The history of Russia between 1922 and 1991 is essentially the history of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics or Soviet Union.

On December 31, 1999 Boris Yeltsin resigned, and Vladimir Putin was named Acting President.

The Russian Civil War began with the collapse of the Russian provisional government and ended with the Treaty of Riga.

Much of Russia’s coastline is locked in ice for most of the year.

Catherine the Great contributed to the resurgence of the Russian nobility that began after the death of Peter the Great. Mandatory state service had been abolished, and Catherine delighted the nobles further by turning over most government functions in the provinces to them.

Oleg proved to be a strong leader, expanding the territory of the East Slavs. Once he gained control of Kiev, the state of Kievan Rus came into existence.

Joseph Stalin after Lenin death began a two year ascent to complete dictatorial power, despite the rules and regulations which had been previously set in place.

A strong expansion in domestic demand continues to drive GDP growth, despite a slowdown in manufacturing. GDP growth and industrial production for 2006 were 6.7% and 4.8%, respectively, relative to 6.4% and 5.7% in 2005. GDP growth is currently derived from non-tradable sectors, but investment remains concentrated in tradables (oil and gas). Construction was the fastest growing sector of the economy, expanding by 14% in 2006. The main private sector services--wholesale & retail trade, banking & insurance, and transportation & communications--showed strong growth of about 10%. In contrast, public sector services--education, health care, and public administration--lagged behind with only 2-4% growth in 2006. Recent productivity growth has still been strong in some parts of domestic manufacturing. Real disposable incomes grew by 10.2% in 2006, spurring considerable growth in private consumption.