Russia

media type="file" key="anthemmariinskii.mp3" width="240" height="20" Alex Lohan 

The flag of Russia uses the [|Pan-Slavic colours] of red, blue and white. While there are several theories as to the origin and reason for the choice of the colours, none is currently universally accepted as correct. There is no official meaning assigned to the colours in Russian laws. The three colours purportedly came from the [|coat of arms] of the [|Grand Duchy of Moscow], which depict [|Saint George] wearing white (silver) armor, riding a white horse, wearing a blue cape and holding a blue shield, on a red field. According to another version, these three colours were associated with the robes of the [|Virgin Mary], the holy protectress of Russia. Yet another interpretation of the three colours is that the order that they are placed in reflected the Russian social system under the monarchy: white represents God, blue the Tsar and red the peasants. Another very common interpretation is the association of colours with the main parts of the Russian Empire: white thus represents [|Belarus] ("White Russia"), blue [|Ukraine] (or //Malorossia//, "Little Russia"), and red "[|Great Russia] ". A different interpretation associates white with the bright future (where the colour itself is associated with brightness, while its placement at the top - with future); blue with clouded present, and red with bloody past
 * = Historical Summary ||= Historical Timeline ||= Historical Enemies ||
 * = Historical Conflicts ||= Map of Russia ||= Flag and Significance ||
 * = Historical Cultures ||= Historical Clothing ||= Historical Foods ||

==Founded in the 12th century, the Principality of Muscovy, was able to emerge from over 200 years of Mongol domination (13th-15th centuries) and to gradually take control and spread throughout. In the early 17th century, a new Romanov Dynasty continued this plan of expansion across Siberia to the Pacific. Under PETER The First (ruled 1682-1725), hegemony was extended to the Baltic Sea and the country was renamed the Russian Empire. During the 19th century, more land was claimed in in Europe and Asia. Defeat in the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-05 contributed to the Revolution of 1905, which resulted in the formation of a parliament and groups. Repeated defeats of the Russian army in World War I led to widespread rioting most major cities of the Russian Empire and to the overthrow in 1917 of the Ruler. The Communists under Vladimir LENIN seized power soon after the overthrow and formed the USSR. The brutal rule of losif STALIN (1928-53) strengthened Communist power and Russian dominance of the Soviet Union at a cost of millions of lives during conflict. The Soviet economy and society went downhill in the following decades until General Secretary Mikhail GORBACHEV (1985-91) introduced glasnost (openness) and perestroika (restructuring) in an attempt to modernize Communism, but his initiatives only released forces that by December 1991 splintered the USSR into Russia and 14 other independent nations. Since then, Russia has shifted its post-Soviet government in favor of a centralized semi-authoritarian state whose power is later reinforced, in part, by carefully managed national elections, former President PUTIN's overall popularity, and the strict management of Russia's wealth. Russia has severely disabled a Chechen rebel movement, although violence still occurs throughout the Northern areas. ==

