My country, the Russian Federation, is the largest state in the world. Its territory is over 17 million square kilometers, the population being more than 150 million. Russia is rich in natural resources including vast areas of fertile (arable) lands and forests, deep lakes and wide rivers. It is rich in mineral deposits, such as coal, oil, iron ore, tin, lead, copper, gold and others.
The Russian Federation is a free union of a number of regions, territories and autonomous republics, for example, Karelia, Tatarstan, Bashkortostan, Mordovia and others.
The highest legislative body of the Russian Federation is Duma, the name of the Russian Parliament which consists of two chambers. The executive power is held by the President and the Cabinet of Ministers. The candidate of the Prime-Minister, put forward by the head of the state, is to be approved by Duma.
The capital of Russia is Moscow. It is the most important political, industrial, scientific and cultural centre of the country.
Within an historically short period my country has achieved a great success in all spheres of industry, technology, science, democracy and cultural life. The rights of man are guaranteed by the Constitution and by the public consciousness, a new way of thinking. All forms of property (of means of production) are regarded as equal. The country's economy is being transformed into a free market mode!.
Nowadays Russia remains a powerful state enjoying a high reputation among other nations of the world. It plays an important part in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). It is a peace-loving country and a member of the United Nations Security Council.
