Founded in the 12th century, the Principality
of Muscovy, was able to emerge from over 200 years of Mongol domination
(13th-15th centuries) and to gradually conquer and absorb surrounding
principalities. In the early 17th century, a new Romanov Dynasty
continued this policy of expansion across Siberia to the Pacific.
Under PETER I (ruled 1682-1725), hegemony was extended to the Baltic
Sea and the country was renamed the Russian Empire. During the 19th
century, more territorial acquisitions were made in Europe and Asia.
Repeated devastating defeats of the Russian army in World War I
led to widespread rioting in the major cities of the Russian Empire
and to the overthrow in 1917 of the imperial household. The Communists
under Vladimir LENIN seized power soon after and formed the USSR.
The brutal rule of Josef STALIN (1928-53) strengthened Russian dominance
of the Soviet Union at a cost of tens of millions of lives. The
Soviet economy and society stagnated in the following decades until
General Secretary Mikhail GORBACHEV (1985-91) introduced glasnost
(openness) and perestroika (restructuring) in an attempt to modernize
Communism, but his initiatives inadvertently released forces that
by December 1991 splintered the USSR into 15 independent republics.
Since then, Russia has struggled in its efforts to build a democratic
political system and market economy to replace the strict social,
political, and economic controls of the Communist period. While
some progress has been made on the economic front, recent years
have seen a recentralization of power under Vladimir PUTIN and an
erosion in nascent democratic institutions.
GEOGRAPHY
Location:
Eastern Europe, Northern Asia (that part west
of the Urals is included with Europe), bordering the Arctic Ocean,
between Europe and the North Pacific Ocean.
Area:
Total: 17,075,200 sq km. Land: 16,995,800 sq
km. Water: 79,400 sq km.
Area - comparative:
Approximately 1.8 times the size of the US.
Land boundaries:
Total: 20,017 km. Border countries: Azerbaijan
284 km, Belarus 959 km, China (southeast) 3,605 km, China (south)
40 km, Estonia 294 km, Finland 1,340 km, Georgia 723 km, Kazakhstan
6,846 km, North Korea 19 km, Latvia 217 km, Lithuania (Kaliningrad
Oblast) 227 km, Mongolia 3,485 km, Norway 196 km, Poland (Kaliningrad
Oblast) 206 km, Ukraine 1,576 km.
Coastline:
37,653 km.
Maritime claims:
Territorial sea: 12 nm, exclusive economic zone:
200 nm, continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation.
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.
Elevation extremes:
Lowest point: Caspian Sea – -28 m, highest
point: Gora Elbrus – 5,633 m.
Natural resources:
Wide natural resource base including major deposits
of oil, natural gas, coal, and many strategic minerals, timber.
Note: formidable obstacles of climate, terrain, and distance
hinder exploitation of natural resources.
Permafrost over much of Siberia is a major impediment
to development; volcanic activity in the Kuril Islands; volcanoes
and earthquakes on the Kamchatka Peninsula; spring floods and summer/autumn
forest fires throughout Siberia and parts of European Russia.
Environment - current issues:
Air pollution from heavy industry, emissions
of coal-fired electric plants, and transportation in major cities;
industrial, municipal, and agricultural pollution of inland waterways
and seacoasts; deforestation; soil erosion; soil contamination from
improper application of agricultural chemicals; scattered areas
of sometimes intense radioactive contamination; groundwater contamination
from toxic waste; urban solid waste management; abandoned stocks
of obsolete pesticides.
Environment - international agreements:
Party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen
Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol,
Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty,
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Endangered
Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the
Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical
Timber 83, Wetlands, Whaling, signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Sulfur
94.
Geography - note:
Largest country in the world in terms of area
but unfavorably located in relation to major sea lanes of the world;
despite its size, much of the country lacks proper soils and climates
(either too cold or too dry) for agriculture; Mount Elbrus is Europe's
tallest peak.
At birth: 1.06 male(s) / female; under
15 years: 1.05 male(s) / female; 15-64 years: 0.94 male(s) / female;
65 years and over: 0.46 male(s) / female; total population:
0.86 male(s) / female (2005 est.).
Infant mortality rate:
Total: 15.39 deaths / 1,000 live births;
male: 17.7 deaths / 1,000 live births; female: 12.94 deaths / 1,000
live births (2005 est.).
Life expectancy at birth:
Total population: 67.1 years; male: 60.55 years;
female: 74.04 years (2005 est.).
Total fertility rate:
1.27 children born / woman (2005 est.).
Nationality:
Noun: Russian(s), adjective: Russian.
Ethnic groups:
Russian 79.8%, Tatar 3.8%, Ukrainian 2%, Bashkir
1.2%, Chuvash 1.1%, other or unspecified 12.1% (2002 census).
Religions:
Russian Orthodox, Muslim, other.
