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| Vladimir | Irkutsk | Moscow | SVladivostok |
| Dagestan | Karelia | Krasnoyatsk |
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| Russia Travel Guide Edit This The best resource for sights, hotels, restaurants, bars, what to do and see Wooden church at Kizhi Wooden church at Kizhi Nowran Russia has for many years been a land of mystery and intrigue to Westerners. For hundreds of years, depending on the direction of political winds, Russia has been an enigma, a friend, or an enemy of the West. It is a miraculous country and still mysterious to many foreigners, with many cultural and historic treasures, unspoiled nature; and industrious, bright and hospitable people. Russia mothered Peter and Catherine the Great, Dostoevsky, Tolstoy, Pushkin, Tchaikovsky, Nabokov, among others, who have contributed to the rich cultural heritage. Russia is geographically enormous, far larger than Canada or the United States. It is still the biggest country in the world, stretching from Poland to Korea and from the Polar Regions to the deserts Asia. It is also the country with the most number of neighbors in the world. On this huge landmass there are many of the worlds greatest sights to discover. St. Petersburg and Moscow are surely exciting places to start your sightseeing of Russia, with world class museums, churches and other historic centers well worth exploring. There are two ways how you can explore Russia. First, is the conventional land tours to Russia. Second is Russian river cruises. Land tour gives you more freedom to choose where to go and what's to see, while cruise allows you to see more for less and with a company of other travelers. You can get the idea about land tour prices at www.travelallrussia.com and rates on river cruises at www.allrussiacruises.com. ___________Sights Edit This The Palace at Peterof The Palace at Peterof Joseph Hollick Part or or all of this text stems from the original article at: mnvpfho wiym [Add Sight] Peterof - Gardens, Fountains & Palace Edit This The Palace at Peterof The Palace at Peterof photo by: Joseph Hollick About one hour ouside of St. Petersburg is Peterof which consists of another palace which is fantastic, however even more impressive are the grounds which extend to the Gulf of Finland. The gardens and fountains will leave you speechless! A must see! type: Palaces World66 rating: [rate it] _______History Edit This The Russian Federation was established in late 1991, when the former Soviet Union (USSR) disintegrated and all the 15 Soviet republics became independent countries. The Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) was formed immediately afterwards to foster economic co-operation among the former Soviet Republics except the Baltic States. The Russian Federation then became a member of the CIS. However, the differences in political and economic conditions have prevented the CIS from implementing common economic policies or creating a free trade area, and Russia has its own systems. The Russian Federation extends from the Baltic States and Ukraine to the Ural Mountains, while the Asian part covers Siberia to the Russian Far East bordering the Pacific Ocean. The country is divided into republics (formed on the basis of ethnic lines), territories and administrative regions (on geographical or industrial basis, with some being autonomous regions), as well as two municipalities, Moscow and St Petersburg, directly under the central government. _________Practical Information Edit This In order to be ready for a visit to any foreign country you should definitely know some of its basic rules and peculiarities. We tried to prepare some information for you that might be very useful to learn before undertaking the trip. This information is divided into sections below. There you'll find out about the type of money the country uses, the entry regulations, visas etc. ________Getting Around Edit This Air Not long ago, Aeroflot was the only airline that served internal Russia. Now there is a great number of companies that can deliver you to any place in Russia you might wish to visit. However, the service may differ. Aerflot has offered deals a couple times a year from major US hub cities to Moscow. It is a deep discount to watch out for. Other airlines these days definitely compete for that discounted rate, though. Take your time and shop for the best deal below $1000 roundtrip. Railroad Another way to travel through Russia is to take a train. The country has developed rail network that makes trains a viable means of getting to practically anywhere. They are cheap and comfortable. However, they are too time consuming. The air and rail network run on Moscow time but the suburban train services work on local time. For someone on a budget the train is a great way to travel between Western Russia and European countries. They are indeed very comfortable, nicer (I hear) than some European trains. It is economical and easy to sleep on the train if you're going overnight. Horses Russian horses are a great way to travel when between small towns. They are comfortable and very well served. Cars Driving in Russia can be a little bit difficult for those who haven't gotten used to the rough road conditions. Obtaining permits for owning cars for foreigners is a lengthly ordeal. Importing a car into Russia as a foreigner is even worse. Some expats (those that can afford it) buy cars once they're in Russia and hire a driver from a driving company to smooth out the paperwork process. It's less of an ordeal that way. Public Transportation In Moscow, using taksis, buses, minibuses, trams and the Metro is pretty everyday commonplace. Only the wealthy actually own their own cars. The public transportation system in Moscow is one of the very best in the world, so use it. Subway trains in the Metro leave every few minutes, so there is no need to time your arrival at the station. Negotiate your fare with the private taksi drivers; they'll try to rip you off if you don't bargain. Otherwise, fares are preset, paid for upfront and cheap. The Metro is open until late and you can always catch a taksi home whenever. River transport River transport remains an important way of transportation, especially in summer. Using paasenger boats you can travel far along the major Russian Rivers.The main passenger services ply between Moscow and St Petersburg and between Moscow and various points on the Volga and Don including Yaroslavl, Nizhny Novgorod, Volgograd, Astrakhan and Rostov-on-Don. The trip for sure will be fun. No one seriously does this except for fun and travel. ____________Getting There Edit This Passports & Visas All visitors must have a valid visa afixed to the passport prior to entering Russia with the exception of Cruise ship passengers arriving at the port of St Petersburg. This visa waiver is for those who make advanced arrangements for guided tours from authorized tour companies. The most common visas for visitors are the Tourist. Business and Homestay Visas. The Tourist is good for a maximum of 30 days and cannot be extended from within Russia. Business visas can be 30, 60, 90 180 and 365 day maximum duration. Foreigners are required to submit an AIDS certificate when applying for visas with durations of longer than 3 months. A Homestay Visa is intended for those invited to stay in the home of a Russian citizen friend or relative and is available in durations up to 3 months. Check the Russian Embassy online for the most accurate and recent info. There are slight variations between local Russian Consulate visa application procedures in different countries. A visa application form, passport type photo and an invitation from your hosting organization or hotel. An extention or renewal is not possible from within Russia so long term visitor can renew visas by exiting Russia and applying for a new visa in any other country. The standard processing time at the consulate is 7 days but shorter processing times are available down to 1 hour at some consulates. The consular fees increase for shorter reqested procssing times. If you need to identify your self, as in any country away from home, the only valid form of ID is your passport. Don't lose it, a replacement can take some time and a visitor without a passport must leave the country within a short period. Booking a hotel room, getting cell phone accouts, booking train or bus travel will all require showing your passport. Foreigners living in Russia have plenty of stories to tell about militsiya and passports. It ranges from simple stops on the subway, to bribe extortions and/or jail time hopefully with help from an influential person to convince the guards to let you out early. Generally speaking all those stories are 3rd or 4th hand and not easy to verify. Asking the same person if it has happened to them personally will usually result "no" as the answer. People from the Caucasus region can expect to be checked for proper visa and passport. Advice? Always have a valid passport and visa. Air Aerflot has offered deals a couple times a year from major US hub cities to Moscow. It is a deep discount to watch out for. Other airlines these days definitely compete for that discounted rate, though. Take your time and shop for the best deal below $1000 roundtrip. I flew in on Scandinavian and out on Aeroflot. Discount European airlines are now flying into Russian major cities for ticket prices 1/2 to 1/5 that of train tickets. GermanWings for example has flights from German cities to Moscow for less than 40 euros Railroad For someone on a budget the train was the best choice for travel between Western Russia and European countries. Now, however there are discount flights and bus service for lower prices. Russian trains in the 2nd class and 1st class cabins are indeed very comfortable. It is economical and easy to sleep on the train if you're going overnight amd have booked a sleeping cabin. Other classes offer seating which are much less expensive and fine for shorter trips. Russian train stations are based out of or near Metro stations around Moscow. Train destinations are organized by region: western Europe, the Caucasus, Ukraine, Eastern Russia, commuter cities, etc. One train station serves one region. Be sure to check you have the right train station; they're spaced far, far apart from each other in the city. It would be a pain to drag bags and bags of luggage across town on the Metro because you arrived at the wrong train station. Ticket sales are run by government employees and independent ticket sellers. Agents or independent sellers add a small commission to the offical ticket price. If you make sure you understand where the station is for your destination and what your ticket says, then it should be a breeze from there. There will be a customs stop right at the border to check passports (regardless of the hour). Trains have the easiest customs and passport control procedures, with only a brief stop to pick uip customs and imigrations official who process entry for passengers while the train travels to the border where the officals get off. Except for express trains running between Mosocw and St Petersburg, most Russian trains are slower and have rougher tracks than Scandinavian or European routes but the cabins can be quite cozy and relaxing for longer trips. Bus There is bus service to and between European cities. This is sometimes cheapest way to go, but it is also less comfortable than a sleeping cabin on the train. Quality buses are used on most routes so short trips can be quite convenient and accessible. Russian transportation vocab Mozhna kupit... = Can one buy... platit = to pay (for) Da, mozhna. = Yes, it's possible. Nyet, ne mozhna. = No, you can't (sometimes absolutely not). Da nyet. = May be. tooda ee obratna = there and back (round trip) adin poot = one way bilyet = ticket veeza = visa vogzal = train station stansiya metro = subway station astanofka = bus stop passport = passport samolyet = plane pa-yezd = train AFtoboos = bus zaits = hare (aka someone who cheats the fare and rides for free) ____________Economy Edit This Economy overview: In terms of natural resources, a well-educated population and developed industrial base Russia could be considered a wealthy country. However, its economy experiences formidable difficulties in moving from its old centrally planned economy to a modern market economy. Major Exports Russia's major exports are fuels, energy, metals, machinery & equipment, chemicals, and oils Vadca, and clothes. Major Imports Russia's major imports are machinery & equipment, food and agricultural raw materials, chemicals and metals. Major Export Markets Main export markets are Ukraine, Germany, Belarus, Netherlands and China. Major Import Markets Russia's main import markets are Germany, Ukraine, Belarus and the US. Agriculture Russia is a major producer of wheat, barley, oats, and rye. In the early 1990s Russia annually produced 46 million metric tons of wheat, 25.5 million metric tons of barley, 13.9 million metric tons of rye, and 11.5 million metric tons of oats. Other important crops in Russia include dry peas, corn, millet, buckwheat, rice, and soybeans. Various types of temperate-climate fruits, such as apples, pears, and cherries, are also grown extensively in Russia. In the far north, reindeer herding is a major occupation among the native peoples. Fishing Russia's fishing industry is one of the largest in the world. In the early 1990s the annual catch was about 9.2 million metric tons. Marine fisheries accounted for the largest share of the catch. Of the inland catch, the saltwater Azov, Black, and Caspian seas accounted for about three-fifths of the total; freshwater lakes, rivers, reservoirs, and ponds accounted for the remainder. Mining Mining is a major sector of the Russian economy and provides important items for national export. Mineral resources are diverse, abundant, and generally well developed. Russia has large reserves of energy-bearing minerals, including petroleum, coal, and natural gas. For many years it extracted enough of the minerals to meet domestic demands, provide for nations in its economic sphere, and export to industrial nations of the West in return for needed hard currency. Export Russia is a major exporter of iron ore, with most production occurring in the Kursk Magnetic Anomaly of south central Russia. Iron ore deposits near Magnitogorsk in the Ural Mountains have been largely depleted. Russia is also a notable exporter of copper (168,000 metric tons in 1990) and nickel (127,000 metric tons in 1990). Copper and nickel ores are mined primarily in the Urals, although sizable deposits of nickel are also located in the Kola Peninsula near Murmansk. The country is one of the world's leading producers of gold, which is mined in the Urals, western Siberia, and eastern Siberia in the valley of the Lena River. Russia is also a major diamond producer. ___________Administrative Structure Edit This Political System Government type: Federation. ” The Chief of State is the President. The President is elected by popular vote for a four-year term. ” The Head of Government is the Premier and Chairman of the Russian Federation Government. Legal System Based on civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts. The Constitution was adopted 12 December 1993. Administratively, Russia includes 21 republics; 6 territories known as krays; 10 national areas called okrugs; 49 regions, or oblasts; 1 autonomous oblast; and 2 cities with federal status. _____________People Edit This photo Population: Russia's total population in 2005 was estimated at 143,420,309, making the country the sixth most populous, after China, India, the United States, Indonesia, and Brazil. The country is inhabited by one of the widest varieties of nationalities and ethnic groups in the world, and many of the country's national groups have their own administrative territories. More than 100 nationalities inhabit Russia, making it one of the most multinational states in the world. The country contains 32 ethnic divisions that are scattered throughout its territory. Three-quarters of the total population constitutes are concentrated in European Russia, while urban populations constitute over two-thirds of the total. Moscow, the capital, and St Petersburg are the two most populated cities, with 11 million and 5 million inhabitants respectively. They are major centres of business and political activities. Ethnic groups: Russian 79.8%, Tatar 3.8%, Ukrainian 2%, Bashkir 1.2%, Chuvash 1.1%, other or unspecified 12.1% (2002 census) Age structure: 0-14 years: 14.6% (male 10,704,617/female 10,173,313) 15-64 years: 71.3% (male 49,429,716/female 52,799,740) 65 years and over:14.2% (male 6,405,027/female 13,907,896) (2005 est.) Population growth rate: -0.37% (2005 est.) Birth rate: 9.8 births/1,000 population (2005 est.) Birth rate: 9.8 births/1,000 population (2005 est.) Death rate: 14.52 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) Net migration rate: 1.03 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.46 male(s)/female total population: 0.86 male(s)/female (2005 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 15.39 deaths/1,000 live births male: 17.7 deaths/1,000 live births female: 12.94 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 67.1 years male: 60.55 years female: 74.04 years (2005 est.) Total fertility rate: 1.27 children born/woman (2005 est.) Nationality: noun: Russian(s) adjective: Russian Religions: Russian Orthodox, Muslim, Budhism, other Languages: Russian,Tatar, other Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99.6% male: 99.7% female: 99.5% (2003 est.) ::::::::Altai Travel Guide Edit This The best resource for sights, hotels, restaurants, bars, what to do and see The Katun river with looming hills. The Katun river with looming hills. Val Buzeta Altai is a region of southern Russia which borders Mongolia, China and Kazakhstan. Accessable only from Barnaul in Siberia or nearby Biysk, it is famous for it's mountains and rivers which provide hiking and adventure sport opportunities. Historically, Altai offers the chance to see ancient kurgans and the land of tatooed mummies: some of the oldest evidence of human habitation in Russia. Today, Altai is sparcely populated with a large number of the local peoples living in villiages along the Chyusky Trakt. As a result, it is easy to get away from civilisation and see some truly isolated and unique nature. The main method of travel around Altai is the Chyusky Trakt - a road which cuts a swaythe through the centre of the area, winding precariously around hills and mountains at several points. Some small roads can be found in the west towards Mount Belukha (4506m) and in the north east around Lake Teletskoye. Beyond this, the numerous rivers often provide a lifeline to the people who live alongside it. The most well known routes for white water rafting include the Katun and Chuya rivers, both ranging from level 0 all the way to level 5. Thanks to the difficulty in travelling around Altai, many suggest travelling either with an organised group or with a well-known and trusted guide. In-depth knowlege of the local area is essential, as even a trip down the river can quickly leave travellers stranded and far away from the nearest road. :::::::::::Dagestan Travel Guide Edit This The best resource for sights, hotels, restaurants, bars, what to do and see Most/Kujnik Most/Kujnik Rasim Kasimov Dagestan is a republic within the Russian federation. Located between the Caspian sea on the East and Caucasus mountains on the West, it is one of the most attractive places in that part of the globe. In size it is close to Scotland. With population of just above 2 million people, Dagestan is the homeland to over 36 different nationalities, and each one of those nationalities has its own unique language. Such combination of languages, cultures, types of landscape and customs makes it a one of a kind place in the world. The capital of Makhachkala is the most important town and the best place to start exploring the many aun's in the neighborhood. Derbent is an attractive city with very old roots. Tidib is set stunningly in the mountains and the watchtower is an important monument. These days, however, Dagestan is going through the times of heavy unrest, both political and ethnical. ::::::::Ekaterinburg Travel Guide Edit This The best resource for sights, hotels, restaurants, bars, what to do and see My city was began since 1723 year. It was A factory-fortress at the river Iset. The Factory did guns , anchors , coins. Since 1738 year the mineral workshop began to work. The Ekaterinburg area still has the different minerals. The name City Ekaterinburg receive from the queen Ekaterina I. She was second wife of tsar Petr I . Ekaterinburg was too the places where Decembermen (in 1813-1814 y.y.nobleman revolutioners which wanted to deleted the serfdom) did stop at the way to Siberia , and where them wives stoped too , when came to Siberia for to being with love husbands. Now Ekaterinburg is a big city, where live near 1500000 citizen. It is many theaters, cinemas, Universities. Too it is Underground (Metro), Zoo, circus . Own worldwide aroport. Near Ekaterinburg is the boarder of Europe and Asia. :::::::Irkutsk Travel Guide Edit This The best resource for sights, hotels, restaurants, bars, what to do and see bank of Angara bank of Angara Chaporgin A. Irkutsk is located 60km East of the world famous Lake Baikal. It is administrative centre of Irkutsk oblast (province) in the east-central Russia. The city lies along the Angara River at its confluence with the Irkut River. More than 750,000 people live in this city surrounded by natural beauty. Gorgeous birch forests link urban center to its residential area giving a kind of resort feeling to Irkutsk. It was founded as a wintering camp in 1652, during the first Russian colonization of the area; a fort was built in 1661, and Irkutsk rapidly became the main centre of Cisbaikalia and of the Russian trade route to China and Mongolia. It acquired town status in 1686. Its importance grew after the coming of the Trans-Siberian Railroad in 1898. The city of Irkutsk, with attractive embankments along the river and many surviving wooden houses on its tree-lined streets, is an administrative and cultural centre for Eastern Siberia and of the Russian Far East. Irkutsk State University (1918) and the Siberian branch of the Academy of Sciences are among the city’s many teaching and research institutes.b>Irkutsk has taken on several roles in its nearly 350 years of existence, including expedition base for explorations of Siberia, city of exiles, and gold rush town, just to name a few. The city’s nicknames include the capital of Siberia, the pearl of Siberia, and even Paris of Siberia. Irkutsk is lighthearted and sunny, filled with pastel-colored 18th century buildings and delicately sculptured old wooden houses where the political rebels lived n serene exile. Elaborate brick mansions were built at the turn of the century, and the dark black wooden cabins were adorned with a local "lace" sculpture that gives them a touch of the Italian Renaissance. In the late 19th century, gold was discovered in the nearby Lena Basin, and the Siberian Gold Rush began. People came to the region hoping to strike it rich, and those who were successful built sprawling classical mansions and financed public buildings, some of which still stand today. Irkutsk is in many ways the heart of Siberia, with its proximity to Lake Baikal. As a local writer once noted, "To miss seeing Irkutsk is to miss Siberia." To read about what is happening in Irkutsk and Baikal today you may visit Baikal