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General information

Being such a huge country, across 2 continents, I won’t classify it to any continent;
Population : 144.3 milion people (9th in the World)
Total Area : 17,098,246 km^2 (1st in the World)
Official languages : Russian
Official currency : Russian rubla(RUB)
Capital : Moscow
Population density : 8,4 people/km^2 (233th in the World)
Top 5 biggest cities : Moscow, Sankt Petersburg, Novosibirsk, Yakaterinburg, Nizhny Novgorod

According to the Constitution of Russia, the country is a federation and semi-presidential republic, wherein the President is the head of stat and the Prime Minister is the head of government. The Russian Federation is fundamentally structured as a multi-party representative democracy, with the federal government composed of three branches:
Legislative: The bicameral Federal Assembly of Russia, made up of the 450-member State Duma and the 170-member Federation Council, adopts federal law, declares war, approves treaties, has the power of the purse and the power of impeachment of the President.
Executive: The President is the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, can veto legislative bills before they become law, and appoints the Government of Russia (Cabinet) and other officers, who administer and enforce federal laws and policies.
Judiciary: The Constitutional Court, Supreme Court and lower federal courts, whose judges are appointed by the Federation Council on the recommendation of the President, interpret laws and can overturn laws they deem unconstitutional.

The president is elected by popular vote for a six-year term (eligible for a second term, but not for a third consecutive term). Ministries of the government are composed of the Premier and his deputies, ministers, and selected other individuals; all are appointed by the President on the recommendation of the Prime Minister (whereas the appointment of the latter requires the consent of the State Duma). Leading political parties in Russia include United Russia, the Communist Party, the Liberal Democratic Party, and A Just Russia. In 2013, Russia was ranked as 122nd of 167 countries in the Democracy Index, compiled by The EconomistIntelligence Unit, while the World Justice Project, as of 2014, ranked Russia 80th of 99 countries surveyed in terms of rule of law.

According to the Constitution, the country comprises eighty-five federal subjects, including the disputed Republic of Crimea and federal city of Sevastopol. In 1993, when the Constitution was adopted, there were eighty-nine federal subjects listed, but later some of them were merged. These subjects have equal representation—two delegates each—in the Federation Council. However, they differ in the degree of autonomy they enjoy. There are: 46 oblasts (provinces): most common type of federal subjects, with locally elected governor and legislature, 22 republics: nominally autonomous; each is tasked with drafting its own constitution, direct-elected head of republic or a similar post, and parliament. Republics are allowed to establish their own official language alongside Russian but are represented by the federal government in international affairs. Republics are meant to be home to specific ethnic minorities, 9 krais (territories): essentially the same as oblasts. The "territory" designation is historic, originally given to frontier regions and later also to the administrative divisions that comprised autonomous okrugs or autonomous oblasts, 4 autonomous okrugs (autonomous districts): originally autonomous entities within oblasts and krais created for ethnic minorities, their status was elevated to that of federal subjects in the 1990s. With the exception of Chukotka Autonomous Okrug, all autonomous okrugs are still administratively subordinated to a krai or an oblast of which they are a part, 1 autonomous oblast (the Jewish Autonomous Oblast): historically, autonomous oblasts were administrative units subordinated to krais. In 1990, all of them except for the Jewish AO were elevated in status to that of a republic and 3 federal cities (Moscow, Saint Petersburg, and Sevastopol): major cities that function as separate regions.










National sport : Ice Hockey

Skiing



National animals : Brown bear(Ursus arctos)


National plants : Birch (Betula)


Pine(Pinus)

National instrument : Seven string guitar

Balalaika






The significance of the 12nd of June

June 12 is usually called the "Russia Day" and is celebrated annually since 1991 when the declaration of independence of Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic was adopted. Since it meant independence from Soviet Union, the nature of this holiday has been considered somewhat ambivalent for a long time. However, many Russian cities and towns usually celebrate their day on June 12 too, so there is still some sense of holiday in it.

Of course, this holiday is less popular than, for instance, May 9, when Russian people celebrate the Victory Day and millions of people rally to the streets. Still, it is a holiday and even those who don't celebrate enjoy a day off.












Stories from the Ural Mountains

Russia is a massive country, with many different regions and cultures. Russian folklore is very rich, and it has inspired many works of art.

