Russia

Russia is the largest country in the world. It stretches across northern Asia and part of eastern Europe. Russia covers about 6.6 million square miles. That is almost twice the size of the United States. Even so, only about 144 million people live there, fewer than in many smaller countries. The capital is Moscow, and the official language is Russian.

Most of Russia sits far to the north. Long, cold winters are normal across almost all of the country. The northern region of Siberia is one of the coldest inhabited places on Earth. In some Siberian towns, winter temperatures drop below negative 60 degrees Fahrenheit. That is cold enough to freeze your breath in midair.

The land of Russia holds many record-breaking features. The Ural Mountains form a natural border between Europe and Asia. The Volga is the longest river in Europe. Lake Baikal, in southern Siberia, is the deepest lake in the world. It is over a mile deep in spots and holds about one-fifth of all the fresh surface water on Earth.

Russia has a long and complicated history. For hundreds of years it was ruled by kings and queens called tsars and tsarinas. Famous rulers included Peter the Great and Catherine the Great. In 1917, a revolution overthrew the tsar. A new country called the Soviet Union took Russia's place in 1922. The Soviet Union became one of the most powerful nations in the world. During the Cold War, it competed with the United States in everything from weapons to space exploration. The Soviets launched the first satellite, Sputnik, and sent the first human, Yuri Gagarin, into space.

The Soviet Union broke apart in 1991. Russia became its own country again, smaller than before but still huge. Today Russia is a major world power with large supplies of oil, natural gas, and metals. Its writers, composers, and ballet dancers are famous around the world. Names like Tolstoy, Tchaikovsky, and the Bolshoi Ballet are part of world culture.

Russia is also often in the news for its conflicts with other countries. In 2022, Russia invaded Ukraine, its neighbor to the west. The war has caused enormous suffering and changed how many nations deal with Russia. Historians and leaders around the world disagree about what will happen next.

If you could drive across Russia from west to east, the trip would take about a week without stopping. You would pass through forests, mountains, frozen tundra, and cities older than the United States itself.