Russia

Code: RS | Region: Central Asia

Introduction

Background

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Founded in the 12th century, the Principality of Muscovy emerged from over 200 years of Mongol domination (13th-15th centuries) and gradually conquered and absorbed surrounding principalities. In the early 17th century, a new ROMANOV dynasty continued this policy of expansion across Siberia to the Pacific. Under PETER I (1682-1725), hegemony was extended to the Baltic Sea and the country was renamed the Russian Empire. During the 19th century, more territorial acquisitions were made in Europe and Asia. Defeat in the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-05 contributed to the Revolution of 1905, which resulted in the formation of a parliament and other reforms. Devastating defeats and food shortages in World War I led to widespread rioting in the major cities of the Russian Empire and to the overthrow of the ROMANOV Dynasty in 1917. The communists under Vladimir LENIN seized power soon after and formed the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR). The brutal rule of Iosif STALIN (1928-53) strengthened communist control and Russian dominance of the Soviet Union at a cost of tens of millions of lives. After defeating Germany in World War II as part of an alliance with the US (1939-1945), the USSR expanded its territory and influence in Eastern Europe and emerged as a global power. The USSR was the principal US adversary during the Cold War (1947-1991). The Soviet economy and society stagnated in the decades following Stalin's rule, until General Secretary Mikhail GORBACHEV (1985-91) introduced glasnost (openness) and perestroika (restructuring) in an attempt to modernize communism. His initiatives inadvertently released political and economic forces that by December 1991 led to the dissolution of the USSR into Russia and 14 other independent states. In response to the ensuing turmoil during President Boris YELTSIN's term (1991-99), Russia shifted toward a centralized authoritarian state under President Vladimir PUTIN (2000-2008, 2012-present) in which the regime seeks to legitimize its rule through managed elections, populist appeals, a foreign policy focused on enhancing the country's geopolitical influence, and commodity-based economic growth. In 2014, Russia purported to annex Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula and occupied large portions of two eastern Ukrainian oblasts. In sporadic fighting over the next eight years, more than 14,000 civilians were killed or wounded as a result of the Russian invasion in eastern Ukraine. On 24 February 2022, Russia escalated its conflict with Ukraine by invading the country on several fronts in what has become the largest conventional military attack on a sovereign state in Europe since World War II. The invasion received near-universal international condemnation, and many countries imposed sanctions on Russia and supplied humanitarian and military aid to Ukraine. In September 2022, Russia unilaterally declared its annexation of four Ukrainian oblasts -- Donetsk, Kherson, Luhansk, and Zaporizhzhia -- even though none were fully under Russian control. The annexations remain unrecognized by the international community.

Geography

Location

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North Asia bordering the Arctic Ocean, extending from Eastern Europe (the portion west of the Urals) to the North Pacific Ocean

Geographic coordinates

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60 00 N, 100 00 E

Map references

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Asia

Area

total

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17,098,242 sq km

land

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16,377,742 sq km

water

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720,500 sq km

Area - comparative

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approximately 1.8 times the size of the US

Land boundaries

total

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22,407 km

border countries

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Azerbaijan 338 km; Belarus 1,312 km; China (southeast) 4,133 km and China (south) 46 km; Estonia 324 km; Finland 1,309 km; Georgia 894 km; Kazakhstan 7,644 km; North Korea 18 km; Latvia 332 km; Lithuania (Kaliningrad Oblast) 261 km; Mongolia 3,452 km; Norway 191 km; Poland (Kaliningrad Oblast) 209 km; Ukraine 1,944 km

Coastline

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37,653 km

Maritime claims

territorial sea

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12 nm

contiguous zone

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24 nm

exclusive economic zone

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200 nm

continental shelf

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200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Climate

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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

Terrain

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broad plain with low hills west of Urals; vast coniferous forest and tundra in Siberia; uplands and mountains along southern border regions

Elevation

highest point

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Gora El'brus (highest point in Europe) 5,642 m

lowest point

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Caspian Sea -28 m

mean elevation

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600 m

Natural resources

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wide natural-resource base including major deposits of oil, natural gas, coal, and many strategic minerals, bauxite, reserves of rare earth elements, timber

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note: formidable obstacles of climate, terrain, and distance hinder exploitation of natural resources

Land use

agricultural land

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13.2% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

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arable land: 7.4% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

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permanent crops: 0.1% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

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permanent pasture: 5.6% (2023 est.)

forest

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50.7% (2023 est.)

other

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35.9% (2023 est.)

Irrigated land

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43,000 sq km (2012)

Major lakes (area sq km)

fresh water lake(s)

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Lake Baikal - 31,500 sq km; Lake Ladoga - 18,130 sq km; Lake Onega - 9,720 sq km; Lake Khanka (shared with China) - 5,010 sq km; Lake Peipus - 4,300 sq km (shared with Estonia); Ozero Vygozero - 1,250 sq km; Ozero Beloye - 1,120 sq km

salt water lake(s)

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Caspian Sea (shared with Iran, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, and Kazakhstan) - 374,000 sq km; Ozero Malyye Chany - 2,500 sq km; Curonian Lagoon (shared with Lithuania) - 1,620 sq km note - the Caspian Sea is the World's largest lake

Major rivers (by length in km)

