RUSSIA

Russia, the largest country in the world, occupies one-tenth of all the land on Earth. It spans 11 time zones across two continents (Europe and Asia) and has coasts on three oceans . The Russian landscape varies from desert to frozen coastline, tall mountains to giant marshes.Russia is the world’s largest nation with a rich history and several dozen ethnic groups. Its history is dominated by invasions, monarchies and a the authoritarian 20th-century Soviet regime. Its current politicians are often at odds with Western values and clash with both Europe and the United States.

Russia is a federal republic and, in theory, a multi-party representative democracy, wherein the President is the head of state, and the Prime Minister is the head of government. The President is also the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation.

It is a recognised nuclear-weapons state, possessing the world’s largest stockpile of nuclear weapons, with the fourth-highest military expenditure. Russia’s extensive mineral and energy resources are the world’s largest, and it is among the leading producers of oil and natural gas globally.