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Background:
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. A determined guerrilla conflict still plagues Russia
in Chechnya.
Geography
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 - 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
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 El'brus 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
Natural hazards: 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
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 El'brus is Europe's
tallest peak
People
Population: 143,420,309 (July 2005 est.)
Population growth rate: -0.37% (2005 est.)
Birth rate: 9.8 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Death rate: 14.52 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Net migration rate: 1.03 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Infant mortality rate: total: 15.39 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 67.1 years
Total fertility rate: 1.27 children born/woman (2005 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 1.1% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 860,000 (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths: 9,000 (2001 est.)
Nationality: noun: Russian(s). adjective: Russian
Ethnic groups: Russian 81.5%, Tatar 3.8%, Ukrainian 3%, Chuvash
1.2%, Bashkir 0.9%, Belarusian 0.8%, Moldavian 0.7%, other 8.1%
(1989)
Religions: Russian Orthodox, Muslim, other
Languages: Russian, other
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write - total
population: 99.6%
Government
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
Government type: federation
Capital: Moscow
Administrative divisions: 49 oblasts (oblastey, singular - oblast),
21 republics (respublik, singular - respublika), 10 autonomous okrugs
(avtonomnykh okrugov, singular - avtonomnyy okrug), 6 krays (krayev,
singular - kray), 2 federal cities (singular - gorod), and 1 autonomous
oblast (avtonomnaya oblast')
Independence: 24 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)
National holiday: Russia Day, 12 June (1990)
Constitution: adopted 12 December 1993
Legal system: based on civil law system; judicial review of legislative
acts
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President Vladimir Vladimirovich
PUTIN (acting president since 31 December 1999, president since
7 May 2000)
head of government: Premier Mikhail Yefimovich FRADKOV (since 5
March 2004); Deputy Premier Aleksandr Dmitriyevich ZHUKOV (since
9 March 2004)
cabinet: Ministries of the Government or "Government"
composed of the premier and his deputy, ministers, and selected
other individuals; all are appointed by the president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a four-year term;
election last held 14 March 2004 (next to be held March 2008); note
- no vice president; if the president dies in office, cannot exercise
his powers because of ill health, is impeached, or resigns, the
premier succeeds him; the premier serves as acting president until
a new presidential election is held, which must be within three
months; premier appointed by the president with the approval of
the Duma
Legislative branch: bicameral Federal Assembly or Federalnoye Sobraniye
consists of the Federation Council or Sovet Federatsii (178 seats;
as of July 2000, members appointed by the top executive and legislative
officials in each of the 89 federal administrative units - oblasts,
krays, republics, autonomous okrugs and oblasts, and the federal
cities of Moscow and Saint Petersburg; members serve four-year terms)
and the State Duma or Gosudarstvennaya Duma (450 seats; currently
225 seats elected by proportional representation from party lists
winning at least 5% of the vote, and 225 seats from single-member
constituencies; members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve
four-year terms)
Judicial branch: Constitutional Court; Supreme Court; Superior Court
of Arbitration; judges for all courts are appointed for life by
the Federation Council on the recommendation of the president
Economy
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.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $1.408 trillion (2004 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 6.7% (2004 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $9,800 (2004 est.)
Population below poverty line: 25% (January 2003 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 11.5% (2004 est.)
Unemployment rate: 8.3% plus considerable underemployment (2004
est.)
Agriculture - products: grain, sugar beets, sunflower seed, vegetables,
fruits; beef, milk
Industries: 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: $162.5 billion (2004 est.)
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 7.8%, Netherlands 6.5%, Italy 6.3%,
China 6.2%, Belarus 5.7%, Ukraine 5.7%, US 4.6%, Switzerland 4.4%
(2003)
Imports: $92.91 billion (2004 est.)
Imports - commodities: machinery and equipment, consumer goods,
medicines, meat, sugar, semifinished metal products
Imports - partners: Germany 14%, Belarus 8.6%, Ukraine 7.7%, China
5.8%, US 5.2%, Kazakhstan 4.7%, Italy 4.2%, France 4.1% (2003)
Economic aid - recipient: in FY01 from US, $979 million (including
$750 million in non-proliferation subsidies); in 2001 from EU, $200
million (2000 est.)
Currency: Russian ruble (RUR)
Communications
Telephones - main lines in use: 35.5 million (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 17,608,800 (2002)
international: country code - 7
Radio broadcast stations: AM 420, FM 447, shortwave 56 (1998)
Television broadcast stations: 7,306 (1998)
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
Highways: total: 537,289 km (paved: 362,133 km)
Ports and harbors: Aleksandrovsk-Sakhalinskiy, Arkhangel'sk, Astrakhan',
De-Kastri, Indigirskiy, Kaliningrad, Kandalaksha, Kazan', Khabarovsk,
Kholmsk, Krasnoyarsk, Lazarev, Mago, Mezen', Moscow, Murmansk, Nakhodka,
Nevel'sk, Novorossiysk, Onega, Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy, Rostov,
Shakhtersk, Saint Petersburg, Sochi, Taganrog, Tuapse, Uglegorsk,
Vanino, Vladivostok, Volgograd, Vostochnyy, Vyborg
Airports: 2,586 (2004 est.) (with paved runways: 577)
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
Refugees and internally displaced persons: IDPs: 368,000 (displacement
from Chechnya and North Ossetia) (2004)
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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