Disputes - international:
the ICJ gave Ukraine until December 2006 to reply and Romania until
June 2007 to issue a rejoinder in their dispute submitted in 2004
over Ukrainian-administered Zmiyinyy/Serpilor (Snake) Island and
Black Sea maritime boundary delimitation; Romania also opposes
Ukraine's reopening of a navigation canal from the Danube border
through Ukraine to the Black Sea
Illicit drugs:
major transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin transiting the
Balkan route and small amounts of Latin American cocaine bound for
Western Europe; although not a significant financial center, role as
a narcotics conduit leaves it vulnerable to laundering which occurs
via the banking system, currency exchange houses, and casinos
This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007
======================================================================
@Russia
Introduction Russia
Background:
Founded in the 12th century, the Principality of Muscovy, was able
to emerge from over 200 years of Mongol domination (13th-15th
centuries) and to gradually conquer and absorb surrounding
principalities. In the early 17th century, a new Romanov Dynasty
continued this policy of expansion across Siberia to the Pacific.
Under PETER I (ruled 1682-1725), hegemony was extended to the Baltic
Sea and the country was renamed the Russian Empire. During the 19th
century, more territorial acquisitions were made in Europe and Asia.
Defeat in the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-1905 contributed to the
Revolution of 1905, which resulted in the formation of a parliament
and other reforms. Repeated devastating defeats of the Russian army
in World War I led to widespread rioting in the major cities of the
Russian Empire and to the overthrow in 1917 of the imperial
household. The Communists under Vladimir LENIN seized power soon
after and formed the USSR. The brutal rule of Iosif STALIN (1928-53)
strengthened Communist rule and Russian dominance of the Soviet
Union at a cost of tens of millions of lives. The Soviet economy and
society stagnated in the following decades until General Secretary
Mikhail GORBACHEV (1985-91) introduced glasnost (openness) and
perestroika (restructuring) in an attempt to modernize Communism,
but his initiatives inadvertently released forces that by December
1991 splintered the USSR into Russia and 14 other independent
republics. Since then, Russia has struggled in its efforts to build
a democratic political system and market economy to replace the
social, political, and economic controls of the Communist period.
While some progress has been made on the economic front, and
Russia's management of its windfall oil wealth has improved its
financial standing, recent years have seen a recentralization of
power under Vladimir PUTIN and democratic institutions remain weak.
Russia has severely disabled the Chechen rebel movement, although
sporadic violence still occurs throughout the North Caucusus.
Geography Russia
Location:
Northern Asia (the area west of the Urals is considered part of
Europe), bordering the Arctic Ocean, between Europe and the North
Pacific Ocean
Geographic coordinates:
60 00 N, 100 00 E