One of these works is The Malachite Box(Малахитовая шкатулка, tr. Malakhitovaya Shkatulka), a book of fairy tales and folk tales (also knows as skaz) from the Ural region. It was compiled by Pavel Bazhov and published from 1936 to 1945. Written in contemporary language, and blending elements of everyday life with fantastic characters, The Malachite Box tells stories based on the oral lore of miners and gold prospectors.

The tales are told from the point of view of the imaginary Grandpa Slyshko (Russian: Дед Слышко, tr. Ded Slyshko; lit. "Old Man Listenhere"). Slyshko is the old miner from a factory who rememberes the Serfdom era. In the stories written at the end of the Great Patriotic War (Eastern Front during WW2) and in the post-war years, Bazhov introduced the new narrator. His new stories were told by a different type of the miner: the patriotic participant of the Russian Civil War who fought for the Red Army and later helped to build the new socialist society.

The tales can be divided into several groups: the series about craftsmen (the most famous tales are "The Stone Flower", "The Master Craftsman", "A Fragile Twig"); the tales about some mysterious forces, which contain surreal plots and mythical creatures ("The Mistress of the Copper Mountain", "The Malachite Casket", "Sinyushka's Well", "Cat's Ears"); the satirical tales about gold prospectors or greedy bailiffs ("The Manager's Boot-Soles", "Sochen and His Stones"); the tales about mine explorers ("Sinyushka's Well").

During the Great Patriotic War and in the post-war years, Bazhov started writing about Soviet armourers, steel-makers, and teemers, emphasizing the patriotic pride of the Russian workers. He also penned some stories about the Russian communist leaders, Vladimir Lenin and Joseph Stalin. Furthermore, Pavel Bazhov indicated that his stories can be divided into two groups based on tone: "child-toned" (e.g. "The Fire-Fairy", "Silver Hoof"), and "adult-toned" ("The Stone Flower", "Marko's Hill"). Denis Zherdev divided the stories into "gold" and "malachite" series, which begin with "Beloved Name" and "The Mistress of the Copper Mountain" respectively.

The first edition of The Malachite Box was released on 28 January 1939. It consisted of an introduction titled "The Watchhouse on Dumna Mountain" and 14 stories, based on the oral lore of the miners and gold prospectors.

After the initial publication, the author continuously added new stories to the collection, such as the so-called "mountain fairy tales" in 1942, Stories of Germans (Russian: Сказы о немцах, tr. Skazy o nemtsakh) in 1943, a series of stories about Russian steel-makers and coiners in 1944–1945, Stories of Lenin (Russian: Сказы о Ленине, tr. Skazy o Lenine) in 1944–1945, and others. Every edition of the collection ended with the dictionary of unusual words and concepts.

The first edition of theThe Malachite Box contains the following stories:

Beloved Name - a story about the first time the Cossacks came to the Ural Mountains and encountered a tribe of the “Old People”, who didn’t know the value of gold.

The Great Snake - In this skaz, the old miner's sons meet the Great Serpent (alternative translation: Poloz the Great Snake), the master of gold. He appears before them as a man in gold tunic. "His cap was yellow with red flaps on both sides, and his boots were gold too... The earth sank under him where he stood." He shows them how to find gold nuggets. The story of the brothers is continued in "The Snake Trail" (alternative translation: "The Serpent's Trail"), published in 1939.

The Mistress of the Copper Mountain - the most famous story of this collection. It tells the story of a young factory worker, Stepan, who encounters the Mistress of the Copper Mountain. She gives him trials, that he succesfully passes, and then rewards Stepan with a malachite box full of jewels for his betrothed, Nastyona.

Her final request is that he forgets about her. Stepan is unable to, and thus, after becoming unhappy during his marriage, he leaves. His corpse is later found by a rock. The tale concludes with the words: "It's a chancy thing to meet her [The Mistress], it brings woe for a bad man, and for a good one there's little joy that comes of it".

The Mistress of Copper Mountain:


The two following tales, The Malachite Casket and The Stone Flower both involve the Mistress. The first story follows the daughter of Stepan, while the second one follows a craftsman called Danilo. His story is continued in The Master Craftman.

Golden Hair - based on Bashkir folklore, it follows the story of the hunter Ailyp who meets the daughter of Poloz, the Great Snake.

There were many other tales added throughout the years to this collection, with later versions of the The Malachite Box containing more than 40 stories.