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Yenisey-Angara - 5,539 km; Ob-Irtysh - 5,410 km; Amur river mouth (shared with China [s] and Mongolia) - 4,444 km; Lena - 4,400 km; Volga - 3,645 km; Kolyma - 2,513 km; Ural river source (shared with Kazakhstan [m]) - 2,428 km; Dnepr (Dnieper) river source (shared with Belarus and Ukraine [m]) - 2,287 km; Don - 1,870 km; Pechora - 1,809 km note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth

Major watersheds (area sq km)

Arctic Ocean drainage

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Kolyma (679,934 sq km), Lena (2,306,743 sq km), Ob (2,972,493 sq km), Pechora (289,532 sq km), Yenisei (2,554,388 sq km)

Atlantic Ocean drainage

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(Black Sea) Don (458,694 sq km), Dnieper (533,966 sq km)

Pacific Ocean drainage

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Amur (1,929,955 sq km)

Internal (endorheic basin) drainage

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(Caspian Sea basin) Volga (1,410,951 sq km)

Major aquifers

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Angara-Lena Basin, Pechora Basin, North Caucasus Basin, East European Aquifer System, West Siberian Basin, Tunguss Basin, Yakut Basin

Population distribution

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population is heavily concentrated in the westernmost fifth of the country, extending from the Baltic Sea south to the Caspian Sea, and eastward parallel to the Kazakh border; elsewhere, sizeable population pockets are isolated and generally found in the south

Natural hazards

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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 in Siberia and parts of European Russia volcanism: Kamchatka Peninsula is home to 29 historically active volcanoes, with dozens more in the Kuril Islands; Kliuchevskoi (4,835 m) is Kamchatka's most active volcano; Avachinsky and Koryaksky volcanoes, which pose a threat to the city of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, 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; see note 2 under "Geography - note"

Geography - note

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note 1: largest country in the world in terms of area; despite its size, much of the country lacks the soil and climate (either too cold or too dry) for agriculture note 2: Russia's far east, particularly the Kamchatka Peninsula, lies along the Ring of Fire, which is a belt bordering the Pacific Ocean that contains about 75% of the world's volcanoes and up to 90% of the world's earthquakes note 3: Mount El'brus is Europe's tallest peak; Lake Baikal, the deepest lake in the world, is estimated to hold one fifth of the world's fresh surface water note 4: Kaliningrad oblast is an exclave annexed from Germany after World War II; its capital city of Kaliningrad -- formerly Koenigsberg -- is the only Baltic port in Russia that remains ice-free in the winter

People and Society

Population

total

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140,134,279 (2025 est.)

male

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65,166,555

female

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74,967,724

Nationality

noun

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Russian(s)

adjective

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Russian

Ethnic groups

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Russian 77.7%, Tatar 3.7%, Ukrainian 1.4%, Bashkir 1.1%, Chuvash 1%, Chechen 1%, other 10.2%, unspecified 3.9% (2010 est.)

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note: nearly 200 national and/or ethnic groups are represented in Russia's 2010 census

Languages

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Russian (official) 85.7%, Tatar 3.2%, Chechen 1%, other 10.1% (2010 est.)

major-language sample(s)

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Книга фактов о мире – незаменимый источник базовой информации. (Russian) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

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note: data represent native language spoken

Religions

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Russian Orthodox 15-20%, Muslim 10-15%, other Christian 2% (2006 est.)

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note: estimates are of practicing worshipers; Russia has large populations of non-practicing believers and non-believers, a legacy of over seven decades of official atheism under Soviet rule; Russia officially recognizes Orthodox Christianity, Islam, Judaism, and Buddhism as the country's traditional religions

Age structure

0-14 years

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16.5% (male 11,956,284/female 11,313,829)

15-64 years

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65.7% (male 45,007,073/female 47,518,221)

65 years and over

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17.8% (2024 est.) (male 8,533,448/female 16,491,955)

Dependency ratios

total dependency ratio

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52.6 (2025 est.)

youth dependency ratio

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24.7 (2025 est.)

elderly dependency ratio

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27.9 (2025 est.)

potential support ratio

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3.6 (2025 est.)

Median age

total

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42.3 years (2025 est.)

male

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39.4 years

female

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44.5 years

Population growth rate

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-0.49% (2025 est.)

Birth rate

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8.27 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Death rate

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13.93 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Net migration rate

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0.76 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Population distribution

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Urbanization

urban population

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75.3% of total population (2023)

rate of urbanization

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0.11% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Major urban areas - population

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12.680 million MOSCOW (capital), 5.561 million Saint Petersburg, 1.695 million Novosibirsk, 1.528 million Yekaterinburg, 1.292 million Kazan, 1.251 million Nizhniy Novgorod (2023)

Sex ratio

at birth

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1.06 male(s)/female

0-14 years

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1.06 male(s)/female

15-64 years

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0.95 male(s)/female

65 years and over

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0.52 male(s)/female

total population

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0.87 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Mother's mean age at first birth

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25.2 years (2013 est.)

Maternal mortality ratio

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9 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

Infant mortality rate

total

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6.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)

male

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7.2 deaths/1,000 live births

female

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5.8 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth

total population

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72.3 years (2024 est.)

male

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67.4 years

female

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77.4 years

Total fertility rate

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1.52 children born/woman (2025 est.)

Gross reproduction rate

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0.74 (2025 est.)

Drinking water source

improved: urban

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urban: 98.9% of population (2022 est.)

improved: rural

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rural: 91.5% of population (2022 est.)

improved: total

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total: 97.1% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: urban

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urban: 1.1% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: rural

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rural: 8.5% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: total

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total: 2.9% of population (2022 est.)

