Russia (, Rossija; pronounced ), alsoFrom Article 1 of Constitution of Russia: "The names "Russian Federation" and "Russia" shall be equivalent." the Russian Federation (, Rossijskaja Federacija; pronounced , ), is a country that stretches over a vast expanse of Europe and Asia. With an area of 17,075,200 square kilometres, it is the largest country in the world by land mass, covering almost twice the territory of the next-largest country, Canada. It ranks as the world's eighth largest population. Russia shares land borders with the following countries (counter-clockwise from NW to SE): Norway, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Belarus, Ukraine, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, China, Mongolia and North Korea. It is also close to the United States, Canada, Turkmenistan, Iran, Turkey, Sweden, and Japan across stretches of water.

Formerly the dominant republic of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR), Russia is now an independent country and an influential member of the Commonwealth of Independent States, since the Union's dissolution in December 1991. During the Soviet era, Russia was officially called the Russian Soviet Federated Socialist Republic (RSFSR). Russia is considered the Soviet Union's successor state in diplomatic matters.

Most of the area, population, and industrial production of the Soviet Union, then one of the world's two superpowers, lay in Russia. After the breakup of the USSR, Russia's global role was greatly diminished compared to that of the former Soviet Union. In October 2005, the federal statistics agency reported that Russia's population has shrunk by more than half a million people dipping to 143 million, although Russia remains the second country in the world by the number of immigrants from abroad.

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I should be honest. I don't understand why we have to celebrate Helloween, St. Valentine's Day etc. here in Russia?
Helly_K (Helly K) Thu, 26 Nov 2009 23:04:36 -0000
I should be honest. I don't understand why we have to celebrate Helloween, St. Valentine's Day etc. here in Russia?
@princessnessie so a Slanket is like NASA's anti-gravity ink pen to Russia's pencil (JML's Snuggie)?
hushm0nk3y (Stephen Cowley) Thu, 26 Nov 2009 23:04:28 -0000
@princessnessie so a Slanket is like NASA's anti-gravity ink pen to Russia's pencil (JML's Snuggie)?
Andrew Borene: Don't look away -- we must stand up to Russia... http://tinyurl.com/ylmt7cx
barbara45t4g (Barbara Lindsey) Thu, 26 Nov 2009 23:01:59 -0000
Andrew Borene: Don't look away -- we must stand up to Russia... http://tinyurl.com/ylmt7cx
@osetian About smokin in Russia. Well, I don't, so I believe its bad, cause eat when somebody is smoking on your side its umpleasant.
mauriciomariano (Mauricio Carneiro) Thu, 26 Nov 2009 23:01:43 -0000
@osetian About smokin in Russia. Well, I don't, so I believe its bad, cause eat when somebody is smoking on your side its umpleasant.
Tigers 'Took The Silk Road' To Russia http://tinyurl.com/ycvse9t
56sher3dj4 (Sherri Pena) Thu, 26 Nov 2009 23:01:37 -0000
Tigers 'Took The Silk Road' To Russia http://tinyurl.com/ycvse9t
Writing a #postcrossing postcard to Russia through http://www.postcrossing.com
lindaatjeisgek (Linda) Thu, 26 Nov 2009 22:59:54 -0000
Writing a #postcrossing postcard to Russia through http://www.postcrossing.com

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