The Russian Federation is a country in both the continents of Europe and Asia. It was formerly known as the Russian Empire or the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic. During World War Two, the Russian Federation was also formerly known as the United Soviet Socialist Republic. It is a country filled with remarkable history and is also quite fascinating. These are top 10 interesting facts about Russia.
1. Russia was ruled by one of the world’s fiercest dictators. Before becoming a democracy at the end of the Cold War and during the eras of the World Wars, Russia was ruled by Joseph Stalin. Stalin was known for his leadership in the Second World War, the establishment of the Iron Curtain during the Cold War, and the Great Purge, wherein he executed enemies of his regime.
2. Russia is the largest supplier of natural gas and the second-largest oil producer. Russia exports approximately 4 million barrels of oil per day. In addition, Russia also exports approximately 196 billion cubic meters of natural gas.
3. The Russian national drink is Vodka. As the national drink of Russia, there are no Russian families that have not tasted Vodka. Russians are very fond of Vodka that there is a Vodka Museum in St. Petersburg.
4. Russia owns one of the fastest modes of transportation. The Moscow metro system is considered to be one of the fastest ways to commute. Trains are scheduled for every 90 seconds during rush hours. Also, at 100 meters deep, the Metro of St. Petersburg is one of the deepest subway systems in the world.
5. Russia is home to a large number of billionaires. With more 110 billionaires residing in Russia, it is statistically one of the countries that have the most number of billionaires. In addition, Alisher Usmanov is the richest man in Russia.
6. Russia is the proud owner of the Trans-Siberian Railway. This railway is the world’s longest railway. The Trans-Siberian Railway is 9,200 kilometers, or 5,700 miles long, and it is located from European Russia and crosses into Asia. It then ends at the port of Vladivostok, by the Pacific Ocean. A continuous trip on this railway would take about 152 hours and 27 minutes to finish.
7. In World War Two, Russia was a prominent actor. It was one of the vital pieces of the war that led to its conclusion. Russia was primarily a member of the Axis Powers (the alliance of Germany, Italy, and Russia) but switched sides when Adolf Hitler broke the agreement with Russia’s Joseph Stalin. After breaking the agreement, Germany was being attacked in multiple sides, which then led to the defeat of Adolf Hitler. World War Two would’ve concluded differently without the help of Russia. It was a crucial turning point of the war, which is also a vital turning point in history. Which then led to Russia becoming a hegemonic country after the Second World War, until the country shifted from a dictatorship to a democracy at the end of the Cold War.
8. Russia is also known for their space program. The Russians were the first to launch a space program during the Cold War era. In 1959, the Russians were successful in launching Sputnik into space and Yuri Gagarin became the first manned flight in space in 1961. In addition, the Russians also beat the United States during the Cold War in their prospects in launching a space program.
9. Russia is the world’s largest country in the world in terms of land area. This is an obvious fact since Russia extends through two continents, Europe and Asia. Russia covers the majority of land area in Asia. Also it extends far beyond the borders of the continent and almost connects with the continent of North America.
10. Russia is one of the few countries that can “out-drink” the United States. It is also one of the world’s heaviest drinkers. The average Russian drinks 4.75 gallons of pure alcohol per year. It is very discourteous to say no to a drink in Russia. Also, Russians tend to take shots while having a meal. Furthermore, the name of the drink vodka was originated from the Slavic word, voda, which meant water. Particularly, an average Russian spends approximately $400 on alcohol alone during the holiday season.
Russia is a country full of rich history. It was an essential player during the World Wars and the Cold War. A country filled with rich history means it’s a city full of wonderful stories. These top 10 interesting facts about Russia is just the tip of the iceberg about such a fascinating country. Historians, scholars, and even diplomats have acknowledged the value of this country to history and highly deserving of its recognition and current standing in the world. In conclusion, the top 10 interesting facts about Russia only highlighted what the country may be well known for, but there are still more to be learned about this historical country.
