Capital: Moscow
Location:
Northern Asia (that part west of the Urals is sometimes included with Europe), bordering the Arctic Ocean, between Europe and the North Pacific Ocean ( slightly less than 2 times the size of the US).
Registration Embassy and Consulate:
Americans living in or visiting Russia are encouraged to register at the Consular Section of the U.S. Embassy in Russia and obtain updated information on travel and security within Russia. The U.S. Embassy is located in Moscow at Novinskiy Bulvar 19/23; Tel. (7) (095) 728-5000, Fax (7) (095) 728-5084. After hours emergencies: (7) (095) 728-5109. Also monitor the Embassy's website or e-mail at Consulmo@state.gov
U.S. Consulates are located at:
St. Petersburg: Ulitsa Furshtadskaya 15; tel (7-812) 275-1701; fax (7-812) 110-7022; after hours (7-812) 274-8692. The e-mail address is Acs_stpete@state.gov.
Vladivostok: Ulitsa Pushkinskaya 32, Tel. (7) (4232) 30-00-70. FAX (7)(4232) 30-00-91. After hours emergencies: (7) (4232) 26-84-58 and (7) (4232) 21-52-90. Monitor the Consulate's Internet home page.
Yekaterinburg: Ulitsa Gogolya 15a, 4th Floor tel (7-3432) 62-98-88; and (7-3432) 564-744; fax (7-3432) 564-515. After hours emergencies within Yekaterinburg: (8)(29) 05-15-06. After hours emergencies elsewhere in Russia for Yekaterinburg: (8)(3439) 05-15-06. Monitor the Consulate's Internet home page or e-mail at uscgyekat@gin.ru
Background:
The defeat of the Russian Empire in World War I led to the seizure of power by the communists and the formation of the USSR. The brutal rule of Josef STALIN (1924-53) strengthened Russian dominance of the Soviet Union at a cost of tens of millions of lives. The Soviet economy and society stagnated in the following decades until General Secretary Mikhail GORBACHEV (1985-91) introduced glasnost (openness) and perestroika (restructuring) in an attempt to modernize communism, but his initiatives inadvertently released forces that by December 1991 splintered the USSR into 15 independent republics. Since then, Russia has struggled in its efforts to build a democratic political system and market economy to replace the strict social, political, and economic controls of the communist period.
Ethnic Groups:
Russian 81.5%, Tatar 3.8%, Ukrainian 3%, Chuvash 1.2%, Bashkir 0.9%, Byelorussian 0.8%, Moldavian 0.7%, other 8.1%
Language:
Russian, other
Currency:
RUR
Russian ruble (RUR)
Russian rubles per US dollar - 26.0498 (March 2007), 28.3592 (January 2001), 28.1292 (2000), 24.6199 (1999), 9.7051 (1998), 5,785 (1997), 5,121 (1996)
note: the post-1 January 1998 ruble is equal to 1,000 of the pre-1 January 1998 rubles
Climate:
Ranges from steppes in the south through humid continental in much of European Russia; subarctic in Siberia to tundra climate in the polar north; winters vary from cool along Black Sea coast to frigid in Siberia; summers vary from warm in the steppes to cool along Arctic coast
Population:
145,470,197 (July 2001 est.)
Religion:
Russian Orthodox, Muslim, other
Medical:
Medical care is usually far below Western standards, with severe shortages of basic medical supplies. Access to the few quality facilities that exist in major cities usually requires cash payment at Western rates upon admission. The U.S. Embassy and Consulates maintain lists of such facilities and English-speaking doctors. Many resident Americans travel to the West for virtually all of their medical needs; such travel can be very expensive if undertaken under emergency conditions.
U.S. medical insurance is not always valid outside the United States. U.S. Medicare and Medicaid programs do not provide payment for medical services outside the United States. Doctors and hospitals often expect immediate cash payment for health services. Uninsured travelers who require medical care overseas may face extreme difficulties.
Safety:
Due to continued civil and political unrest throughout most of the Caucasus region of Russia, the Department of State warns U.S. citizens against travel to the areas of Chechnya, all areas bordering Chechnya, North Ossetia, Ingushetia, Dagestan, Stavropol, Karachayevo-Cherkessiya and Kabardino-Balkariya. United States Government personnel are prohibited from traveling to these areas and American citizens residing in these areas should depart immediately as the safety of Americans and other foreigners cannot be effectively guaranteed. Throughout the region, local criminal gangs routinely kidnap foreigners, including Americans, for ransom. U.S. citizens have disappeared in Chechnya and remain unaccounted for. In December 1998, four foreign hostages were decapitated by their captors. Close contacts with the local population do not guarantee safety. The U.S. Government's ability to assist Americans who travel to the Northern Caucasus is extremely limited.
Traffic Safety:
While in a foreign country, U.S. citizens may encounter road conditions that differ significantly from those in the United States. The information below concerning Russia is provided for general reference only, and may not be totally accurate in a particular location or circumstance.
Safety of Public Transportation:
Fair
Urban Road Conditions/Maintenance:
Poor
Rural Road Conditions/Maintenance:
Poor
Availability of Roadside Assistance:
Poor
Inclement weather and lack of routine maintenance of roads and vehicles make road conditions throughout Russia highly variable. Drivers and pedestrians should exercise extreme caution to avoid accidents, which are commonplace. Travelers may which to take extra precautions when hiring local drivers. Heavy alcohol consumption is frequently a contributing factor in accidents. Traffic police sometimes stop motorists to extract cash "fines, and bandits occasionally prey on travelers.
