countries in the world.
Russia is a unique country, it has a lot to be proud of, first of all – its people, famous scientists, musicians, artists, ballet school, its folk songs and dances.
