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Russian Federation

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description Russian Federation Overview

The Russian Federation is a transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and Northern Asia. As the largest country in the world by area, it encompasses eleven time zones and a wide range of environments, from tundra to vast taiga forests. Russia emerged as an independent sovereign state in 1991 following the dissolution of the Soviet Union. It operates as a federal semi-presidential republic with its capital in Moscow, maintaining a significant global military and geopolitical presence.

help Russian Federation FAQ

When did the Russian Federation replace the Soviet Union?

The Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic declared state sovereignty in 1990 and became the Russian Federation as the Soviet Union dissolved in December 1991. Russia subsequently continued the Soviet Union's permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council.

Why does Russia span so many time zones?

Russia stretches from the Baltic and Black Sea regions across Siberia to the Pacific coast. That enormous east-west extent is administered across 11 time zones, from Kaliningrad to Kamchatka.

What is the difference between Russia's oblasts, republics, and krais?

All are types of federal subjects, but republics were historically associated with particular non-Russian ethnic homelands and have their own constitutions. Oblasts and krais have broadly similar modern powers, despite the different names inherited from Russian administrative history.

Why are Moscow and Saint Petersburg separate federal subjects?

Both are designated federal cities, so they function as constituent regions rather than simply belonging to a surrounding oblast. Moscow is also Russia's capital, while Saint Petersburg served as the imperial capital for more than two centuries.

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