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Russia (officially the Russian Federation) is a sovereign state located in Eastern Europe and Northern Asia. It has an enclave in Central Europe – the Kaliningrad region. It is recognized as the largest country in the world, occupying 1/9 of the Earth's landmass. The area of the territory is 17125191 км². The capital is the federal city of Moscow. The other largest cities of federal importance are St. Petersburg and Sevastopol.
It borders Norway, Finland, Estonia, Latvia in the northwest, Poland and Lithuania (via the Kaliningrad region), Belarus, Ukraine in the west, Georgia, Abkhazia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, and North Korea in the south. There are maritime borders with Japan and the USA. The total area of the land borders is more than 19500 km.
Until 1991, it was the largest republic of the USSR, after the collapse of which it was recognized by the successor state. The form of the state is the federal Republic. The form of government is a presidential republic. According to the Constitution, it consists of 89 regions.
He is a permanent member of the UN Security Council, a member of the G20, APEC, SCO and the CIS.
Visa
The Russian Federation has a strict system in place, which involves obtaining a visa even for simple tourist trips. The right to visa-free travel is granted only to citizens of countries that have relevant agreements with Russia, and some Republics that were previously part of the USSR.
To apply for a visa, a foreign citizen must provide a visa invitation from a Russian organization or individual. The application will not be considered without a "sponsor" of the trip.
As of 2024, the Russian government provides the following types of visas:
- Private.
- Electronic.
- Tourist.
- Business.
- Student's room.
- Working.
- Humanitarian.
- Transit.
- Diplomatic.
In each case, the applicant can expect to receive certain opportunities. At the same time, it is important to take into account the current restrictions in order not to face administrative penalties. Find out more about all types of visas, validity periods, conditions for obtaining and benefits offered in the profile article on our website.
Residence permit
A residence permit in the Russian Federation is a document that automatically opens access to a variety of government services, subsidies and social programs. At the same time, the holder of a residence permit receives the right of free residence, travel, entry / exit from the country.
To obtain a Russian residence permit, you will have to pass the appropriate exams. The program involves passing a test of knowledge of the Russian language, history and the basics of law.
A residence permit in the Russian Federation may be issued on one of the following grounds:
- For training.
- To reunite with your family.
- For employment.
- For doing business.
In the standard case, the residence permit of the Russian Federation is valid for 5 years, after which it is necessary to apply for an extension or proceed with registration of permanent residence.
If you want to learn more about all the privileges of a Russian residence permit, requirements for a candidate, documents and possible restrictions, then study the corresponding article devoted entirely to these issues.
Citizenship
To obtain permanent residence in Russia, a foreigner will have to go through several difficult stages. It is important to take into account that citizens of individual States may face additional difficulties due to the tense political relations between governments.
The standard way to obtain Russian citizenship is:
- Obtaining a visa.
- Request for a temporary residence permit.
- Obtaining a residence permit.
- Registration of citizenship.
In accordance with the federal law of Russia, the government can grant permanent residence on several grounds:
- By origin.
- By right of birth.
- Through marriage to a citizen.
- According to the standard naturalization procedure.
Officially, it is not prohibited in Russia to have two or more nationalities. At the same time, residents of Russia and Tajikistan have the right to apply for dual citizenship. In this case, notification of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the fact of having a passport of another state becomes an important condition.
Read more about all the specific requirements for the applicant, the package of documents, the advantages and limitations of Russian citizenship in the corresponding article.
Passport
The Government of the Russian Federation provides citizens with 2 types of passports – domestic and foreign. An internal identity card is issued to citizens at the age of 14. Planned replacement is expected in 20 and 45 years.
For foreigners, the possibility of obtaining permanent residence and a passport comes after 5 years of continuous residence in the country. This is the standard minimum period for applying to join the naturalization program.
Citizens of all countries of the world can become holders of a Russian passport, but preferential conditions are provided for residents of states that were previously part of the USSR and have grounds.
Depending on the applicant's current citizenship, the conditions for obtaining temporary/permanent residence and, accordingly, a passport may change. Before starting the process, it is important to clarify current opportunities and consult with an immigration expert.
You can get more information about obtaining a Russian passport, the available grounds, advantages and find answers to the most common questions in the main article.