Health expenditure

Health expenditure (as % of GDP)

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7.4% of GDP (2021)

Health expenditure (as % of national budget)

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13.8% of national budget (2022 est.)

Physician density

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5.11 physicians/1,000 population (2022)

Hospital bed density

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7 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Sanitation facility access

improved: urban

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urban: 95.4% of population (2022 est.)

improved: rural

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rural: 71.4% of population (2022 est.)

improved: total

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total: 89.4% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: urban

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urban: 4.6% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: rural

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rural: 28.6% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: total

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total: 10.6% of population (2022 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

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23.1% (2016)

Alcohol consumption per capita

total

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7.29 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

beer

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3.04 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine

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0.97 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits

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3.16 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols

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0.12 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Tobacco use

total

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26.5% (2025 est.)

male

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40.2% (2025 est.)

female

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15.1% (2025 est.)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

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57.6% (2021 est.)

Child marriage

women married by age 15

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0.3% (2017)

women married by age 18

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6.2% (2017)

Education expenditure

Education expenditure (% GDP)

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4.2% of GDP (2023 est.)

Education expenditure (% national budget)

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14.3% national budget (2018 est.)

Literacy

total population

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99.9% (2021 est.)

male

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99.9% (2021 est.)

female

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99.9% (2021 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

total

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15 years (2023 est.)

male

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15 years (2023 est.)

female

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15 years (2023 est.)

Environment

Environmental issues

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air pollution from heavy industry, 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 agricultural chemicals; nuclear waste disposal; scattered areas of radioactive contamination; groundwater contamination from toxic waste; urban solid-waste management; abandoned stocks of pesticides

International environmental agreements

party to

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Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Antarctic-Environmental Protection, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified

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Air Pollution-Sulfur 94

Climate

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Land use

agricultural land

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13.2% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

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arable land: 7.4% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

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permanent crops: 0.1% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

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permanent pasture: 5.6% (2023 est.)

forest

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50.7% (2023 est.)

other

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35.9% (2023 est.)

Urbanization

urban population

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75.3% of total population (2023)

rate of urbanization

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0.11% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions

total emissions

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1.844 billion metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

from coal and metallurgical coke

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479.311 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids

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453.103 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

from consumed natural gas

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912.076 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

Particulate matter emissions

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9.1 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

Methane emissions

energy

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13,815.3 kt (2022-2024 est.)

agriculture

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1,972.6 kt (2019-2021 est.)

waste

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4,069.8 kt (2019-2021 est.)

other

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363.2 kt (2019-2021 est.)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually

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60 million tons (2024 est.)

percent of municipal solid waste recycled

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5.3% (2022 est.)

Total water withdrawal

municipal

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17.15 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

industrial

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29.03 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

agricultural

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18.64 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

Total renewable water resources

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4.53 trillion cubic meters (2022 est.)

Geoparks

total global geoparks and regional networks

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global geoparks and regional networks

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Yangan-Tau (2023)

Government

Country name

conventional long form

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Russian Federation

conventional short form

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Russia

local long form

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Rossiyskaya Federatsiya

local short form

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Rossiya

former

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Russian Empire, Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic

etymology

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Russian lands were referred to as Muscovy until PETER I declared the Empire of All Russias in 1721; the new name aimed at identifying the new Russia with European political tradition; "Rus" was the Old Finnish name given to Varangians (eastern Vikings) who entered the area in the 9th century

Government type

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semi-presidential federation

Capital

name

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Moscow

geographic coordinates

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55 45 N, 37 36 E

time difference

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UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

daylight saving time

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does not observe daylight savings time (DST)

time zone note

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Russia has 11 time zones, the largest number of contiguous time zones of any country in the world; in 2014, two time zones were added and DST dropped

etymology

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named after the Moskva River; the origin of the river's name is unclear

Administrative divisions

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46 provinces (oblasti, singular - oblast), 21 republics (respubliki, singular - respublika), 4 autonomous districts (avtonomnyye okrugi, singular - avtonomnyy okrug), 9 federal subjects (kraya, singular - kray), 2 federal cities (goroda, singular - gorod), and 1 autonomous province (avtonomnaya oblast') oblasts: Amur (Blagoveshchensk), Arkhangelsk, Astrakhan, Belgorod, Bryansk, Chelyabinsk, Irkutsk, Ivanovo, Kaliningrad, Kaluga, Kemerovo, Kirov, Kostroma, Kurgan, Kursk, Leningrad (Gatchina), Lipetsk, Magadan, Moscow, Murmansk, Nizhniy Novgorod, Novgorod, Novosibirsk, Omsk, Orenburg, Orel, Penza, Pskov, Rostov, Ryazan, Sakhalin (Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk), Samara, Saratov, Smolensk, Sverdlovsk (Yekaterinburg), Tambov, Tomsk, Tula, Tver, Tyumen, Ulyanovsk, Vladimir, Volgograd, Vologda, Voronezh, Yaroslavl republics: Adygeya (Maykop), Altay (Gorno-Altaysk), Bashkortostan (Ufa), Buryatiya (Ulan-Ude), Chechnya (Groznyy), Chuvashiya (Cheboksary), Dagestan (Makhachkala), Ingushetiya (Magas), Kabardino-Balkariya (Nal'chik), Kalmykiya (Elista), Karachayevo-Cherkesiya (Cherkessk), Kareliya (Petrozavodsk), Khakasiya (Abakan), Komi (Syktyvkar), Mariy-El (Yoshkar-Ola), Mordoviya (Saransk), North Ossetia (Vladikavkaz), Sakha [Yakutiya] (Yakutsk), Tatarstan (Kazan), Tyva (Kyzyl), Udmurtiya (Izhevsk) autonomous districts: Chukotka (Anadyr'), Khanty-Mansi-Yugra (Khanty-Mansiysk), Nenets (Nar'yan-Mar), Yamalo-Nenets (Salekhard) federal subjects: Altay (Barnaul), Kamchatka (Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy), Khabarovsk, Krasnodar, Krasnoyarsk, Perm, Primorskiy [Maritime] (Vladivostok), Stavropol, Zabaykalsk [Transbaikal] (Chita) federal cities: Moscow [Moskva], Saint Petersburg [Sankt-Peterburg] autonomous province: Yevreyskaya [Jewish] (Birobidzhan)

