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Russia

Semi-Presidential FederationPop140.1MGDP (PPP)$6.1TCI16BetaCP−4.1Beta

Overview

Background
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

Area

Land
16,377,742 sq km
Water
720,500 sq km
Total
17,098,242 sq km
Climate
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
broad plain with low hills west of Urals; vast coniferous forest and tundra in Siberia; uplands and mountains along southern border regions

Land Use

Other
35.9% (2023 est.)
Forest
50.7% (2023 est.)
Agricultural land
13.2% (2023 est.)
Agricultural land: arable land
arable land: 7.4% (2023 est.)
Agricultural land: permanent crops
permanent crops: 0.1% (2023 est.)
Agricultural land: permanent pasture
permanent pasture: 5.6% (2023 est.)
Location
North Asia bordering the Arctic Ocean, extending from Eastern Europe (the portion west of the Urals) to the North Pacific Ocean
Coastline
37,653 km

Elevation

Lowest point
Caspian Sea -28 m
Highest point
Gora El'brus (highest point in Europe) 5,642 m
Mean elevation
600 m
Irrigated land
43,000 sq km (2012)
Major aquifers
Angara-Lena Basin, Pechora Basin, North Caucasus Basin, East European Aquifer System, West Siberian Basin, Tunguss Basin, Yakut Basin
Map references
Asia

Land Boundaries

Total
22,407 km
Border countries
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

Maritime Claims

Contiguous zone
24 nm
Territorial sea
12 nm
Continental shelf
200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
Exclusive economic zone
200 nm
Natural hazards
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
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
Natural resources
wide natural-resource base including major deposits of oil, natural gas, coal, and many strategic minerals, bauxite, reserves of rare earth elements, timber
Area comparative
approximately 1.8 times the size of the US
Geographic coordinates
60 00 N, 100 00 E
Population distribution
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

Major Lakes (Area Sq Km)

Salt water lake(s)
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
Fresh water lake(s)
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

Major Watersheds (Area Sq Km)

Arctic ocean drainage
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)
Pacific ocean drainage
Amur (1,929,955 sq km)
Atlantic ocean drainage
(Black Sea) Don (458,694 sq km), Dnieper (533,966 sq km)
Internal (endorheic basin) drainage
(Caspian Sea basin) Volga (1,410,951 sq km)
Major rivers (BY length in km)
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

People & Society

Literacy

Male
99.9% (2021 est.)
Female
99.9% (2021 est.)
Total population
99.9% (2021 est.)

Languages

Note
note: data represent native language spoken
Languages
Russian (official) 85.7%, Tatar 3.2%, Chechen 1%, other 10.1% (2010 est.)
Major language sample(s)

Книга фактов о мире – незаменимый источник базовой информации. (Russian)

The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.
Religions
Russian Orthodox 15-20%, Muslim 10-15%, other Christian 2% (2006 est.)

Sex Ratio

At birth
1.06 male(s)/female
0 14 years
1.06 male(s)/female
15 64 years
0.95 male(s)/female
Total population
0.87 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
65 years and over
0.52 male(s)/female
Birth rate
8.27 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Death rate
13.93 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Median Age

Male
39.4 years
Total
42.3 years (2025 est.)
Female
44.5 years

Population

Male
65,166,555
Total
140,134,279 (2025 est.)
Female
74,967,724

Nationality

Noun
Russian(s)
Adjective
Russian

Tobacco Use

Male
40.2% (2025 est.)
Total
26.5% (2025 est.)
Female
15.1% (2025 est.)

Urbanization

Urban population
75.3% of total population (2023)
Rate of urbanization
0.11% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Age Structure

0 14 years
16.5% (male 11,956,284/female 11,313,829)
15 64 years
65.7% (male 45,007,073/female 47,518,221)
65 years and over
17.8% (2024 est.) (male 8,533,448/female 16,491,955)
Ethnic groups
Russian 77.7%, Tatar 3.7%, Ukrainian 1.4%, Bashkir 1.1%, Chuvash 1%, Chechen 1%, other 10.2%, unspecified 3.9% (2010 est.)

