The State System

- What is the name of our country?

- Our country’s name is the Russian Federation, Russia.

- When was the new Constitution of the Russian Federation adopted?

- The Russian Federation is set up by the Constitution of 1993 after the collapse of the Soviet Union.

- What is the Russian Federation state system according to the Constitution?

- According to the Constitution Russia is a Presidential Republic.

- For how long is the President elected?

- The President is elected for four years and is the head of the State.

- What is the structure of the Federal Government?

- The Federal Government consists of three branches: legislative, executive and judicial. All of them are checked by the President.

- Is the legislative power represented by the Federal Assembly?

- Yes, it is. The legislative power is represented by the Federal Assembly.

- What chambers does the Federal Assembly consist of?

- It consists of two chambers: the Upper Chamber is the Council of Federation, the Lower Chamber is the State Duma.

- Whom does the executive power belong to?

- The executive power belongs to the Government.

- Who is the head of the Government?

- The Prime Minister is (the head of the Government)

- What is the judicial branch of power represented by?

- The judicial branch is represented by the Constitutional Court, the Supreme Court and regional courts.

- Can you depict the State Symbol of Russia?

- The State symbol of Russia is a three-coloured banner with three horizontal stripes: white, blue and red. The white stripe symbolizes the earth, the blue one – the sky, and the red one symbolizes liberty.

- What is the hymn of Russia?

- The hymn of Russia is The Patriotic Song by Mikhail Glinka.

- What is the National Emblem of Russia?

- A new National Emblem is a two-headed eagle, which is the most ancient symbol of Russia.

- What is the state language of Russia?

- Russian is the state language of Russia. It is spoken throughout the whole territory of the Russian Federation.

- Is Russian the only language spoken in the Russian Federation?

- No, it is not. Each republic within Russia has ist own national language.

The Geographical Position

- What area does Russia cover?

- Russia, or the Russian Federation, is the largest state of the new Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). It covers a total area of over 17 million square kilometers.

- What seas is Russia washed by?

- In the north the country is washed by the Arctic Ocean and its seas: the Barents, Chukchee, East Siberian, Kara Laptev, and White Seas; in the south by the Black, Azov, and Caspian Seas; in the east by the Bering Sea, the Sea of Japan, and Okhotsk Sea; in the west by the Baltic Sea.

- Is Russia one of the largest countries in the world?

- Yes, it is. Russia encompasses within its territory immense differences in climate, economic conditions and cultural traditions. It is one of the largest administrative areas in the world.

- How long does a flight from Moscow to Magadan take?

- The immensity of the Russian Federation is hard to imagine. A flight from Moscow to Magadan takes eight hours.

- How many countries does Russia border on?

- Russia borders on fourteen countries including the former republics of the USSR, which are now independent states.

- What kind of mineral resources does Russia have?

- Russia is rich in mineral resources. It has deposits of coal, oil, natural gas, iron, gold, nickel, etc.

- What is the population of Russia?

- The population of Russia is about 150 million people. Over 80 per cent of them are ethnic Russians. 70 per cent of the population live in the cities.