Russia Quiz: Test Your Knowledge of the World’s Largest Country!

Russian is spoken by the vast majority of the population and is the official state language. It uses the Cyrillic alphabet and is one of the six official languages of the United Nations.

Russia is one of the world’s top producers and exporters of fossil fuels, especially natural gas and crude oil, which form a large part of its economy and global influence.

The Ural Mountains extend from the Arctic Ocean to Kazakhstan and are generally accepted as the boundary between Europe and Asia. They’re rich in minerals and play a geographical and cultural role in Russia.

Nicholas II ruled from 1894 to 1917. His reign ended with the Russian Revolution, and he and his family were executed in 1918. His downfall marked the end of the Romanov dynasty and imperial rule in Russia.

Moscow has been the capital of Russia since the late 15th century (with a brief period during Soviet times when it was replaced by Petrograd). It is the seat of the Russian government and home to iconic landmarks like the Kremlin and Red Square.

The Russian flag has three horizontal stripes: white (top), blue (middle), and red (bottom). It was re-adopted in 1991 after the Soviet flag was retired.

Borscht is a beet-based soup popular in Russian and Eastern European cuisine. It’s often served hot or cold, with sour cream, and may contain meat, potatoes, and cabbage.

The Russian Ruble (RUB) has been the currency of Russia for centuries. It was also used in the Soviet Union and re-established as the currency of the Russian Federation in 1992 after the USSR dissolved.

The Cyrillic script was developed in the 9th century and is used in Russian and many Slavic languages. It differs from the Latin alphabet and includes unique characters such as Ж, Щ, and Ы.

Located in Siberia, Lake Baikal reaches depths of 1,642 meters (5,387 feet). It’s also the oldest (25 million years) and holds about 20% of the world’s unfrozen freshwater.

Russia spans 11 time zones and covers over 17 million square kilometers, making it the largest country in terms of land area. It stretches from Eastern Europe across the entire northern part of Asia.

On December 26, 1991, the Soviet Union was formally dissolved. This marked the end of the Cold War and resulted in the independence of 15 republics, including Russia.

Built in the 16th century by Ivan the Terrible, Saint Basil’s Cathedral is known for its colorful, onion-shaped domes and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and Russian cultural icon.

Founded by Tsar Peter the Great in 1703, St. Petersburg was renamed Leningrad in 1924 after Lenin's death. In 1991, the name reverted to St. Petersburg after a public referendum.

Russia Day commemorates the adoption of the declaration of state sovereignty in 1990. It’s a public holiday celebrated with parades, fireworks, and cultural events across the country.

Roscosmos is Russia’s national space agency. It oversees space missions, cosmonaut training, and satellite launches. Russia was the first nation to send a human (Yuri Gagarin) into space.

Siberia covers most of northern Asia and is known for extremely cold winters, vast forests, and rich mineral resources. It stretches from the Ural Mountains to the Pacific Ocean.

"War and Peace" is one of Tolstoy’s greatest works and a cornerstone of world literature. It covers Russian society during the Napoleonic Wars and explores themes like history, fate, and human nature.

The State Duma is the lower house of the Russian Federal Assembly, the national legislature. It was established in the early 20th century and re-established after the fall of the USSR to represent the people.

Founded in 1776, the Bolshoi Ballet in Moscow is one of the oldest and most prestigious ballet companies in the world, known for its grand performances and technical excellence.

Gorbachev introduced Perestroika (restructuring) and Glasnost (openness) in the 1980s to reform the Soviet economy and increase transparency. These policies contributed to the USSR's collapse.

The ushanka is a fur hat with ear flaps that can be tied up or down. It’s commonly worn in Russia’s harsh winters and is part of military and civilian attire.

Russia has land borders with 14 countries, making it the country with the most international land neighbors in the world. These borders span both Europe and Asia due to Russia’s vast geographic reach.

Here are the 14 countries that share a land border with Russia:

1. Norway – in the northwest, near the Barents Sea.

2. Finland – further east of Norway.

3. Estonia – one of the Baltic states.

4. Latvia – just south of Estonia.

5. Lithuania – borders Russia via the Kaliningrad exclave.

6. Poland – also borders Kaliningrad, a non-contiguous part of Russia.

7. Belarus – a long-time ally of Russia.

8. Ukraine – located southwest of Russia, with tensions since 2014.

9. Georgia – located in the Caucasus region.

10. Azerbaijan – also in the Caucasus, near the Caspian Sea.

11. Kazakhstan – Russia’s longest continuous border.

12. China – shares a significant southern border with Russia.

13. Mongolia – between China and Russia.

14. North Korea – shares a short border near the Sea of Japan.

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky composed "The Nutcracker" in 1892. It has become one of the most performed ballets worldwide, especially during the holiday season.

The Black Sea borders southern Russia and several other countries. It’s a key strategic and commercial body of water with historical importance dating back to ancient times.