About Russia
The Russian Federation (Rossiyskaya Federatsiya as is pronounced in
Russian) is the largest country of the World. This country covers the most part
of the Eastern Europe and the north of Asia. It has borders with the Finland
and Norway to the northwest, Latvia, Belarus, Estonia, Poland, Lithuania and
Ukraine at the west, Azerbaijan and Georgia at the southwest, China, Mongolia,
Kazakhstan and North Korea at the south and the Pacific Ocean at the east, the
Baltic Sea at the west, the Artic Ocean at the north and the Caucasus and the
Black Sea at the south.Russia’s territory occupied an area of 17 075 400 square
kilometers. Its capital is Moscow, which is also the largest city of the
country. The Russian population is 142 008 838 and is composed by many ethnic groups,
being Russians the largest group with around 79% of population, Ukranian are
2%, Bashkir 1.2%, Chuvash 1.1 and the rest of groups are 12% . The main
religion is the Russian Orthodox with 20%, but Islam. Buddhism, Judaism and
other Christian groups has also a great number of worshippers.The official
language is the Russian; but, there a great number of minority languages. An
important detail about Russian language is its alphabet; since, Russians use
its own alphabet which is known as Cyrillic alphabet. The official monetary
unit of Russia is the ruble. Some of the main cities of the country in addition
to Moscow are: Saint Petersburg, Samara, Novosibirsk, Nizhny Novgorod, Kazan,
Yekaterinburg, Chelyabinsk, Volgograd, Irkutsk, amongst other.The Russia’s
economy is one of the largest and most important of the world. Its GDP in 2007
was around 2 088 trillion dollars and the economy’s growth rate was 8.1%. The
national economy is based in a great range of activities. Russia has a great an
diverse range of industries such as chemicals, extractive industries, machine
buildings, defense industries, advanced electronic components, shipbuilding,
communications equipment, medical and scientific instruments, that means,
almost all industrial activities known by the humanity. Therefore, Russia
exported 365 billion dollars in 2007. Besides, Russia owns probably the largest
reserve of natural resources of the world, which includes some of the largest
deposits of petroleum, natural gas, coal and several strategic minerals.Russia
is a country full of tourist attractions. The country has a great number of
natural paradises such as the lake Baikal, the Black Sea or the Siberian
plains. Besides, cities like Moscow or Saint Petersburg have some of the most
impressive architectonic treasures of the world. The Kremlin, the Moscow
Cathedral or the Museum of Saint Petersburg are evidences of the wonderful
cultural rich of the country.Russia has been since long time ago one of the
main countries of the world, therefore its history is fascinating. It believes
that the first Russian dynasty (the Novgorod dynasty) was founded around 862 by
the Viking Rurik. The unification of the local tribes that inhabited the region
were caused by the Christianity spread during X and XI centuries. In this time
the control of the territory was concentrated by the Kiev’s dukes, but this
control did not last long time, because in 1240 Kiev was destroyed by Mongols.Then
the current Russian territory was divided in several dukedoms. Nevertheless,
step by step, the first dukes of Moscow were gaining power and controlling
other Russian cities. By the XV century the duke Ivan III expelled Mongols, but
it was Ivan IV more known as Ivan the Terrible who founded the Russian State in
the XVI century; since, he defeated all local princes and landowners;
therefore, he is considered also the first czar. Nevertheless, Russia was a
Medieval reign without importance in the European context until the end of the
XVII century, when Peter the Great (perhaps the greatest king of Russia) took
the Crown.Peter modernized the Russian state and extended Russia’s boundaries
to the west. Besides, he decided to move the capital to the new Saint
Petersburg city. Since the government of Peter Russia became one of the main
powers in Europe and the world. The modernization and consolidation of Russia
was continued at the end of the XVIII century by Catherine the Great, who
