| Area |
17,075,400 sq km (6,592,850 sq miles). |
| Population |
147,100,000 (1998). |
| Capital |
Moscow. - population 8,436,447 (1994) |
| Climate |
Northern & Central Europe Russia: The most varied climate; mildest areas are along the Baltic coast. Summer sunshine may be nine hours a day, but winters can be very cold. Siberia: Very cold winters but summers can be pleasant, although they tend to be short and wet. There is considerable seasonal temperature variation. Southern Europe Russia: Winter is shorter than in the north. Steppes (in the southeast) have hot dry summers, and very cold winters. The north and northeastern Black Sea has mild winters, but heavy rainfall all year round. |
| Language |
Russian. English, French or German are spoken by some people. |
| Religion |
Mainly Christian with Russian Orthodox being the largest Christian community. Muslim, Buddhist and Jewish minorities also exist. |
| Time |
GMT + 2 (GMT + 3 from the last Sunday in March to Saturday before ast Sunday in October).
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| Highlights |
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| Country Facts |
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