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note 1: administrative divisions have the same names as their administrative centers; exceptions show the administrative center name in parentheses note 2: the United States does not recognize Russia's annexation or renaming of Ukraine's Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the municipality of Sevastopol; it similarly does not recognize the annexation of the Ukrainian oblasts Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson

Legal system

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civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts

Constitution

history

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several previous (during Russian Empire and Soviet era); latest drafted 12 July 1993, adopted by referendum 12 December 1993, effective 25 December 1993

amendment process

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proposed by the president of the Russian Federation, by either house of the Federal Assembly, by the government of the Russian Federation, or by legislative (representative) bodies of the Federation's constituent entities; proposals to amend the government’s constitutional system, human and civil rights and freedoms, and procedures for amending or drafting a new constitution require formation of a Constitutional Assembly; passage of such amendments requires two-thirds majority vote of its total membership; passage in a referendum requires participation of an absolute majority of eligible voters and an absolute majority of valid votes; approval of proposed amendments to the government structure, authorities, and procedures requires approval by the legislative bodies of at least two thirds of the Russian Federation's constituent entities

International law organization participation

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has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt

Citizenship

citizenship by birth

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citizenship by descent only

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at least one parent must be a citizen of Russia

dual citizenship recognized

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yes

residency requirement for naturalization

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3-5 years

Suffrage

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18 years of age; universal

Executive branch

chief of state

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President Vladimir Vladimirovich PUTIN (since 7 May 2012)

head of government

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Premier Mikhail Vladimirovich MISHUSTIN (since 16 January 2020)

cabinet

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the government is composed of the premier, his deputies, and ministers, all appointed by the president; the premier is also confirmed by the Duma

election/appointment process

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president directly elected by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a 6-year term (eligible for a second consecutive term)

most recent election date

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15-17 March 2024

election results

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2024: Vladimir PUTIN reelected president; percent of vote - Vladimir PUTIN (independent) 88.5%, Nikolay KHARITONOV (Communist Party) 4.4%, Vladislav DAVANKOV (New People party) 3.9%, Leonid SLUTSKY (Liberal Democrats) 3.2% 2018: Vladimir PUTIN reelected president; percent of vote - Vladimir PUTIN (independent) 77.5%, Pavel GRUDININ (CPRF) 11.9%, Vladimir ZHIRINOVSKIY (LDPR) 5.7%, other 4.9%; Mikhail MISHUSTIN (independent) approved as premier by Duma; vote - 383 to 0

expected date of next election

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2030

note

note: a Presidential Administration provides staff and policy support to the president, drafts presidential decrees, and coordinates policy among government agencies; a Security Council also reports directly to the president

Legislative branch

legislature name

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Federal Assembly (Federalnoye Sobraniye)

legislative structure

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bicameral

note

note 1: the State Duma now includes 3 representatives from the "Republic of Crimea," while the Federation Council includes 2 each from the "Republic of Crimea" and the "Federal City of Sevastopol," both regions that Russia occupied and attempted to annex from Ukraine and that the US does not recognize as part of Russia

Legislative branch - lower chamber

chamber name

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State Duma (Gossoudarstvennaya Duma)

number of seats

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450 (all directly elected)

electoral system

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mixed system

scope of elections

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full renewal

term in office

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5 years

most recent election date

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9/19/2021

parties elected and seats per party

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United Russia (326); Communist Party (KPRF) (57); A Just Russia (28); Liberal Democratic Party of Russia (LDPR) (23); Other (16)

percentage of women in chamber

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16.4%

expected date of next election

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September 2026

Legislative branch - upper chamber

chamber name

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Council of the Federation (Soviet Federatsii)

number of seats

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170 (all appointed)

percentage of women in chamber

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18.5%

Judicial branch

highest court(s)

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Supreme Court of the Russian Federation (consists of 170 members organized into the Judicial Panel for Civil Affairs, the Judicial Panel for Criminal Affairs, and the Military Panel); Constitutional Court (consists of 11 members, including the chairperson and deputy)

judge selection and term of office

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all members of Russia's 3 highest courts nominated by the president and appointed by the Federation Council (the upper house of the legislature); members of all 3 courts appointed for life

subordinate courts

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regional (kray) and provincial (oblast) courts; Moscow and St. Petersburg city courts; autonomous province and district courts (the 21 Russian republics have court systems specified by their own constitutions)