annexed to Russia the territories of Ukraine, Crimea and part of Poland.At the
beginning of the XIX century during the reign of Alexander, Russia was invaded
by Napoleon, who was defeated by the famous “General Winter”, one of the main
allied of Russia along the history. Thanks to this victory over the French army
Russia gained new territories in Finland and Bessarabia. Step by step Russia
turned the largest country of the world. Nevertheless, Czars were losing its
power, because of the corruption and civil restrictions of the regimen. At the
beginning of the XX century after the defeat in the war against Japan and the disorganization of the Russian army in the
World War I; Russian people rebelled against the Czar Nicholas II, who was
forced to abdicate in 1917, later he and the Russian Royal family, were killed
by the revolutionaries. Saint Petersburg was renamed as Leningrad and the
capital of the country was moved again to Moscow.This marked the start of the
communism age of Russia, which had a great influence in World’s history during
all the XX century. In 1917 a new revolution, known as the Bolshevik Revolution
led by Lenin and Trotsky reached the government. Vladimir Lenin was elected the
prime minister. The new government established the Union of Soviet Socialist
Republics in 1922. After the Lenin’s death in 1924, Joseph Stalin was declared
general secretary of the party. Stalin consolidated his power using many purges
and killing many people during the 1930s. Stalin instituted in Russia an
inhumane, draconian and destructive type of socialism, which was one of the
causes of the failure of this policy. It believes around 20 million Russians
were killed during Stalin’s regime.In 1939 some days before the beginning of
the World War II Stalin signed with Hitler a non aggression pact, Stalin took
advantage of this pact to incorporate to Russia territories in Poland, Ukraine
and Belarus. Nevertheless, in 1941 Hitler attacked Russia; this decision
changed the course of the war. German forces invaded Russia, nevertheless
Russians resisted aided again by the winter. The Russian defense in Stalingrad
is one of the most heroic episodes in the human history. Finally Russia and
rest of allied (USA, Great Britain, France) defeated Hitler in 1945.However,
the end of the World War II marked the start of the cold War, with Russia and
United States as protagonists. This confrontation not declared maintained the
world at edge of a nuclear holocaust during almost 45 years. Stalin died in
1953 and Nkita Kruchev became the new leader of Russia. During his government
Russia signed the Warsaw pact as response to the NATO and Russia exploded its
first hydrogen bomb. The Cold War was a time of constant danger, but also of
great technological progress. In 1957 Russia sent to the outer space the first
satellite, “The Sputnik” and some time later put in orbit to the first man, the
cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin.Between 1945 and 1985 Russia and United States were in
War danger many times, such as in the missiles crisis in Cuba, in the war of
Korea, the Russian invasion to Afghanistan, in the War of Vietnam, etc.
Fortunately, the war never began. In 1985 Mikhail Gorvachev became the leader
of Russia; he started a restructuring of the political and economic regimen of
the country, which is known as “perestroika”. The government of Gorvachev
marked the end of the communism regimen in Russia and the end of the Cold War
as well as the end of the Soviet Union.In 1992, after Soviet Union’s
dissolution Russia started a dramatic economic reform. Since then Russian
economy became a liberal economy; but, the economical change caused great
social problems in the country. Nevertheless, after a period of political and
economical instability, today Russia’s economy is again one of the most
powerful of the world and Russia is still one of the first military powers in
the Earth. Unfortunately, Russia has still also military disputes with ex
Soviet countries like Chechenia and Georgia, which have created too, terrorist
attacks. Nevertheless, Russia is mainly an amazing and giant country, full of
wonders of diverse kinds and owner of a rich culture.
