The World’s Largest Country — Spanning Eleven Time Zones
Russia is, by area, the largest country on Earth — 17.1 million km², nearly twice the size of Canada. It spans eleven time zones from Kaliningrad on the Baltic to Kamchatka on the Pacific, which means dawn breaks over the Bering Strait approximately eight hours before it reaches Moscow.
Russia’s modern relationship with the outside world has been fundamentally reshaped by the February 2022 invasion of Ukraine, which triggered the most comprehensive Western sanctions ever imposed on a major economy, suspended Russia from the Council of Europe, and closed most travel routes between Russia and Western countries. The country remains a nuclear-armed permanent member of the UN Security Council and controls approximately a quarter of the world’s natural gas reserves.
A Brief History
Kievan Rus’ (879-1240) was the medieval East Slavic state from which modern Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus all trace cultural origins. The Mongol Empire dominated Russian lands from 1237 to 1480. The Grand Duchy of Moscow rose to dominance; Ivan IV (the Terrible) became the first Tsar in 1547.
Peter the Great (1682-1725) modernised Russia and founded Saint Petersburg. The Romanov dynasty ruled until 1917.
The 1917 October Revolution brought the Bolsheviks to power; the Soviet Union (1922-1991) became one of two Cold War superpowers. The USSR dissolved in December 1991.
Vladimir Putin has led Russia since 1999-2000. The 2014 annexation of Crimea and the 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine have fundamentally reshaped Russian foreign relations.
Geography and Climate
Russia covers 17,098,246 km² — the world’s largest country by area. The country spans European Russia (west of the Urals) and Siberian/Far Eastern Russia (east of the Urals).
Climate ranges from subtropical (Black Sea coast) to arctic (northern Siberia) to subarctic continental (most of Siberia).
Culture, Language and Religion
Russian is the official language. Religion: approximately 71% Russian Orthodox, with significant Muslim minority (Tatars, Bashkirs, Chechens, Dagestanis).
The Economy
Russia has a large resource-dependent economy (~$2.2 trillion GDP in 2024, though nominal comparisons are complicated by sanctions). Dominant sectors: oil and gas, metals (nickel, aluminium, palladium), agriculture (wheat — largest exporter), arms exports.
Sanctions since 2022 have reshaped trade toward China, India, and Turkey, and away from Europe.
Cuisine
- Borscht — beetroot soup (also claimed by Ukraine)
- Pelmeni — meat dumplings
- Blini — thin pancakes with caviar or salmon
- Shchi — cabbage soup
- Vodka — the national drink
UNESCO Sites
Russia has 32 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, including the Moscow Kremlin and Red Square, the Historic Centre of Saint Petersburg, Kizhi Pogost, Lake Baikal, Volcanoes of Kamchatka, and Golden Mountains of Altai.
Travel Guide
Entry: Russia requires visas for most Western visitors. Following the 2022 invasion of Ukraine, most Western governments advise against non-essential travel to Russia, and many direct flights have been suspended.
Best seasons (historically): June-August for European Russia; September for the “golden autumn”.
Surprising Facts
- Russia spans eleven time zones — from Kaliningrad (UTC+2) to Kamchatka (UTC+12).
- Lake Baikal is the world’s deepest and oldest lake — holding roughly 20% of the world’s unfrozen fresh surface water.
- The Trans-Siberian Railway runs 9,289 km from Moscow to Vladivostok — the world’s longest continuous rail line.
- Moscow has more billionaires (by one measure) per capita than almost any other city, though sanctions have reduced visible wealth.
- Russia has 190+ ethnic groups officially recognised; Russian ethnicity represents about 80% of the population.
- The Russian Orthodox Christmas falls on 7 January (Julian calendar), not 25 December.
Sources and References
See the frontmatter for cited sources.