Child Marriage

Women married BY age 15
0.3% (2017)
Women married BY age 18
6.2% (2017)

Dependency Ratios

Total dependency ratio
52.6 (2025 est.)
Youth dependency ratio
24.7 (2025 est.)
Potential support ratio
3.6 (2025 est.)
Elderly dependency ratio
27.9 (2025 est.)
Physician density
5.11 physicians/1,000 population (2022)

Health Expenditure

Health expenditure (as % of GDP)
7.4% of GDP (2021)
Health expenditure (as % of national budget)
13.8% of national budget (2022 est.)
Net migration rate
0.76 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Hospital bed density
7 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.)
Total fertility rate
1.52 children born/woman (2025 est.)

Drinking Water Source

Improved: rural
rural: 91.5% of population (2022 est.)
Improved: total
total: 97.1% of population (2022 est.)
Improved: urban
urban: 98.9% of population (2022 est.)
Unimproved: rural
rural: 8.5% of population (2022 est.)
Unimproved: total
total: 2.9% of population (2022 est.)
Unimproved: urban
urban: 1.1% of population (2022 est.)

Education Expenditure

Education expenditure (% GDP)
4.2% of GDP (2023 est.)
Education expenditure (% national budget)
14.3% national budget (2018 est.)

Infant Mortality Rate

Male
7.2 deaths/1,000 live births
Total
6.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)
Female
5.8 deaths/1,000 live births
Population growth rate
-0.49% (2025 est.)
Gross reproduction rate
0.74 (2025 est.)
Population distribution
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

Life Expectancy at Birth

Male
67.4 years
Female
77.4 years
Total population
72.3 years (2024 est.)
Maternal mortality ratio
9 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

Sanitation Facility Access

Improved: rural
rural: 71.4% of population (2022 est.)
Improved: total
total: 89.4% of population (2022 est.)
Improved: urban
urban: 95.4% of population (2022 est.)
Unimproved: rural
rural: 28.6% of population (2022 est.)
Unimproved: total
total: 10.6% of population (2022 est.)
Unimproved: urban
urban: 4.6% of population (2022 est.)

Alcohol Consumption Per Capita

Beer
3.04 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Wine
0.97 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Total
7.29 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Spirits
3.16 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Other alcohols
0.12 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Major urban areas population
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)
Obesity adult prevalence rate
23.1% (2016)
Mother's mean age at first birth
25.2 years (2013 est.)
Currently married women (ages 15 49)
57.6% (2021 est.)

School Life Expectancy (Primary to Tertiary Education)

Male
15 years (2023 est.)
Total
15 years (2023 est.)
Female
15 years (2023 est.)

Government

Civica · structure

How power is organised

Head of StateVladimir PutinExecutive of RussiacabinetState DumaLower chamber · 450 seatsFederation CouncilUpper chamber · 170 seatsHead of GovernmentMikhail Mishustin
ExecutiveLegislative
Flag
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

Capital

Name
Moscow
Etymology
named after the Moskva River; the origin of the river's name is unclear
Time zone note
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
Time difference
UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Daylight saving time
does not observe daylight savings time (DST)
Geographic coordinates
55 45 N, 37 36 E
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal

Citizenship

Citizenship BY birth
no
Citizenship BY descent only
at least one parent must be a citizen of Russia
Dual citizenship recognized
yes
Residency requirement for naturalization
3-5 years

Constitution

History
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
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

Country Name

Former
Russian Empire, Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic
Etymology
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
Local long form
Rossiyskaya Federatsiya
Local short form
Rossiya
Conventional long form
Russian Federation
Conventional short form
Russia
Independence
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)
Legal system
civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts
Government type
semi-presidential federation

