Russia: flag, capital, currency and history

Russia, officially the Russian Federation, is a country in Eastern Europe, Europe. Its capital is Moscow. The currency is the Russian ruble. Languages spoken include Russian.

Quick facts about Russia

Official name: Russian Federation
Capital: Moscow
Region: Europe, Eastern Europe
Currency: Russian ruble (RUB, ₽)
Languages: Russian
Calling code: +7
Internet domain: .ru, .su
Area: 17,098,242 km² (6,601,665 sq mi)
Land borders: Azerbaijan, Belarus, China, Estonia, Finland, Georgia, Kazakhstan, North Korea, Latvia, Lithuania, Mongolia, Norway, Poland, Ukraine
Demonym: Russian
National day: Russia Day, June 12

Flag of Russia

Download the flag of Russia as a scalable SVG or as a PNG in three sizes. The flag emoji is 🇷🇺.

SVG (vector)

History of Russia

East Slavic tribes formed the medieval state of Kievan Rus', which adopted Orthodox Christianity under Vladimir in 988. After the Mongol invasions of the 1200s, Moscow rose to lead the Russian lands and ended Mongol overlordship around 1480. Ivan IV was crowned tsar in 1547, and Peter the Great proclaimed the Russian Empire in 1721. The empire expanded across northern Asia and fell during the revolutions of 1917. The Soviet Union was founded in 1922 and dissolved in 1991, leaving the Russian Federation as its largest successor state. Moscow is its capital.

Key dates

988Prince Vladimir of Kyiv adopts Orthodox Christianity for Kievan Rus'.
1237Mongol invasions of the Rus' lands begin.
1480Moscow ends Mongol overlordship after the standoff on the Ugra River.
1547Ivan IV is crowned the first tsar of Russia.
1721Peter the Great proclaims the Russian Empire.
1917The February and October revolutions end the monarchy and bring Bolshevik rule.
1922The Soviet Union is formally established.
1991The Soviet Union dissolves and the Russian Federation becomes an independent state.

A short overview, not a full history. Dates are given for well-documented events only.

Currency of Russia

Russia uses the Russian ruble (RUB, ₽). Use our free currency converter to check exchange rates.

RUB: Russian ruble

Festivals and greetings in Russia

Celebrations observed in Russia, with free greeting images and wishes you can personalise.

Hanukkah

Happy Women’s Day greeting image in golden glow style with the wish “Happy Women’s Day to you”

International Women’s Day

Teachers’ Day

All greeting images for Russia · Festival calendar

Frequently asked questions

What is the capital of Russia?

The capital of Russia is Moscow.

What currency does Russia use?

Russia uses the Russian ruble (RUB, symbol ₽).

What languages are spoken in Russia?

Languages used in Russia include Russian.

What is the calling code of Russia?

The international calling code of Russia is +7. Its internet domain is .ru, .su.

Which countries border Russia?

Russia shares land borders with Azerbaijan, Belarus, China, Estonia, Finland, Georgia, Kazakhstan, North Korea, Latvia, Lithuania, Mongolia, Norway, Poland and Ukraine.

On which continent is Russia?

Russia is in Europe, in the region of Eastern Europe.

What is the national day of Russia?

Russia marks Russia Day on June 12.