Top 5 places visited by tourists


Moscow




Kremlin


Red Square




As the capital of Russia, Moscow is the most important city in Russia, but not just for political reasons alone. This city of more than 12 million is also well known for its artistic endeavors, including ballet, symphonies and art. Onion-shaped domes of historic churches fill the skyline. The stately Kremlin and impressive Red Square, one of the largest squares in the world, are sights not to be missed, as are statues of Lenin and Stalin, controversial leaders in the 20th century. Further evidence that Moscow’s past wasn’t always squeaky clean can be seen in the Gulag and Cold War museums.



Sankt Petersburg


The Hermitage museum









Russia’s second largest city may be known as Leningrad, but most people refer to it by its birth name, St. Petersburg. Founded in 1703 by Tsar Peter the Great, St. Petersburg was once the imperial capital of Russia; its name was changed to Leningrad in 1924. Because of its location on the Neva River, which feeds into the Gulf of Finland and then into the Baltic Sea, the city is a popular northern cruise destination and one of the most popular places to visit in Russia. Known as the cultural capital of Russia, the city boasts one of the finest art collections in the world at the Hermitage, with churches adding to the city’s magnificent art. Nevsky Prospekt is the city’s famous shopping and dining street.



Sochi










Sochi on the Black Sea is a great winter sports destination and, in fact, hosted the 2014 Winter Olympics. Skis aside, Sochi also hosts the Russian Formula 1 Grand prix and will be a host city for the 2018 Fifa World Cup. Despite winter snow, Sochi offers a subtropical climate and great beaches, making it a key part of the Russian Riviera. The resort city makes a great summer (and winter) getaway for Russians. Strolling along the pedestrian-only sea embankment is a pleasant experience. Environmentally conscious travelers may want to visit the Caucasus Biosphere Reserve. Sochi also is home to the area’s northern most tea plantations.



Irkutsk










The de facto capital of Eastern Siberia, Irkutsk is by far the most popular stop on the Trans-Siberian Railway between Moscow and the east. With Lake Baikal only 45 km away, the city is the best base to explore the lake’s western shoreline. Travelers who visit historic Irkutsk may be pleasantly surprised by what they find. Decorated wooden houses stand beside standard Soviet block apartments, plus wide boulevards with not too much traffic for a city of more than 500,000 souls. Irkutsk was the site of many bloody clashes between Russian factions in various revolutions. It also served as a place of exile for intellectuals, artists and others, which may be why the city has five universities. Several churches, including Ascension Church, and geology and history museums call Irkutsk home.





Kazan








Kul-Sharif Mosque

Kazan is sometimes referred to as the Istanbul of the Volga because it is a city where European and Asian cultures meet. The capital of Tatarstan is a lovely city where church tower and minarets fill the skyline. Also known as the third capital of Russia, after Moscow and St. Petersburg, Kazan residents enjoy one of the highest standards of living in Russia. Sights to see include the remains of the Kazan Kremlin that was destroyed by Ivan the Terrible; the Kul-Sharif Mosque, named after a man killed defending Kazan from Ivan; and Bauman Street, a pedestrian shopping street.







Top 3 locations suggested by the locals

Plios







The small town of Plios on the banks of Volga, was a place of inspiration for many artists. The town was in bad shape for many years, but in more recent times most of the town's problems have been solved and it is now quite an expensive tourist destination.A very calm place.



Siberia


Altai mountains


Tyva plains


Lake Baikal


Putorana Plateau

Most of you probably know Siberia for a place which is cold, harsh and full of labor camps. It is cold and harsh, but in winter only, and there are no labor camps. In summer there are majestic and very different places there worth a visit like Altai mountains, Tyva plains and of course, Baikal, the largest lake in the world. Places not too well known for tourists in Siberia include the Putorana Plateau, a gem of untouched nature in the very North of Siberia, full of mountains, waterfalls, lakes and beautiful scenery. Russia's geographical centre is somewhere around.



Volcanoes in Kamtchatka







The volcanoes of Kamchatka are a large group of volcanoes situated on the Kamchatka Peninsula. The Kamchatka River and the surrounding central side valley are flanked by large volcanic belts containing around 160 volcanoes, 29 of them still active. The peninsula has a high density of volcanoes and associated volcanic phenomena, with 29 active volcanoes being included in the six UNESCO World Heritage Listsites in the Volcanoes of Kamchatka group, most of them on the Kamchatka Peninsula.






