GENERAL
Official name of the state
Russian Federation or Russia
Capital
Moscow.
Geography
As a country located in Europe according to a2zgov, the Russian Federation is the largest country in the world and stretches from Moscow in the west across the Urals and the Siberian steppe to the Sea of Okhotsk and the Bering Sea in the east. The huge country borders Norway, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Belarus, Ukraine, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, North Korea and China.
The border between European Russia and Siberia (Asia) lies on the Ural Mountains, the Ural River and the Manych Plain. European Russia stretches from the Arctic Ocean across central Russia to the Black Sea, the Caucasus and the Caspian Sea. The Crimean peninsula in the south of the country, which belonged to Russia until 1956, was an autonomous republic from 1992 to March 17, 2014. Since March 18, 2014, the Russian Federation has treated Crimea as a federal subject of the Russian Federation, but this is not recognized by the UN.
However, most of the Russian Federation is in Asia. Siberia stretches from the West Siberian Steppe and the Central Siberian Plateau between Yenisey and Lena and the Sajan, Jablonovyi and Stanovoj mountain ranges in the south to the East Siberian Mountains between Lena and the Pacific coast, including the Chukot and Kamchatka Peninsulas. Lake Baikal in Siberia is the deepest inland lake on earth.
Government
Presidential republic since 1991. Constitution of 1993. Bicameral parliament with 450 members in the lower house (Duma) and 165 in the upper house (Federation Council). President has a strong position and is elected for six years. Since 1991 independent state of the CIS.
Head of state
Vladimir Putin, since May 2012.
Head of government
Dmitry Medvedev, since May 2012.
Electricity
220 V, 50 Hz.
MONEY
Currency
1 ruble = 100 kopecks. Currency abbreviations: Rbl, RUB (ISO code). Banknotes are in circulation to the value of 5,000, 1,000, 500, 100, 50, 10 and 5 rubles There are coins in denominations of 10, 5, 2 and 1 rubles, as well as kopecks in denominations of 50, 10, 5 and 1.
Kopecks in denominations of 1 and 5 are no longer produced, prices are rounded to 10 and 50 kopecks.
Credit cards
International credit cards such as American Express, Diners Club and Visa are accepted in larger hotels, shops and restaurants (American Express, however, almost exclusively in Moscow and St. Petersburg). Details from the issuer of the credit card in question. Many large hotels and department stores have ATMs where you can withdraw cash with a credit or debit card.
ATMs
ec / Maestro card / Sparcard
cards with the Cirrus or Maestro symbol are accepted throughout Europe and worldwide. There are plenty of ATMs in Moscow and St. Petersburg in particular. Beware of manipulated devices. Further information from banks and credit institutes.
Attention: Travelers who pay with their bank customer card abroad and want to withdraw money should find out about the options for using their card from their bank prior to departure.
Bank opening times
Mon-Thu 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Fri 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. (variations are possible).
Foreign exchange regulations
The import of local and foreign currencies (including travelers checks and securities) is unrestricted, but must be declared from an amount equivalent to US $ 10,000 (all means of payment, keep the receipt in a safe place). The same applies to the export of foreign currencies, transfer and declaration receipts must be presented on request.
The export of the national currency is limited to 50,000 rubles.
In any case, it is advisable to inquire about the current foreign exchange regulations at the responsible consular mission.
Currency Exchange
Foreign currencies should only be exchanged in official exchange offices and banks (small denominations). Every currency exchange, there are daily fluctuations, must be noted on the declaration form and all receipts should be kept until departure. Currency exchange outside of banking hours is possible in international hotels, exchange offices and airports. Money transfers through Western Union are also possible.
CULTURE
Religion
Mainly Christian religions; the Russian Orthodox Church is the largest religious community (15-20%). There are also Muslim, Buddhist and Jewish minorities.
Social rules of conduct
Manners: Shake hands to greet you. Visitors are always impressed by the hospitality that goes without saying. Company gifts are gladly accepted.
Clothing: Basically, you can never go wrong with more conservative clothing.
Smoking: Smoking is in schools, universities, in elevators, in stairwells, on children’s playgrounds, within a radius of 15 meters around the entrances to the metro, in restaurants, cafés, clubs, in train stations and in trains as well as in all others public transport prohibited.
Tipping: If the service charge is not already included in the bill, a 5-10% tip is common in town. In upscale hotels and restaurants in Moscow and other major cities, 10-15% tips are expected. Taxi drivers, housekeeping staff and tourist guides also expect tips.
CLIMATE
Best travel time
Large seasonal fluctuations and regional differences. The range extends from hot temperatures, which melt the asphalt, to below -30 ° C in the Siberian winter. The climate changes from an arctic climate in the north to a continental climate in the south. It’s hard to say in general, except that you should be prepared for everything. In northern Russia, spring and autumn are cooler than in central Europe. In the far north there is a strictly polar climate. It is milder on the Baltic coast, where many Muscovites like to spend their holidays. Sochi, a seaside resort and venue for the 2014 Winter Olympics, was nicknamed “Florida of Russia” thanks to its tropical temperatures – minus the suntanned seniors, of course.
South: Shorter winters than in the north. In the steppes (southeast) hot, dry summers and very cold winters. In the northern and northeastern Black Sea region, the winters are mild. High rainfall all year round. The best travel time starts in May and ends in October.
Siberia: very cold winters; pleasant, short summers with lots of rainfall. Spring and autumn are significantly cooler than in Central Europe.
COUNTRY DATA
Area code +7 Area (sqkm) 17098242 Population 142423773 Population density (per sqkm) 8 Population in 2015 Member of the EU No main emergency number 112