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- 'West Slavs' tribes were the Poles, the Czechs and the Slovaks - 'East Slavs' tribes consisted of Russians, Ukrainians and Belarusian's - 'South Slavs' tribes consisted of Bulgarians, Croats, Macedonians Serbs and Slovenians || ||  ||   || || **0** || The birth of Jesus || || **33** || Crucifixion of Jesus in the Roman province of Jerusalem and the origin of Christianity || || ** 200 ** || The German Visigoths conquered the region || || ** 370 ** || The Huns, led by Attilla, conquered the Goths and took control || || ** 1200 ** || 1200 - 1480 The Mogols led by Genghis Khan, conquered Russia || || ** 1480 ** || Ivan III freed Russia from the Mongols || || ** 1547 ** || Ivan IV (Ivan the Terrible) became the first Czar || || ** 1682 ** || Peter the Great became Czar || || ** 1762 ** || Catherine the Great became empressAustria, Prussia, and Russia divided Poland amongst themselves. Russia received Belarus, Lithuania, and Ukraine from Poland || || ** 1801 ** || Alexander I became Czar || || ** 1812 ** || Napoleon Bonaparte led troops into Russia but was defeated || || ** 1825 ** || Nicholas I became Czar || || ** 1853 ** || The Crimean War broke out between Russia and the Ottoman Empire || || ** 1867 ** || Russia sold Alaska to the United States || || ** 1894 ** || Nicholas II became Czar || || ** 1914 ** || World War I broke out and the Russians fought the Germans and Austrians || || ** 1917 ** || Revolutionaries overthrew the Russian government || || ** 1918 ** || Russia became the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic which eventually formed the Union of Soviet Socialist Republic (USSR) 1918-22 - Civil war between the Red Army and White Russians, or anti-communists || || ** 1924 ** || Lenin died || || ** 1929 ** || Stalin became the dictator of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republic (USSR) Leon Bronstein (Trotsky), who opposes Stalin, is deported to Turkey || || ** 1945 ** || May, Berlin fell to Russia August 1945 The United States dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki End of WW2 || || ** 1953 ** || Stalin dies and is succeeded by Nikita Krushev || || ** 1957 ** || The Soviet Union launches Sputnik || || ** 1959 ** || The communists led by Fidel Castro win the civil war in Cuba || || ** 1961 ** || Yuri Gagarin becomes the first astronaut The Soviet Union builds the wall between East and West Berlin || || ** 1962 ** || The Cuban Missile Crisis || || ** 1964 ** || Krushev replaced by Leonid Brezhnev || || ** 1965 ** || The Soviet Union backs North Vietnam against the USA || || ** 1985 ** || Mikhail Gorbachev becomes leader of the Soviet Union initiating a campaign of openness called "glasnost" and restructuring called "perestroika" || || ** 1986 ** || The nuclear accident in ChernobylRussia launches the MIR space station || || ** 1989 ** || The Soviet Union withdraws from AfghanistanThe Berlin Wall is destroyed || || ** 1990 ** || Boris Yeltsin is elected president || || ** 1991 ** || The Soviet Union is dismantled and Russia becomes an independent federation || || ** 1999 ** || Yeltsin resigns and Vladimir Putin is his successor || || ** 2002: ** || Russia becomes an ally of NATO || ||
 * The indigenous population of Russia were the Slavic tribes:

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__1)__ Huns (370-1200)
__2)__ Mongols (1200-1480)

__3)__ Germans and austrians (W.W.I 1914-1918)

__4)__ Axis Powers. Germany, Japan, Italy Hungary Romania, Bulgaria, Finland, Iraq, and Thialand. (W.W.II 1939-1945)

__5)__ ﻿ United states (Cuban Missile Crisis 1962)

__6)__ ﻿Afghanistan (?-1989)

__Historical conflicts with russia:__
370 AD the Huns take control over russia after overthrowing the leader.

1200 the mongols kick out the huns and begin their own reign of russia

1914 Germany tries to take control of russia but ends up retreating

1939 Adolf Hitler rises to power with the 3rd Nazi Reich And takes over europe. It then moves its forces to Russia and begins to invade the country until Great Britain and the United States Begin to Take side with Russia to Stop Axis Control over europe and asia. The Nazi power is then defeated and Russia takes control of berlin.

1962 Russia and US are in the race for the lead as the most powerful countries (they were both the superpowers after W.W.II). First the space race and then the Deadly Nuclear arms race. America takes the lead with first H-Bomb But russia Comes back with the Biggest nuclear weapon ever detonated or destroyed. Though the US ad the advantage because their missiles could travel across the Atlantic Russia shipped their missiles to cuba and setting up ICBM launch facilities aimed for the US. For 10 days the world feared nuclear war until russia agreed to call off their launch sites.

this is a map of russia

Russian is one of three East Slavic languages of the Slavic branch of the Indo-European language family. It is the most widely spoken Slavic language, with 1.39 million people speaking it as their native language and tens of millions more using it as a second language. Many people in non-Russian ethnic groups speak Russian as their native or only language, partly as a result of tsarist and Soviet campaigns to suppress minority languages. The collapse of the Soviet Union opened the way for linguistic revival movements in many ethnic communities. Unlike America, Russian kids are more likely to get a birthday pie than a birthday cake.Birthday Pie!!!!!!!!