Catherine Palace
The Catherine Palace is named after Catherine I, the
wife of Peter the Great, who ruled Russia for two years after her husband's
death. Originally a modest two-storey building commissioned by Peter for
Catherine in 1717, the Catherine Palace owes its awesome grandeur to their
daughter, Empress Elizabeth, who chose Tsarskoe Selo as her chief summer
residence. Starting in 1743, the building was reconstructed by four different
architects, before Bartholomeo Rastrelli, Chief Architect of the Imperial Court,
was instructed to completely redesign the building on a scale to rival
Versailles.The resultant palace, completed in 1756, is nearly 1km in
circumference, with elaborately decorated blue-and-white facades featuring
gilded atlantes, caryatids and pilasters designed by German sculptor Johann
Franz Dunker, who also worked with Rastrelli on the palace's original
interiors. In Elizabeth's reign it took over 100kg of gold to decorate the
palace exteriors, an excess that was deplored by Catherine the Great when she
discovered the state and private funds that had been lavished on the
building.The interiors of the Catherine Palace are no less spectacular. The
so-called Golden Enfilade of state rooms, designed by Rastrelli, is
particularly renowned and forms the focus of the palace tour. Guests enter via
the State Staircase which, although it blends effortlessly with the rococo
grandeur of Rastrelli's interiors, in fact dates from the 1860s. With its
ornate banisters and reclining marble cupids, it gives a taste of what is to
come. The Great Hall, also known as the Hall of Light, measures nearly 1,000
square meters, and occupies the full width of the palace so that there are
superb views on either side. The large arched windows provide enough light to
relieve the vast quantity of gilded stucco decorating the walls, and the entire
ceiling is covered by a monumental fresco entitled The Triumph of Russia. Using
similar techniques but on a smaller scale, the White Dining Room is equally
luxurious but, like many of the rooms in the palace, its grandeur is softened
by the presence of a beautiful traditional blue-and-white tiled stove in the
corner.Other highlights of the Grand Enfilade include the Portrait Hall, which
contains remarkably good portraits of both Catherine and Elizabeth, the Picture
Gallery, in which almost every inch of wall space is covered with paneling
comprising 17th and 18th century canvases and, of course, the
legendary Amber Room.To create this extraordinary chamber, Rastrelli used the
panels of amber mosaic originally destined for an Amber Cabinet at Konigsberg
Castle and presented to Peter the Great by Friedrich-Wilhelm I of Prussia, and
surrounded them with gilded carving, mirrors, more amber panels created by
Florentine and Russian craftsman (comprising a total of 450kg of amber), and
further mosaics of Ural and Caucasus gemstones. The room was completed in 1770.
Due to the fragility of the materials used, a caretaker was employed constantly
to maintain and repair the decorations, and major restoration was undertaken
three times in the 19th century.
The room was used to house a substantial collection of amber-work and Chinese
porcelain. In 1941, when German troops took Tsarskoe Selo, the Amber Room was
dismantled in 36 hours, and shipped to Konigsberg in a tawdry pretence at
historical fidelity. As the Nazi war machine crumbled, the panels were crated
up and moved out of danger, but their eventual fate is unknown.In 1982, the
order was given to begin the recreation of the Amber Room, a process that took
over 20 years and cost more than $12 million. Opened in 2003 by President
Vladimir Putin and Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder, the restored Amber Room is a
truly unique monument, and a testament to the painstaking care of the craftsmen
who worked on it.Further on in the Catherine Palace, the most noteworthy
interiors are those in the so-called Cameron Rooms, the suites decorated in the
reign of Catherine the Great by her favourite architect, Charles Cameron. His
penchant for classical symmetry and his superb taste for colour are evident in
the charming Green Dining Room, originally fitted for Catherine's son Paul, and
the delightful Blue Drawing Room, with its blue-and-white painted-silk
wallpaper and superb painted ceiling. More flamboyant but equally charming, the
Chinese Blue Drawing Room also boasts exquisite painted-silk wallpaper
featuring intricate Chinese landscapes.
Golden Ring
Golden Ring is a set of ancient Russian cities
north-east of Moscow which form a circle if you look at them on the map. Moscow
and St Petersburg are, of course, the main attractions in Russia, but if you
really want to see a true Russian life and how the most of country lives, make
an effort to travel to at least couple of the cities in the Golden Ring.