Languages:
Russian, many minority languages.
Literacy:
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write,
total population: 99.6%, male: 99.7% , female: 99.5% (2003 est.).
GOVERMENT
Country name:
Conventional long form: Russian Federation, conventional
short form: Russia, local long form: Rossiyskaya Federatsiya, local
short form: Rossiya, former: Russian Empire, Russian Soviet Federative
Socialist Republic.
Based on civil law system; judicial review of
legislative acts.
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal.
Flag description:
Three equal horizontal bands of white (top),
blue, and red.
ECONOMY
Economy - overview:
Russia ended 2004 with its sixth straight year
of growth, averaging 6.5% annually since the financial crisis of
1998. Although high oil prices and a relatively cheap ruble are
important drivers of this economic rebound, since 2000 investment
and consumer-driven demand have played a noticeably increasing role.
Real fixed capital investments have averaged gains greater than
10% over the last five years, and real personal incomes have realized
average increases over 12%. Russia has also improved its international
financial position since the 1998 financial crisis, with its foreign
debt declining from 90% of GDP to around 28%. Strong oil export
earnings have allowed Russia to increase its foreign reserves from
only $12 billion to some $120 billion at yearend 2004. These achievements,
along with a renewed government effort to advance structural reforms,
have raised business and investor confidence in Russia's economic
prospects. Nevertheless, serious problems persist. Economic growth
slowed down in the second half of 2004 and the Russian government
forecasts growth of only 4.5% to 6.2% for 2005. Oil, natural gas,
metals, and timber account for more than 80% of exports, leaving
the country vulnerable to swings in world prices. Russia's manufacturing
base is dilapidated and must be replaced or modernized if the country
is to achieve broad-based economic growth. Other problems include
a weak banking system, a poor business climate that discourages
both domestic and foreign investors, corruption, and widespread
lack of trust in institutions. In addition, a string of investigations
launched against a major Russian oil company, culminating with the
arrest of its CEO in the fall of 2003, have raised concerns by some
observers that President PUTIN is granting more influence to forces
within his government that desire to reassert state control over
the economy.
Complete range of mining and extractive industries
producing coal, oil, gas, chemicals, and metals; all forms of machine
building from rolling mills to high-performance aircraft and space
vehicles; defense industries including radar, missile production,
and advanced electronic components, shipbuilding; road and rail
transportation equipment; communications equipment; agricultural
machinery, tractors, and construction equipment; electric power
generating and transmitting equipment; medical and scientific instruments;
consumer durables, textiles, foodstuffs, handicrafts.
Exports - commodities:
Petroleum and petroleum products, natural gas,
wood and wood products, metals, chemicals, and a wide variety of
civilian and military manufactures.
Exports - partners:
Germany 8.4%, Netherlands 6.7%, China 6.4%, US
5.8%, Ukraine 5.7%, Italy 5.4%, Turkey 4.5% (2004).
Imports - commodities:
Machinery and equipment, consumer goods, medicines,
meat, sugar, semifinished metal products.
Imports - partners:
Germany 16.7%, China 7.1%, Ukraine 6.7%, Italy
5.9%, Finland 5%, France 4.5%, Japan 4.5% (2004).
Currency (code):
Russian ruble (RUR).
COMMUNICATIONS
Telephone system:
General assessment: the telephone system underwent
significant changes in the 1990s; there are more than 1,000 companies
licensed to offer communication services; access to digital lines
has improved, particularly in urban centers; Internet and e-mail
services are improving; Russia has made progress toward building
the telecommunications infrastructure necessary for a market economy;
however, a large demand for main line service remains unsatisfied.
Domestic: cross-country digital trunk lines run from Saint Petersburg
to Khabarovsk, and from Moscow to Novorossiysk; the telephone systems
in 60 regional capitals have modern digital infrastructures; cellular
services, both analog and digital, are available in many areas;
in rural areas, the telephone services are still outdated, inadequate,
and low density. International: country code - 7; Russia is connected
internationally by three undersea fiber-optic cables; digital switches
in several cities provide more than 50,000 lines for international
calls; satellite earth stations provide access to Intelsat, Intersputnik,
Eutelsat, Inmarsat, and Orbita systems.
Internet country code:
.ru; Russia also has responsibility for a legacy
domain ".su" that was allocated to the Soviet Union, and
whose legal status and ownership are contested by the Russian Government,
ICANN, and several Russian commercial entities. Internet hosts:
560,874 (2004). Internet users: 6 million (2002).
TRANSPORTATION
Railways:
Total: 87,157 km; broad gauge: 86,200 km 1.520-m
gauge (40,300 km electrified); narrow gauge: 957 km 1.067-m gauge
(on Sakhalin Island). note: an additional 30,000 km of non-common carrier lines serve
industries (2004).