Club blog on google ( http://baikalclub.blogspot.com ), where local people and travellers post their thoughts and ideas. ::::::Kaliningrad Travel Guide Edit This The best resource for sights, hotels, restaurants, bars, what to do and see i Kaliningrad has land borders with Poland and Lithuania, and several crossing points to both countres. There are several buses a day to Kaunas, Vilnius, Tallinn, Gdansk, Warsaw, and german cities, also daily trains to Berlin and Gdansk. The domestic and international airport is 10 miles from the city. Kaliningrad region occupies 0.1% of the RF territory - 15.1 thousand km2. Some areas thereof are situated below sea level. The highest point is Vishtynets upland -- 242 m above sea level. :::::Kaliningrad Travel Guide Edit This The best resource for sights, hotels, restaurants, bars, what to do and see Kaliningrad is a seaport and the administrative center of Kaliningrad Region, the Russian exclave between Poland and Lithuania on the Baltic sea. It is surrounded by NATO and EU members Poland and Lithuania and is geographically separated from the main part of Russia itself. In 2002, it had a population of 430,003 people. It was named Königsberg originally. It was the capital city of the German province of East Prussia. The city had that name from 1254 to 1945. One of the famous people from Königsberg was the philosopher Immanuel Kant. ::::::::::Kamchatka Travel Guide Edit This The best resource for sights, hotels, restaurants, bars, what to do and see Mountains around Nalechevo Park, Kamchatka Mountains around Nalechevo Park, Kamchatka Val Buzeta Kamchatka is a volcanic peninsula towards the extreme far east of Russia. In the same time zone as New Zealand, it relies on trade with far eastern countries such as Korea rather than Russia itself. Kamchatka, as part of the "ring of fire", has upto 68 active volcanoes and one of the few areas of geysers in the world. A recent landslide (June 3 2007) was believed to have destroyed the Valley of the Geysers but so far evidence seems to have shown that the damage may not be so severe. Along with the volcanoes and geysers, Kamchatka features a unique wildlife thanks to it's climate and has particularly interesting sea-life. Nearby islands provide the chance to see sea-lions, puffins and more. Likewise, the local breed of bear is unique to the peninsula and is numerous accross the area. The indigenous people of Kamchatka are more closely related to the Ainu of Japan. As a result, visiting cultural festivals and towns such as Esso can be worth including in a tour of the area and are often part of tour packages. The majority of the inhabitants live in and around the capital Petropavlosk-Kamchatsky and nearby Yelizovo. Travel away from these towns can often force reliance on 4x4s, boats and even helicopters. Some areas are only accessable via helicopter and so careful advance organisation is recomended. For wintersports, such as heliskiing, the whole of winter (upto April, or even May) is a good time to visit. For hiking and outdoor persuits, August and September provide the chance to see Kamchatka at it's best. :::::::::::Karelia Travel Guide Edit This The best resource for sights, hotels, restaurants, bars, what to do and see Wooden church at Kizhi Wooden church at Kizhi Nowran Karelia is situated on the board with Finland on the North from St-Pet. It is the land of virgin woods, thousand picturesque lakes and hundreds of rivers. Here You have excellent conditions for backpacking and rafting. The visitor can hunt an elk, a brown bear or go fishing. Kola peninsula located to the north of Karelia. It is remarkable for its amazing nature. High hills adjoin dense taiga woods and the open tundra. There is the one of the best mountain-skiing routes of Russia in the southern part of Kola peninsula. Karelia is stretched on 600 kilometers from the north on the south from Northern polar circle up to the Ladoga Lake. Karelia is often called the country of the lakes. There are more than 60 thousand big and small lakes here including the largest lakes in Europe - Ladoga and Onega. Most of them are connected by some short rivers that perfectly suit for rafting. Karelia is certainly created for boating. Here one can choose the routes, various on extent and complexity. Karelia is the land of the virgin pine woods. These woods are popular with the hunters. Traditionally the objects of hunt here are the elks, brown bear, wood-grouses and blackcocks. The most beautiful waterfall Kivatch is located near the city Petrozavodsk. This is the second-largest after Rhine flat waterfalls of Europe. Its height is about 11 meters. On the territory surrounded by waterfall falls there is a natural reserve "Kivatch". The rare Karelian birch grows here. Karelia republic the subject of the Russian Federation was founded July 8, 1920. About 790,000 people inhabit this northern part of Russia. The republic is divided into 19 districts, including 13 towns, 12 settlements of urban type and 128 volosts (Provinces). The capital of Karelia is Petrozavodsk. The total population of the city is about 290,000 people. It is the most important industrial city of the republic, an important scientific and cultural center. It is situated on the shore of the Petrozavodsk Bay of the Lake Onega, 925 km to the northwest of Moscow. ::::::::::::::::::::::Valaam Travel Guide Edit This The best resource for sights, hotels, restaurants, bars, what to do and see A group of picturesque rocky islands, the archipelago Valaamsky, is located in the northern part of the Lake Ladoga. The island Valaam is the main among them. The monastery was founded here in the 14th century. The name of the island comes from Finno-Ugric "valomo" - which means "the high, mountain land". The monks living there found this name harmonious to the name of the bible prophet so they named the island Valaam. Today the island Valaam itself and the male monastery located on the island is the united architectural complex. Those who love nature and history must visit this cultural center. The monks transformed this wild northern island into flourishing garden. The monks did not cut down the trees but used for their needs only the trees that had been tumbled down by the wind. Therefore Valaam is still covered by the virgin taiga. From the highest points of island one can enjoy the magnificent views to the Ladoga Lake. Other islands of archipelago create the world of fantastic landscapes with the rocks and the gulfs. :::::::::Kazan Travel Guide Edit This The best resource for sights, hotels, restaurants, bars, what to do and see photo Kazan is the capital of the Republic of Tatarstan on the junction of the Volga and Kazanka Rivers about 500 miles south-east of Moscow. Founded circa 1005 AD, it later served as the capital of the Kazan Khanate. It is an ancient city filled with magnificient buildings, monuments, boulevards and many other incredibly beautiful sights to see. In fact, Kazan is devided into two distinct parts : the upper town with the Kremlin, where the Russian gentry, merchants and craftsmen lived, and the lower town , the Old Tatar and new Tatar settlements, where Tatar tradesmen, merchants and even peasants lived, since cultivated fields extended to the very edge of the lower town. In the cultural sence, Kazan always struck a balance between Europe and Asia: the life-style of a provincial capital combined with the traditional mode of existence, resulted in a fascinating synthesis unique to Kazan. Naturally , the architectural regulations of the time also affected the construction of Kazan ’s stone mosques from the seventeenth to nineteenth centuries, which were built, as a rule, where old wooden mosques had been standing before. Although only a few of the mosques have survived , they demonstrate a surprising variety of architecture. _______Sights Edit This Aerial view of Kazan Aerial view of Kazan n/k [Add Sight] Kazan Kremlin Edit This The Kazan Kremlin is a wonderful combination of Muslim and Christian monuments, symbol of West meeting East. In 2000 the Kazan Kremlin was included in UNESCO World Heritage list. The Kremlon like all the central part of Kazan is a wonderful place for walks. In the central part you can admire the most ancient temples in the city. Among them are Peter and Pavel Cathedral and Mardzhani (Unousovskaya) Mosque. type: Landmarks World66 rating: [rate it] _________Getting There Edit This From Moscow ,St Petersburg, or any other city you can get to Kazan by air, rail or by bus. For the best air-ticket prices check the Priceline.com. The connection to the site is provided at the Links page. If you are spending time in the Volga region, you might be coming from/going to places like Cheboksary, Ulyanovsk, or Samara. Between Cheboksary and Kazan the bus is definitely easier, as with the train you must go to Kanash and then change trains for Kazan there. South along the Volga, there is only one train a day, six days a week (not Saturday). :::::::::Khabarovsk Travel Guide Edit This The best resource for sights, hotels, restaurants, bars, what to do and see i Khabarovsk is the capital of Far East of Russia. :::::::::::Krasnodar Travel Guide Edit This The best resource for sights, hotels, restaurants, bars, what to do and see City at south of Russia, the center of Krasnodarsky Kray. Population 600.000 people. 120 km from Black Sea. ::::::::::Krasnoyarsk region Travel Guide Edit This The best resource for sights, hotels, restaurants, bars, what to do and see i Krasnoyarsk region is the center of Siberia. Its territory occupies one seventh of Russia and can find room for 4 territories equal to Spain, 5 equal to Thailand or 52 to Estonias. Krasnoyarsk region is stretching for three thousand kilometers from the north to the south and crosses four climatic zones - from polar islands of the Arctic Ocean up to the subtropics of the Sayan mountains. In the southernmost city of the region Minusinsk the weather is well-suitable for water-melons growing, but in the northernmost city Norilsk, the winter temperature sometimes reaches -50 centigrade degree. The great Siberian river Yenisey flows through the territory of Krasnoyarsk. It is considered to be the most abounding in water river in Russia. The capital of the region, Krasnoyarsk, is one of the largest cities of Siberia and Russia. It is located on the Trans-Siberian Railway. An architectural symbol of the city is the Chapel of Paraskeva Pjatnitsa towering on Karaulnaya mountain. There is a unique natural reserve Stolby in several kilometers from Krasnoyarsk. The nature itself has created this marvelous cosy nook and decorated it with tens of natural granite sculptures. Some of them have absolutely fantastic shapes. It is worth visiting the settlement Shushenskoe in the south of Krasnoyarsk region. Local ethnographic museum displays in details the wooden architecture and way of the Siberian peasants life of the past centuries. ::::::::Moscow Travel Guide Edit This The best resource for sights, hotels, restaurants, bars, what to do and see Red Square Red Square Horace Chan Moscow is one of the oldest and most beautiful Russian cities. The emperors, or tsars, made the city their base of rule until 1712, when the capital was moved to Saint Petersburg. Moscow was restored as Russia's capital in 1918, and it served as the capital of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) from 1922 until 1991. Since then Moscow has been the capital of the Russian Federation. Moscow has a long and dramatic history. The city has been completely destroyed and rebuilt again many times throughout the years. Its most ancient wooden buildings disappeared in fires. Each time the city was resurrected from the ashes, it became more and more beautiful. For every rebuilding, the most talented and famous architects were invited from around the world to restore Moscow. This