Total area: 17,075,400 km2
Population: 141,927,297(2010 estimate)
Density: 8.3/km2
Currency: Ruble (RUB)
Official language: Russian (official) throughout the country; 27 others co-official in various regions
Capital: Moscow
Governement: Federal semi-presidential republic
Internet TLD: .ru
Calling code: +7
Russia is the world's largest country, covering a good portion of Europe and Asia. It shares borders with Norway, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Belarus, Ukraine, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, China, Mongolia and North Korea. Russia has access to the Arctic Ocean, Pacific Ocean, Baltic Sea, Black Sea and Caspian Sea. The capital and largest city of Russia is Moscow.
It has a huge natural and cultural-historic tourism potential, partly exploited. In the Soviet period there were only certain areas and centres where foreign tourists would have access. Nowadays, the infrastructure is still poor, especially the road network and accommodation.
The most important places to be visited are: Moscow, with numerous attractions in Kremlin and outside it, the Arc de Triomphe, reminding of the victory against Napoleon; St. Petersburg is the city of the "White Nights", with the Winter Palace (now the Hermitage Museum), which houses the largest collection of art in the world.
The best time to visit Russia is from May to June and from September to October, as July and August are the most crowded months of the year. Even in winter it is not too bad, because the theaters are open, vodka comes to life, the facades of building seem warm and friendly and the falling snow is beautiful.
By Maria Morari
Others
The best countries of Europe .
They all share the same geographical region, however differ from each other with their traditions, life style, landscapes and people -countries of Europe.
Which one is the best?