Political parties and leaders:
Communist Party of the Russian Federation or KPRF [Gennadiy
Andreyevich ZYUGANOV]; Liberal Democratic Party of Russia or LDPR
[Vladimir Volfovich ZHIRINOVSKIY]; Motherland Bloc (Rodina) [Sergey
GLAZYEV and Dmitriy ROGOZIN]; People's Party [Gennadiy RAYKOV];
Union of Rightist Forces or SPS [Anatoliy Borisovich CHUBAYS, Yegor
Timurovich GAYDAR, Irina Mutsuovna KHAKAMADA, Boris Yefimovich
NEMTSOV]; United Russia [Boris Vyacheslavovich GRYZLOV]; Yabloko
Party [Grigoriy Alekseyevich YAVLINSKIY]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA
International organization participation:
APEC, ARF (dialogue partner), ASEAN (dialogue partner), BIS, BSEC,
CBSS, CE, CERN (observer), CIS, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, ESCAP, G- 8, GEF,
IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFC,
IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU,
LAIA (observer), MINURSO, MONUC, NAM (guest), NSG, OAS (observer),
OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, SCO, UN, UN Security Council, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD,
UNDP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMISET,
UNMOP, UNMOVIC, UNOMIG, UNTSO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
(observer), ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Yuriy Viktorovich USHAKOV chancery: 2650 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007 consulate(s) general: New York, San Francisco, and Seattle FAX: [1] (202) 298-5735 telephone: [1] (202) 298-5700, 5701, 5704, 5708
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Alexander VERSHBOW embassy: Bolshoy Devyatinskiy Pereulok No. 8, 121099 Moscow mailing address: PSC-77, APO AE 09721 telephone: [7] (095) 728-5000 FAX: [7] (095) 728-5090 consulate(s) general: Saint Petersburg, Vladivostok, Yekaterinburg
Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of white (top), blue, and red
Economy Russia
Economy - overview:
A decade after the implosion of the Soviet Union in December 1991,
Russia is still struggling to establish a modern market economy and
achieve strong economic growth. In contrast to its trading partners
in Central Europe - which were able within 3 to 5 years to overcome
the initial production declines that accompanied the launch of
market reforms - Russia saw its economy contract for five years, as
the executive and legislature dithered over the implementation of
many of the basic foundations of a market economy. Russia achieved a
slight recovery in 1997, but the government's stubborn budget
deficits and the country's poor business climate made it vulnerable
when the global financial crisis swept through in 1998. The crisis
culminated in the August depreciation of the ruble, a debt default
by the government, and a sharp deterioration in living standards for
most of the population. The economy subsequently has rebounded,
growing by an average of more than 6% annually in 1999-2002 on the
back of higher oil prices and the 60% depreciation of the ruble in
1998. These GDP numbers, along with a renewed government effort to
advance lagging structural reforms, have raised business and
investor confidence over Russia's prospects in its second decade of
transition. Yet serious problems persist. Oil, natural gas, metals,
and timber account for more than 80% of exports, leaving the country
vulnerable to swings in world prices. Russia's industrial base is
increasingly dilapidated and must be replaced or modernized if the
country is to maintain vigorous economic growth. Other problems
include a weak banking system, a poor business climate that
discourages both domestic and foreign investors, corruption, local
and regional government intervention in the courts, and widespread
lack of trust in institutions. In 2003 President PUTIN further
tightened his control over the "oligarchs," especially in the realm
of political expression.
GDP:
purchasing power parity - $1.409 trillion (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
4.3% (2002 est.)