history of reconstruction Moscow has undergone is part of the reason she has absorbed the many different and diverse styles that visitors experience here. Stalin's epic and monumental buildings neighbor with small two-store nineteenth century town houses, while splendid cathedrals peer out from behind modern skyscrapers. Even in the heart of Moscow, in the Kremlin, old churches compete with the immense Congress Palace for space. Despite the size of the city (about 900 square kilometers) and the scale of many of the buildings and avenues there, the general layout is easily grasped - a series of concentric circles and radial lines, emanating from the Kremlin; the center being compact enough to explore on foot. The Kremlin and its surroundings are a great place to spend time. In the summer the temperature can get high. This surprises many people, as they associate Russia with snow. I arrived in June and was met with fantastic 90F heat. I headed straight for the Kremlin and Red Square, and found this is to be real hangout for young and old alike, with street bars everywhere and people jumping in the fountains to keep cool. The Kremlin deserves a full circumnavigation to appreciate the architectural splendour. This area is a very cool place to chill out! For more information on other attractive places that you can see in Moscow, please check the Sights section. :::::::::::Murmansk Travel Guide Edit This The best resource for sights, hotels, restaurants, bars, what to do and see i Murmansk known as Romanov-on-Murman at the date of its foundation October 4, 1916 is the centre of Murmansk region and the largest Russian seaport on the Arctic Ocean. The city was named after the Russian Royal Dinasty Romanovs Romanov-on-Murman. The name Murmansk the city got after the Revolution in 1917. Some consider that the word Murman is decsended from "Nurman" (Normann). Peoples of Scandinavia Russians called as "Murmans". Murmansk's development only started at the beginning of the 20th century. Before that, the Kola Peninsula was inhabited only by the Skolt Lapps and a few Russian settlers. The main sources of livlihood are fishing, shipping and the navy. This is a great sight to see largely because of the unique Arctic nature. The peninsula is covered by thousands of lakes and dense forests. Here you'll observe the polar day in summer and the polar night in winter. Murmansk is a strange city in many ways: it is above the polar circle, so endures weeks of total darkness in the winter and enjoys weeks of 24 hour sunshine in the summer. It is above the tree line; the trees peter out a couple of hundred miles to the south. It is above the 10 degree isotherm; that is a line drawn around the arctic where the average June temperature is 10 degrees celsius or less. And last but not least, despite cold winters, the sea doesn't freeze (because of the Gulf Stream). Go in winter, and you can have air temperatures of -16 degrees Celsius, with great clouds of steam coming off the water and hanging over the port area as fog. The people of Murmansk is genarally kindly but very few speak english. Lots of places in the surrounding are military areas and they are not marked. You should not take photographs in such places or in the harbour if you don't want to be stopped by the military police. See also other cities: Irkutsk Kazan Kizhi Moscow Novgorod Novosibirsk Orel Pyatigorsk St Petersburg Suzdal Tula Ulyanovsk Vladimir Vladivostok Yakutsk ______ ________History Edit This [Add New] Armageddon00 Edit This ?????? (History) In 1915, a railroad line to the Kola Peninsula allowed for the establishment of a city known as Romanov-on-Murman after the Dynasty of the Romanovs. After the October Revolution it was renamed ???????? (Murmansk) . During WWII, ???????? was a port city that imported vital products from the western world. These products were dominantly military supplies and manufactured goods, both of which were essential to the Russian WWII War Machine. During WWII, the Germans attacked more.. World66 rating: [rate it] zipcode: 03038 address: 92 drew rd email: egamefanatic@yahoo.com ::::::::::::Novgorod Travel Guide Edit This The best resource for sights, hotels, restaurants, bars, what to do and see photo Novgorod is an old Russian city, history of which goes back to almost 1000 years. Once it competed with Moscow for domination of Old Russia and emerged as a political center of Slavic and Fino-Ugric tribes in the mid-9th century, while as a town it was formed in the middle of the 10th century. Just outside of Novgorod is the Vitoslavlitsy Museum of Wooden Architecture which has a collection of 22 wooden structures all built without nails. 240 000 inhabitants populate now this nothern city. Modern Novgorod is a stunning combination of old and new. After the Second World War the historical part of the city was built up in such a way as to avoid confining ancient temples within the narrow well-like yards of high-rise apartment buildings. Nowadays Novgorod, lying on the highway connecting Moscow and St Petersburg, enjoys stable economic and cultural links with both capitals, the Karelia region and the Baltic states, and also attracts foreign investors. Novgorod is also on the list of those Russian cities that have joined the New Hanseatic League. The city uses modern communication facilities, has art galleries, art school, two theaters, a philharmonic society, a ballet troupe, music and dance ensembles, casinos and discotheques. Several newspapers function in the city which also has its own television and radio stations Novgorod is a university town. The University named after Yaroslav the Wise is one of the largest scientific centers in Northwest Russia. The city trains professional athletes in such sports as gymnastics, rowing, swimming and boxing. Modern Novgorod is a center of Russian domestic and international tourism. :::::::::Novosibirsk Travel Guide Edit This The best resource for sights, hotels, restaurants, bars, what to do and see Winter Park Winter Park Ankarusskaya Novosibirsk is a heart of Siberia and is considerd its cultural and industrial center with the population of 1.6 million people. By all standards its a relatively young city founded in 1893. Actually at that time the city was called Novonikolaevsk aft the Nicholas II (Nikolay Alexandrovich Romanov) the last Emperor and Sovereign of Russia. Considered the business center of Siberia, Novosibirsk is a home to the largest Siberian banks, as well as the Siberian Stock and Commodity Exchanges. Aside from business, Novosibirsk has a rich cultural and spiritual life. Six theatres, a philharmonic orchestra and a musical conservatory are located in the city. The Novosibirsk Opera House, an architectural marvel in itself, houses two permanent ballet and opera companies known throughout the world. The intellectual community is equally rich and is fostered by more than 16 institutions of higher education. Since 1957 city serves as a center for Siberian Science Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences. It has a special place called Akademgorodok (the Academic City). However, both cultural diveristy and intellectual community fail to conceal the fact that Novosibirsk's major palette is based upon - and consists only of - all imaginable greys. Which comes at no surprise, since Novosibirsk was built for and by unqualified labourers. The city got a significant development boost from arriving workers in the early 1940s, when heavy machinery plants were hastily transferred inward the USSR from its western frontiers. Novosibirsk can easily beat Novokuznetsk or Kemerovo in a battle for 'The Most Kafkaesque Settlement' title. See also other cities of Russia: Irkutsk Kazan Kizhi St Petersburg Murmansk Novgorod Moscow Orel Pyatigorsk Suzdal Tula Ulyanovsk Vladivostok Vladimir Yakutsk _____Attractions Edit This The Novosibirsk Philharmonic Orchestra is on of major attractions in the city. The Orchestra is well-known outside Siberia and Russia. The Novosibirsk Philharmonic is among the best orchestras of Russia. The conductor of the orchestra is Arnold Katz. :::::::Orel Travel Guide Edit This The best resource for sights, hotels, restaurants, bars, what to do and see Orel is one of the oldest Russian cities located on the Oka River with a long and dramatic history. It was founded in 1564 by Ivan IV as a defense post against Mongol invasions. During World War II it was badly damaged. Orel now is a capital center of the Orel oblast. It is known for hosting a famous Russian writer Ivan Turgenev, who spent his childhood there. The house that he lived in is now turned into museum. Orel is a center of agricultural trade. Manufactures include machinery, clothing, flour, and beer. See also other Russian cities: Irkutsk Kazan Kizhi Moscow Murmansk Novgorod Novosibirsk Pyatigorsk St_Petersburg Suzdal Tula Ulyanovsk Vladimir Vladivostok Yakutsk ::::::::Ossetia Travel Guide Edit This The best resource for sights, hotels, restaurants, bars, what to do and see Ossetia is a part of the Russian Federation. This tiny republic is located in the Caucasus. Visiting Osetia is an unforgettable experience, the awe-inspiring Caucasus peaks being but one gem on the tiara of this ancient land. Despite the overall state of the Russian economy, Osetians remain perhaps the world's most hospitable people. Spending even a short time with an Osetian family offers an unforgettable insight into a close-knit society, one eager to show off to guests its heritage and customs, as well as the region's natural wonders. (For those who prefer not to live with a family, furnished apartments are also available.) Snow-capped peaks soar above--you gaze upon them from your cozy baths amid temperate air, some of the cleanest on earth. Legend has it that bathing here quickens healing--you are sure to believe it as you take in the rugged alpine landscape. In truth, however, travel to Osetia currently is not without risks. If you consider yourself an "adventure" traveller... :::::::Perm Travel Guide Edit This The best resource for sights, hotels, restaurants, bars, what to do and see we are in the main Lenin Street we are in the main Lenin Street pavelff Perm is the most Eastern city of Europe, and therefore its province is often referred to as Eurasia. With a population of about 1 million, Perm is one of the largest cities in Russia and the third largest in the Urals. The city was formerly called Molotov, after the minister of foreign affairs during Joseph Stalin's ruling. The Perm province, "Permskaya Oblast", or "Prikamye", is around two-third the size of the United Kingdom and covers a great area in the very heart of the Ural Mountains. Perm is internationally known as the name for the geological period in which the Ural Mountain Range was formed, 45 million years ago. In contrary to the Urals, Perm itself is rather young. The citizens loudly celebrated its 280th birthday in 2003 with street parades, concerts and fireworks throughout the whole city! Perm owes its existence to two factors: firstly the large amounts of natural resources (minerals, oil and timber) that are present in the region, and secondly (but more important): its location. The mighty Kama River (up until 4 kilometers wide!), the Great Trans Siberian Railroad and main motorways from Moscow/Kazan to Siberia all cross in Perm, making Perm an important transportation hub. The city is the doorway from Europe to Asia and to Siberia in particular. Although established already in the XVIII century as an industrial town, Perm grew under the Soviet rule into a major industrial center with a lot of machine-building, chemical and etc. industry, as well as a huge amount of military industry. Artillery and rocket vehicles, as well as rocket launching systems, jet engines for MiG jetfighters and canons of all ranges were (and in smaller proportions still are) produced in