Basic data of Russia
Population: 141,927,297
Location of Russia : Russia is the largest country in the world and shares borders with 14 countries: Norway, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Belarus, Ukraine, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, China, Mongolia and North Korea. See a map of Russia.
Capital: Moscow (Moskva), population = 10,126,424
Currency: Ruble (RUB)
Time zone: Russia covers 9 time zones and uses Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) from +2 hours to +11 hours, excluding the +4 time zone. In summer, Russia uses UTC +3 to +12 hours, excluding the +5 time zone.
Calling code: 7
Internet TLD: .ru
Language and Alphabet: Approximately 100 languages are spoken throughout Russia, but Russian is the official language and also one of the official languages of the United Nations. Tatar and Ukrainian constitute the largest linguistic minorities. Russia uses the Cyrillic alphabet.
Religion: Russia’s religious demographics vary by location. Ethnicity generally determines religion. Most ethnic Slavs are Russian Orthodox (a mark of Christianity) and make up about 70% of the population, while Turks are Muslim and make up about 5-14% of the population. The ethnic Mongols in the east are primarily Buddhist.
The main attractions of Russia
Russia is so vast that reducing its attractions is difficult. Most first-time visitors to Russia focus their efforts on Moscow and St. Petersburg. More experienced travelers may want to explore other historical Russian cities. Below you will find more information about some of the top sights in Russia:
- Moscow Kremlin
- World heritage monuments of Russia
- Kremlins of Russia
- Peterhof
- Unmissable views of St. Petersburg
Facts about travel to Russia
Visa information: Russia has a strict visa program even for people residing in the Russian Federation and wanting to visit other parts of Russia! Travelers should apply for a visa well in advance of their trip, have a copy and their passports with them at all times, and make sure to return from Russia before the visa expires. Passengers visiting Russia via cruise ship do not need a visa as long as they stay for less than 72 hours.
Airport: Three main airports carry international travelers to Moscow and one to Saint Petersburg. Moscow’s airports are Sheremetyevo International Airport (SVO), Domodedovo International Airport (DME), and Vnukovo International Airport (VKO). The Saint Petersburg airport is Pulkovo Airport (LED).
Train Stations – Trains are considered safer, cheaper, and more comfortable than airplanes in Russia. Nine train stations serve Moscow. The season travelers arrive at depends on the region they come from. From the Western TransSib terminal in Moscow, travelers can begin their journey by 5,800-mile Trans-Siberian train to the city of Vladivostok on the Pacific coast. International sleeper trains are available to Moscow or St. Petersburg. However, getting to Russia by train can be difficult depending on where your starting point is.
This is because travelers going to Russia from Europe (e.g. Berlin) usually have to go through Belarus first, which requires a transit visa, not a big deal, but an additional fee and a hindrance to to plan. This additional hassle can be avoided by leaving an EU city like Riga, Tallinn, Kiev or Helsinki and going to Russia directly from there. The trip from Berlin to Russia takes more than 30 hours, so a day trip has good potential to end the trip.
