Location: Northern Asia (the area west of the Urals is considered part of Europe), bordering the Arctic Ocean, between Europe and the North Pacific Ocean
Geographic coordinates: 60° 0' N, 100° 0' E
Coastline km: 37,653 km km
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
Terrain: broad plain with low hills west of Urals; vast coniferous forest and tundra in Siberia; uplands and mountains along southern border regions
Elevation: lowest point: Caspian Sea -28 m highest point: Gora El'brus 5,633 m
Natural hazards: permafrost over much of Siberia is a major impediment to development; volcanic activity in the Kuril Islands; volcanoes and earthquakes on the Kamchatka Peninsula; spring floods and summer/autumn forest fires throughout Siberia and parts of European Russia.
Currency: Russian ruble (RUR)
Population: 141,377,752 (July 2007 est.)
Languages: Russian, many minority languages
Capital: Moscow
Divisions: 12 regions: Central, Central Black Earth, East Siberian, Far Eastern, Northern, North Caucasus, Northwestern, Volga, Urals, Volga-Vyatka, West Siberian, Kaliningrad