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Russia
- Vicinity: Europe and Asia
| Place | Type | AsNotedIn | Area |
|---|---|---|---|
| Place | Type | AsNotedIn | Area |
| Astrakhan Oblast | Oblast |
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| Central Sikhote-Alin | |||
| Church of the Ascension, Kolomenskoye | |||
| Cultural and Historic Ensemble of the Solovetsky Islands | |||
| Curonian Spit | |||
| Ensemble of the Ferrapontov Monastery | |||
| Far Eastern | Russian Federal District |
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| Golden Mountains of Altai | |||
| Historical Centre of the City of Yaroslavl | |||
| Kizhi Island | Place |
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| Lake Baikal | |||
| Lena Pillars Nature Park | |||
| Moscow | City |
|
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| North Caucasian | Russian Federal District |
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| Northern Steppe and Saiga Migration | |||
| Northwestern | Russian Federal District |
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| Oryol Oblast | Oblast |
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| Sea of Okhotsk | |||
| Siberian | Russian Federal District |
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| Steller's Sea Eagle | |||
| Struve Geodetic Arc, Russia | Monument, Marker | ||
| Taymry Peninsula | |||
| The Valley of the Geysers | |||
| Tyulenii Island | Island | ||
| Ural Federal District | Russian Federal District |
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| Uvs Nuur Basin | |||
| Virgin Komi Forests | |||
| Volcanoes of Kamchatka | |||
| Volga | Russian Federal District |
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| White Monuments of Vladimir and Suzdal | |||
| Yankicha |
Eat and Drink »
Geography »
| Physiographic Features | Type | AsNotedIn |
|---|---|---|
| Lake Baikal | ||
| Northern Steppe and Saiga Migration | ||
| Sea of Okhotsk | ||
| Tyulenii Island | Island |
Information »
Location
North Asia bordering the Arctic Ocean, extending from Europe (the portion west of the Urals) to the North Pacific Ocean - The World Factbook
Data »
Themes »
History »
Founded in the 12th century, the Principality of Muscovy, was able to emerge from over 200 years of Mongol domination (13th-15th centuries) and to gradually conquer and absorb surrounding principalities. In the early 17th century, a new Romanov Dynasty continued this policy of expansion across Siberia to the Pacific. Under PETER I (ruled 1682-1725), hegemony was extended to the Baltic Sea and the country was renamed the Russian Empire. During the 19th century, more territorial acquisitions were made in Europe and Asia. Defeat in the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-05 contributed to the Revolution of 1905, which resulted in the formation of a parliament and other reforms. Repeated devastating defeats of the Russian army in World War I led to widespread rioting in the major cities of the Russian Empire and to the overthrow in 1917 of the imperial household. The Communists under Vladimir LENIN seized power soon after and formed the USSR. The brutal rule of Iosif STALIN (1928-53) strengthened Communist rule and Russian dominance of the Soviet Union at a cost of tens of millions of lives. The Soviet economy and society stagnated in the following decades until General Secretary Mikhail GORBACHEV (1985-91) introduced glasnost (openness) and perestroika (restructuring) in an attempt to modernize Communism, but his initiatives inadvertently released forces that by December 1991 splintered the USSR into Russia and 14 other independent republics. Since then, Russia has shifted its post-Soviet democratic ambitions in favor of a centralized semi-authoritarian state in which the leadership seeks to legitimize its rule through managed national elections, populist appeals by President PUTIN, and continued economic growth. Russia has severely disabled a Chechen rebel movement, although violence still occurs throughout the North Caucasus. - The World Factbook