Beautiful Moscow is the capital of Rossiya (Russia) with its multi-colored, onion-shaped domes of the Kremlin Towers, St. Basil's Cathedral, and Lenin's Tomb which dominate Moscow Square. Within the famous 15th century Kremlin fortress in the impressive Armory Chamber is one of Russia's great art collections including some of the fabulous Easter Eggs created for the Czars by Karl Faberge. The stunning 15th century Byzantine Assumption Cathedral is the oldest and most important church where the Czars were selected, crowned, decrees read, and solemn rites celebrated. At the top of Sparrow Hill is a marvelous view of the entire city.

St. Petersburg is one of Russia's great landmark and historical cities. The city is home to Russia's beautiful Winter Palace, Peter & Paul Fortress, Hermitage  Museum, Catherine's Palace, and Peterhof just outside the city.  

In Sochi are the beautiful botanic gardens, Riviera Park with its statutes, pools, and palatial Matsesta Spa renowned for its healing waters. This park was once Stalin's dacha.   

Facts in Brief

Capital: Moscow 

Official Language: Russian

Official Name: Rossiyskaya Federatsiya (Russian Federation since 24 August 1991 from Soviet Union

Former: Russian Empire, Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic, Soviet Union, Russian Federation 

Form of Government: Federation 

Form of Economic System: Socialist capitalism

1st Largest Country Area: 3,705,392 sq. mi. (Former 8,649,500 sq. mi.)

Northern Asia Bordering: Europe to West, North Pacific Ocean to East, Artic Ocean to North, Black Sea, Caspian Sea and China to South between Europe and North Pacific Ocean

Elevation: Highest - Communist Peak (24,590 ft.) to Lowest - Karagiye Depression (433 ft. below sea level)

Population: est. 2005 - 142 million (Former 290 million) 

National Anthem: "Gimn Sovetskogo Soyusa"

Race: Slav

Religion: Russian Orthodox

Major Rivers: Volga River and Lena River

Money: Ruble (RUR)

Special Areas: 12 Union Republics (Former 15 Union Republics)

Special Cities: 49 oblasts, 21 republics, 10 autonomous okrugs, 6 krays, 2 federal cities, and 1 autonomous oblast

 

800-1111 Slavs form first Russian state established at Kiev

1547 Ivan IV became first crowned Czar

1613 Michael Romanov became Czar and started Romanov line of Czars

1703 Peter I founded St. Petersburg and it became the capital

1812 Napoleon of France invades and forced to quickly retreat

1861 Alexander II frees the serfs

1905 Nicholas II establishes the Duma (Parliament)

1914-1916 World War I Germany invades Russia unsuccessfully 

1917 October Revolution Bolsheviks (Reds - by revolutionary force become the Communists) versus the Mensheviks (Whites - peaceful revolution and looses to Bolsheviks the anti-Communists)  ends Nicholas II and the Romanov family czarist rule. Vladimir Lenin with the help of Leon Trotsky becomes becomes head of Russia and abolishes private property, socializes the state, and withdrew from World War I.

1918 Capital again becomes Moscow.

1922 Joseph Stalin is appointed general secretary, and Lenin dies two years later. In December the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) is established.

1929-1953 Joseph Stalin rules Russia.

1929 Beginning of the collectivization of agriculture, confiscation of private farms, and the First Five-Year Plan is passed in a program to modernize the USSR through forced industrialization.

1941 World War II Germany invades Russia unsuccessfully.

1945 Iron Curtain with the Western nations begins and the USSR emerges as one of the two global superpowers.

1949 the Soviet Union tests its first atomic bomb.

1957 Sputnik I is the first spacecraft to circle the earth.

1961 Yuri Gagarin is the first astronaut to orbit the earth. Berlin Wall is erected and Cold War is official. 

1966 Russian spacecraft made the first landing on the moon.

1975 Soviet space craft Soyuz and United States space craft Apollo linked together during a joint space flight mission.

1989 November 9 Cold War, Berlin Wall, and Iron Curtain ends with the Western nations.

1998 October 17 Russian stock market crashes along with national economy.

2005 Russian economy recovers.

 

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