Perm. Therefore, the city was closed to foreigners until the end of the Cold war. Nowadays, Perm is obviously accessible to anybody. Actually it is the third fastest growing city in Russia because of its economical prosperity. Perm is known as Russia's leading city for opera, ballet and drama after St. Petersburg. Arguably Russia's greatest balerina, Anna Pavlova, was born in Perm. Furthermore the city and its region brought forward a number of famous people: the composer Tchaikovsky, inventor of the radio Popov, the industrial revolutionist Stroganov family and the writer of Dr. Zhivago, Boris Pasternak. Perm is not the only city in the Ural Mountains, yet it provides the best access to the mountains of all of them. The mountains gain popularity among adventurous tourists every year. ::::::::Pskov Travel Guide Edit This The best resource for sights, hotels, restaurants, bars, what to do and see Hram Hram vika Pskov is an ancient Russian city, situated almost on the border with Latvija and Estonia, on the shores of the river Velikaya. It was founded in IX century and soon become a center of a big medieval feudal republic. It was a city of merchants and because of its agressive neighbours - Teutonic Order, Litva and Poland - it needed a good fortifications. Thus Pskov was one of the strongest fortresses in medieval Europe, it was besieged 42 times, only 2 times stormed succesfully. Now this city have a lot of tourists attractions, such as Krom - medieval fortress, well preserved, situated in the center of the city, several towers in different parts of the city, on of them, Pokrovskaya Tower, 40 meters high aand extremely broad, was once a biggest sinle fortification building in Northern Europe. Also there's a big cathedral in the Krom, great iconostasis (row of icons) inside it, almost 40 meters high and 20 meters wide, with a lot of jilted wood. Also there's more than 40 ancient churches in the city, most of them built earlier then XVI century. Outside the city there's an ancient fortress of Izborsk, also worth to see it, and Pskov-Pechorian Lavra (monastery), one of the biggest and most beautiful monasteries in Russia. Pskov could be reached by the road from St-Petersburg (320 km), from Latvijan border(50 km), or by railroad from any of the big cities nearby, in Russia and in Baltic states. :::::.Pyatigorsk Travel Guide Edit This The best resource for sights, hotels, restaurants, bars, what to do and see Kolonny (Collumns) Kolonny (Collumns) Denis5gorsk Pyatigorsk is a small town hidden in the Northern Caucasus mountains with the population of about 150,000 people. "Pyatigorsk" means "Five Mountains Town". This place is a famous Russian mineral water resort and even during the time of the tsars the nobles would come to drink, bathe and relax in the mineral water and recover their health. Pyatigorsk was the home of the poet Lermontov, and the site of his death in a duel. City life revolves around the linguistic university, pharmaceutical college, and outdoor activities. Pyatigorsk is at the same latitude as Minneapolis, and they have similar weather patterns in the summer: very hot and humid. ______Getting There Edit This You can get to Pyatigorsk either by air, rail or bus from Moscow or Simferopol. This is not quite true. You can't fly directly to Pyatigorsk. You CAN take a train directly there but it's a long trip (at least 8 hours and very likely much more) no matter where you're coming from.You can fly to Min. Vody directly from Moscow, Sochi, Rostov, or St. Petersburg, and Min. Vody is about a 25 minute drive from pyatigorsk, or an hour bus ride (so many stops...) :::::::::Ryazan Travel Guide Edit This The best resource for sights, hotels, restaurants, bars, what to do and see Ryazan's Kremlin Ryazan's Kremlin Robert Lawton Ryazan is a city in central European Russia, and is capital of Ryazan' Oblast. Ryazan is located on the Oka River. The city is an industrial and transportation center. Manufacturers include agricultural machinery, chemicals, and clothing. Ryazan was originally founded in the 11th century, downstream from its present site. It was completely destroyed by the Tatars in 1237, and was then moved to the city of Pereyaslav-Ryazanskiy. In the 15th century the community became the capital of a principality. It passed to Moscow in 1521 and was given its present name in 1778. Ryazan's population in 1999 was 528,800. The Ryazan area is the home to several famous Russians. Poet Sergei Esenin was born in nearby Konstantinovo and lived there most of his life. One can still visit his home. World-renown scientist Ivan Petrovich Pavlov was born in Ryazan and did his famous research with dogs and bells there as well. One can visit his birthplace as well as his laboratory. There is a guided tour through the lab as well. ::::::St Petersburg Travel Guide Edit This The best resource for sights, hotels, restaurants, bars, what to do and see Church of Spilled Blood Church of Spilled Blood vika St Petersburg is the cultural capital of Russia. The city was founded in 1703 by Peter the Great. It was renamed Petrograd, then Leningrad, during the twentieth century. In the early nineties people voted to return to the name of St. Petersburg. The city contains many cultural heritages including the Hermitage, the Mariinsky Theatre, and the Russian Museum. The most famous inhabitants of this city are Dostoyevski, Pushkin, Tschajkovski, and Tcherniavski. ::::Staraya Ladoga Travel Guide Edit This The best resource for sights, hotels, restaurants, bars, what to do and see Small village, situated on the southern shore of Ladoga Lake, in North-West Russia. Staraya Ladoga (Old Ladoga) once was a first Russian capital, being founded in IX century. Nowadays its a fortress (XV-XVI century), well-preserved, cathedral of XIII century inside, two ancient monasteries, one of which have another XIII-century cathedral. One of the monasteries is under restavration. Place is famous because of its history and because of the beautiful views from the fortress's walls on the river Volchov. 250 km from the Saint-Petersburg to the East, Route M 8, guided tours available. ::::::::::Suzdal Travel Guide Edit This The best resource for sights, hotels, restaurants, bars, what to do and see i Suzdal is a small pretty provincial Russian town. However, once it was capital of the ancient state named Rostovo-Suzdalskaya Rus'. The city has history of ten centuries and is famous for its cultural influence on entire Russia. Suzdal is in 230 km east of Moscow, and its neighboring city of Vladimir, are known worldwide for architectural masterpieces of XII to XVII centuries. See also other cities: Irkutsk Kazan Kizhi Moscow Murmansk Novgorod Novosibirsk Orel Pyatigorsk St_Petersburg Tula Ulyanovsk Vladimir Vladivostok Yakutsk ::::::::Sights Edit This Suzdal has a great number of ancient sites to visit and learn more about the develpment of the Russian History. There is a small settlement Kideksha not far from Suzdal. Once it had been the summer residence of Prince Yuri Dolgoruky, the founder of Moscow. The Church of Boris and Gleb, the monument of Vladimir-Suzdal architecture is located in the settlement. :::::: The Black Sea coast Travel Guide Edit This The best resource for sights, hotels, restaurants, bars, what to do and see Anapa Anapa The Russian part of the Black Sea coast has always been the most popular Russian holiday resort during more than hundred years. Warm Black Sea and the Caucasian mountains blocking up the northern winds create here a special microclimate. Here the swimming season lasts from May till October, and in summer the water temperature reaches 26 centigrade degrees. The main resort centers of the Black Sea coast of Russia are Sochi, Anapa and Gelendzhik. Sochi is often called the resort capital of Russia. Every year millions of people come here for a vacation. Sochi is also well known for its unique mineral water and curative mud. Anapa is a perfect family and children's resort. Here you'll find wide sandy beaches and the plenty of sunny days (more than 280 sunny days per year). This pleasant environment enabled Anapa to become the famous "children's" resort. Gelendzhik is also well suited for family leisure. It is a comfortable resort with picturesque landscapes and quiet slow atmosphere of life. The mounting-skiing resort Krasnaya Polyana (Red Glade) is located in the mountains of Caucasus not far from Sochi. Every year it becomes more popular not only for mountain-skiing fans, but also for fans of the ecological tourism. ::::::::::Tula Travel Guide Edit This The best resource for sights, hotels, restaurants, bars, what to do and see Tula is one of the oldest cities in Russia that has been founded in 1146. It is the central city of Tula oblast and has a population of more than 560.000 people. It is not only an industrial center but also a cultural point. Tula is a world famous place because of her once glamorous resident-the famous Russian writer Leo Tolstoy who lived at Yasnaya Polyana, which is just ten kilometers away from the town. Tula also is rather famous for its weaponry masters, who produced world-known guns. Some of the items are displayed at the wonderful museum. Moreover, Tula is famous for its gorgeous Samovars, the grandfather of the contemporary electric kettle. They were invented at the end of the 17th century by the same smiths who produced weapons. Initially this industry was just a sideline until they decided to concentrate on the new samovar business. The best exemplars of Tula samovars are exhibited at the local museum. Extremely delicious Pryaniki, or honey pastry add to Tula's fame. They come in 100 different kinds and shapes. You definitely should indulge yourself in Tula's Pryaniki in order to get real taste of a real cookie. Being an old city, Tula preserved a number of splendid churches and cathedrals and the Kremlin. ::::::Tyumen Travel Guide Edit This The best resource for sights, hotels, restaurants, bars, what to do and see Tyumen is a support center for the surrounding oil industry. :::::::: Ulyanovsk Travel Guide Edit This The best resource for sights, hotels, restaurants, bars, what to do and see Lenin Square, Monument to Lenin Lenin Square, Monument to Lenin Marina Romanova Ulyanovsk is the center of the Ulyanovsk Region that is located in the central part of European Russia. The region is a part of the Middle Volga Valley. ” It occupies a territory of 37,000 sq. km. ” The population is 1,488,300 people. ” The Ulyanovsk Region has 21 administrative areas (rayons) and 6 cities. The administrative center Ulyanovsk has a population of around 700,000 residents. It is located 441 miles east of Moscow. Besides Ulyanovsk the other large city of the Ulyanovsk region is Dimitrovgrad (134,000 inhabitants). Approximately 73 percent of Ulyanovsk residents are Russians, 11.4 percent are Tatars, 8.3 percent are Chuvash, and 4.4 percent are Mordva. The prevalent religions are Orthodox Christianity lam. See also other cities: Irkutsk Kazan Kizhi Moscow Murmansk Novgorod Novosibirsk Orel Pyatigorsk St_Petersburg Suzdal Tula Vladimir Vladivostok Yakutsk ________Sights Edit This Ulyanovsk is the birthplace of Lenin. You can see the house where he grew up and there are still many statues of him around the city. _______Getting Around Edit This Guided tours in Ulyanovsk. Let me see you around our small historical town, show the most interesting museums, places to go and eat out. You will have a chance to buy traditional souvenirs and have an unforgettable holiday in Ulyanovsk. I shall be happy to guide groups up to 10 people 12 a day. e-mail: trav21@inbox.ru ____Getting There Edit This tatyana's city tatyana's city You can get to United States from Ulyanovsk by air. By Air The flight from Moscow to Ulyanovsk takes 1 hour and 25 minutes. You can take it from Moscow Domodedovo Airport. By Railroad There is