Climate:
Ranges from steppes in the south through humid continental in much of European Russia; subarctic in Siberia to tundra climate in the polar north; winters vary from cool along Black Sea coast to frigid in Siberia; summers vary from warm in the steppes to cool along Arctic coast

Terrain:
broad plain with low hills west of Urals; vast coniferous forest and tundra in Siberia; uplands and mountains along southern border regions

Currency
Russian ruble (RUR)
Currency code:
RUR
Exchange rates:
Russian rubles per US dollar - 30.4669 (January 2002), 29.1685 (2001), 28.1292 (2000), 24.6199 (1999), 9.7051 (1998), 5,785 (1997)
note: the post-1 January 1998 ruble is equal to 1,000 of the pre-1 January 1998 rubles

All prices are generally quoted in rubles. Currency can be freely converted at banks, hotels or kiosks. Traveler's checks are hard to cash. Credit cards are accepted in most places that work with foreign tourists. Some may turn down American Express. Visa and MasterCard are known, hence - more widely honored. ATM machines are widely available in major cities, but note: they do not have letters on the key pad, so if your PIN includes letters, do remember them as digits!

Electricity
Electricity throughout Russia is 220 volt/50 Hz. The plug is the two-pin thin European standard. Be sure to bring your own converter as most places in Russia do not carry them.

Telephones
Despite the recent rapid improvements in the telecommunications infrastructure, telephoning in Russia can be difficult and expensive. Best bet is to use the phone at your hotel or use AT&T, Sprint or MCI's USA direct services. Tokens or calling cards are required for street pay phones, which can be purchased at newsstands, in some stores, and many kiosks.

Time
Time is GMT +3 for both Moscow & St. Petersburg.

Religion
The Russian Orthodox Church is the main religious body. It survived the atheist Stalin era, and today a greater number of people are becoming involved in the Church. Many of the minorities living in Russia are of the Islamic faith.

Food
Russia is famous for caviar, roe from the sturgeon, either beluga, osciotr or sevruga. It is eaten on blinis (thin buckwheat pancakes) or on toast often accompanied by vodka. A cheaper seafood which is enjoyed by Russians is herring with onion and potatoes.

Bread (wheat and rye) is important in the Russian diet. Soup and borscht (beetroot soup) are traditional first courses which are often followed by meat dishes, for example, meat dumplings. Russian recipes such as stroganov and Russian salad are popular in many countries.

However, in some areas traditional Russian and ethnic foods are being replaced by current international favourites: hamburgers, pizza and sushi. This is particularly widespread in the major cities of Moscow and St. Petersburg, where there are large numbers of western-style supermarkets.

Russia's traditional drinks are kvass (a mildly alcoholic fermented rye-bread water), and vodka, which can be served in a variety of ways: straight, or flavoured with pepper, bison grass or berries.

Tipping
Tipping is increasingly expected at restaurants. Tip 10-15% depending on service. It is typical to round up the amount due to the next round figure.

Holidays
The most popular religious festivals are Easter and Christmas which are celebrated with midnight services and candlelit processions.

The Russian Winter Festival is celebrated in Moscow, St. Petersburg and Novograd in late December, and continues until early January, with hundreds of folklore shows and vodka drinking.

Other holidays are Motherland Defenders' Day on 23 February; International Women's Day, 8 March; May Day, 1 and 2 May; VE Day, 9 May; Independence Day, 12 June and the Anniversary of the Bolshevik Revolution, 7 November.