You can see old architecture and churches which were built prior to Mongol
rule. Some of the Russia's most sacred sites are in cities of the Golden Ring such
as Sergiev Posad, Pereslavl-Zalesskiy, Vladimir, and Suzdal'.There are plenty
of tours available in Moscow, but they are expensive and do not offer you
enough time to enjoy these sites. If you are staying in Moscow
and plan to make daytrips to the cities in the Golden Ring, you have
plenty of options.The easiest trip would be to Sergiev Posad, which a city
built around the ancient monastery founded by Sergey Radonezhskiy, who
is considered a saint by the Russian Orthodox Church. It takes an
hour by the local train (called elektrichka) from the Yaroslavskij vokzal
(railway station) in the direction of Aleksandrov to reach Sergiev Posad. Once
the train pulls to the station, you can see the monastery looming in the
distance to the east of the station. It takes ten-fifteen minutes to reach the
monastery. The sight of blue onion dome (especially against the blue sky) is
really beautiful. The entrance to the monastery is free, and you can wander
around marvelling at the wonderful architecture.From Sergiev Posad, you can
continue your journey to reach such famous places as Aleksandrov, a site of
Ivan the Terrible's favorite palace, or to Pereslavl'-Zalesskiy, one of the
most ancient Russian cities founded by Yuriy Dolgorukiy and a birthplace of one
of most famous Russian son, Aleksandr Nevskiy. The trip to Aleksandrov from
Sergiev Posad would take another hour, and the same time it would take you to
get to Pereslavl'-Zalesskiy.Another daytrip that you might take from Moscow
aside from the cities above is to a beautiful city of Rostov, called Rostov
Velikiy (Great). It takes 3 hours by train so if you leave early out
of Moscow you will have plenty of time to wander around the amazing Kremlin and
its aspen onion domes. After visiting the Kremlin, you can take a walk to the
nearby lake, Nero, and enjoy the tranquility of Russian provincial life.Yet
another option is to travel to Vladimir and Suzdal', two of very
ancient and proud Russian cities. In fact, were it not for Mongol
invasion, The Russian capital today might have been Vladimir which prior to the
invasion was the true center of Russia's political and cultural life.
Karelia Lake
Karelia Lake Country is located close to the border of
Finland. Karelia Lake Country contains hundreds of rivers, thousands of scenic
lakes, and virgin woods. It features an extraordinary nature with massive hills
that links with the open tundra and taiga woods.The Karelia Lake Country
measures about 600 kilometers long and it also sometimes considered as “Country
of the Lakes”. It features a total of 60,000 lakes and also Europe’s largest
lakes Onega and Ladoga. In addition these two lakes are connected by hundreds
of small rivers.The Karelia Lake Country is the home to virgin woods, also
brown bear, blackcocks, elks and wood-grouses are seen in plenty here. It is
also located close to Kivatch Waterfall, also the second largest waterfall in
Europe.Valaam, an orthodox cathedral is one of the major attractions and a
famous tourist spot here. It was built in the 14th century and it is one of the
largest cathedrals. It is also one of the major landmarks with a number of
ancient buildings and massive gardens.The Karelia Lake Country is also the home
for boating. It also features a number of outdoor activities such as
snowboarding, skiing and boating along the Lake Pielinen. In addition it is one
of the best places for fishing and swimming.
Kizhi İsland
Kizhi is one of the major islands located in Republic
of Karelia. The island is famous for its wooden churches, houses and chapels.
It is a major tourist spot in Russia and a part of UNESCO World Heritage
Site.Kizhi Island measures about 7 km and it is bounded by 5000 small islands
where most of them are rock outcroppings that measures about 35 km. The island
features a bell-tower, 2 massive wooden churches and a museum that houses the
collection of wooden structures belonging to the historical times.The island
features a number of wooden structures such as boats, fish-houses, graneries,
homes, saunas, windmills, barns and chapels. In addition there are two villages
within the island with wooden homes where the majority of people here are
farmers.The major attraction in the island is the transfiguration Church that
was built in the year 1714. It is a wooden church with 22 domes and it is
covered with golden leaves and religious portraits. The church measures 37
meters tall and it is one of the world’s tallest log.The bell-tower in the
church was added in the year 1874 and the walls feature horizontally fitted
logs being covered with wooden planks. Later these wooden planks were removed
in the 1950s and new horizontally fitted logs have been added. In the present
days the church is being modified as a part of its 300th anniversary that is to
be held in the year 2014.