Inventions Russia gave to the world!

*1st Nuclear power plant used for comercial electricity!
*in Obninsk in 1954.



*1st artificial Earth satellite!
* Sputnik 1 in 1957.


*Stanislavski system!
* By Konstantin Stanislavski in 1911.


*1st man in space!
*Yuri Gagarin in 1961.




*Kalashnikov assault rifle!
*by Mikhail Kalashnikov in 1949.










Famous people from Russia:


Yuri Gagarin - Soviet pilot and cosmonaut. He was the first human to journey into outer space when his Vostok spacecraft completed an orbit of the Earth on 12 April 1961.
Gagarin became an international celebrity and was awarded many medals and titles, including Hero of the Soviet Union, the nation's highest honour. Vostok 1 marked his only spaceflight, but he served as backup crew to the Soyuz 1 mission (which ended in a fatal crash). Gagarin later became deputy training director of the Cosmonaut Training Centre outside Moscow, which was later named after him. Gagarin died in 1968 when the MiG-15 training jet he was piloting crashed. The Fédération Aéronautique Internationale awards the Yuri A. Gagarin Gold Medal in his honor.


(1934 - 1968)


Dmitri Mendeleev - Russian chemist and inventor. He formulated the Periodic Law, created a farsighted version of the periodic table of elements, and used it to correct the properties of some already discovered elements and also to predict the properties of eight elements yet to be discovered.

(1834 - 1907)


Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky - Russian composer of the romantic period, some of whose works are among the most popular music in the classical repertoire. He was the first Russian composer whose music made a lasting impression internationally, bolstered by his appearances as a guest conductor in Europe and the United States. He was honored in 1884 by Emperor Alexander III, and awarded a lifetime pension.

(1840 - 1893)



Vladimir Lenin - Russian communist revolutionary, politician and political theorist. He served as head of government of Soviet Russia from 1917 to 1924 and of the Soviet Union from 1922 to 1924. Under his administration, Russia and then the wider Soviet Union became a one-party communist state governed by the Russian Communist Party. Ideologically a Marxist, he developed political theories known as Leninism.

(1870 - 1924)


Fyodor Dostoevsky - Russian novelist, short story writer, essayist, journalist and philosopher. Dostoevsky's literary works explore human psychology in the troubled political, social, and spiritual atmospheres of 19th-century Russia, and engage with a variety of realistic philosophical and religious themes.
He began writing in his 20s, and his first novel, Poor Folk, was published in 1846 when he was 25. His most acclaimed works include Crime and Punishment (1866), The Idiot (1869), Demons (1872) and The Brothers Karamazov (1880). Dostoevsky's oeuvre consists of 11 novels, three novellas, 17 short stories and numerous other works. Many literary critics rate him as one of the greatest psychologists in world literature. His 1864 novella Notes from Underground is considered to be one of the first works of existentialist literature.



(1821 - 1881)








Traditional food


Borsch



This beet and cabbage red soup is a delicious belly warmer on Moscow's colder days, served with or without meat, potato, herbs (usually dill) and a dollop of smetana, Russian sour cream.

Shchi



Shchi is a Russian style cabbage soup. When sauerkraut is used instead, the soup is called sour shchi, while soups based on sorrel, spinach, nettle, and similar plants are called green shchi. In the past, the term sour shchi was also used to refer to a drink, a variation of kvass, which was unrelated to the soup.

Solyanka



Solyanka is a thick, spicy and sour Russian soup that is common in Russia and other states of the former Soviet Union and certain parts of the former Eastern Bloc.


Pelmeni



Pelmeni are dumplings of Russian cuisine which consist of a filling wrapped in thin, unleavened dough.

Manty



The dumplings typically consist of a spiced meat mixture, usually lamb or ground beef in a dough wrapper, and either boiled or steamed. Size and shape vary significantly depending on the geographical location.

Okroshka



The classic soup is a mix of mostly raw vegetables (like cucumbers, radishes and spring onions), boiled potatoes, eggs, and a cooked meat such as beef, veal, sausages, or ham with kvass, which is a non-alcoholic (1.5% or less) beverage made from fermented black or rye bread.