==Romantic love is considered the only acceptable motivation for marriage, and there is a long tradition in literature, poetry, and song of idealizing lovers' passion, usually with tragic overtones, although bawdy approaches to the topic are also popular. Contemporary practice also highlights more pragmatic and cynical aspects of marital relationships, such as improving one's economic status or housing prospects. People frequently meet partners at school, university, or at work, although discotheques and clubs in the cities have become popular meeting places. Premarital sex is generally accepted, and marriages arising from unplanned pregnancies are not uncommon. Since the 1930s, twenty-three years has been the average age at marriage. Cohabitation is tolerated, but legal marriage is greatly preferred. Although economic un-certainty has led many to marry later or not at all, 97 percent of adults marry by age forty, and most before age thirty. Approximately one-half of all marriages end in divorce. Economic hardship and alcohol abuse are major contributing factors. Ethnic intermarriage became fairly common in Soviet times, and most people have at least one ancestor of a different nationality. [|Culture of Russia] ==

Russians generally love meat. Starvation means having no bread, while poverty means going without hard sausage kolbasa. Sausage, pork, beef, mutton, chicken, and dried or salted fish are widely available and relatively cheap. Only some can afford to buy delicacies such as veal, duck, sturgeon, and salmon. Traditional aristocratic fare included such fancy foods, many of which are popular among the newly wealthy classes today. For most people, breakfast is a quick snack of coffee or tea with bread and sausage or cheese. Lunch is a hot meal, with soup, potatoes, macaroni, rice or buckwheat kasha, ground meat cutlets, and peas or grated cabbage. This meal may be eaten in a workplace cafeteria at midday or after people return home from work; a later supper may consist of boiled potatoes, soured cabbage, and bread or simply bread and sausage. People eat a wide range of dairy products, such as tvorog, a kind of cottage cheese, and riazhenka, slightly soured milk. These items can be purchased from large shops or private farmers' markets or made at home. In provincial cities and towns, unpasteurized milk is sold from tanker trucks, although bottles and cartons of pasteurized milk are available everywhere, as is sour cream. Hard and soft cheeses are also popular. Fruits are widely loved and cultivated. In late summer, fruits and berries are harvested and made

Clothes
== Traditional Russian clothing was designed to empathize Russian woman's inner dignity and emotional restraint. Russian costumes are not only beautiful, there are also convenient in wearing because they were created for work without restricting freedom of movement. Festive clothes and everyday clothes, married woman's and young girl's clothes differed only for details, decoration, color gamut. The variety of colors for traditional costume displays love for beauty and ethnic diversity. Red fabric cloth was considered to be the nattiest one, and, by the way, the Russian word "beautiful" comes from the word "krasny", the Russian for "red". ==

Homemade canvas and wool clothes decorated with embroidery or woven pattern have been used most often for traditional peasant costumes. Embroidery came in different ornaments (rhombuses, crosses, herring-bones, stylized patterns of people and animals) performed in naturally painted threads. Red, blue, green, white, yellow - the color gamut was rich and various. Despite the social and territorial differences traditional Russian clothes had one thing in common, they had to be put as a cape, from the head. Soft silhouette without any cuts emphasized Russian lady's light steps. Dress and sleeves were getting wider to the lap; the fabric was decorated with symmetric pattern, or with other golden or silvery-like fabrics, furs, and embroidery. Patterned woman's headdress "kokoshnik", fine linen "rubashka" shirts, beautiful woman's dress "sarafan" with embroidery in brocade and silk, - all these are comfortable and nice clothes worn ages ago by Russian women. In the Northern districts of the region the means of decoration were modest and laconic in keeping with the architecture of those places. In the Southern districts the ornaments were brighter and more colourful. Every tiny detail made its contribution to the whole ensemble. A waist-belt was an indispensable part of it. Headwears were divided into women's and girls ones. They are embroidered with gold and pearls and are of great value. They were everyday clothes and holiday garments. Russian tradtional costume manifests folk art and conveys the spirit of the past and old bright culture of Russia.