Judicial Branch

Highest court(s)
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)
Subordinate courts
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)
Judge selection and term of office
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

Executive Branch

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
Cabinet
the government is composed of the premier, his deputies, and ministers, all appointed by the president; the premier is also confirmed by the Duma
Chief of state
President Vladimir Vladimirovich PUTIN (since 7 May 2012)
Election results

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
Head of government
Premier Mikhail Vladimirovich MISHUSTIN (since 16 January 2020)
Most recent election date
15-17 March 2024
Election/appointment process
president directly elected by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a 6-year term (eligible for a second consecutive term)
Expected date of next election
2030
National holiday
Russia Day, 12 June (1990)
National color(s)
white, blue, red

National Heritage

Total world heritage sites
33 (22 cultural, 11 natural)
Selected world heritage site locales
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)
Political parties
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

Legislative Branch

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
Legislature name
Federal Assembly (Federalnoye Sobraniye)
Legislative structure
bicameral

National Anthem(s)

Title
“Gosudarstvenny Gimn Rossiyskoy Federatsii” (National Anthem of the Russian Federation)
History
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
Lyrics/music
Sergey Vladimirovich MIKHALKOV/Aleksandr Vasilyevich ALEKSANDROV
National symbol(s)
bear, double-headed eagle
National coat of arms
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
Administrative divisions
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)

Legislative Branch Lower Chamber

Chamber name
State Duma (Gossoudarstvennaya Duma)
Term in office
5 years
Number of seats
450 (all directly elected)
Electoral system
mixed system
Scope of elections
full renewal
Most recent election date
9/19/2021
Expected date of next election
September 2026
Percentage of women in chamber
16.4%
Parties elected and seats per party
United Russia (326); Communist Party (KPRF) (57); A Just Russia (28); Liberal Democratic Party of Russia (LDPR) (23); Other (16)

Legislative Branch Upper Chamber

Chamber name
Council of the Federation (Soviet Federatsii)
Number of seats
170 (all appointed)
Percentage of women in chamber
18.5%

Diplomatic Representation in the US

Fax
[1] (202) 298-5735
Chancery
2650 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007
Telephone
[1] (202) 298-5700
Chief of mission
Ambassador Alexander Nikitich DARCHIEV (since 11 June 2025)
Consulate(s) general
Houston, New York
Email address and website

rusembusa@mid.ru

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

Diplomatic Representation from the US

Fax
[7] (495) 728-5090
Embassy
<small>55,75566° N, 37,58028° E</small>
Telephone
[7] (495) 728-5000
Mailing address
5430 Moscow Place, Washington DC&nbsp; 20521-5430
Chief of mission
Ambassador (vacant); Charg&eacute; d&rsquo;Affaires J. Douglas DYKHOUSE (since June 2025)
Consulate(s) general
Vladivostok (suspended status), Yekaterinburg (suspended status)
Email address and website

MoscowACS@state.gov

https://ru.usembassy.gov/
International organisations
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
International law organization participation
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt

Legislature

RUSSIA · LOWER HOUSE

State Duma

450 seats · hover a seat for the party
ROSTRUMMAJORITY 226
Total seats
450
Majority line
226
Largest party
Parties
RUSSIA · UPPER HOUSE

Federation Council

170 seats · hover a seat for the party
ROSTRUMMAJORITY 86
Total seats
170
Majority line
86
Largest party
United Russia
Parties
2
All political parties2 parties · 170 seats · click to dim in hemicycle

Leaders

Current

  • Vladimir Putin

    • Head of StateSince 2012
  • Mikhail Mishustin

    • Head of GovernmentSince 2020

Economy

Budget

Note
note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated
Revenues
$704.613 billion (2023 est.)
Expenditures
$635.809 billion (2023 est.)

Exports

Civica canonical (reconciled)
$476.4B
Note
note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars
Exports 2022
$640.878 billion (2022 est.)
Exports 2023
$465.22 billion (2023 est.)
Exports 2024
$475.277 billion (2024 est.)

