Geography of Russia
Russia (Russian: Россия) is the largest country in the world, covering over 17,125,192 km2 (6,612,074 sq mi), and encompassing more than one-eighth of Earth's inhabited land area. Russia extends across eleven time zones, and has the most borders of any country in the world, with sixteen sovereign nations.
| Continent | Europe and Asia |
|---|---|
| Region | Eastern Europe (European Russia) Northern Asia (Siberia) |
| Coordinates | 60°00′N 100°00′E |
| Area | |
| • Land | 95.78% |
| • Water | 4.22% |
| Coastline | 37,654 km (23,397 mi) |
| Borders | Poland 204.1 km (126.8 mi) Lithuania 266 km (165 mi) |
| Highest point | Mount Elbrus 5,642 m (18,510 ft) |
| Lowest point | Caspian Sea, −28 m (−92 ft) |
| Longest river | Yenisei–Angara–Selenge, 5,539 km (3,442 mi) |
| Largest lake | Lake Baikal 31,722 km2 (12,248 sq mi) |
| Climate | European Russia and Siberia: mostly cool climate Extreme north: tundra Extreme southeast: temperate continental |
| Terrain | Most of Russia consists of two plains (the East European Plain and the West Siberian Plain), two lowlands (the North Siberian and the Kolyma, in far northeastern Siberia), two plateaus (the Central Siberian Plateau and the Lena Plateau to its east), and a series of mountainous areas mainly concentrated in the extreme northeast or extending intermittently along the southern border. |
| Natural resources | Oil, gas, coal, timber, metals, diamonds, copper, lead, zinc, bauxite, nickel, tin, mercury, gold, silver, platinum, titanium, manganese, potash, uranium, cobalt, molybdenum, tungsten, aluminum, polymetals, chromium, phosphates, apatites, talc, asbestos, mica, salt, amber, precious and semiprecious stones, sand, clay, limestone, marble, granite, iron ore, arable land, tobacco, tea, citrus fruit, hydroelectricity, fresh water, fruits, and vegetables. |
| Natural hazards | Earthquakes, landslides, storms, hurricanes, forest fires, and floods. |
| Environmental issues | Deforestation, energy irresponsibility, pollution, and nuclear waste. |
| Exclusive economic zone | 7,566,673 km2 (2,921,509 sq mi) |
Russia is a transcontinental country, stretching vastly over two continents, Europe and Asia. It spans the northernmost edge of Eurasia, and has the world's fourth-longest coastline, at 37,653 km (23,396 mi). Russia, alongside Canada and the United States, is one of only three countries with a coast along three oceans (however connection to the Atlantic Ocean is extremely remote), due to which it has links with over thirteen marginal seas. It lies between latitudes 41° and 82° N, and longitudes 19° E and 169° W. Russia is larger than three continents of the world and has about the same surface area as Pluto. Russia encompasses, by far, the largest forest area of any country in the world.