== Ground Forces (Sukhoputnyye Voyskia, SV), Navy (Voyenno-Morskoy Flot, VMF), Air Forces (Voyenno-Vozdushniye Sily, VVS); Airborne Troops (VDV), Strategic Rocket Forces (Raketnyye Voyska Strategicheskogo Naznacheniya, RVSN), and Space Troops (Kosmicheskiye Voyska, KV) are independent "combat arms," not subordinate to any of the three branches; Russian Ground Forces include the following combat arms: motorized-rifle troops, tank troops, missile and artillery troops, air defense of ground troops (2010) ==

<span style="color: #5d5d5d; font-family: Geneva,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 15px; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 22px;">Ground Forces (Sukhoputnyye Voyskia, SV), Navy (Voyenno-Morskoy Flot, VMF), Air Forces (Voyenno-Vozdushniye Sily, VVS); Airborne Troops (VDV), Strategic Rocket Forces (Raketnyye Voyska Strategicheskogo Naznacheniya, RVSN), and Space Troops (Kosmicheskiye Voyska, KV) are independent "combat arms," not subordinate to any of the three branches; Russian Ground Forces include the following combat arms: motorized-rifle troops, tank troops, missile and artillery troops, air defense of ground troops (2010)

Manpower available for military service: <span style="color: #535353; font-family: Geneva; font-size: 11pt; letter-spacing: 1pt; line-height: 16pt;">Females age 16-49: 35,693,977 (2010 est.) ||  || <span style="color: #535353; font-family: Geneva; font-size: 11pt; letter-spacing: 1pt; line-height: 16pt;">Females age 16-49: 27,174,148 (2010 est.) ||  ||
 * <span style="color: #535353; font-family: Geneva; font-size: 11pt; letter-spacing: 1pt; line-height: 16pt;">Males age 16-49: 34,850,217
 * <span style="color: #535353; font-family: Geneva; font-size: 11pt; letter-spacing: 1pt; line-height: 16pt;">Manpower fit for military service: || ||  ||
 * <span style="color: #535353; font-family: Geneva; font-size: 11pt; letter-spacing: 1pt; line-height: 16pt;">Males age 16-49: 20,746,777

<span style="color: #535353; font-family: Geneva; font-size: 11pt; letter-spacing: 1pt; line-height: 16pt;">Female: 678,623 (2010 est.) ||
 * <span style="color: #535353; font-family: Geneva; font-size: 11pt; letter-spacing: 1pt; line-height: 16pt;">Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually: || ||
 * <span style="color: #535353; font-family: Geneva; font-size: 11pt; letter-spacing: 1pt; line-height: 16pt;">Male: 712,838