Beef Stroganof



Beef Stroganoff or Beef Stroganov is a Russian dish of sautéed pieces of beef served in a sauce with smetana. From its origins in mid-19th-century Russia, it has become popular around the world, with considerable variation from the original recipe.

Potatoes



Russians prefer various potato garnishes, including mashed potatoes, baked potatoes etc.


Traditional desserts

Pancakes



Pancakes with any addition, from jam to caviar, for dessert or main course.Yes, you heard quite well, with caviar.. you have that in the picture above.


Pies



Various pies, both with meat and sweat ones for dessert.

Honeycake



Also called medovik, is a layer cake popular in Russia and other countries of the former Soviet Union. The primary ingredients are honey and condensed milk.

Ptichie Moloko



Like the soft, meringue-filled candy on which it was based, Bird’s Milk Cake consists mostly of filling. Thick but exceptionally airy layers of soufflé are separated by thin, fluffy slabs of cake, and the whole confection is covered in chocolate glaze.

Churchkhela



The main ingredients are grape must, nuts and flour. Almonds, walnuts, hazelnut and chocolate and sometimes raisins are threaded onto a string, dipped in thickened grape juice or fruit juices and dried in the shape of a sausage.

Smokva



This sweet has almost been forgotten, but you can still find it in some Russian villages. In the olden days this was known as “dried paradise apple.” In essence it tastes a bit like modern-day fruit pastels. It is made by boiling up pectin-rich fruits such as apples, quinces, plums and rowanberries.


Traditional drinks

Vodka


Kvass



Kvass starts with water, flour, and molasses, which forms a leaven that is diluted with water. Then, yeast, sugar and other ingredients are added, and the mixture is left to ferment. Fruit and berry juices are also quite often added for flavor.


Mead



Mead is an old alcoholic drink, made of berry juice, honey, and vodka.

Mors



Mors is a non-carbonated Russian fruit drink prepared from berries, mainly from lingonberry and cranberry. It's made by boiling berries with sugar or just mixing pure juice with sweetened water. Some modern commercial brands use fermented and clarified juices blending with sugar syrup and drinking water. Instead of juice, fruit extracts may be used with the addition of aromatic essences, organic food acids, sugars, dyes and drinking water.

Kompot



Kompot is a non-alcoholic sweet beverage of Slavic origin, that may be served hot or cold, depending on tradition and season. It is obtained by cooking fruit such as strawberries, apricots, peaches, apples, rhubarb, gooseberries, or sour cherries in a large volume of water, often together with sugar or raisins as additional sweeteners. Sometimes different spices such as vanilla or cinnamon are added for additional flavor, especially in winter when kompot is usually served hot.






Interesting facts about Russia:


1.The name Red Square has nothing to do with communism, but derives from the word "krasnyi", which once meant "beautiful".
2.The icicles hanging from the gutters in Moscow in winter are so enormous that the pavements below are cordoned off - as they'd kill you if they fell on your head.
3. Giving flowers to residents can be a delicate point of etiquette. You should always make sure you give them in odd numbers, unless going to a funeral, when even numbers are the rule.
4.Russians are the world's fourth biggest drinkers, according to WHO statistics, behind Belarus, Moldova and Lithuania.
5.The word "vodka" derives for the word "voda", which means "water".
6.The male life expectancy is just 65, lower than it is in North Korea or Iraq. Russian women, on the other hand, can expect to live to 75.
7.It's considered wimpy to lower the ear flaps on your Ushanka (fur hat) unless the temperature drops below -20C.
8. You can visit without applying for a visa by taking a ferry/short cruise from Helsinki (to St Petersburg).
9.It is home to the coldest inhabited place on the planet - Oymyakon. On February 6, 1933, a temperature of −67.7 °C was recorded at its weather station.
10. Lake Karachay, a dumping ground for nuclear waste, is so radioactive that standing for one hour beside it would almost certainly kill you.






My 5 words when I hear about Russia:
#Slavs,#AK47,#Churches,#Gopnik,#Pelmeni

What are your 5?





Special thanks to Khotko, you can see the list below:

I will leave you with a special message from him:





I leave you with some Russian memes:













Waiting for feedback , comments , opinions and if there is anyone that thinks I missed something , I could do something better or just wants to help me with this project , PM me !

Special thanks to Kariky for the spacers !!




Hope you enjoyed and see you next time!

P.S. Article 53/74!









P.S.2. Don't forget to push the flags !