one direct and 3 transit trains from Moscow to Ulyanovsk. They depart daily from the Moscow Kazansky train station . It will take you 16 hours to reach Ulyanovsk. ::::::::::Ural Travel Guide Edit This The best resource for sights, hotels, restaurants, bars, what to do and see me sking me sking jonathan The Ural Mountains, (Russian Uralskiy Khrebet) also known simply as the Urals, are a mountain range that run roughly north and south through western Russia. The Urals extend 2500 km from the Kazakh steppes (see Kazakhstan) along the northern border of Kazakhstan to the coast of the Arctic ocean. The island of Novaya Zemlya forms a further continuation of the chain. Geologically this range marks the northern part of the border between the continents of Europe and Asia. Its highest peak is Naroda Mountain (Poznurr, 1895 m). Erosion has exposed considerable mineral wealth in the Urals, including gems such as Topaz and Beryl. The Virgin Komi Forests in the northern Urals is recognised by UNESCO as a World Heritage site. The Urals were formed in the late Carboniferous period, when a continent consisting largely of Siberia collided with the supercontinent that contained much of the world's land at the time: the combination of Laurussia (Europe and North America) and Gondwana. Europe and Siberia have remained joined together ever since. Geographers have divided the Urals into five regions: South, Middle, North, Subarctic and Arctic Urals. So the Ural Mountains were formed by tectonic plates. *[http://welcome-ural.ru/urals/77/ Five parts of the Ural Mountains] ::::::Vladimir Travel Guide Edit This The best resource for sights, hotels, restaurants, bars, what to do and see Vladimir Monestary Vladimir Monestary Jennifer Farthing Vladimir, Russia one of the oldest and most famous cities of Russia is the center of the Vladimir region. The city has the population of 360,000 people and covers the area of 11,145 hectares.Growing cities in the region other than Vladimir are Kovrov, Murom, Alexandrov and Gus-Krustalny. has a millenial history; according to the latest data discovered by the historians and archaeologists, Vladimir was founded in 995. In the early part of Vladimir's history the city was the capital of Russia. It was a political, cultural and religious center . Vladimir is famous for its unique cathedrals dating back to the XII century. Four of them are included in the UNESCO World Heritage list. The city belongs to the so called "Golden Ring" of Russia and, consequently, presents a major international tourist center. The geographical position of Vladimir makes it an attractive place for business development. The city is located in the Central Region of Russia; 180 km east of Moscow. Such prominent scientific-industrial centers as Nizhni-Novgorod, Ivanovo, Yaroslavl and Ryazan are situated not far from Vladimir. The city is linked with them by railways and highways. :::::::::: Vladivostok Travel Guide Edit This The best resource for sights, hotels, restaurants, bars, what to do and see Some decay in the downtown Some decay in the downtown J. Solly Located in the East of Europe, Vladivostok, with the population of 594'700 is the largest Russian city on the Pacific Ocean. The home port of the Russian Pacific Fleet, the city was founded in 1859 by Count Nikolay Myravyov-Amursky (for more details see History section). Once created as a citadel against enemies' invasion, Vladivostok stood guard for many years. The city covers over 600 sq. km and lies on the shore of the Pacific Ocean at the Muraviyov-Amursky Peninsula, which is about 30 km long and approximately 12 km wide. The city has magnificent old and new buldings,monuments and a lot of other sights to wander around. Other facts: ”The highest point is the Orlinoye Gnezdo Mountain (Eagle's Nest). The height of the Mountain is 214 m ” The mean annual temperature is +5 C, the temperature in January is -14 C, the temperature in August is +24 C The annual precipitation is 765 mm ” Railroad distance to Moscow is 9302 km ” Direct distance to Moscow is 9302 km. ” Direct distance to Bangkok is 5600 km, to San_Francisco - 8400 km, to Seoul - 750 km, to Tokyo - 1050 km. ” Vladivostok is a sister-city of San-Diego and Tacoma (USA), Niiagata, Akita and Hakodate (Japan), Pusan (Korea) and Palyan (China). :::::::Volgograd Travel Guide Edit This The best resource for sights, hotels, restaurants, bars, what to do and see Mamaev Kurgan Mamaev Kurgan David Malin Volgograd was originally named Tsaritsin, then in 1925 the name was changed to Stalingrad. Stalin died in 1953, but it took another 12 years for the name to be finally changed to Volgograd in 1965 by Khruschev. The city is located on the river Volga. In the summer it can be more than 30°C and in winter the temperature can become very cold (minus 20°C or more). Outside the city you can find a typical nearly desert nature. Also the battle fields of World War II are located around here. The city itself is not very nice but has a few interesting spots. The monument on the hill, the promenade at the river also with its Powerplant. I guess it will be very difficult to find people to speak to if you can not speak russian. But if so it can be interesting to find out more about the history of the city. Volgograd, still referred to by war historians as Stalingrad, was the site of THE bloodiest battle in the history of the world. During the struggle the city was reduced to rubble and was the setting for a struggle between the might of the German and Soviet war machines. Because of this there are many fascinating memorials and museums to visit. The city is rich with culture and history, and offers a wonderful experience of Russian life. Part or or all of this text stems from the original article at: wikipedia ::::::::: Vologda Region Travel Guide Edit This The best resource for sights, hotels, restaurants, bars, what to do and see Vologodsky Region (Vologodskaya Oblast) is one of the biggest regions of the European part of Russia, located in the north part of the country. It is the land of monasteries and churches, magical white nights, rivers and blue lakes, a popular tourist region. The network of waterways, railroads and highways makes getting to and around the Vologda Region easy. Main sity of this region is Vologda located about 500 km to the north of Moscow. _________Vologda Travel Guide Edit This The best resource for sights, hotels, restaurants, bars, what to do and see Vologda is one of the oldest Russian cities located on the picturesque coast of the small still river which has the same name. It is considered to be founded in 1147. The ancient Russian city was the "gate" to the North. Vologda was large trade and handicraft center, an advanced post of Moscow in constant struggles against the foreign conquerors. Many pages in history of Russian culture are connected with the name of Vologda. Lace weaving appeared here in the beginning of the 19th century. Nowdays the Vologda laces are world-famous. Vologda has many beautiful architectural monuments. Majestic Sofia Cathedral, the Vologda Kremlin, Spaso-Prilutsky Monastery are the most delightful among them. Many monuments of the wooden architecture remained in the city. ::::::::::::Yakutia Travel Guide Edit This The best resource for sights, hotels, restaurants, bars, what to do and see photo The Republic of Yakutia (Saha) occupies almost all the north-eastern part of Asia. Its area makes the one sixth part of the territory of Russia. The climate here is expressly continental, with short warm summer and long frosty winter. The settlement Oimyakon in the east of Yakutia is the Cold pole of the Northern Hemisphere. This is the place where the lowest temperature of the populated part of the planet -72°C below zero was reported. Yakutia is the land of a dense jungle of taiga, vast expanses of tundra, severe mountains and original culture. Since the olden days Yakuts have lived according to shamanism traditions. Yakut shaman practice is very popular both with the scientists and mysticism-lovers. Shaman traditions are mirrored in Yakuts everyday life - in their clothes, utensils, ornaments, in their calendar and holidays. ___________Things to do Edit This Cruise along the Lena River Perhaps, the most fascinating travel which can be made in Yakutia in summertime is cruise by steam-ship along the Lena River. The Lena is the largest river of Eastern Siberia. It runs through the picturesque mountain and flat areas and flowing into the Arctic Ocean. The most known natural sight of the Lena banks is Lenskiye columns. These are the huge steep rocks rising upwards for several stages. They have the shape of columns, spikes, towers and form a real cosmic view. :::::::::::Yaroslavl Travel Guide Edit This The best resource for sights, hotels, restaurants, bars, what to do and see Church of the Prophet Elijah. 1647-50 Church of the Prophet Elijah. 1647-50 Martin Laska The City of Yaroslavl, located at the confluence of the Volga and Kotorosl rivers, is today a World Heritage Sight. Said to be founded in 1010 by Prince Yaroslavl the Wise, it was incorporated into the principality of Muscovy in 1463. In the 17th century it was Russia's second largest city, and during the Polish occupation of Moscow in 1612, it was the de-facto capital of Russia. Today it is an important industrial center, and is the administrative center of the Yaroslavl Region, or Oblast, bordering the Moscow Oblast. Yaroslavl has some of the "Golden Ring's" most impressive churches and monasteries, highlighting some of the countries most beautiful frescos and the architectural "Yaroslavl Type" church (red brick and bright tiled exteriors). Yaroslavl in also a college town, with about a dozen institutes of higher learning. The city boasts the oldest remaining theater in all of Russia, the Volkov theater built in 1750. Yarolsavl also has a well developed system of public transportation, with frequent trolleys, trams, and buses traveling all over the city. There are two major train stations in Yaroslavl, with daily trains to Moscow and St. Petersburg, as well to many other major locations and medium sized towns in Russia. Yaroslavl is approximately 250 kilometers north east of Moscow and has a population of over 600,000. Part or or all of this text stems from the original article at: Facts and Dates from Wikipedia |
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La Federazione Russa (in russo Российская Федерация, Rossijskaja Federacija, /rʌs'sijskəjə fʲɪdʲɪ'raʦijə/, chiamata anche Россия, Rossija, /rʌs'sijə/) è un paese che si estende tra l'Europa e l'Asia. Con una superficie di 17.075.200 chilometri quadrati, è lo stato più grande del mondo. Confina con Norvegia, Finlandia, Estonia, Lettonia, Bielorussia, Lituania, Polonia, Ucraina, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Kazakistan, Cina, Mongolia e Corea del Nord. È bagnata a a nord ovest dal Mar Baltico, a Nord dal Mare Glaciale Artico, ad oriente dall'Oceano Pacifico e a sud dal Mar Nero e dal Mar Caspio. Come principale successore dell'Unione Sovietica, la Russia è ancora uno stato con una forte influenza politica, specialmente all'interno della CSI, che comprende tutti gli stati dell'ex Unione Sovietica tranne la Lettonia, l'Estonia e la Lituania.
[modifica] Storia
[modifica] Popoli delle steppeNei secoli precedenti la nascita di Cristo, le vaste terre della Russia meridionale erano abitate da una serie di popoli come i proto indeuropei e gli Sciti. Tra in III e il VI secolo dell'era cristiana, le steppe subirono, a ondate successive, le invasioni di popoli nomadi, guidate da tribù bellicose che si dirigevano verso l'Europa occidentale. Fu il caso degli Unni e degli Avari. Un popolo turco, i Cazari, governò la Russia meridionale durante l'VIII secolo. Furono preziosi alleati dell'Impero Bizantino e condussero diverse guerre contro i califfati arabi.