Climatic conditions
The size of the country and the significant remoteness of the areas from the sea determine the predominance of the continental climate in the main territory. The exception is the tundra and the southwestern regions. The mountain ranges in the south and southeast are becoming a natural barrier to warm air from the Indian and Pacific Oceans. At the same time, the European Plain, which stretches in the eastern part of the country, allows air masses from the Atlantic and Arctic Oceans to actively influence the climate.
Most of the regions of the northwest and Siberia are located in a subarctic climate characterized by severe winters. The north pole of cold is located in the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) with a minimum recorded temperature of -71.2°C.
The average annual temperature in Russia is -5.5°C. Average January temperatures are below zero everywhere, except for the Black Sea coast. In Eastern Siberia, they drop to -35-60 °C, but they are easier to tolerate due to low humidity. Summer temperatures fluctuate greatly. In the far north, they are only +1 +2°C, and in the steppe regions of the south they range from +25 to +40°C.
The volume of annual precipitation varies depending on the region and, in general, decreases with the movement of air masses to the east. In addition, precipitation is primarily affected by the mountainous terrain. The vast majority of the country is located in an area that assumes precipitation from 200 to 600 mm per year.
Demographics
Russians make up more than 80% of the total population. Residents are extremely unevenly distributed throughout the territory. Almost 70% of the population (over 120 million people) lives in the European part of the country, which occupies only 20% of the total territory. About 15% of the population (more than 20 million people) is located in the Asian part, which occupies 80% of the territory. The population density varies from 362 people/км² to less than 1 person per км². The average figures are 8.53 people/км².
According to statistical estimates, at the beginning of 2024, more than 146 million people lived in the Russian Federation. In comparison with 2023, the number has decreased by almost 300,000 people. The average fertility rate is 1.32.
The urban composition of the population prevails – more than 75%. The largest cities by population are Moscow (over 13 million) and St. Petersburg (over 5.5 million). Novosibirsk, Yekaterinburg, and Kazan are among the five most densely populated cities.
By the middle of 2024, the average life expectancy of the population is 73.4 years – 68.4 for men and 78.3 for women.
Russian is the official and predominant spoken language. It is recognized as the second official in all autonomous republics. Due to the diversity of the population, up to 150 languages and dialects of national minorities are spoken throughout the country. According to the last census, almost 140 million people spoke Russian. The Constitution gives individual republics of the country the right to establish their official languages in addition to Russian, and also guarantees its citizens the right to preserve their native language and create conditions for its study and development.
Russia is a secular state, and freedom of religion is also guaranteed by the Constitution. The most widespread religion is Eastern Orthodoxy, represented by the Russian Orthodox Church. Other traditional religions are Islam, Buddhism, Judaism, Catholicism, Protestantism and the traditional beliefs of individual ethnic groups.
Economy
Russia is considered a developing industrial and agrarian country with a market economy. He is one of the founders of the Eurasian Economic Union. The key industries are mechanical engineering, processing of ferrous and non-ferrous metals. The developed industries include chemical, petrochemical, light, food, and forestry industries.
As of 2024, Russia is in 4th place in terms of GDP – $6.45 trillion, but in 60th place in the world in terms of GDP per capita in terms of real purchasing power – $15,270. At the same time, Russia has one of the lowest levels of external debt among the largest economies and is among the top four countries in the world.
The working-age population is more than 70 million people. In 2024, the unemployment rate broke the historical low of 2.7%.
The service sector provides more than 60% of GDP, industry – 30%, agriculture – 5%. The oil and gas sector accounts for 45% of federal budget revenues and up to 60% of exports.
As of 2023, Russia ranked 104th in the world in terms of economic freedom. According to the human development index, it is ranked 56th.
Freedom of movement (visa-free countries)
The Russian Federation ranks 42nd in the world passport strength ranking. Tonga, Kiribati, Turkey, and Venezuela are in the same position. Tuvalu is one line above, and the Marshall Islands are below.
The index of freedom of movement is 127. This means that a visa-free regime has been introduced to visit 77 countries of the world with the right to stay from 30 to 360 days. 44 countries have the right to apply for a visa after arrival and stay for up to 150 days. An electronic entry and stay permit for up to 90 days is available for visiting 7 destinations. In 71 countries, you will have to apply for a preliminary visa.
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