Russia (or the Russian Federation) is a modern industrialised country located in the eastern part of Europe and northern Asia. Measuring almost twice the size of the United States. Russia stretches 10,000km from west to east, equaling a quarter of the equator, while the distance between the southern and northern borders of the country is about 4,000km.

Russia encompasses 11 time zones. The western and eastern borders are so distant from each other that at the time when the sun rises in the east, darkness of late evening is already falling over the western regions.

The geographical location of the country is such that the natural and climate conditions of Russia are very diverse. Russia has three climatic zones. These are the arctic, sub arctic and the temperate zone. Winters vary from cool along the Black Sea coast to frigid in Siberia and the northern parts, while summer varies from warm in the steppes to cool along the Arctic coast.

About three-quarters of the population live in urban areas. There
are about 1,000 towns within the Federation. Apart from
Moscow, seven of the towns have a population of over 1mil
people. These are St Petersburg, Nizhny Novgorod, Novosibirsk,
Samara, Yekaterinburg, Chelyabinsk and Omsk

Russia is a rich architectural, cultural and natural wonder to experience. Students should take the time to visit the many fine art galleries, concert halls, historical monuments, museums, parks, theatres and sport centers.

Traveling within Russia and to neighboring countries is never a problem with the extensive air, road, railway and river transport system.


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MOSCOW

The capital of the Russian Federation is Moscow. It is a historic city over 850 years old. With a population of almost 10 million people, Moscow is the biggest political, industrial, scientific, cultural and education centre of Russia.

Moscow is located in the centre of the European part of the country on the banks of the Moskva River. The city lies in a moderate continental climate zone and has a mean January temperature of -11°C and a July temperature of 19°C. Although sometimes, in the winter months, the temperature may even drop to -20°C.

Most of us probably associate Russia with the Red Square and St Basil’s Cathedral with its many colourful domes. The Red Square is the main square in Moscow and is dominated by the Kremlin.

Moscow is the main political centre of Russia and is where the legislature resides. The Russian legislature is divided into the State Duma and the Council of Federation. The council has 178 members, two from each of Russia’s 89 regions. One of the two members is appointed by the president or governor of the region while the other is elected by the local assembly. The State Duma has 250 members who are elected by the whole population of the Federation. Russia’s executive branch of the government is headed by the President. He appoints the Prime Minister with the approval of the State Duma.
 

Like other big cities in the world, Moscow carries with it similar dangers and security issues. Visitors to this city are advised to be cautious, especially when traveling alone, and to use common sense. On a comparative level, however, it is still far safer overall than other equivalent capital cities in the world.



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Nizhny Novgorod

The city of Niznhy Novgorod was founded in 1221 and is situated 400km north-east of Moscow. With a population of 1.5 million people, it is Russia's third largest city. Unlike Moscow and St. Petersburg, with large numbers of Westerners, Nizhny Novgorod offers insights into life in Russia's heartland. Located at the strategic confluence of the Oka and Volga rivers, Nizhny Novgorod, in previous centuries, was a commercial hub of Russia. Today it is the "test site" for democratic reform and free market initiatives.


Nizhny Novgorod is an important transportation center. It has railway and air connections with all significant cities of Russia and the Commonwealth of Independent States (C.I.S.). Overnight trains to Moscow and St. Petersburg are very convenient. Within the city is a broad public transportation network. The main routes connect the center of the city (a triangle formed by Minin, Gorky and Svoboda Squares), with residential and industrial districts.

Visitors to Nizhny Novgorod are usually astonished at the abundance of snow and low temperatures that are so common during the winter season. Here the snow does not usually thaw until March, and only in April does spring really begin. May, August and September, are probably the best months to visit the city. Summer is hot and humid with occasional showers; the temperature rarely exceeds 86°F. Early fall is rather warm, while October is usually rainy and November gradually turns into winter.
 

Nizhny Novgorod is a peaceful and harmonious city with a multicultural community which makes it an ideal environment for students. The city practices freedom of religious beliefs that is protected by the Constitution.



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Volgograd

Volgograd, formerly known as Stalingrad, is a city in the south of the Russian Federation. It has a population of about 1'000'000 people. It is a very long city, about 90 km long and 8 km wide. The entire city stands on the western bank of the longest river in Europe, the Volga River.

In 1961 Stalingrad was renamed Volgograd. Because of its historical past, the city has many monuments that are built in commemoration of its defenders. The most well known of the monuments is on Mamayev Hill, where lies the Memorial to the Heroes of Stalingrad Battle. At the center stage of this memorial is the Monument of the Motherland (Mat' Rodina); it is the tallest freestanding statue in the world. It is three times as large as the Statue of Liberty, and has become the symbol of Volgograd.

The Volgograd Region boasts a rich cultural and historical heritage. There are enough theaters and museums to keep most any visitor to Volgograd busy for quite some time. The circus and the planetarium are also popular with visitors. The city also offers the music lover opportunities to enjoy the likes of Tchaikovsky, and Alla Pugachyova. The Central Concert Hall, located at the River Port, houses the famous Volgograd Symphony Orchestra.

Located in a semi-desert region, the city has a very dry climate. It is extremely hot in summer, up to +45 deg. Celsius, and very cold in winter as cold as -27 deg. Celsius.

Many cultural activities in Volgograd revolve around the Volga River. During the summer, one can find people promenading along the Volga Embankment, playing with children and pets in the park, fishing for catfish and sturgeon and eating in sidewalk cafes. In the winter, the Volga ices over and often freezes solid enough to allow for pedestrian traffic between its two banks. Fishermen drill holes in the ice along the Volga's edges and huddle all day in hopes of nabbing a specimen or two for dinner.
 

Volgograd is also known as the home to thousands of sports fans. It is the home of the ROTOR football (soccer) team which counts itself among the most elite clubs in Russia and Europe Whether you enjoy watching or participating, there are many opportunities to take advantage of the athletic side of Volgograd.

There is an abundance of institutes of higher learning in Volgograd, which range from agricultural colleges to law faculties to comprehensive universities. All in all, Volgograd offers the international student an exciting educational and cultural environment to pursue their higher education and to further their understanding of Russian cultures.



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