Russia

Russia is the largest country in the world by land area, spanning eleven time zones across Europe and northern Asia. The stable classification facts come first, followed by a method for verifying the changing numbers yourself.

Classification facts

These identifiers come from the United Nations Statistics Division (UNSD) and the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). They are statistical and technical references, not political statements.

• UN M49 code: 643
• ISO alpha-2: RU
• ISO alpha-3: RUS
• UN region: Europe
• UN subregion: Eastern Europe
• UN member state: yes (permanent member of the UN Security Council)
• World Bank capital field: Moscow

The UN M49 standard is maintained by the United Nations Statistics Division and provides the stable coding used across international datasets. See:

Country basics

Russia is the world’s largest country by surface area, spanning eleven time zones and two continents. Its classification as “Europe” in the UN M49 scheme is a statistical grouping, not a statement about territorial claims or cultural identity. The same UN source places Russia in Eastern Europe. This is a classification convention, not a political or geographical assertion.

The capital is Moscow, as listed in the World Bank’s country field. The country code is RU (ISO alpha-2), RUS (ISO alpha-3), and the UN M49 numeric code is 643. Russia is a member state of the United Nations and appears in the UN’s Eastern Europe subregion grouping. These codes and groupings are stable, but they do not resolve questions about disputed territories or the legal status of specific regions.

Population

Why no single number is authoritative

Population figures change continuously and no single number is authoritative for all purposes. The United Nations Population Division publishes official estimates, while national censuses provide the actual enumerated count, but censuses are conducted only every several years and can miss rural or mobile communities. The World Bank reports population using the UN’s estimates, so you can cross-check the same underlying number on two official platforms.

How to retrieve the latest estimate

For the most recent verified figure, use the World Bank country API and look for Russia’s entry, then query the indicator SP.POP.TOTL for the latest available year. The UN Population Division’s World Population Prospects is the standard source for projections and historical estimates. Always note the reference year, because population numbers are estimates between censuses, not exact counts. The next Russian census may revise figures significantly, especially for rural and remote communities.

Step-by-step API method

To retrieve the latest value:

1. Open the World Bank country API: `
2. Locate the entry with “iso2Code”: “RU” and “id”: “RUS”.
3. Use the indicator API for population, e.g. SP.POP.TOTL, to get the latest annual estimate.
4. Note the reference year returned by the API; the figure is an estimate, not a census count.

The United Nations Population Division publishes biennial revisions (World Population Prospects), usually in the 2024 revision for recent figures. The World Bank’s population estimates are drawn from the same UN sources and are labelled with a specific reference year. Always write the year next to the number, e.g., “population (2024, UN estimate): 143.8 million”, never present a figure without its vintage. The CIA World Factbook also provides a “population” field, but it is a secondary compilation; prefer the primary source.

Census timing and source divergence

The last full census was conducted in 2021, with results released in stages. The United Nations Population Division publishes annual estimates; the World Bank’s population indicator (SP.POP.TOTL) provides a consistent series for cross-country comparison.

For the latest figure, use the World Bank country API at the URL given above, selecting the indicator SP.POP.TOTL, and note the reference year in the API metadata. The UN Population Division’s World Population Prospects is the standard source for population projections; its latest revision will show a different estimate than the World Bank, because the two use different base data and update schedules. Do not mix them in the same sentence without naming both sources and years.

Russia’s population is approximately 144 million (World Bank, 2023 estimate), but the figure depends on census timing, migration estimates, and the treatment of occupied territories. The most recent Russian census was conducted in 2021; the next is scheduled for 2030. The UN Population Division publishes its own estimates annually, and these can differ from Rosstat figures by several hundred thousand people due to different coverage and migration assumptions. For any cross-country comparison, use one source for all nations and cite the reference year.

Capital

Moscow is the capital and largest city. The World Bank country profile lists Moscow in the capital field for the Russian Federation. In Russian administrative terms, Moscow is also a federal city, which means it has the same constitutional status as a region rather than being subordinate to one. The city sits in the western part of the nation, far from the Pacific coast, which matters for understanding logistics, time zones and economic geography. Do not confuse the city of Moscow with the wider Moscow Oblast (region); they are separate federal subjects.

Language and culture

Russian is the official state language. The nation also has dozens of regional languages and minority languages, including Tatar, Bashkir, Chechen, and others; the 2010 All-Russian Population Census recorded over 150 languages spoken across the territory. Language data is collected by Rosstat (the Russian Federal State Statistics Service), but census intervals mean the figures are not current. For language policy, UNESCO’s education statistics and the Council of Europe’s language reports provide additional context, but the authoritative source for current legal status is the Russian government’s own legislation.

More than 100 minority languages are spoken across the federation. The 2010 census recorded the largest ethnic groups as Russian (81%), Tatar (3.9%), Ukrainian (1.4%), Bashkir (1.1%), Chuvash (1%), Chechen (1%), and other groups; that census is the most recent full enumeration, but the next census cycle has been delayed. Culture, literature, classical music, ballet and Orthodox Christian heritage are widely cited cultural anchors; UNESCO lists 31 World Heritage Sites in Russia as of the latest update, including cultural and natural properties.

Government and economy

The Russian Federation is a federal semi-presidential republic; the President is head of state and the Prime Minister is head of government. The State Duma is the lower house of the Federal Assembly, and the Federation Council is the upper house. The Russian economy is a high-income, upper-middle-income mixed economy by World Bank classification, heavily dependent on energy exports. Russia is a permanent member of the UN Security Council. The 2022 invasion of Ukraine triggered wide international sanctions; GDP fell in 2022 by 1.2% (World Bank, 2023 data release) and returned to modest growth in 2023. For the latest, check World Bank, IMF, and the Russian Federal State Statistics Service (Rosstat).

Major sectors: energy extraction, metals, machinery, defence, agriculture, and services. Currency: the Russian rouble (RUB), symbol ₽, issued by the Bank of Russia. The Russian ruble (RUB) is the currency; exchange rates are set by the Central Bank of Russia. The nation spans 11 time zones, so “current time” depends on the specific location within Russia.

Population and other demographic figures are volatile and should be cited with their source and reference year. The United Nations Population Division publishes annual estimates; the Federal State Statistics Service (Rosstat) publishes the national official series. These two sources often differ because of methodology, migration assumptions, and coverage of remote regions. For a stable comparison, always note both the source and the reference date. The World Bank’s country API returns the current nation name, capital, region, and income level, but economic indicators are released on a lag and are revised.