Nickname(s):
"Third Rome"
Demonym(s):
Muscovite
Founded:
1147
Democracy:
Developed:
European Union:
Schengen:
Euro:
National Capital:
RegionalState Capital:
Population (City):
13 010 000
Population (Urban):
17 000 000
Population (Metro):
21 535 000
Population Density (km2):
5 100
Population Density (mi2):
13 200
Largest City in Russia
Language:
Russian
Currency:
Ruble
Avg. Summertime High:
25 °C
77 °F
Avg. Summertime Low:
15 °C
59 °F
Warmest Month:
July
Coldest Month:
January
Avg. Wintertime High:
-4 °C
25 °F
Avg. Wintertime Low:
-9 °C
16 °F
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Russian Federation | Российская Федерация
Russia
English
Россия
Russian
Region:
Eastern Europe
Area:
17 098 246 km2
Ranked out of 195
Population:
Population:
144 700 000
Ranked 9 out of 235
Urbanization:
75 %
Ranked 59 out of 194
Capital:
Moscow
Population: 21 535 000
Largest City:
Moscow
Population: 21 535 000
Major Cities:
Moscow
Saint Petersburg
Novosibirsk
Yekaterinburg
Kazan
Economy & Development:
Human Development Index:
Very High
Ranked 52 out of 189
Inequality-Adjusted HDI:
High
Ranked 42 out of 189
GDP (PPP) Per Capita:
$31 960
Ranked 55 out of 225
Democracy & Freedom:
Democracy Index:
Authoritarian
Ranked 124 out of 167
Freedom House:
Not Free
20 points out of 100 possible
Press Freedom:
Very Serious
Ranked 155 out of 180
Economic Freedom:
3rd Quartile
Ranked 85 out of 162
National Identity:
Independence Since:
1991
Independence From:
Soviet Union
National Day:
12th of June
What Is Celebrated On The National Day:
-
Facts & Codes:
Driving Side:
Right
-
Time Zone:
UTC +3 (MSK)
-
Country Calling Code:
+ 7
-
Country Code:
RU
ISO 3166
St. Basil's Cathedral
Colorful Cathedral
Red Square
Famous Square
Kremlin
Fortified Citadel
Currency:
Russian Ruble
Code:
RUB
Subunit:
Kopeyka
Symbol:
₽, руб
Cash Or Credit:
Cards worked well for me and in central Moscow, it's no problem to rely only on your card. Cash is however still the most popular form of payment in Russia as a whole so it can be good to have some available.
As of 2022, cards are no longer working in Russia.
Good To Know:
-
Local Language:
Russian
Language Family:
Slavic (Indo-European)
Writing System:
Cyrillic (Russian Alphabet)
What About English?
I would say yes and no for English in Moscow. It wasn't as hard as I thought to get by with only English. Most people, young and old, don't speak great English. Most people do however know some basics and will do their best to make it work. Signage and other important information are almost always translated into English, so don't worry about not being able to read Cyrillic.
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Saint Basil's Cathedral, or Pokrovsky Cathedral, is one of the main sights of Moscow. Located at the southern end of the famous Red Square.
Close-up of the base of Saint Basil's Cathedral.
A statue called 'Monument to Minin and Pozharsky' in front of Saint Basil's Cathedral.
View fo the Red Square from inside of Saint Basil's Cathedral.
A Christmas market on the Red Square.
The northern end of Red Square, with Kazan Cathedral as the centerpiece of the picture.
State Historical Museum, is a museum dedicated to Russian history at the northern end of Red Square. This photo is taken from the side that's not facing the square.
The urban landscape of Moscow during the winter months can be very grey and depressing.
A street scene near Belorusskaya Station.
The Bolshoi Theatre is visible in the left of the picture.
Revolution Square and a statue of Karl Marx.
The main shopping street - Old Arbat.
A street called Arbatskiy Pereulok near Old Arbat.
Gazetnyy Pereulok, which would roughly be translated to "Newspaper Lane".