Russia

Russia is located on the continents of Europe and Asia, where it has a coastal position and is bordered by Azerbaijan, Belarus, China, Estonia, Finland, Georgia, Kazakhstan, North Korea, Latvia, Lithuania, Mongolia, Norway, Poland, Ukraine, the Arctic Ocean, Baltic Sea, Barents Sea, Black Sea, Caspian Sea, Pacific Ocean and Sea of Azov. There are seven continents in the world: Asia, Africa, North America, South America, Europe, Antarctica, Australia (Oceania). Europe is the world's second smallest continent, occupying a total area of 10,180,000 km2. Europe has 51 countries, with some countries belonging to both Europe and Asia, and forms 6.8% of the world's landmass. Asia is the largest continent in the world, it has 48 countries, with some countries belonging to both Asia and Europe. It spans a total area of 43,820,000 km2 and forms 29.5% of the world's landmass. Russia is a coastal country that spreads across a total area of approximately 17,098,200 km2. It is the largest country in the world and forms part of two continents; Asia and Europe. The vast majority, approximately 77 percent, of Russia's land area occurs in Asia with the remainder coming under Europe.

The following information provides a guideline to the approximate border lengths of Russia:
Coastline 37,653 km, Azerbaijan 338 km, Belarus 1,312 km, China (southeast border) 4,133 km, China (south border) 46 km, Estonia 324 km, Finland 1,309 km, Georgia 894 km, Kazakhstan 7,644 km, North Korea 18 km, Latvia 332 km, Lithuania (Kaliningrad Oblast: Russian exclave) 261 km, Mongolia 3,452 km, Norway 191 km, Poland (Kaliningrad Oblast: Russian exclave) 210 km, Ukraine 1,944 km.

Russia has a continental climate characterized by dry, warm to hot summers and cold to extremely cold winters. The geography of Russia is very diverse due to the size and location of this huge country. The East European Plain comprises of grassland and forests, large treeless areas and semi-desert regions. Russia's land is vast and covers various geographical regions including tundra, the Taiga boreal forest, temperate steppe, plains, and mountainous regions. Europe's longest river, the Volga, flows through central Russia into the Caspian Sea. The lowest point of Russia is the Caspian Sea at -28m, and the highest point of elevation is Gora El'brus at 5,642m.

The official language of Russia is Russian. Other languages that are used as a primary form of communication but on a smaller scale include Tatar and Chechen.

The primary religion of Russia is Russian Orthodox at approximately 18% of the population. Around Muslim 15%. The remaining population either belongs to other religions or no religion at all.

Natural resources are materials and substances that can be found occurring naturally on Earth. Natural resources are very important across the world, and can be exploited for economic gain. The level of natural resources present in an individual country depends on varying factors which are influenced by the geography, climate and location of that country. Some countries, such as Russia, The United States, Saudi Arabia and Canada, have many natural resources, where as some other countries have limited to none. Food, transport and construction are three of the primary uses of natural resources. For example, fish is a naturally occurring resource that can be caught for food consumption. Crude oils can be refined into different types of fuels in order to power vehicles/cars. Wood/timber from forests can be used to build homes and furniture. The natural resources found in Russia include oil, natural gas, coal, minerals, rare elements and timber.

Every country has its own unique culture, history and identity. Flags, symbols, emblems, mottos, songs, anthems and colors are used by countries across the world to represent national pride and identity. These national symbols are forged through a nation's unique history and can represent both hardship and prosperity, embodying freedom, strength and unity. Flags, emblems, colors, songs and mottos reflect the past, present and future aspirations of a country, and create an important image to the rest of the world. National symbols can include a mixture of things that are symbolic to a country such as animals, birds, flowers, trees, geographical features, tools of agriculture, crops, and tools of war. Here are some important facts on the symbols, songs and colors of Russia: