| |
JUST Response
country factsheets: RUSSIA
RUSSIAN FEDERATION
- Basic
facts
- Head
of state: Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin
- Prime
minister: Mikhail Yefimovich Fradkov
- Population:
144 million.
- Population
growth rate: -0.45%.
- Religions:
Mainly Russian Orthodox; also Muslim & others.
- Total
area: 17,075,200 sq. km.
- Economy:
GNP growth rate 7.3%.
- Chief
exports: Oil,
natural gas, wood, metals, chemicals, weapons and military
equipment
- Currency:
Russian rouble (RUR) - US$ 1 = RUR 29.08 (July 2004).
-
- Persistent problems
- Corruption and organised crime.
- Major source of heroin precursor
chemicals.
- Vulnerability to swings in world
prices due to nature of chief exports.
- Manufacturing base seriously
outdated.
- Estimated HIV/AIDS cases: 250,000.
-
- Recent human rights violations
- Russian security forces continue to
enjoy near total impunity for human rights offences in Chechnya.
- Continuing displacement and torture
of Chechens.
- Human rights abuses and bomb attacks
by Chechens against pro-Moscow administration.
-
- Important
dates
- 860:
Birth of Rus', early Russian state under Kiev.
- 1613:
Start of Romanov dynasty under Mikhail Fyodorovich Romanov.
- 1917:
Russian Revolution overthrows Romanov dynasty.
- 1991:
Independence from Soviet Union.
- 1993:
New Russian constitution.
[More information will be added at future
updates]
Return to top
Return to
opening page
|
|