<span style="color: #666666; display: block; font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 16px; padding-top: 2px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: middle;">**land: <span class="category_data" style="font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 16px; vertical-align: top;">16,377,742 sq km ** <span style="color: #666666; display: block; font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 16px; padding-top: 2px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: middle;">**water: <span class="category_data" style="font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 16px; vertical-align: top;">720,500 sq km ** ||
 * <span style="color: #666666; display: block; font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 16px; padding-left: 5px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: middle;">**__location__** ||  ||
 * < <span style="display: block; font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 16px; vertical-align: middle;">Northern Asia (the area west of the Urals is considered part of Europe), bordering the Arctic Ocean, between Europe and the North Pacific Ocean ||
 * <span style="color: #666666; display: block; font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 16px; padding-left: 5px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: middle;">**__geographic coordinates__** ||  ||
 * < <span style="display: block; font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 16px; vertical-align: middle;">60 00 N, 100 00 E ||
 * <span style="color: #666666; display: block; font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 16px; padding-left: 5px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: middle;">**__map reference__** ||  ||
 * < <span style="font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 16px;">__asia__ ||
 * <span style="color: #666666; display: block; font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 16px; padding-left: 5px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: middle;">**__Area__** ||  ||
 * < <span style="color: #666666; display: block; font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 16px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: middle;">**total: <span class="category_data" style="font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 16px; vertical-align: top;">17,098,242 sq km ** <span class="category" style="color: #666666; font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 16px; padding-left: 7px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: middle;">**country comparison to the world:** <span class="category_data" style="font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 16px; vertical-align: middle;">__<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #747b7b; font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 16px;">[|1] __
 * <span style="color: #666666; display: block; font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 16px; padding-left: 5px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: middle;">**__Area__** ||  ||
 * < <span style="color: #666666; display: block; font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 16px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: middle;">**total: <span class="category_data" style="font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 16px; vertical-align: top;">17,098,242 sq km ** <span class="category" style="color: #666666; font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 16px; padding-left: 7px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: middle;">**country comparison to the world:** <span class="category_data" style="font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 16px; vertical-align: middle;">__<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #747b7b; font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 16px;">[|1] __
 * < <span style="color: #666666; display: block; font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 16px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: middle;">**total: <span class="category_data" style="font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 16px; vertical-align: top;">17,098,242 sq km ** <span class="category" style="color: #666666; font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 16px; padding-left: 7px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: middle;">**country comparison to the world:** <span class="category_data" style="font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 16px; vertical-align: middle;">__<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #747b7b; font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 16px;">[|1] __
 * <span style="color: #666666; display: block; font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 16px; padding-left: 5px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: middle;">**__Area- comparative__** ||  ||
 * < <span style="display: block; font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 16px; vertical-align: middle;">approximately 1.8 times the size of the US ||
 * <span style="color: #666666; display: block; font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 16px; padding-left: 5px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: middle;">**__Land boundaries__:** ||  ||
 * < <span style="color: #666666; display: block; font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 16px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: middle;">**total: <span class="category_data" style="font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 16px; vertical-align: top;">20,241.5 km ** <span style="color: #666666; display: block; font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 16px; padding-top: 2px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: middle;">**border countries: <span class="category_data" style="font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 16px; vertical-align: top;">Azerbaijan 284 km, Belarus 959 km, China (southeast) 3,605 km, China (south) 40 km, Estonia 290 km, Finland 1,313 km, Georgia 723 km, Kazakhstan 6,846 km, North Korea 17.5 km, Latvia 292 km, Lithuania (Kaliningrad Oblast) 227 km, Mongolia 3,441 km, Norway 196 km, Poland (Kaliningrad Oblast) 432 km, Ukraine 1,576 km ** ||
 * <span style="color: #666666; display: block; font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 16px; padding-left: 5px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: middle;">**__Coastline__** ||  ||
 * < <span style="display: block; font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 16px; vertical-align: middle;">37,653 km ||
 * <span style="color: #666666; display: block; font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 16px; padding-left: 5px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: middle;">**__Maritimes__** ||  ||
 * < <span style="color: #666666; display: block; font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 16px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: middle;">**territorial sea: <span class="category_data" style="font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 16px; vertical-align: top;">12 nm ** <span style="color: #666666; display: block; font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 16px; padding-top: 2px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: middle;">**contiguous zone: <span class="category_data" style="font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 16px; vertical-align: top;">24 nm ** <span style="color: #666666; display: block; font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 16px; padding-top: 2px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: middle;">**exclusive economic zone: <span class="category_data" style="font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 16px; vertical-align: top;">200 nm ** <span style="color: #666666; display: block; font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 16px; padding-top: 2px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: middle;">**continental shelf: <span class="category_data" style="font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 16px; vertical-align: top;">200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation ** ||
 * <span style="color: #666666; display: block; font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 16px; padding-left: 5px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: middle;">**__Climate__** ||  ||
 * < <span style="font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 16px;">__Current weather__
 * <span style="color: #666666; display: block; font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 16px; padding-left: 5px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: middle;">**__Maritimes__** ||  ||
 * < <span style="color: #666666; display: block; font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 16px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: middle;">**territorial sea: <span class="category_data" style="font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 16px; vertical-align: top;">12 nm ** <span style="color: #666666; display: block; font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 16px; padding-top: 2px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: middle;">**contiguous zone: <span class="category_data" style="font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 16px; vertical-align: top;">24 nm ** <span style="color: #666666; display: block; font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 16px; padding-top: 2px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: middle;">**exclusive economic zone: <span class="category_data" style="font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 16px; vertical-align: top;">200 nm ** <span style="color: #666666; display: block; font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 16px; padding-top: 2px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: middle;">**continental shelf: <span class="category_data" style="font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 16px; vertical-align: top;">200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation ** ||
 * <span style="color: #666666; display: block; font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 16px; padding-left: 5px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: middle;">**__Climate__** ||  ||
 * < <span style="font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 16px;">__Current weather__
 * < <span style="font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 16px;">__Current weather__

