We have all been hearing a lot about Russia and its conflict with Ukraine, recently. But how much do you know about Russia as a country and its rich history?
It is the largest country in the world and covers a huge land area of over 17,125,191 square kilometres. That is, Russia takes up one-eighth of our planet’s livable land! The Russian Federation, which is the other name of the country, is spread across eleven time zones and is home to 145.5 million people. This makes Russia the most populous European country and the ninth-most populous country in the world.
Russia is considered to be one of the most powerful countries of the world. It is also a potential superpower. While we talk about the economy of a country, we talk in terms of nominal GDP and GDP, two markers which help us to understand how well the nation is performing economically. Russia’s economy is the world’s eleventh largest in terms of nominal GDP and sixth largest in terms of GDP. The country also has the world’s second-most powerful military – Russia’s military expenditure is the world’s fourth highest. It also has the world’s largest stock of nuclear weapons.
Apart from this, Russia is home to 30 UNESCO World Heritage Sites and contains vast mineral and energy resources, and produces oil and gas in large quantities for consumption.
Russia holds a permanent position in the United Nations Security Council. It is also a member of the G20 (Group of Twenty), the SCO (Shanghai Cooperation Organisation), the Council of Europe, the BRICS (an acronym coined to associate Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa), the APEC (Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation), the OSCE (Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe), the IIB (International Investment Bank), and the WTO (World Trade Organization). It is also the member of the CIS (Centre for Internet Security), the CSTO (Collective Security Treaty Organization), and the EAEU (Eurasian Economic Union).
As we know, Russia’s recent conflict with Ukraine has turned the Western countries against Russia. So, the present situation and Russia’s position in various world organizations may very well undergo a change.
Picture Credit : Google
