$176.7 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 17 $209.6 billion (2006)
Exchange rates:
Russian rubles (RUB) per US dollar - 24.3 (2008 est.), 25.659 (2007), 27.19 (2006), 28.284 (2005), 28.814 (2004)
Communications ::Russia
Telephones - main lines in use:
44.2 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 5
Telephones - mobile cellular:
187.5 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 4
Telephone system:
general assessment: the telephone system is experiencing significant changes; there are more than 1,000 companies licensed to offer communication services; access to digital lines has improved, particularly in urban centers; Internet and e-mail services are improving; Russia has made progress toward building the telecommunications infrastructure necessary for a market economy; the estimated number of mobile subscribers jumped from fewer than 1 million in 1998 to nearly 188 million in 2008; a large demand for main line service remains unsatisfied