Political parties

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A Just Russia for Truth or SRZP Civic Platform or CP Communists of Russia or CPCR Communist Party of the Russian Federation or CPRF Cossack Party of the Russian Federation or CosPRF Democratic Party of Russia or DPR Green Alternative or GA Liberal Democratic Party of Russia or LDPR New People or NP Party for Fairness! or PARZAS! Party of Direct Democracy or PDD Party of Progress or PP Party of Pensioners or RPPSJ Party of Russia's Rebirth or PRR Party of Social Protection or PSP Rodina Russian Ecological Party or The Greens Russian Party of Freedom and Justice or RPFJ Russia United Democratic Party or Yabloko United Russia or UR

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission

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Ambassador Alexander Nikitich DARCHIEV (since 11 June 2025)

chancery

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2650 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007

telephone

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[1] (202) 298-5700

FAX

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[1] (202) 298-5735

email address and website

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rusembusa@mid.ru https://washington.mid.ru/en/

consulate(s) general

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Houston, New York

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

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Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires J. Douglas DYKHOUSE (since June 2025)

embassy

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55,75566° N, 37,58028° E

mailing address

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5430 Moscow Place, Washington DC  20521-5430

telephone

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[7] (495) 728-5000

FAX

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[7] (495) 728-5090

email address and website

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MoscowACS@state.gov https://ru.usembassy.gov/

consulate(s) general

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Vladivostok (suspended status), Yekaterinburg (suspended status)

International organization participation

text

APEC, Arctic Council, ARF, ASEAN (dialogue partner), BIS, BRICS, BSEC, CBSS, CD, CE, CERN (observer), CICA, CIS, CSTO, EAEC, EAEU, EAPC, EAS, EBRD, FAO, FATF, G-20, GCTU, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAIA (observer), MIGA, MINURSO, MONUSCO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OIC (observer), OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PFP, SCO, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNISFA, UNMIL, UNMISS, UNOCI, UNOOSA, UN Security Council (permanent), UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, Wassenaar Arrangement, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Independence

text

25 December 1991 (from the Soviet Union; Russian SFSR renamed Russian Federation); notable earlier dates: 1157 (Principality of Vladimir-Suzdal created); 16 January 1547 (Tsardom of Muscovy established); 22 October 1721 (Russian Empire proclaimed); 30 December 1922 (Soviet Union established)

National holiday

text

Russia Day, 12 June (1990)

note

note: commemorates the Declaration of State Sovereignty of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic (RSFSR)

Flag

text

description: three equal horizontal bands of white (top), blue, and red meaning: colors may have been based on the Dutch flag, but no official meaning is assigned history: created when Russia built its first naval vessels, and was used mostly as a naval flag until the 19th century

note

note: inspired several other Slavic countries to adopt horizontal tricolors of the same colors in different arrangements

National symbol(s)

text

bear, double-headed eagle

National color(s)

text

white, blue, red

National coat of arms

text

the current coat of arms of Russia was adopted by presidential decree on 30 November 1993; the double-headed eagle was adopted as a Russian symbol in 1472 when Ivan III married Sophia Palaiologina, niece of the last Byzantine emperor in Constantinople -- the eagle was her family's emblem

National anthem(s)

title

text

“Gosudarstvenny Gimn Rossiyskoy Federatsii” (National Anthem of the Russian Federation)

lyrics/music

text

Sergey Vladimirovich MIKHALKOV/Aleksandr Vasilyevich ALEKSANDROV

history

text

adopted 2000; Russia adopted the tune of the Soviet Union's anthem (composed in 1939), as well as new lyrics; MIKHALKOV, who wrote the new lyrics, also authored the Soviet lyrics in 1943

National heritage

total World Heritage Sites

text

33 (22 cultural, 11 natural)

selected World Heritage Site locales

text

Historic Centre of Saint Petersburg and Related Groups of Monuments (c); Kizhi Pogost (c); Kremlin and Red Square, Moscow (c); Historic Monuments of Novgorod and Surroundings (c); White Monuments of Vladimir and Suzdal (c); Architectural Ensemble of the Trinity Sergius Lavra in Sergiev Posad (c); Church of the Ascension, Kolomenskoye (c); Lake Baikal (n); Volcanoes of Kamchatka (n); Ensemble of the Ferapontov Monastery (c); Historic and Architectural Complex of the Kazan Kremlin (c); Citadel, Ancient City and Fortress Buildings of Derbent (c); Uvs Nuur Basin (n); Ensemble of the Novodevichy Convent (c); Natural System of Wrangel Island Reserve (n); Historical Centre of the City of Yaroslavl (c); Lena Pillars Nature Park (n); Bolgar Historical and Archaeological Complex (c); Assumption Cathedral and Monastery of the town-island of Sviyazhsk (c); Churches of the Pskov School of Architecture (c); Petroglyphs of Lake Onega and the White Sea (c); Rock Paintings of Shulgan-Tash Cave (c)

Economy

Economic overview

text

natural resource-rich Eurasian economy; leading energy exporter to Europe and Asia; decreased oil export reliance; endemic corruption, Ukrainian invasion, and lack of green infrastructure limit investment and have led to sanctions

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024

text

$6.089 trillion (2024 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023

text

$5.835 trillion (2023 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022

text

$5.607 trillion (2022 est.)

note

note: data in 2021 dollars

Real GDP growth rate

Real GDP growth rate 2024

text

4.3% (2024 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2023

text

4.1% (2023 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2022

text

-1.4% (2022 est.)