Imports

Civica canonical (reconciled)
$382.4B
Note
note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars
Imports 2022
$347.384 billion (2022 est.)
Imports 2023
$379.659 billion (2023 est.)
Imports 2024
$381.45 billion (2024 est.)
Industries
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
Labor force
72.517 million (2024 est.)

Public Debt

Civica canonical (reconciled)
18.0%
Note
note: central government debt as a % of GDP
Public debt 2023
18.5% of GDP (2023 est.)

Remittances

Note
note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities
Remittances 2022
0.1% of GDP (2022 est.)
Remittances 2023
0.1% of GDP (2023 est.)
Remittances 2024
0.1% of GDP (2024 est.)

Exchange Rates

Currency
Russian rubles (RUB) per US dollar -
Exchange rates 2019
64.738 (2019 est.)
Exchange rates 2020
72.105 (2020 est.)
Exchange rates 2021
73.654 (2021 est.)
Exchange rates 2022
68.485 (2022 est.)
Exchange rates 2023
85.162 (2023 est.)

Debt External

Note
note: present value of external debt in current US dollars
Debt external 2022
$135.301 billion (2022 est.)
Economic overview
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

Unemployment Rate

Civica canonical (reconciled)
2.1%
Note
note: % of labor force seeking employment
Unemployment rate 2022
3.9% (2022 est.)
Unemployment rate 2023
3.1% (2023 est.)
Unemployment rate 2024
2.6% (2024 est.)
Exports partners
China 33%, India 17%, Turkey 8%, Kazakhstan 4%, Brazil 3% (2023)
Imports partners
China 53%, Turkey 5%, Germany 5%, Kazakhstan 5%, Italy 2% (2023)

Real GDP Per Capita

Civica canonical (reconciled)
$47,405
Note
note: data in 2021 dollars
Real GDP per capita 2022
$38,200 (2022 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2023
$39,900 (2023 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2024
$41,700 (2024 est.)

Real GDP Growth Rate

Civica canonical (reconciled)
4.3%
Note
note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency
Real GDP growth rate 2022
-1.4% (2022 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2023
4.1% (2023 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2024
4.3% (2024 est.)
Agricultural products
wheat, sugar beets, milk, barley, potatoes, sunflower seeds, maize, soybeans, chicken, pork (2023)
Exports commodities
crude petroleum, refined petroleum, natural gas, coal, fertilizers (2023)
Imports commodities
cars, packaged medicine, broadcasting equipment, garments, plastic products (2023)

Current Account Balance

Civica canonical (reconciled)
$62.6B
Note
note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars
Current account balance 2022
$237.735 billion (2022 est.)
Current account balance 2023
$49.439 billion (2023 est.)
Current account balance 2024
$62.287 billion (2024 est.)
Taxes and other revenues
12.1% (of GDP) (2023 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate)
$2.174 trillion (2024 est.)

GDP Composition, BY End Use

Note
note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection
Household consumption
49.4% (2024 est.)
Government consumption
18.6% (2024 est.)
Investment in inventories
4.2% (2024 est.)
Investment in fixed capital
22.1% (2024 est.)
Exports of goods and services
21.9% (2024 est.)
Imports of goods and services
-17.6% (2024 est.)
Population below poverty line
12.1% (2020 est.)

Average Household Expenditures

On food
25.3% of household expenditures (2023 est.)
On alcohol and tobacco
5.9% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

Inflation Rate (Consumer Prices)

Civica canonical (reconciled)
8.4%
Note
note: annual % change based on consumer prices
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2019
4.5% (2019 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2020
3.4% (2020 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2021
6.7% (2021 est.)
Industrial production growth rate
4.1% (2024 est.)

Real GDP (Purchasing Power Parity)

Civica canonical (reconciled)
$6.089 trillion (2024 est.)
Note
note: data in 2021 dollars
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022
$5.607 trillion (2022 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023
$5.835 trillion (2023 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024
$6.089 trillion (2024 est.)

