Map of Russia - the largest country on
earth
How big is Russia?
Russian territory totals 17,075,200 sq km (which is about 1.8
times the size of the United States). Its land boundaries stretch
for 20,017 km neighboring more countries than any other country on
the planet. The sun literally never sets on Russia: when it is
evening in St. Petersburg, it is already
a next day on Russia's Pacific shores. Just look at the map of
Russia below and consider this: it borders Japan in the East and
Poland in the West, the Arctic circle in the North and China in the
South. It takes 10 hours flying to get from Moscow to Vladivostok, Russia's port in the
Pacific. If you are going by train, it will take you about 7
days.
How did Russia get so big?
Actually, Russia today is smaller
than anytime in its history in the past 300 years. Russian Empire
rapidly expanded in all directions for the past 4 centuries. In the
17th century it started colonization of Siberia. In 18th century it
expanded to the North following the victory in the Seven Year War
with Sweden, to the South following the defeat of Turkey and to
North America with its distant colony in Alaska. In 1860s Russia sold Alaska but acquired new lands in
the Far East from China (now known as the Russian Far East). Russia
also colonized colonized Manchuria (Northern China) and Central
Asia reaching as far as Afghanistan. This process of rapid
expansion was reverted in early 20th century. Russia gave up
Sakhalin Islands, Finland and Poland. In 1991, Russia lost 1/4 of
its territories as a result of the dissolution of the USSR,
including its some of its historical lands such as Ukraine and
Belarus. When looking at the map of Russia below, consider this -
once century ago Russia was 30% larger than it is now.
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The square on this map of Russia shows the western Russia where
Russian language, culture, tradition and empire have originated.
The Western Russia stretches to the Ural mountains in the East
which divide Eurasia to Europe and Asia. The blue narrow body of
water on this map of Russia indicates the word's largest body of
fresh water - Lake Baikal. The city of Novosibirsk that you can see
in the middle of this map of Russia is considered a capitol of
Siberia. | 