<span style="display: block; font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 16px; vertical-align: middle;">ranges from steppes in the south through humid continental in much of European Russia; subarctic in Siberia to tundra climate in the polar north; winters vary from cool along Black Sea coast to frigid in Siberia; summers vary from warm in the steppes to cool along Arctic coast ||
 * <span style="color: #666666; display: block; font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 16px; padding-left: 5px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: middle;">**__Terrain__** ||  ||
 * < <span style="display: block; font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 16px; vertical-align: middle;">broad plain with low hills west of Urals; vast coniferous forest and tundra in Siberia; uplands and mountains along southern border regions ||
 * <span style="color: #666666; display: block; font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 16px; padding-left: 5px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: middle;">**__Elevation extremes__:** ||  ||
 * < <span style="color: #666666; display: block; font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 16px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: middle;">**lowest point: <span class="category_data" style="font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 16px; vertical-align: top;">Caspian Sea -28 m ** <span style="color: #666666; display: block; font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 16px; padding-top: 2px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: middle;">**highest point: <span class="category_data" style="font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 16px; vertical-align: top;">Gora El'brus 5,633 m ** ||
 * <span style="color: #666666; display: block; font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 16px; padding-left: 5px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: middle;">**__Natural resources__** ||  ||
 * < <span style="display: block; font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 16px; vertical-align: middle;">wide natural resource base including major deposits of oil, natural gas, coal, and many strategic minerals, timber <span style="color: #666666; display: block; font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 16px; padding-top: 2px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: middle;">**//note:// <span class="category_data" style="font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 16px; vertical-align: top;">formidable obstacles of climate, terrain, and distance hinder exploitation of natural resources ** ||
 * <span style="font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 16px;">**__Land use__** ||  ||
 * < <span style="color: #666666; display: block; font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 16px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: middle;">**arable land: <span class="category_data" style="font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 16px; vertical-align: top;">7.17% ** <span style="color: #666666; display: block; font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 16px; padding-top: 2px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: middle;">**permanent crops: <span class="category_data" style="font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 16px; vertical-align: top;">0.11% ** <span style="color: #666666; display: block; font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 16px; padding-top: 2px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: middle;">**other: <span class="category_data" style="font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 16px; vertical-align: top;">92.72% (2005) ** ||
 * <span style="color: #666666; display: block; font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 16px; padding-left: 5px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: middle;">**__Irrigated land__** ||  ||
 * < <span style="display: block; font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 16px; vertical-align: middle;">46,000 sq km (2003) ||
 * <span style="color: #666666; display: block; font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 16px; padding-left: 5px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: middle;">**__ Total renewable water resources __:** ||  ||
 * < <span style="display: block; font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 16px; vertical-align: middle;">4,498 cu km (1997) ||
 * <span style="color: #666666; display: block; font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 16px; padding-left: 5px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: middle;">**__ Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural) __:** ||  ||