note

note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real GDP per capita

Real GDP per capita 2024

text

$41,700 (2024 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2023

text

$39,900 (2023 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2022

text

$38,200 (2022 est.)

note

note: data in 2021 dollars

GDP (official exchange rate)

text

$2.174 trillion (2024 est.)

note

note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2021

text

6.7% (2021 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2020

text

3.4% (2020 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2019

text

4.5% (2019 est.)

note

note: annual % change based on consumer prices

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture

text

2.7% (2024 est.)

industry

text

30.7% (2024 est.)

services

text

57.5% (2024 est.)

note

note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

GDP - composition, by end use

household consumption

text

49.4% (2024 est.)

government consumption

text

18.6% (2024 est.)

investment in fixed capital

text

22.1% (2024 est.)

investment in inventories

text

4.2% (2024 est.)

exports of goods and services

text

21.9% (2024 est.)

imports of goods and services

text

-17.6% (2024 est.)

note

note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

Agricultural products

text

wheat, sugar beets, milk, barley, potatoes, sunflower seeds, maize, soybeans, chicken, pork (2023)

note

note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

Industries

text

complete range of mining and extractive industries producing coal, oil, gas, chemicals, and metals; all forms of machine building from rolling mills to high-performance aircraft and space vehicles; defense industries (including radar, missile production, advanced electronic components), shipbuilding; road and rail transportation equipment; communications equipment; agricultural machinery, tractors, and construction equipment; electric power generating and transmitting equipment; medical and scientific instruments; consumer durables, textiles, foodstuffs, handicrafts

Industrial production growth rate

text

4.1% (2024 est.)

note

note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

Labor force

text

72.517 million (2024 est.)

note

note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

Unemployment rate

Unemployment rate 2024

text

2.6% (2024 est.)

Unemployment rate 2023

text

3.1% (2023 est.)

Unemployment rate 2022

text

3.9% (2022 est.)

note

note: % of labor force seeking employment

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

total

text

9.3% (2024 est.)

male

text

8.8% (2024 est.)

female

text

9.8% (2024 est.)

note

note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

Population below poverty line

text

12.1% (2020 est.)

note

note: % of population with income below national poverty line

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2021

text

35.1 (2021 est.)

note

note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality

Average household expenditures

on food

text

25.3% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

on alcohol and tobacco

text

5.9% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%

text

2.7% (2021 est.)

highest 10%

text

26.6% (2021 est.)

note

note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population

Remittances

Remittances 2024

text

0.1% of GDP (2024 est.)

Remittances 2023

text

0.1% of GDP (2023 est.)

Remittances 2022

text

0.1% of GDP (2022 est.)

note

note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities

Budget

revenues

text

$704.613 billion (2023 est.)

expenditures

text

$635.809 billion (2023 est.)

note

note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

Public debt

Public debt 2023

text

18.5% of GDP (2023 est.)

note

note: central government debt as a % of GDP

Taxes and other revenues

text

12.1% (of GDP) (2023 est.)

note

note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

Current account balance

Current account balance 2024

text

$62.287 billion (2024 est.)

Current account balance 2023

text

$49.439 billion (2023 est.)

Current account balance 2022

text

$237.735 billion (2022 est.)

note

note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

Exports

Exports 2024

text

$475.277 billion (2024 est.)

Exports 2023

text

$465.22 billion (2023 est.)

Exports 2022

text

$640.878 billion (2022 est.)

note

note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

Exports - partners

text

China 33%, India 17%, Turkey 8%, Kazakhstan 4%, Brazil 3% (2023)

note

note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

Exports - commodities

text

crude petroleum, refined petroleum, natural gas, coal, fertilizers (2023)

note

note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Imports

Imports 2024

text

$381.45 billion (2024 est.)

Imports 2023

text

$379.659 billion (2023 est.)

Imports 2022

text

$347.384 billion (2022 est.)

note

note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

Imports - partners

text

China 53%, Turkey 5%, Germany 5%, Kazakhstan 5%, Italy 2% (2023)

note

note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

Imports - commodities

text

cars, packaged medicine, broadcasting equipment, garments, plastic products (2023)

note

note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023

text

$597.217 billion (2023 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022

text

$581.71 billion (2022 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2021

text

$632.242 billion (2021 est.)

note

note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

Debt - external

Debt - external 2022

text

$135.301 billion (2022 est.)

note

note: present value of external debt in current US dollars

Exchange rates

Currency

text

Russian rubles (RUB) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2023

text

85.162 (2023 est.)

Exchange rates 2022

text

68.485 (2022 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

text

73.654 (2021 est.)

Exchange rates 2020

text

72.105 (2020 est.)

Exchange rates 2019

text

64.738 (2019 est.)

Energy

Electricity access

electrification - total population

text

100% (2022 est.)

electrification - urban areas

text

99.1%

electrification - rural areas

text

100%

Electricity

installed generating capacity

text

301.926 million kW (2023 est.)

consumption

text

1.011 trillion kWh (2023 est.)

exports

text

18.66 billion kWh (2023 est.)

imports

text

2.852 billion kWh (2023 est.)

transmission/distribution losses

text

97.301 billion kWh (2023 est.)