Kremlin Palace
The Kremlin seat of the Russian goverment and home to some of the world's most infamous leader,ranks alongside Red Square and the Hermitage as one of Russia's top tourist attractions. Ivan the Great, Ivan the Terrible, Lenin, Stalin, Gorbachev and Yeltsin all held sway here, and from within these fortified walls they cast their indelible marks on the pages of history. Kremlin is actually the term given for for the fortified stronghold of any city, and many other kremlins exist in large towns throughout Russia and acted as seats of power for local rules. Moscow's Kremlin began life in the 1150s, on a much smaller scale than it exist now, and was added too by varioud rules as Moscow grew in wealth and power. Ivan the great was responsible for the most ambitious modifications, and during the period of 1474-1516 Italian architecs were brought in to build new fortified walls and a number of cathedrals-including the Cathedral of the Assumption, outside which Ivan famuosly tore up the charter binding Moscow's princes to pay tribute to the Mongols. Since then many more of Russia’s leaders have since left their mark on
the Kremlin and today’s visitor can’t fail to be impressed by the vast montage
of spectacular buildings that awaits them. Constructed from the 15th Century
right up to the 20th, you will find a number of bold and grandiose
architectural styles in these edifices, which combine to reflect the glory and
splendour of Russia through the ages. Unfortunately the government buildings
and palaces can only be seen from the outside, but several hours can still be
spent touring the site, admiring the various cathedral interiors and soaking up
a profound sense of history.
Kronotsky Nature Reserve
Kronotsky Nature Reserve is a natural area located on
the coast of the Kamchatka Peninsula. Founded in 1934, the site is used for the
research in natural sciences. It covers an area of about 4243 square kilometers
houses the only geyser basin with a number of mountain ranges, extinct and
active volcanoes in Russia. In addition the Kronotsky Nature Reserve is
included in the UNESCO World Heritage Site.The peak here reaches 15,584 feet.
The climate ranges in the extremes it gets too hot or too cold earning it the
label “Land of Fire and Ice”. It is a major tourist spot and it is being
visited by 3000 tourists annually. The Kronotsky Nature Reserve features about
750 plant species. In addition, 700 bears are seen here, some of them weigh
about 1200 pounds and these are considered as the largest in the world.The
Kronotsky Nature Reserve features Valley of Geysers which is the world’s second
largest geyser. It measures about 6 km long with a number of hot springs and
geysers. The Velikan Geyser is the largest of all and it shoots water to a
height of 25 meters for about 6 hours. The largest geyser erupts about 60 tons
of water and this happens twice in a year.
Baikal Lake
Lake Baikal is located in Southern Siberia between Buryat Republic and
Irkutsk Oblast, Russia. The Lake Baikal is known as “Blue Eye of Siberia”
containing more water than the Great lakes in North America.Lake Baikal
measures 1642 meters deep, it is the world’s deepest freshwater lake. The lake
was first formed as a rift valley and covers an area of 31,722 square
kilometers, in addition, the lake is home to over 1700 species of plants and
animals. It is world’s oldest lake and in the year 1996 it was included in the
UNESCO World Heritage Site.The Lake Baikal is referred in some Chinese records
as the “North Sea”. The lake is entirely encompassed by mountains containing 27
islands and a national park; in addition, the lake is fed by 300 small
rivers.Lake Baikal is rich in biodiversity and home to 1550 animal species and
1085 plant species. The famous fish here is the Omul fish, which is widely sold
in the local markets here. Other denizens of Lake Baikal include fresh water
seals and golomyankas fish, that, when exposed to sunlight breaks down into oil
and bones.Lake Baikal is a major holiday spot. It features a number of resorts
and a seven story hotel. Delicacies here are the fish dishes.
Mother of Russia Statue
The statue was built to memorialize the Battle of
Stalingrad between the Soviet Union and Nazi Germany in between the years
1942-1943. The statue was completely built in 1967 and considered the world’s
tallest structure with a total height of 85 meters. The statue measures 52
meters high and the sword in the statues hand measures about 33 meters.There
are 200 steps leading to the statue to commemorate the battle of Stalingrad.
