Geography
Where is Russia located?
Russia is located in Eastern Europe and Northern Asia. It is the largest country in the world by land area, spanning eleven time zones and covering more than one-eighth of Earth's inhabited land area. Russia is bordered by fourteen countries: Norway and Finland to the northwest, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland to the west, Belarus to the southwest, Ukraine to the south, Georgia to the southwest, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, China, Mongolia, and North Korea to the southeast, and Norway to the northeast. Russia also shares maritime borders with Japan by the Sea of Okhotsk and the Pacific Ocean.
How many time zones does Russia span across?
Eleven.
What is the deepest lake in the world located in Russia?
Lake Baikal.
Which mountain range forms the natural border between Europe and Asia in Russia?
The Ural Mountains.
What is the name of the longest river in Europe that flows through Russia?
The Volga River.
History
Who was the first ruler of Kievan Rus', considered the foundation of the Russian state?
Rurik the Viking.
What event in 1917 marked the beginning of the communist era in Russia?
The October Revolution.
Who was the leader of the Soviet Union during World War II?
Joseph Stalin.
What city was the capital of the Soviet Union after 1927?
Moscow.
When did the Soviet Union officially dissolve?
In 1991.
Culture & Arts
What traditional Russian doll that opens to reveal smaller dolls is called?
Matryoshka.
Which world-famous ballet company is based in St. Petersburg, Russia?
The Mariinsky Ballet.
Who wrote the classic novels "War and Peace" and "Anna Karenina"?
Leo Tolstoy.
What is the traditional Russian soup made with cabbage and beets?
Borscht.
What instrument is considered the soul of Russian folk music?
The balalaika.
Science & Technology
Who was the first human in space, launched from the Soviet Union in 1961?
Yuri Gagarin.
What scientific experiment conducted in Russia in 1957 launched the Space Age?
The launch of Sputnik 1, the first artificial satellite.
What element was first discovered by Russian chemist Dmitri Mendeleev in 1869?
Mendelevium (Md).
What famous Russian inventor created the first practical incandescent light bulb?
Alexander Lodygin.
The Trans-Siberian Railway, the longest railway in the world, runs through which Russian city?
Vladivostok.
Miscellaneous
What is the official language of Russia?
Russian.
What is the nickname for the Moscow metro system?
"The Underground Palace".
What is the national animal of Russia?
The double-headed eagle.
What is the currency of Russia?
The Russian ruble.
What is the world's deepest subway station located in Russia?
Ploshchad Pobedy in St. Petersburg.
Sports
Which martial art originated in Russia?
Sambo.
Which Russian tennis player has won the most Grand Slam singles titles?
Maria Sharapova (2).
In which winter sport has Russia consistently dominated the Olympic Games?
Cross-country skiing.
What is the national sport of Russia?
Bandy (ice hockey played on a field).
Which Russian city hosted the 2018 FIFA World Cup?
Several cities, including Moscow, St. Petersburg, and Sochi.