Russia Geography
What is the terrain and geography like in Russia?
Overview
The Russian Federation is physically the largest country in the world, covering 17 million square kilometers or 1.8 times the size of the United States. The territory of the Russian Federation covers 11 time zones and stretches 6,000 miles from east to west. It has a population of about 147.5 million. Politically, the Russian Federation is a union of 89 constituent republics, regions, and territories that enjoy varying degrees of economic and political independence from the central government located in the capital, Moscow.Moscow is the largest city in Russia and is located west of the great Russian plain on the banks of the Moscow River at 37°73' E and 55°45' N. The city is built on several low hills varying from 25 feet to 815 feet above sea level.
St. Petersburg, Russia's second largest city and the former imperial capital, is located on a flat plain at the mouth of the Neva River on the Gulf of Finland at 55°57' N and 30°20' E. Established in 1703, the city is built on a series of 101 islands, and is laced by canals and various streams of the Neva.
Yekaterinburg, Russia's third largest city with an estimated population of 1.5 million, is located near the center of Russia, at the crossroads between Europe and Asia. Founded in 1723, Yekaterinburg today is the seat of the government for the Sverdlovsk region, which contains numerous heavy industries, mining concerns, and steel factories. In addition, Yekaterinburg is a major center for industrial research and development as well as home to numerous institutes of higher education, technical training, and scientific research.
Vladivostok, the largest city in the Russian Far East and home to the Russian Pacific fleet, is an important center for trade with the Pacific Rim countries. Closed to foreigners from 1958 to 1992, the city now is home to many foreign businesses and consulates.
Geography - note
largest country in the world in terms of area but unfavorably located in relation to major sea lanes of the world; despite its size, much of the country lacks proper soils and climates (either too cold or too dry) for agriculture; Mount El'brus is Europe's tallest peak; Lake Baikal, the deepest lake in the world, is estimated to hold one fifth of the world's fresh waterRussia Use of Natural Resources
| Geographic Location | Asia |
| Total Area |
6,601,631 Square Miles 17,098,242 Square Kilometers |
| Land Area |
6,323,446 Square Miles 16,377,742 Square Kilometers |
| Water Area |
278,185 Square Miles 720,500 Square Kilometers |
| Land Boundaries |
12,577 Miles 20,241 Kilometers |
| Irrigated Land |
16,780 Square Miles 43,460 Square Kilometers |
| Border Countries | Azerbaijan 284 km, Belarus 959 km, China (southeast) 3,605 km, China (south) 40 km, Estonia 290 km, Finland 1,313 km, Georgia 723 km, Kazakhstan 6,846 km, North Korea 17.5 km, Latvia 292 km, Lithuania (Kaliningrad Oblast) 227 km, Mongolia 3,441 km, Norway 196 km, Poland (Kaliningrad Oblast) 432 km, Ukraine 1,576 km |
| Coastline |
23,396 Miles 37,653 Kilometers |
| Geographic Coordinates | 60 00 N, 100 00 E |
| Terrain | broad plain with low hills west of Urals; vast coniferous forest and tundra in Siberia; uplands and mountains along southern border regions |
| Highest Point | 5,633 Meters |
| Highest Point Location | Gora El'brus 5,633 m (highest point in Europe) |
| Lowest Point | -28 Meters |
| Lowest Point Location | Caspian Sea -28 m |
| Natural Resources |
wide natural resource base including major deposits of oil, natural gas, coal, and many strategic minerals, reserves of rare earth elements, timber note: formidable obstacles of climate, terrain, and distance hinder exploitation of natural resources |
| Time Zone |
UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) time zone note: Russia has 11 time zones, the largest number of contiguous time zones of any country in the world; in 2014, two time zones were added and DST dropped |
| Daylight saving time | does not observe daylight savings time (DST) |