7,900 tons of concrete was used to complete this colossal monument. The statue’s
design is based on the statue of “The Winged Victory of Samothrace” found at
the Louvre. Valentina Izotova, a local girl posed for the statue. The statue
was built in the place where 300 German soldiers had been killed in the
battle.The Motherland Statue can also be seen in the Volgograd Oblast coat of
arms. The statue is leaning down as the underground water levels are causing a
severe damage to its foundations.
Novgorod Kremlin
Novgorod Kremlin is an ancient fortress located at the
banks of the Volkhov River. The fort is on the site of a burial ground and was
built to celebrate the arrival of Ioakim Korsunianin in the year 989, the first
bishop here. The Cathedral of Holy Wisdom was built at the same time.The first
fortifications were recorded around 1044 with additional constructions added in
1116. The fort has a wooden pole with a massive wall and stone towers that were
added in the year 1302. In between the years 1330-1352 the stone wall was
rebuilt and the fort was finally completed in the year 1400.The present
structure of the fort was built in between the years 1484 to 1490 by Prince
Ivan III. The fort measures 545 meters long with nine towers. Among them, the
Kokui, which is the tallest tower covered by a huge silver dome. An additional
tower was built in the 18th century and the walls here measures 1487 meters.The
fort has a museum and a regional library dating back to imperial period. The
museum houses a collection of artifacts, pottery, and jewels. The fort complex
encloses a church and a park. The eternal flame, dedicated to the soldiers of
the Great Patriotic War is a major attraction here.
Peterhof Palace
Peterhof is a royal palace built by the Peter the
Great in the year 1710. The palace features buildings and gardens and these
structures are known as “Russian Versailles”. In addition this palace is also
listed in the UNESCO World Heritage Site.The notable structures in the palace
are.A huge palace with thirty rooms and it also features lower and upper
gardens. The Chesma Hall is the major attraction here that features a number of
paintings belonging to the Battle of Chesma. These paintings display the
victorious naval ships in different forms such as the flying timbers,
fireballs, smokes and flames.The palace also features Chinese cabinets to the
east and west. These cabinets were built between 1766-1769 and it features a
number of decorative arts. The walls are decorated with imitation Oriental
patterns.The Grand Cascade is built at the residence of the Emperor Louis XIV.
It features an artificial grotto in two levels where one of them is faced
inside and the other is faced out. It also features a museum that displays the
collection of the fountains history. The exhibits also include a table carrying
a bowl of fruits that was built according to the direction of Peter the
Great.The fountains are situated beneath the grotto and the water flows into a
pool. It displays the statue of Samson whose tears opens the lion’s jaws
displaying Russia’s victory in the Great Northern War against Sweden. These
fountains are also considered as the best technological achievement by
Peterhof.These gardens are designed in French fashion. Fountains and a major
attraction, “The Sun”, is where a disk glows creating an image based on suns
rays.
Volcanoes of Kamchatka
Kamchatka's volcanoes have never been bloodthirsty; the natives of Kamchatka can hardly recall eruptions that carried death there. A dark silhouette of volcano against the clean dawning skies does not imply a threat- it is usually a token of nice weather for the people of Kamchatka. It is still hard,however, living in such proximity to the volcanoes, to get used to the idea that they are just some geological objects. The silence alongside the volcanoes is of a special sort, the one that fills the soul with an incomprehensible combination of anxiety and peace. Everything looks strange and unusual; you are gazing around as if perceiving a scrutinizing glance of another universe; you feel scared and at the same time happy for this scrutinizing makes you feel someone's unbound power spreading over you-perhaps that sole true power you want to surrender to:Which of Kamchatka's volcanoes is the most beautiful? There is not an
unargued leader, but one can certainly name the first three - though, as it goes,
there are few objective criteria to assess beauty - nevertherless, the three
volcanoes are Kluchevskoy, Koryaksky and Kronotsky. All the three can be good
candidates to symbolize volcanic Kamchatka due to their total assets. The
feature of Kluchevskoy, its height, (the absolute heights of the volcanoes are
4,750m, 3,456m and 3,528m respectively), is not as significant as it looks as
the first glance. The greatest Eurasian volcano has made nearly 5 kilometers of
height due to the fact that it was formed on a specific geological
"pedestal", a slope of ancient volcano while the actual height (a
relative one) is 3,000m, i.e. less than the height of Koryaksky (3,300m) or
Kronotsky (3,100).Considering the shape of a volcano's cone or "marquee"
as it was figuratively called in Krasheninnikov's times, a lot of people with
no doubts would prefer the one of the Kronotsky volcano. The geometrically
regular, ribbed cone crowned with an icy hat looks in the waters of the biggest
Kamchatka's lake. In its beauty and majesty the Koryaksky volcano does not
yield to its two "brothers". It forms a magnificent ensemble together
with the Avachinsky volcano, an integral part of the panorama of
Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky. So, a lot of natives of the city have almost relative
feelings towards it. On the other hand, each of Kamchatka's volcanoes has the
beauty of its own. There are over 300 of them on the peninsula, among which 29
are still active.