Youth Unemployment Rate (Ages 15 24)

Male
8.8% (2024 est.)
Note
note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment
Total
9.3% (2024 est.)
Female
9.8% (2024 est.)

Reserves of Foreign Exchange and Gold

Note
note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2021
$632.242 billion (2021 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022
$581.71 billion (2022 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023
$597.217 billion (2023 est.)

GDP Composition, BY Sector of Origin

Note
note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data
Industry
30.7% (2024 est.)
Services
57.5% (2024 est.)
Agriculture
2.7% (2024 est.)

Household Income or Consumption BY Percentage Share

Note
note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population
Lowest 10%
2.7% (2021 est.)
Highest 10%
26.6% (2021 est.)

Gini Index Coefficient Distribution of Family Income

Note
note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality
Gini index coefficient distribution of family income 2021
35.1 (2021 est.)

Energy

Coal

Exports
211.944 million metric tons (2023 est.)
Imports
20.765 million metric tons (2023 est.)
Production
531.13 million metric tons (2023 est.)
Consumption
290.763 million metric tons (2023 est.)
Proven reserves
162.166 billion metric tons (2023 est.)

Petroleum

Total petroleum production
10.879 million bbl/day (2023 est.)
Crude oil estimated reserves
80 billion barrels (2021 est.)
Refined petroleum consumption
3.863 million bbl/day (2023 est.)

Electricity

Exports
18.66 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Imports
2.852 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Consumption
1.011 trillion kWh (2023 est.)
Installed generating capacity
301.926 million kW (2023 est.)
Transmission/distribution losses
97.301 billion kWh (2023 est.)

Natural Gas

Exports
124.479 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
Imports
5.724 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
Production
613.447 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
Consumption
474.448 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
Proven reserves
47.805 trillion cubic meters (2021 est.)

Nuclear Energy

Number of operational nuclear reactors
36 (2025)
Percent of total electricity production
18.4% (2023 est.)
Net capacity of operational nuclear reactors
26.8GW (2025 est.)
Number of nuclear reactors under construction
4 (2025)
Number of nuclear reactors permanently shut down
11 (2025)

Electricity Access

Electrification rural areas
100%
Electrification urban areas
99.1%
Electrification total population
100% (2022 est.)

Energy Consumption Per Capita

Total energy consumption per capita 2023
224.858 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Electricity Generation Sources

Wind
0.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Solar
0.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Nuclear
19.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Fossil fuels
61.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Hydroelectricity
17.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Biomass and waste
0.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Communications

Internet Users

Percent of population
92% (2023 est.)
Broadcast media
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
.ru

Telephones Fixed Lines

Total subscriptions
20,816,300 (2023 est.)
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
15 (2022 est.)

Telephones Mobile Cellular

Total subscriptions
270 million (2024 est.)
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
186 (2024 est.)

Broadband Fixed Subscriptions

Total
35.9 million (2022 est.)
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
25 (2022 est.)

Transport

Ports

Large
4
Small
19
Medium
5
Key ports
Arkhangels'k, De Kastri, Dudinka, Kaliningrad, Murmansk, Novorossiysk, Sankt-Peterburg, Vladivostok, Vyborg
Very small
38
Total ports
67 (2024)
Size unknown
1
Ports with oil terminals
32
Airports
905 (2025)

Railways

Total
85,494 km (2019)
Narrow gauge
957 km
Heliports
494 (2025)

Merchant Marine

Total
2,910 (2023)
BY type
bulk carrier 15, container ship 20, general cargo 976, oil tanker 387, other 1,512
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix
RA

Environment

Climate
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

Geoparks

Global geoparks and regional networks
Yangan-Tau (2023)
Total global geoparks and regional networks
1

Land Use

Other
35.9% (2023 est.)
Forest
50.7% (2023 est.)
Agricultural land
13.2% (2023 est.)
Agricultural land: arable land
arable land: 7.4% (2023 est.)
Agricultural land: permanent crops
permanent crops: 0.1% (2023 est.)
Agricultural land: permanent pasture
permanent pasture: 5.6% (2023 est.)