Highways:
Total: 537,289 km; paved: 362,133 km; unpaved:
175,156 km (2001).
Waterways:
96,000 km note: 72,000 km system in European Russia links Baltic Sea, White
Sea, Caspian Sea, Sea of Azov, and Black Sea (2004).
Pipelines:
Condensate 122 km; gas 150,007 km; oil 75,539
km; refined products 13,771 km (2004).
Total: 1,194 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 4,521,472
GRT/5,505,118 DWT; by type: barge carrier 1, bulk carrier 45, cargo
767, chemical tanker 20, combination ore/oil 48, container 21, passenger
11, passenger/cargo 8, petroleum tanker 213, refrigerated cargo
46, roll on/roll off 12, specialized tanker 2; foreign-owned: 56
(Belgium 2, Cyprus 1, Estonia 2, Germany 1, Hong Kong 1, Latvia
3, Norway 1, Sweden 1, Turkey 28, Ukraine 10, United Kingdom 2,
United States 4); registered in other countries: 326 (2005).
Airports:
2,586 (2004 est.).
MILITARY
Military branches:
Ground Forces (SV), Navy (VMF), Air Forces (VVS);
Airborne Troops (VDV), Strategic Rocket Troops (RVSN), and Space
Troops (KV) are independent "combat arms," not subordinate
to any of the three branches.
Military manpower - military age and obligation:
18-27 years of age; males are registered for
the draft at 17 years of age; 200,000 conscripts were inducted into
the armed forces in 2003; length of compulsory military service
is 2 years; plans as of August 2004 call for reduction in mandatory
service to 1 year by 2008; 2003 planning calls for volunteer servicemen
to compose 70% of armed forces by 2010, with the remaining servicemen
consisting of conscripts (August 2004).
Military manpower:
Availability: males age 18-49: 35,247,049 (2005
est.). Fit for military service: males age 18-49: 21,049,651 (2005
est.).
TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES
Disputes - international:
In 2004, China and Russia divided up the islands
in the Amur, Ussuri, and Argun Rivers, ending a century-old border
dispute; the sovereignty dispute over the islands of Etorofu, Kunashiri,
Shikotan, and the Habomai group, known in Japan as the "Northern
Territories" and in Russia as the "Southern Kurils,"
occupied by the Soviet Union in 1945, now administered by Russia,
and claimed by Japan, remains the primary sticking point to signing
a peace treaty formally ending World War II hostilities; Russia
and Georgia agree on delimiting 80% of their common border, leaving
certain small, strategic segments and the maritime boundary unresolved;
OSCE observers monitor volatile areas such as the Pankisi Gorge
in the Akhmeti region and the Kodori Gorge in Abkhazia; equidistant
seabed treaties were signed and ratified with Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan
in the Caspian Sea but no consensus exists on dividing the water
column among the littoral states; Russia and Norway dispute their
maritime limits in the Barents Sea and Russia's fishing rights beyond
Svalbard's territorial limits within the Svalbard Treaty zone; various
groups in Finland advocate restoration of Karelia and other areas
ceded to the Soviet Union following the Second World War but the
Finnish Government asserts no territorial demands; in 1996, the
Estonia-Russia technical border agreement was initialed but both
have been hesitant to sign and ratify it, with Russia asserting
that Estonia needs to better assimilate Russian-speakers and Estonian
groups advocating realignment of the boundary based more closely
on the 1920 Tartu Peace Treaty that would bring the now divided
ethnic Setu people and parts of the Narva region within Estonia;
the Latvian-Russian boundary treaty of 1997 remains unsigned and
unratified with Russia linking it to better Latvian treatment of
ethnic Russians and Latvian politicians demanding Russian agreement
to a declaration that admits Soviet aggression during the Second
World War and other issues; in 2003, the Lithuania-Russia land and
maritime boundary treaty was ratified and a transit regime established
through Lithuania linking Russia and its Kaliningrad coastal exclave,
leaving only improvements to the border demarcation in 2005; delimitation
of land boundary with Ukraine is complete, but states have agreed
to defer demarcation; Russia and Ukraine continue talks but still
dispute the alignment of a maritime boundary through the Kerch Strait
and Sea of Azov; Kazakhstan and Russia continue demarcation of their
long border; Russian Duma has not yet ratified 1990 Maritime Boundary
Agreement with the US in the Bering Sea.
Illicit drugs:
Limited cultivation of illicit cannabis and opium
poppy and producer of methamphetamine, mostly for domestic consumption;
government has active illicit crop eradication program; used as
transshipment point for Asian opiates, cannabis, and Latin American
cocaine bound for growing domestic markets, to a lesser extent Western
and Central Europe, and occasionally to the US; major source of
heroin precursor chemicals; corruption and organized crime are key
concerns; heroin increasingly popular in domestic market.
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