Churchill's 'riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma' remains an apt description of Russia; most outsiders have only a hazy idea of its realities. A composite of the extravagant glories of old Russia and the drab legacies of the Soviet era, it's a country that both befuddles and beguiles.
This is a land of snow and deadly winters, but also of rivers that meander across meadows and a midsummer sun that never sets. Its people, in the words of a Russian proverb, 'love to suffer', yet they also love to party and can be disarmingly generous and hospitable.
The unfolding effects of a deregulated market economy are surrounded by rumours of rampant crime and prostitution, relentless drug-trafficking, mile-long queues for nonexistent food and a general end-of-the-world aura. But with countless cultural treasures having withstood the tribulations of history and economics, and an artistic legacy running the gamut from Karenina to Zhivago, Russia remains a must-see destination.
Warning
The crashes of two passenger jets on August 24, 2004, the suicide bomber near Rizhskaya Metro station in Moscow on 31 August, the taking of hostages at a school in Beslan on 1 September and the discovery of a cache of weapons in a St Petersburg cinema all demonstrate that the threat of violence from terrorists within Russia is high. Chechen rebel leader Aslan Maskhadov was killed on March 3 and further violence has been threatened. Travellers are advised to be cautious and monitor any changes in Chechnya or Moscow.
Travellers are strongly advised against travel in Chechnya, Dagestan and neighbouring Ingushetia. Military clashes, kidnapping of aid workers and foreigners, violent crimes and muggings are prevalent.
Other neighbouring areas of concern include North Ossetia, Stavropol, Karachayevo-Cherkessiya and Kabardino-Balkariya. Events in all these places are difficult to understand and can change rapidly. On-the-ground consular support can be negligible or non-existent.
Full country name: Russian Federation
Area: 17.07 million sq km
Population: 144.53 million
Capital City: Moscow
People: 81% Russian, 4% Tatar, 3% Ukrainian and numerous ethnic minorities
Language: Russian
Religion: Russian Orthodox, Islam, Animist
Government: federation
Head of State: President Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin
Head of Government: Premier Mikhail Fradkov
GDP: US$1.4 trillion
GDP per capita: US$8,900
Annual Growth: 4%
Inflation: 15.1%
Major Industries: Oil, coal, iron ore, timber, automotive, agricultural and construction equipment
Major Trading Partners: EU (esp. Germany), Belarus, Ukraine, USA, China
Member of EU: No
