WELCOME TO THE BIGGEST COUNTRY IN THE WORLD
¡WELCOME TO RUSSIA!
The Russian Federation is the largest of the 21 republics that make up the Commonwealth of Independent States. It occupies most of eastern Europe and north Asia, stretching from the
Baltic Sea
in the west to the Pacific Ocean in the east, and from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the
Black Sea and the
Caucasus in the south.
HISTORY
Tradition says the Viking Rurik came to Russia in 862 and founded the first Russian dynasty in Novgorod. The various tribes were united by the spread of Christianity in the 10th and 11th centuries; Vladimir “the Saint” was converted in 988. During the 11th century, the grand dukes of Kiev held such centralizing power as existed. In 1240, Kiev was destroyed by the Mongols, and the Russian territory was split into numerous smaller dukedoms. Early dukes of Moscow extended their dominion over other Russian cities through their office of tribute collector for the Mongols and because of Moscow's role as an administrative and trade center.
ISSUES OF INTEREST
CHECHNYA
"Cata the Great"