Urbanization

Urban population
75.3% of total population (2023)
Rate of urbanization
0.11% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Methane Emissions

Other
363.2 kt (2019-2021 est.)
Waste
4,069.8 kt (2019-2021 est.)
Energy
13,815.3 kt (2022-2024 est.)
Agriculture
1,972.6 kt (2019-2021 est.)

Waste and Recycling

Municipal solid waste generated annually
60 million tons (2024 est.)
Percent of municipal solid waste recycled
5.3% (2022 est.)
Environmental issues
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

Total Water Withdrawal

Municipal
17.15 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
Industrial
29.03 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
Agricultural
18.64 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

Carbon Dioxide Emissions

Total emissions
1.844 billion metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
From consumed natural gas
912.076 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
From coal and metallurgical coke
479.311 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
From petroleum and other liquids
453.103 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
Particulate matter emissions
9.1 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
Total renewable water resources
4.53 trillion cubic meters (2022 est.)

International Environmental Agreements

Party to
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
Air Pollution-Sulfur 94

Military & Security

Military note
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)
Military deployments
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)

Military Expenditures

Civica canonical (reconciled)
7.1%
Military expenditures 2020
4% of GDP (2020 est.)
Military expenditures 2021
4% of GDP (2021 est.)
Military expenditures 2022
4.5% of GDP (2022 est.)
Military expenditures 2023
5% of GDP (2023 est.)
Military expenditures 2024
7% of GDP (2024 est.)
Military and security forces
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)
Military service age and obligation
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)
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions
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 and security service personnel strengths
estimated 1.1-1.2 million active Armed Forces; estimated 350,000 Federal National Guard Troops (2025)

Terrorism

Terrorist group(s)
Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS)

Space

Space launch site(s)
Baikonur Cosmodrome (Kazakhstan); Vostochny Cosmodrome (Amur Oblast); Plesetsk Cosmodrome (Arkhangel'sk Oblast) (2025)
Space agency/agencies
State Space Corporation of the Russian Federation (Roscosmos; established 2015); Russian Space Forces (Kosmicheskie voyska Rossii, KV; under the Russian Aerospace Forces) (2025)
Space program overview
has one of the world&rsquo;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
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

Transnational Issues

Trafficking in Persons

Tier rating
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/

Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons

Idps
172,783 (2024 est.)
Refugees
11,440 (2024 est.)
Stateless persons
90,185 (2024 est.)

Scores & Rankings

ScoreValueGlobal rankTrendAs of
Civica Index16.0 / 100as of 2024-Q4170 / 190−16.02024-Q4
Civica Pulse−4.1as of 2026-05-062026-05-06
V-Dem Liberal Democracy0.06as of 2024-Q4150 / 170−0.022024-Q4
Freedom House StatusNot Free (8/100)as of 2024-Q4−6.52024-Q4
Press Freedom (RSF)Restricted press (33/100)as of 20242024
Human Development Index0.822as of 20222022
Corruption Perceptions Index26 / 100as of 2023141 / 1802023

Cite this page

Cite this pageAPA · BibTeX · Chicago · JSON
Civica. (2026). Civica Atlas — Russia — vintage 2026-Q1: Russia factbook. Civica Atlas. Retrieved May 7, 2026, from https://civicaatlas.org/factbook/russia
Sources: FAO FAOSTAT, ILO ILOSTAT, IMF (WEO), OECD.Stat, UN Statistics Division, UNDP HDR, UNESCO Institute for Statistics, V-Dem, WHO Global Health Observatory, World Bank, WTO Stats, CIA World Factbook, Wikidata