Russia

Official Name: Russian Federation Population: 142 million (2017 est.) Capital: Moscow Major Languages: Russian (official), other minority languages Currency: Russian ruble (RUB) Major Industries: mining and extractive industries, machine building, defense industries, shipbuilding; road and rail transportation equipment; communications equipment Major Export Commodities: petroleum and petroleum products, natural gas, metals, wood and wood products, chemicals, and a wide variety of civilian and military manufactures Major Export Partners: Netherlands, China, Germany, Turkey, Italy, Belarus (2016) Major Import Commodities: machinery, vehicles, pharmaceutical products, plastic, semi-finished metal products, meat, fruits and nuts, optical and medical instruments, iron, steel Major Import Partners: China, Germany, United States, France, Italy, Belarus (2016) GDP: US$4 trillion (2017 est.) GDP Per Capita: $27,900 (2017 est.)

A riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma” was how Winston Churchill described Russia at the beginning of World War II. But in certain respects, Russia has opened up to the world, with a new post-Soviet generation eager to do business with the rest of the globe. It is one of the new generation of emerging market nations known as BRIC – Brazil, Russia, India, and China.

Nevertheless, the people and culture of Russia can seem beguiling, yet intimidating to outsiders looking in. Russia’s long history, glorious and bloody at the same time, can still be seen in the mannerisms of its people, who are proud and nationalistic, yet some of the most open and friendly should one get past their initial coldness. A long thread of nihilistic philosophy runs through the Russian psyche, proclaimed by the works of Russian literature, of great authors like Dostoevsky, Tolstoy, and Chekhov.

In terms of the Russian economy, it has grown significantly since the end of the Cold War, moving from a centrally planned economy to a market based system. Economic reforms in the 1990s privatised most industry, including in key sectors such as oil and gas, transportation, and banking. Russia is one of the world's leading producers of oil and natural gas, and is also a top exporter of metals such as steel and primary aluminium. As a result, Russia is heavily dependent on the movement of world commodity prices as reliance on commodity exports makes it vulnerable to boom and bust cycles that follow the volatile swings in global prices.

GEOGRAPHY AND MAJOR CITIES

With an area of 17.075 million square kilometres, Russia is the largest country in the world. It stretches across the continents of Europe and Asia. It has borders with 11 other countries, from those in the Baltic to China and North Korea in the far east. Its coastline meets two oceans – the Arctic and the Pacific – and several seas.