Introduction_ 2

Russia 3

History of Russia 3

Hymn, flag, emblem_ 3

Geographic Landmarks 4

The Russians 5

The tourism and rate in Russia 8

Conclusion_ 11

Literature 12

Russia is situated in the North part of Eurasian continent and has the area of 17,1 million square kilometres. About 1/3 of the Russian territory is situated in Europe, and occupies the main part of the Russian (East-Europe) plain, and also Ural, Pre-Caucasus and north slope of the Big Caucasus. The Asiatic part of Russia is 2/3 of the territory and it includes Siberia and Far East. Russia has outlets to the seas of the Atlantic, Pacific and Arctic Oceans.

The west extremity of Russia is near Kaliningrad city (in longitude 19'38» West), and the east extremity is in the Bering Sea, Ratmanov Island (east boundary of Russia with the USA). Because of the huge length of the country by longitude, there is the great difference in time between the west and east parts of the country (there are 11 time zones there). The north extremity is on the Rudolf island in Frans-Iosif land archipelago (in latitude 81'49» North), and the south extremity in on the ridge of the Main Caucasus Ridge (in latitude 41'12» South). And the highest point of Russia is also situated on Caucasus Elbrus Mountain (5642 metres).

Russia has the origin in Kiev Russia, which many lands of Northwest and Central Russia belonged to. Moscow principality arose in XIII XV centuries, which was the first core of forming the new state, the territory of which was from Baltic Sea to the Pacific to the beginning of XVIII century. In the middle of XIII century Russia was under the Mongol-Tatar yoke, and Russia was fighting for its overthrow for 250 years. In XVI–XVII centuries Russia started to be multinational: nations of Volga region, Ural, Siberia became the part of it. During XVII–XVIII centuries Russia tried to return lands, which were lost before and got the outlet to the Baltic Sea and secured its south boundaries. In 1654 Russia was consolidated with Ukraine.

With the dissolution of the Soviet Union there has been an enormous resurgence of interest in Russia's pre-Soviet past, as well as a great deal of debate and reconsideration of the Soviet era itself. This shift has not resulted in a simple vilification of everything Soviet or a naive embrace of all that preceded it, but it has spurred an unprecedented effort to regain the ancient Russian national heritage. Churches are being restored all across the country, great Russian writers and artists whose works were banned are once again being honored, and the individual character of ancient cities and communities is once again becoming established. Next year, the city of Moscow is celebrating its 850th Anniversary, a celebration that will mark the recovery, as well as the commemoration, of its glorious past.

For most western visitors, the bulk of Russia's history is nothing more than a compendium of hazy legends and sensationalist rumours–from scurrilous stories about Catherine the Great to tabloid television reports of the miraculous survival of the children of Nicholas II. However, the factual history of the country is no less compelling than its fabulous history, and even a brief introduction to the great and not-so-great figures of its past make a visit far more rewarding.

The State Emblem of Russian Empire since XV century had been a double eagle. Its shape changed lots of times & the last variant (1883) was close to the Russian Federation Emblem that is in force nowadays (with significant difference – there were emblems of provinces on the eagle's wings).

At the time of Provisional Government (from March till November of 1917) the Emblem had been a double eagle without the symbols of royal power (now it is on the coins of 1, 2 & 5 rubles value). The State Emblem of Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic (picture of golden Sickle & Hummer crisscross, their shafts down, in the red background, in the sun rays, in the setting of ears, with the legend 'RSFSR' & 'Proletarians of all countries unite!', with the five-point star on the top of the Emblem) was confirmed by the Constitution of RSFSR accepted on the 10th of July, 1918, that came into force on the 19th of July, 1918; then it was described in the RSFSR Constitutions of 1937 & 1978 (the 'RSFSR' legend was changed to 'Russian Federation' by the amendments to the Constitution of the 21st of April, 1992).

In fact, since the 3rd of December, 1993 the Emblem (the golden double eagle on the red shield, topped with three crowns, with the scepter & orb in its clutches, with the horseman striking the dragon, on the red shield on his breast), confirmed by the B.N. Yeltsin decree N2050 of the 30th of November, 1993 (in the period of 'step-by-step constitutional reform'). The shield with the double eagle (in force since 1993) was confirmed by the federal constitutional law 'About State Emblem of Russian Federation' of the 27th of December, 2000; it was published & came into force on the 27th of December, 2000.

As the world's largest country, Russian has a very diverse geography.

Northern Russian extends into the Arctic Circle. This area is primarily tundra and forests, with thousands of lakes.

Russia has many mountain areas. The Ural mountains cover 2,500 miles of eastern Russia. The Caucasus mountains cross the southern part of Russia, from the Black Sea to the Caspia Sea.

From the western boarder to the Ural mountains is the North European Plain. ............