Electricity generation sources

fossil fuels

text

61.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

nuclear

text

19.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

solar

text

0.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

wind

text

0.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

hydroelectricity

text

17.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

biomass and waste

text

0.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Nuclear energy

Number of operational nuclear reactors

text

36 (2025)

Number of nuclear reactors under construction

text

4 (2025)

Net capacity of operational nuclear reactors

text

26.8GW (2025 est.)

Percent of total electricity production

text

18.4% (2023 est.)

Number of nuclear reactors permanently shut down

text

11 (2025)

Coal

production

text

531.13 million metric tons (2023 est.)

consumption

text

290.763 million metric tons (2023 est.)

exports

text

211.944 million metric tons (2023 est.)

imports

text

20.765 million metric tons (2023 est.)

proven reserves

text

162.166 billion metric tons (2023 est.)

Petroleum

total petroleum production

text

10.879 million bbl/day (2023 est.)

refined petroleum consumption

text

3.863 million bbl/day (2023 est.)

crude oil estimated reserves

text

80 billion barrels (2021 est.)

Natural gas

production

text

613.447 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

consumption

text

474.448 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

exports

text

124.479 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

imports

text

5.724 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

proven reserves

text

47.805 trillion cubic meters (2021 est.)

Energy consumption per capita

Total energy consumption per capita 2023

text

224.858 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Communications

Telephones - fixed lines

total subscriptions

text

20,816,300 (2023 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

text

15 (2022 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

total subscriptions

text

270 million (2024 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

text

186 (2024 est.)

Broadcast media

text

13 national TV stations: the federal government owns 1 and controls a second, state-owned Gazprom controls 2, state-affiliated Bank Rossiya controls 2, Moscow city administration runs 1, the Russian Orthodox Church owns 1, and the Russian military owns 1; around 3,300 national, regional, and local TV stations, with over two-thirds completely or partially state-controlled; satellite TV available; 2 state-run national radio networks, with a third majority-owned by Gazprom; around 2,400 public and commercial radio stations

Internet country code

text

.ru

Internet users

percent of population

text

92% (2023 est.)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

total

text

35.9 million (2022 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

text

25 (2022 est.)

Transportation

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

text

Airports

text

905 (2025)

Heliports

text

494 (2025)

Railways

total

text

85,494 km (2019)

narrow gauge

text

957 km

Merchant marine

total

text

2,910 (2023)

by type

text

bulk carrier 15, container ship 20, general cargo 976, oil tanker 387, other 1,512

Ports

total ports

text

67 (2024)

large

text

medium

text

small

text

very small

text

size unknown

text

ports with oil terminals

text

key ports

text

Arkhangels'k, De Kastri, Dudinka, Kaliningrad, Murmansk, Novorossiysk, Sankt-Peterburg, Vladivostok, Vyborg

Military and Security

Military and security forces

text

Armed Forces of the Russian Federation: Ground Forces (SV), Aerospace Forces (VKS), Navy (VMF); separate or independent troop branches include the Airborne Forces (VDV), Missile Troops of Strategic Purpose (RVSN; commonly to as Strategic Rocket Forces), Special Operations Forces, and Unmanned Systems Forces Federal National Guard Troops Service of the Russian Federation (FSVNG, National Guard, Russian Guard, or Rosgvardiya) Federal Security Services (FSB): Federal Border Guard Service (includes land and maritime forces) (2025)

note

note 1: the National Guard was created in 2016 as an independent agency for internal/regime security, combating terrorism and narcotics trafficking, protecting important state facilities and government personnel, and supporting border security; it also works closely with the Armed Forces; forces under the National Guard include the Special Purpose Mobile Units (OMON), Special Rapid Response Detachment (SOBR), and Interior Troops (VV) note 2: the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Federal Security Service, Investigative Committee, Office of the Prosecutor General, and National Guard are responsible for law enforcement; the Federal Security Service is responsible for state security, counterintelligence, and counterterrorism, as well as for fighting organized crime and corruption; the Ministry of Internal Affairs includes the national police force

Military expenditures

Military Expenditures 2024

text

7% of GDP (2024 est.)

Military Expenditures 2023

text

5% of GDP (2023 est.)

Military Expenditures 2022

text

4.5% of GDP (2022 est.)

Military Expenditures 2021

text

4% of GDP (2021 est.)

Military Expenditures 2020

text

4% of GDP (2020 est.)

Military and security service personnel strengths

text

estimated 1.1-1.2 million active Armed Forces; estimated 350,000 Federal National Guard Troops (2025)

note

note: in September 2024, President PUTIN ordered the Russian military to increase in size to 1.5 million personnel

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

text

the Russian Federation's military and paramilitary services are equipped with domestically produced weapons systems, although in recent years Russia has imported military hardware from external suppliers such as Iran and North Korea to support its war on Ukraine; the Russian defense industry is capable of producing a full range of advanced air, land, missile, and naval systems; Russia is one of the world's largest exporters of military hardware (2025)

Military service age and obligation

text

18-30 years of age for compulsory service for men; 18-65 years of age for voluntary/contractual service; women and non-Russian citizens (18-30) may volunteer; minimum 12-month service obligation (2025)

note

note 1: in 2022, Russia removed the previous upper age limit of 30 for contractual service in the military; that same year, began drafting dual-national Russians and those with permanent residency status in foreign countries for military service note 2: since 2015, foreigners 18-30 with a good command of Russian have been allowed to join the military on five-year contracts and become eligible for Russian citizenship after serving three years; in 2022, Russia began recruiting foreigners for one-year service contracts with armed forces participating in the invasion of Ukraine with the promise of simplifying the process of obtaining Russian citizenship