 * < <span style="color: #666666; display: block; font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 16px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: middle;">**total: <span class="category_data" style="font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 16px; vertical-align: top;">76.68 cu km/yr (19%/63%/18%) ** <span style="color: #666666; display: block; font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 16px; padding-top: 2px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: middle;">**per capita: <span class="category_data" style="font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 16px; vertical-align: top;">535 cu m/yr (2000) ** ||
 * <span style="color: #666666; display: block; font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 16px; padding-left: 5px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: middle;">**__ Natural hazards __:** ||  ||
 * < <span style="display: block; font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 16px; vertical-align: middle;">permafrost over much of Siberia is a major impediment to development; volcanic activity in the Kuril Islands; volcanoes and earthquakes on the Kamchatka Peninsula; spring floods and summer/autumn forest fires throughout Siberia and parts of European Russia <span style="color: #666666; display: block; font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 16px; padding-top: 2px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: middle;">**volcanism: <span class="category_data" style="font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 16px; vertical-align: top;">Russia experiences significant volcanic activity on the Kamchatka Peninsula and Kuril Islands; the peninsula alone is home to some 29 historically active volcanoes, with dozens more in the Kuril Islands; Kliuchevskoi (elev. 4,835 m, 15,863 ft), which erupted in 2007 and 2010, is Kamchatka's most active volcano; Avachinsky and Koryaksky volcanoes, which pose a threat to the city of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy, have been deemed "Decade Volcanoes" by the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior, worthy of study due to their explosive history and close proximity to human populations; other notable historically active volcanoes include Bezymianny, Chikurachki, Ebeko, Gorely, Grozny, Karymsky, Ketoi, Kronotsky, Ksudach, Medvezhia, Mutnovsky, Sarychev Peak, Shiveluch, Tiatia, Tolbachik, and Zheltovsky ** ||
 * <span style="color: #666666; display: block; font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 16px; padding-left: 5px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: middle;">**__ Environment - current issues __:** ||  ||
 * < <span style="display: block; font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 16px; vertical-align: middle;">air pollution from heavy industry, emissions of coal-fired electric plants, and transportation in major cities; industrial, municipal, and agricultural pollution of inland waterways and seacoasts; deforestation; soil erosion; soil contamination from improper application of agricultural chemicals; scattered areas of sometimes intense radioactive contamination; groundwater contamination from toxic waste; urban solid waste management; abandoned stocks of obsolete pesticides ||
 * <span style="color: #666666; display: block; font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 16px; padding-left: 5px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: middle;">**__ Environment - international agreements __:** ||  ||
 * < <span style="color: #666666; display: block; font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 16px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: middle;">**arty to: <span class="category_data" style="font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 16px; vertical-align: top;">Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Wetlands, Whaling ** <span style="color: #666666; display: block; font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 16px; padding-top: 2px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: middle;">**signed, but not ratified: <span class="category_data" style="font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 16px; vertical-align: top;">Air Pollution-Sulfur 94 ** ||
 * <span style="color: #666666; display: block; font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 16px; padding-left: 5px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: middle;">**__ Geography - note __:** ||  ||
 * < <span style="display: block; font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 16px; vertical-align: middle;">argest country in the world in terms of area but unfavorably located in relation to major sea lanes of the world; despite its size, much of the country lacks proper soils and climates (either too cold or too dry) for agriculture; Mount El'brus is Europe's tallest peak ||
 * <span style="color: #666666; display: block; font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 16px; padding-left: 5px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: middle;">**__ Natural hazards __:** ||  ||
