Russia is very sparsely inhabited with many people choosing to live in Russia's cities instead of rural areas.

Russia is considered the Soviet Union's successor state in diplomatic matters and is a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council.

Lenin directed the overthrow of the Provisional Government from the Smolny Institute from the 6th to November 8 1917.

The military losses, epidemics, poor harvests weakened the state and the Crimean Tatars were able to burn down Moscow.

Russia’s taiga region is roughly the same size as the United States of America.

The Russian Federation (Russia) is recognised in international law as continuing the legal personality of the former Soviet Union.

Environment—current issues in Russia: air pollution from heavy industry, emissions of coal-fired electric plants, and transportation in major cities; industrial, municipal, and agricultural pollution of inland waterways and sea coasts; deforestation; soil erosion; soil contamination from improper application of agricultural chemicals; scattered areas of sometimes intense radioactive contamination; ground water contamination from toxic waste; considerable biodiversity addressed by the country's Biodiversity Action Plan.

In 1939 the Soviet Union signed the Non-aggression pact with Nazi Germany dividing spheres of influence between themselves in Eastern Europe. Following the agreement, the USSR normalized the relations with Nazi Germany and resumed the Soviet-German trade.