[modifica] Rus'
Una mappa approssimativa delle culture nella Russia europea al
momento dell'arrivo dei Variaghi
Dal VII secolo, gli Slavi costituirono la maggioranza della popolazione nella Russia occidentale e pian piano assimilarono le preesistenti tribù Ungro-Finniche, come i Merya, i Muroma e i Meshchera. A metà del IX secolo un gruppo originario dalla Scandinavia, i Variaghi, assunse il ruolo di élite dominante nella capitale slava di Novgorod. Anche se l'elemento etnico dei Variaghi si confuse abbastanza presto nella maggioritaria popolazione slava, la dinastia da loro espressa rimase al potere diversi secoli, durante i quali si affiliò alla Chiesa ortodossa di Bisanzio. La capitale venne trasferita a Kiev nell'882. In questo periodo, il termine "Rhos" o "Rus'" iniziò ad essere riferito ai variaghi e, in seguito, anche agli slavi che popolavano la regione. Tra il X e l'XI secolo la Rus' di Kiev divenne lo stato più grande d'Europa ed uno dei più prosperi, grazie alla sua posizione commerciale tra Europa ed Asia. L'apertura di nuove vie commerciali con l'Oriente al tempo delle Crociate contribuì al declino e alla frammentazione dello stato di Kiev nel corso del XII secolo, aggravatasi dopo la morte, nel 1132, del figlio di Vladimiro II Monomaco. Nei secoli XI e XII, le sempre più frequenti incursioni di tribù turche, come i Kipchaks e i Peceneghi, portarono le popolazioni slave del sud a spostarsi verso le regioni del nord, note come Zalesye. Gli stati di Novgorod e Vladimir-Suzdal emersero come eredi del Rus' di Kiev nei territori settentrionali, mentre il medio corso del Volga finì sotto il controllo dello stato islamico del Volga Bulgaro.
[modifica] I TatariCome molte altre regioni dell'Eurasia, questi territori vennero invasi dai Mongoli, che nel 1240 distussero Kiev. Conosciuti più tardi con il nome di Tatari, i Mongoli avrebbero governato le zone meridionali e centrali dell'odierna Russia per circa tre secoli, tempo durante il quale i vari potentati locali sarebbero stati dipendenti del loro Khanato dell'Orda d'Oro. I territori delle odierne Ucraina e Bielorussia furono inclusi nel Gran ducato di Lituania e nella Polonia, fattore che differenziò ucraini e bielorussi dalle altre popolazioni russe. Come nei Balcani e in Asia Minore, il lungo governo dei nomadi avrebbe ritardato lo sviluppo economico e sociale del paese. Peraltro, Novgorod e Pskov riuscirono a ritagliarsi un certo grado di autonomia, che li preservò da molti problemi e molte atrocità del periodo. Nel XIII secolo, il signore di Novgorod Alexander Nevsky respinse gli svedesi e i cavalieri teutonici che cercavano di colonizzare la regione.
[modifica] La Moscovia
Con Ivan I (1332 - 1341) il Granducato di Mosca si avviò a divenire il più importante principato russo. Contrariamente alla sua fonte d'ispirazione politica e religiosa, l'Impero Bizantino, lo stato russo incentrato su Mosca fu in grado di sopravvivere e di organizzare una propria riscossa, riuscendo infine a sottomettere i suoi nemici e ad occupare i loro territori. Dopo la Caduta di Costantinopoli nel 1453, la Russia moscovita rimase l'unico stato cristiano sulla frontiera orientale dell'Europa, facendo sì che esso, in qualità di Terza Roma, rivendicasse l'eredità dell'Impero Romano d'Oriente. Ancora sotto il dominio dei mongoli e con il loro assenso, il Ducato di Mosca iniziò ad affermare la sua influenza sulla Russia occidentale all'inizio del XIV secolo. Assistita dalla Chiesa Ortodossa Russa e dalla rinascita spirituale portata da San Sergio di Radonezh, nel 1380 la Moscovia sconfisse i tatari nella Battaglia di Kulikovo. All'inizio del XVI secolo, lo stato moscovita riuscì a riprendere tutti i territori russi persi a seguito delle invasioni dei tatari. Nel contempo, si riuscì pure a proteggere le regioni ai confini meridionali dagli attacchi portati dai Tatari della Crimea e dalle altre popolazioni turche. I nobili, a cui era concessa una tenuta dai sovrani, furono obbligati a servire nell'esercito. Il sistema delle concessioni diventò una delle basi dell'esercito nobiliare a cavallo.
[modifica] Russia ZaristaNel 1547 Ivan IV (detto il Terribile, 1533-1584) venne incoronato primo Zar di Russia, termine derivato dal latino Caesar. Durante il suo lungo regno, Ivan annesse gli stati islamici lungo il Volga e trasformò la Russia in uno stato multietnico. Ridusse il potere dei Boiari, ossia i signori feudali, dando inizio ad uno stato autocratico. Sotto Ivan IV la Russia si estese verso est a scapito dei Tartari occupando Kazan ed Astrakhan. Alla sua morte seguì un periodo di turbolenze dovute ai tentativi dei boiari di recuperare il potere perduto ed anche all'ingerenza polacca. Nel 1613, con la salita al trono del primo dei Romanov inizia una nuova fase di potenziamento dello stato russo. Sotto il regno degli Zar, la Russia divenne una delle maggiori potenze europee, conosciuta come Russia Imperiale, ammodernata e sempre più espansa a ovest, a partire dal XVIII secolo. Comunque, all'inizio del XX secolo il potere della Russia stava scemando e nel contempo montava lo scontento fra la popolazione, a questo si aggiunga anche la sconfitta militare subita durante la prima guerra mondiale. Tutti questi eventi precipitarono drammaticamente nel 1917 quando la rivoluzione di febbraio, d'ispirazione borghese, spazzò via il regime zarista di Nicola II e la seguente Rivoluzione d'Ottobre portò al potere il partito bolscevico sotto la guida di Vladimir Ulianov detto Lenin. Gli anni che seguirono, fino al 1922, videro lo scontro tra l'esercito sovietico, la cosiddetta Armata Rossa, organizzato e comandato da Lev Trockij ed i vari eserciti che si rifacevano al potere zarista, le Armate Bianche.
[modifica] L'Unione delle Repubbliche Socialiste SovieticheNel 1922 venne fondata l'Unione delle Repubbliche Socialiste Sovietiche abbreviata in URSS, in cui entrò a far parte anche la Repubblica Russa. Lenin soffrì una serie di infarti che portarono alla sua morte nel 1924. Dopo una breve lotta per il potere, la guida dell'Unione Sovietica venne consolidata nelle mani del dittatore Josif Dzugasvili, detto Stalin. Il regno brutale di Stalin costò milioni di vittime, tra le quali oppositori politici, noti o sospettati, e ufficiali militari che vennero giustiziati o esiliati in Siberia durante le Grandi Purghe degli anni '30. A seguito della vittoria Sovietica sulla Germania Nazista, durante la seconda guerra mondiale, l'Unione Sovietica si sarebbe sviluppata in una delle due potenze dominanti della Guerra Fredda, fungendo da principale avversario ideologico degli Stati Uniti. Le due nazioni ingaggiarono una lunga lotta geopolitica per il controllo dei cuori e delle menti del Terzo Mondo a partire dalla Crisi di Suez del 1956. I sovietici crearono il Patto di Varsavia per opporsi alla NATO, e le due parti si imbarcarono in una lunga e costosa corsa per accumulare il maggior numero possibile di armi nucleari. Nel 1962 con la crisi dei missili di Cuba, il leader sovietico Nikita Khruščёv quasi fece scoppiare una guerra con gli Stati Uniti, quando fece posizionare delle armi atomiche offensive a Cuba. I sovietici diedero anche il via alla corsa allo spazio lanciando lo Sputnik 1, il primo satellite a orbitare attorno alla Terra, e rendendo il Colonnello Jurij Gagarin, il primo uomo a viaggiare nello spazio.
[modifica] Crollo del comunismo e nascita della Federazione russaAlla fine degli anni '80, il leader sovietico Mikhail Gorbačëv introdusse delle riforme come la glasnost e la perestroika, ma queste misure non furono in grado di prevenire il collasso dell'Unione Sovietica, dopo un fallito colpo di stato militare nel 1991. La RSFS Russa dichiarò la sua indipendenza il 24 agosto dello stesso anno come Federazione Russa. In quanto principale erede dell'Unione Sovietica, ha da allora cercato di mantenere la sua influenza globale, ma è stata ostacolata da difficoltà economiche. [modifica] Politica
Cremlino
Residenza del Presidente russo La Federazione Russa è una democrazia federativa con un presidente, eletto direttamente per un mandato di quattro anni, che detiene un notevole potere esecutivo. Il presidente, che risiede al Cremlino, nomina le più alte cariche ufficiali dello stato, compreso il primo ministro, che deve essere approvato dalla Duma, la camera bassa del parlamento. Se la Duma respinge per tre volte la candidatura proposta, il presidente può decretarne lo scioglimento. La Duma può approvare una mozione di sfiducia al governo a maggioranza assoluta, ma il presidente può manifestare il suo dissenso; se la Duma approva entro tre mesi un'altra mozione di sfiducia, il presidente può optare tra l'accettazione delle dimissioni del governo e lo scioglimento dell'assemblea. Il presidente può far passare dei decreti, senza il consenso del parlamento; è il capo delle forze armate e del consiglio nazionale di sicurezza. I forti poteri di cui è titolare hanno determinato una definizione della forma di governo russa come "presidenzialistica". La Russia ha un parlamento bicamerale. L'Assemblea Federativa o Federalnoe Sobranie consiste in una camera alta conosciuta come Consiglio Federativo (Sovet Federacii), composta da 178 delegati che prestano un servizio quadriennale (ognuna delle 89 suddivisioni amministrative ne nomina due), e in una camera bassa conosciuta, appunto, come Duma di Stato (Gosudarstvennaja Duma) che comprende 450 deputati, anch'essi in carica per quattro anni, dei quali 225 sono eletti dal voto popolare diretto su base maggioritaria, mentre gli altri 225 sono eletti con il sistema proporzionale da liste di partito a base nazionale [modifica] Geografia
La Federazione Russa si estende su gran parte dell'area settentrionale
del supercontinente
Eurasiatico
e per questo motivo conosce una grande varietà di paesaggi e climi. Gran
parte del paesaggio consiste di vaste pianure, sia nella parte europea che
in quella asiatica. Queste pianure sono predominantemente
steppa
nella parte meridionale,
foresta
a nord, e
tundra lungo la costa settentrionale. Le catene montuose si trovano
lungo i confini meridionali, come il
Caucaso
(che contiene il
Monte Elbrus,
il punto più elevato della Russia, a 5.633 m) e i monti
Altai, e
nella parte orientale, come il massiccio di
Verkhojansk o i
vulcani della
Kamčatka.
Degna di nota è anche la più centrale catena degli
Urali, che
forma la principale linea di demarcazione tra
Europa e
Asia.