Volga River
The Volga River is Europe’s largest river and it flows
through the west of Russia and recognized as the national river of Russia. Its
length measures 3530 km. The river is used for flood control, transportation,
power production and irrigation. The river also plays a major role in the day
to day life of the Russian people earning it the name “Mother Volga”.The Volga
River is the largest on the European continent and a major water sources to
Russia. It covers about two-fifths area in Russia and its massive size makes it
one of the historic and greatest rivers in the world.The river originates in
the Valdai Hills and it slowly drops to a height of 748 meters. The river also
receives water from 200 tributaries. It also mixes with 151,000 rivers and a
number of streams together all these measure about 357,000 miles.The Volga
River has a series of reservoirs and dams. The reservoir are used as navigation
locks and hydroelectric power stations. Among them the Ivankovo reservoir is
located at the top that covers an area of about 126 square miles.The river has
also been expanded for navigation purposes at the time of Stalin’s
industrialization. Shipping from here is done to a number of places in Russia
and the river is also connected with Black Sea and Don River.The river valley
also provides massive quantities of wheat and a number of minerals such as
petroleum, natural gas, potash and salt. The Volga River also features a number
of holiday destinations, some of these places provide activities such as water
sports and fishing.
Trans-Siberian Railway
The Trans-Siberian Railroad is an impressive railway
network with a length of 9259 kilometers. It connects Moscow and Eastern Russia
and the countries of Japan, China and Mongolia.The first plans of the
Trans-Siberian Railway were laid during the reign of Emperor Alexander II under
the supervision of Alexander III. A total of 1.455 billion rubles were spent
for the construction in between the years 1891-1931 which is the highest amount
spent compared to money spent during the World War I.Local laborers and Russian
soldiers were used in the construction of the railroad. Construction on Lake
Baikal was a challenge in those days as it measured 640 km long and 5000 feet
deep. The Amur River Line that leads to the Chinese border was completed in the
year 1916. It is also the longest railway line in the world. Electrification
for this route began in 1929 and was completed in 2002.The main route was built
between the years 1891-1916 that connected Russia with China that included a
shortcut to Vladivostok. It starts from St. Petersburg at Moskovsky and it
passes through the routes of Moscow, Omsk, Novosibrisk, Taishet, Irkutsk, Ulan Ude,
Chita, Khabarovsk and ends at Vladivostok.The second route is known as
Trans-Manchurian that coincides with Tarskaya and Trans-Siberian. It starts
from Tarskaya and passes through Harbin and Mudanjiang located to the northeast
of China and it joins with Ussuriysk also the main route located to the north
of Vladivostok.The third route is known as Trans-Mongolian Railway. It
coincides with Trans-Siberian and Ulan Ude and from here it leads to the
Ulaan-Baatar and later it heads to Beijing.In 1991 a new route has been opened
which was constructed for than five decades. It is known as Baikal Amur
Mainline and it passes through the Amur River and finally reaches Pacific at
Sovetskaya Gavan.
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