Russia (Russian: Россия, tr.: Rossiya or Rossija; pronounced [rʌ'sʲi.jə]), officially the Russian Federation (Russian: Российская Федерация, tr.: Rossiyskaya Federatsiya or Rossijskaja Federacija; pronounced [rʌ'sʲi.skə.jə fʲɪ.dʲɪ'ra.ʦɪ.jə]), is a country that stretches over a vast expanse of Europe and Asia. With an area of 17,075,200 square kilometres, it is the largest country in the world by land mass, covering almost twice the territory of the next-largest country, Canada.
It ranks as the world's eighth largest population.Population: 142 Mil.(2006)
Religions: Russian Orthodox 15-20%, Muslim 10-15%, other Christian 2% (2006 est.)
note: estimates are of practicing worshipers; Russia has large populations of non-practicing believers and non-believers, a legacy of over seven decades of Soviet rule.
Languages: Russian, many minority languages
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