Russia

Political system:

Russia is a democratic federate republic (the Russian Federation) with presidential government and a two chamber parliament.

Capital:

Moscow.

Location:

Russia occupies 11. 5%of the total world ’s dry land, including a part of Eastern Europe and about one third of north Asia. The total area of Russia is 17 millions sq. km.

Geographical position:

Most typical landscapes are tundra, taiga, steppe plains and highlands. Plains occupy 75% of the Russian territory. Climate is mode ate. The average temperature of January varies from 0 minus 5 °C (within the Caucasus and European part of the count try)to minus 40 50 °C (Yakutiya);the temperature in July varies from plus 1 °C (in the north of Ciberia)to plus 24 °25 °C (in the Pricaspian lowland).

Time:

11 time zones.

Population:

145 millions; more than 100 nations. Russians are 81, 5%, Tartars 3, 8 %, Ukrainians 3%, Chuvashs 1, 2%, Bashkirs 0. 9%, Belorussians 0, 8%, the Mordovians 0, 7%, the Germans, the Chechen, 0, 6 %%, the Avars, the Armenians, the Jews 0, 4 %, the others.

Language:

The state language is Russian, national languages and dialects, in the regions.

Biggest cities:

Moscow, St Petersburg, Nizhny Novgorod, Novosibirsk, Ekaterinburg, Volgograd, Samara, Rostov on Don, Omsk, Ufa, Chelyabinsk, Kazan, Perm.

Currency:

Ruble =100 kopecks. Foreign currencies can be exchanged in banks and exchange offices (mainly US dollars).

Banks:

Banks are open from 10. 00 till 19. 00. The majority of exchange offices are open 24 hours.

Post:

Most of post offices have so called floating schedule: for example, they are open from 12. 00 till 18. 00 on even days and from 10. 00 till 16. 00 on odd days.

Communication:

The quality of the telecommunication service in Russia has recently become considerably better. Payphones are common in most of towns, magnetic telephone cards used. The order of dialing is as follows: the international code 8 10, the code of a country, code of a town, phone number.

Shops:

Shops are open from 9. 00 (10. 00) till 20. 00 (21. 00), supermarkets till 23. 00 or 24 hours. There are a great many small shops and booths open 24 hours.

Transport :

There is a dense network of railways in Russia, which connects distant points of the country. A railway journey is recommended if the distance between places is more than 200 km. City transport usually works from 6. 00 till 24. 00 (1. 00). Tickets are available on the bus. Metro is the main transport in cities with population more than 1 million. Metro magnetic cards are available in metro stations.

Health service:

There is no medical limitation for entrants now. Emergency service is free. Many large western medical companies have their representatives in Russia.

Electricity:

Voltage is 220 V, 50 Hz, power points are standard (2 circle pins).

Holidays:

January 1and 2 (New Year Day), January 7 (Christmas), February 23 (Fatherland Defender ’s Day), March 8 (International Woman ’s Day), May 1 and 2 (Holiday of Spring and Labors), May 9 (Victory Day), June 12 (Independence Day), November 7 (Concordance and Conciliation Day), December 12 (Constitution Day).

National cuisine:

Among traditional Russian dishes popular are: shchi, borshch with sour cream, Russian solyanka soup, salad “Oliv ’e ” ((which necessarily presents in any holiday menu), holodets, bliny. Vodka is the main Russian alcohol, prepared from grain and cleanest spring water.