 * < <span style="display: block; font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 16px; vertical-align: middle;">permafrost over much of Siberia is a major impediment to development; volcanic activity in the Kuril Islands; volcanoes and earthquakes on the Kamchatka Peninsula; spring floods and summer/autumn forest fires throughout Siberia and parts of European Russia <span style="color: #666666; display: block; font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 16px; padding-top: 2px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: middle;">**volcanism: <span class="category_data" style="font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 16px; vertical-align: top;">Russia experiences significant volcanic activity on the Kamchatka Peninsula and Kuril Islands; the peninsula alone is home to some 29 historically active volcanoes, with dozens more in the Kuril Islands; Kliuchevskoi (elev. 4,835 m, 15,863 ft), which erupted in 2007 and 2010, is Kamchatka's most active volcano; Avachinsky and Koryaksky volcanoes, which pose a threat to the city of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy, have been deemed "Decade Volcanoes" by the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior, worthy of study due to their explosive history and close proximity to human populations; other notable historically active volcanoes include Bezymianny, Chikurachki, Ebeko, Gorely, Grozny, Karymsky, Ketoi, Kronotsky, Ksudach, Medvezhia, Mutnovsky, Sarychev Peak, Shiveluch, Tiatia, Tolbachik, and Zheltovsky ** ||
 * <span style="color: #666666; display: block; font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 16px; padding-left: 5px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: middle;">**__ Environment - current issues __:** ||  ||
 * < <span style="display: block; font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 16px; vertical-align: middle;">air pollution from heavy industry, emissions of coal-fired electric plants, and transportation in major cities; industrial, municipal, and agricultural pollution of inland waterways and seacoasts; deforestation; soil erosion; soil contamination from improper application of agricultural chemicals; scattered areas of sometimes intense radioactive contamination; groundwater contamination from toxic waste; urban solid waste management; abandoned stocks of obsolete pesticides ||
 * <span style="color: #666666; display: block; font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 16px; padding-left: 5px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: middle;">**__ Environment - international agreements __:** ||  ||
 * < <span style="color: #666666; display: block; font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 16px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: middle;">**arty to: <span class="category_data" style="font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 16px; vertical-align: top;">Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Wetlands, Whaling ** <span style="color: #666666; display: block; font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 16px; padding-top: 2px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: middle;">**signed, but not ratified: <span class="category_data" style="font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 16px; vertical-align: top;">Air Pollution-Sulfur 94 ** ||
 * <span style="color: #666666; display: block; font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 16px; padding-left: 5px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: middle;">**__ Geography - note __:** ||  ||
 * < <span style="display: block; font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 16px; vertical-align: middle;">argest country in the world in terms of area but unfavorably located in relation to major sea lanes of the world; despite its size, much of the country lacks proper soils and climates (either too cold or too dry) for agriculture; Mount El'brus is Europe's tallest peak ||
 * <span style="color: #666666; display: block; font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 16px; padding-left: 5px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: middle;">**__ Geography - note __:** ||  ||
 * < <span style="display: block; font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 16px; vertical-align: middle;">argest country in the world in terms of area but unfavorably located in relation to major sea lanes of the world; despite its size, much of the country lacks proper soils and climates (either too cold or too dry) for agriculture; Mount El'brus is Europe's tallest peak ||
 * < <span style="display: block; font-family: Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 16px; vertical-align: middle;">argest country in the world in terms of area but unfavorably located in relation to major sea lanes of the world; despite its size, much of the country lacks proper soils and climates (either too cold or too dry) for agriculture; Mount El'brus is Europe's tallest peak ||

=Russia's <span style="color: #ff0000; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">//Nuclear// <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">﻿Arsenal and Problems it has caused. =