La Russia ha una linea costiera di oltre 37.000 km, lungo il
Mare Glaciale Artico e l'Oceano
Pacifico, così come lungo i mari interni, come il
Baltico, il
Mar Nero
e il
Mar Caspio. Bacini più piccoli fanno parte degli oceani;
Mare di Barents,
Mar
Bianco,
Mare di Kara,
Mare di Laptev e
Mare Siberiano Orientale sono parte dell'Artico, mentre
Mare di Bering,
Mare di Okhotsk e
Mar del Giappone appartengono al Pacifico.
[modifica] Economia
Centrale energetica a
Mosca
Più di un decennio dopo il collasso dell'Unione Sovietica nel 1991, la Russia sta ora tentando di sviluppare un'economia di mercato e di conseguire una crescita economica più consistente. Dopo il 1991, l'economia russa, in precedenza pianificata e controllata dalle autorità centrali, subì una severa contrazione per cinque anni, mentre governo e parlamento non riuscivano a porre in essere le necessarie riforme e l'antiquata struttura industriale del paese affrontava un serio declino.
[modifica] La crisiDopo l'era sovietica la Russia visse una prima, limitata ripresa nel 1997, in cui si mostrarono i segni di un'influenza del libero mercato. In quell'anno si verificò la crisi finanziaria asiatica che portò in agosto al deprezzamento del rublo e, nel 1998 al default del debito pubblico. A ciò conseguì la recessione, un forte deterioramento dei livelli di vita e un'intensa fuga di capitali all'estero.
[modifica] Ripresa
Alexei Kudrin, Ministro delle finanze russo
L'economia iniziò a riprendersi nel 1999, grazie alla debolezza del Rublo, che rese più cari i prodotti importati e incoraggiò la manifattura locale. In seguito, si entrò in una fase di rapida crescita, in cui il PIL è cresciuto del 6.7% in media annua dal 1999 al 2005, sulla scorta del rublo debole, di più alti prezzi del petrolio, della maggiore produzione industriale e una maggiore vivacità dei servizi. Il paese ha un forte attivo nella bilancia commerciale, grazie anche alle barriere protezioniste che, assieme alla diffusa corruzione, ostacolano le piccole imprese straniere ad esportare in Russia, senza consistenti appoggi in loco. Alcuni di questi ostacoli dovrebbero venire meno, a seguito dell'adesione della Russia al WTO. Nel 2004 la crescita del PIL è stata del 7,2 % e nel 2005 del 6,4 %. Attualmente quella russa è la nona economia del mondo e la quinta in Europa. Se venisse mantenuto questo livello di sviluppo, in pochi anni la Russia diventerà la seconda economia europea, dopo la Germania. La ripresa e i rinnovati sforzi governativi (nel 2000 e nel 2001) di avanzare sul terreno delle riforme strutturali, hanno aumentato la fiducia di imprese e investitori sulle prospettive della Russia. Il settore delle materie prime, come petrolio, gas naturale, metalli e legname, costituisce l' 80% delle esportazioni, con la conseguenza che il paese è fortemente vulnerabile alle variazioni dei mercati internazionali. Le esportazioni dell'industria militare, dopo un periodo di crisi, costituiscono ora la seconda voce attiva, dopo le materie prime. Negli ultimi anni, peraltro, un altro fattore positivo per l'economia è stata la crescita della domanda interna (del 12% annuo tra il 2000 e il 2005). Lo sviluppo del paese è stato estremamente disuguale: la regione di Mosca, in cui si concentra solo un decimo della popolazione complessiva, produce un terzo del PIL.
[modifica] Dati recentiIl PIL a parità del potere d'acquisto nel 2004 è ammontato a 1,5 trilioni di dollari. Nel 2005, secondo il servizio federale di statistica, il Prodotto interno lordo è stato di 765 miliardi di dollari (21,7 trilioni di rubli), equivalenti a 1,6 trilioni di dollari a parità di potere d'acquisto. L'inflazione si è attestata al 10,9%. Le uscite dello stato sono state di 215 miliardi di dollari. Il governo progetta di ridurre il carico fiscale, anche se la tempistica e la misura di tale riduzione non sono state ancora decise. Nel 2005 le esportazioni russe sono state pari a 241,3 miliardi di dollari, mentre le importazioni hanno raggiunto i 98,5 miliardi di dollari. Il conseguente avanzo di 142,8 milioni di dollari ha registrato una crescita del 33% rispetto a quello del 2004 (106,1 miliardi di dollari)[1] Il 17 agosto 2006, le riserve in valuta della Russia ammontavano a 277 miliardi di dollari. A fine anno dovrebbero essere cresciute a 320 miliardi, e a 350–450 miliardi a fine 2007 [2][3]. Grazie agli alti prezzi del greggio, nel 2005 le esportazioni di petrolio sono state pari a 117 miliardi di dollari e quelle di gas a 32 miliardi. Ciò significa che il petrolio e il gas hanno costituito da soli il 60% delle esportazioni russe nel 2005.[4] Nel gennaio 2004 il governo ha formato un "Fondo di stabilizzazione", che raccoglie alcune entrate derivanti dall'esportazione di idrocarburi ed ha la funzione di bilanciare la volatilità del mercato petrolifero. Altro proposito è quello di evitare l'apprezzamento del rublo. Nel novembre 2006 il Fondo ha raggiunto il valore di 76,6 miliardi di dollari. Il paese ha pagato gran parte del debito estero che aveva con il Club di Parigi delle nazioni creditrici nell'agosto 2006, soprattutto attraverso il fondo di stabilizzazione. Al 1 ottobre 2006, il debito con il Club di Parigi ammontava a 1,9 miliardi di dollari, confrontati ai 23,7 miliardi al 1 luglio[5]. Secondo l'ufficio federale di statistica, il salario medio nominale a giugno 2006 ammontava a 10.975 rubli (circa 408 dollari al valore nominale, 740 dollari a parità di potere d'acquisto), del 25,6 % più alto rispetto all'anno precedente.
[modifica] Problemi e prospettive
L'Università statale di Tomsk
Per molti osservatori, il problema principale dell'economia russa è quello di incoraggiare lo sviluppo delle piccole e medie imprese in presenza di un sistema bancario ancora giovane e spesso inefficiente. Diverse banche sono proprietà degli "oligarchi", ossia ricchi uomini d'affari collegati al potere politico, che spesso utilizzano il denaro dei depositanti per sostenere le loro aziende. La BERS e la Banca Mondiale hanno tentato di incoraggiare pratiche bancarie più moderne, ma hanno ottenuto un successo molto limitato. Altri problemi risiedono nella considerevole diversità di sviluppo tra le diverse regioni. Mentre nella regione di Mosca i livelli di reddito si stanno rapidamente avvicinando a quelli delle maggiori metropoli della zona Euro, gran parte del paese rimane indietro, soprattutto nelle aree rurali e in Asia. Fuori dalla regione moscovita, segnali di sviluppo e integrazione nel mercato si fanno sentire soprattutto nelle altre grandi città, come San Pietroburgo, Kaliningrad, Ekaterinburg e, più di recente, nelle aree rurali vicine ai grossi centri. L'arresto dell'oligarca Mikhail Khodorkovsky, per accuse di corruzione e frode riguardo alle privatizzazioni su larga scala effettuate sotto la presidenza di Boris Eltsin, contrariamente ai timori, non ha causato eccessive preoccupazioni degli investitori sulla stabilità dell'economia russa. Se all'estero si sono espresse preoccupazioni sull'applicazione "selettiva" della legge contro certi uomini d'affari, le azioni del governo in questo senso sono state accolte con favore dall'opinione pubblica russa. Peraltro, gran parte delle fortune ora in evidenza derivano spesso dall'acquisto di beni pubblici e concessioni governative ad un prezzo particolarmente basso.
Incoraggiare l'investimento estero è un grosso problema, a causa delle particolarità russe in campo legale, culturale, linguistico ed economico. Nondimeno, negli anni recenti si è assistito ad un certo afflusso di capitali europei, attratti dai terreni a buon mercato, da un più basso costo del lavoro e da più altri tassi di crescita rispetto al resto dell'Europa. Del resto, l'elevato standard educativo raggiunto dalla maggioranza della popolazione (comprese le donne e gli appartenenti alle minoranze etniche), una mobilità sociale abbastanza elevata e le attitudini laiche rendono la Russia più simile ai paesi sviluppati che a quelli in via di sviluppo. Il paese ha beneficiato degli alti prezzi del petrolio ed è stato in grado di ridurre in maniera sostanziale il suo enorme debito estero. Comunque, il trasferimento dei proventi derivati dal commercio delle materie prime agli latri settori economici rimane un problema. Dal 2003, peraltro, il peso delle esportazioni di risorse naturali sull'economia si è ridotto in termini percentuali, grazie al rafforzamento del mercato interno, stimolato dal settore delle costruzioni e dai consumi. Se in buona parte del paese la domanda e l'offerta di consumo sono ancora molto semplici, nelle città maggiori il mercato si è reso più simile a quello dei paesi più avanzati, specialmente in campi come l'abbigliamento, il cibo e il tempo libero.
[modifica] Demografia
La Russia è scarsamente popolata in rapporto alla sua enorme estensione; la densità della popolazione è maggiore nella parte europea della Russia, nella zona delle montagne degli Urali, e nella parte sud-orientale della Siberia. La Federazione Russa ospita molti differenti gruppi etnici e popolazioni indigene. Più dell'80% della popolazione è composta da Russi etnici, il resto comprende Baschiri, Ceceni, Ciuvasci, Cosacchi, Evenki, Tedeschi, Ingusci, Yupik, Ebrei, Calmucchi, Careliani, Coreani, Mordvini, Osseti, Taimyri, Tatari, Tuvani, Jakuti e molti altri. La lingua russa è l'unica lingua ufficiale di stato, ma le singole repubbliche hanno spesso reso il loro linguaggio nativo co-ufficiale con il russo. Il cristianesimo ortodosso è la principale religione ed è in continua crescita. In esso si riconosce il 30 % della popolazione. Vi sono minoranze di musulmani (10%), cattolici (4%) e altri cristiani (1%). Tuttavia, anche in conseguenza del passato regime comunista, il 55% della popolazione si dichiara non credente.
[modifica] CulturaLa matrioska è una delle più conosciute espressioni artistiche e culturali della Russia
[modifica] Altri argomenti
[modifica] Altri progetti
[modifica] Collegamenti esterni
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