Military deployments

text

estimated 600,000 in Ukraine; more than 20,000 additional military personnel deployed in former Soviet states and elsewhere, including Armenia, Belarus, Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, Libya, Moldova, Syria, sub-Saharan Africa, and Tajikistan (2025)

note

note: Russia is also assessed to have thousands of paramilitary security personnel and private military contractors deployed in Africa, including in Burkina Faso, Central African Republic, Libya, Mali, Niger, and Sudan

Military - note

text

the Russian military is responsible for protecting the country's sovereignty and territorial integrity, providing maritime security, and supporting Moscow's national security objectives, including projecting influence and power abroad and deterring perceived external threats; its missions include air, land, maritime, strategic missile, and expeditionary operations; it is also active in the areas of cyber warfare, electronic warfare, and space; the Russian military's focus is its ongoing war on Ukraine and the perceived threat from NATO and the US in February 2022, Russia launched a full-scale military invasion of Ukraine, beginning what is the largest war in Europe since World War II ended in 1945; Russian military forces occupied Ukraine’s province of Crimea in 2014, and Moscow subsequently backed separatist forces in the Donbas region of Ukraine with arms, equipment, and training, as well as Russian military troops, although Moscow denied their presence prior to 2022 Russia intervened in the Syrian civil war at the request of the Syrian Government from September 2015 until the collapse of the ASAD regime in December 2024; it was Moscow’s first overseas military expeditionary operation since the Soviet era; Russian assistance included air support, arms and equipment, intelligence, military advisors, private military contractors, special operations forces, and training; Russia seized the Georgian regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia by force in 2008 (2025)

Space

Space agency/agencies

text

State Space Corporation of the Russian Federation (Roscosmos; established 2015); Russian Space Forces (Kosmicheskie voyska Rossii, KV; under the Russian Aerospace Forces) (2025)

note

note 1: Russia’s space strategy is defined jointly by Roscosmos and the Ministry of Defense note 2: Roscosmos was established from a merger of the Federal Space Agency and the state-owned United Rocket and Space Corporation; it began as the Russian Space Agency (RSA or RKA) in 1992 and restructured in 1999 and 2004 as the Russian Aviation and Space Agency and then the Federal Space Agency

Space launch site(s)

text

Baikonur Cosmodrome (Kazakhstan); Vostochny Cosmodrome (Amur Oblast); Plesetsk Cosmodrome (Arkhangel'sk Oblast) (2025)

note

note 1: the Baikonur cosmodrome and the surrounding area are leased and administered by Russia until 2050 for approximately $115 million/year; the cosmodrome was originally built by the Soviet Union in the mid-1950s and is the site of the World's first successful satellite launch (Sputnik) in 1957; it is also the largest space launch facility in the World, comprising 15 launch pads for space launch vehicles, four launch pads for testing intercontinental ballistic missiles, more than 10 assembly and test facilities, and other infrastructure note 2: in 2018, Kazakhstan and Russia agreed that Kazakhstan would build, maintain, and operate a new space launch facility (Baiterek) at the Baikonur space center (estimated to be ready for operations in 2025)

Space program overview

text

has one of the world’s largest space programs and is active across all areas of the space sector; builds, launches, and operates satellite/space launch vehicles, satellites, space stations, interplanetary probes, and manned, robotic, and re-usable spacecraft; has astronaut (cosmonaut) training program and conducts human space flight; researching and developing a broad range of other space-related technologies; participates in international space programs such as the International Space Station; has had relations with dozens of foreign space agencies and commercial entities, including those of China, the ESA, India, Japan, and the US; Roscosmos and its public subsidiaries comprise the majority of the Russian space industry; Roscosmos has eight operating areas, including manned space flights, launch systems, unmanned spacecraft, rocket propulsion, military missiles, space avionics, special military space systems, and flight control systems; private companies are also involved in a range of space systems (2025)

Key space-program milestones

text

1957 - placed world’s first satellite (Sputnik-1) in orbit 1961-1964 - launched first man, first woman, and first multi-member crew into space 1965 - launched first probe to successfully land on the Moon 1967 - initial launch of Soviet-made Soyuz series space launch vehicle (SLV) 1971 - placed first space station (Salyut) in orbit and successfully landed a probe on Venus 1975 - joint Soviet (Soyuz)-US (Apollo) space mission 1986 - began operation of Mir space station (in orbit until 2001) 1995 - Global Navigation Satellite System (GLObalnaya NAvigatsionnaya Sputnikovaya Sistema or GLONASS) constellation completed 2014 - initial launch of Angara SLV series 2021 - announced agreements with China to send a robotic probe to an asteroid and jointly establish a station on the Moon 2023 - launch first of a planned series of Moon landers (Luna-25; crashed on Moon's surface); announced intent to place first module of a new space station in orbit by 2027

Terrorism

Terrorist group(s)

text

Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS)

note

note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide

Transnational Issues

Refugees and internally displaced persons

refugees

text

11,440 (2024 est.)

IDPs

text

172,783 (2024 est.)

stateless persons

text

90,185 (2024 est.)

Trafficking in persons

tier rating

text

Tier 3 — Russia does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so, therefore, Russia remained on Tier 3; for more details, go to: https://www.state.gov/reports/2025-trafficking-in-persons-report/russia/