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Russia

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	MOSCOW
	ST PETERSBURG

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CAPITAL	Moscow

AREA	17 million sq km

POPULATION	150 million

LANGUAGE	Russian

CURRENCY	Rouble

TIME	GMT +4

TELEPHONE CODES	00 7

ELECTRICITY	220V



Moscow

Visas: All foreigners need visas.

Public holidays: New Year's Day (1 Jan); Russian Orthodox Christmas Day (7 Jan); the celebration of the anniversary of the founding of the Red Army (23 Feb); International Women's Day (8 March); International Labour Day (1 & 2 May); Victory Day-1945 (9 May); Russian Independence Day (12 June); Great October Socialist Revolution Anniversary (7 Nov).

Good buys: Caviar and modern art.

Local dishes: Russian food tends to be rich, heavy on meat, potatoes, and pickled vegetables, and light on fresh vegetables, dairy products and fresh fruit. A typical starter is zakuski (meaning hors d'oeuvres) which are often the most interesting items on the menu.

Good reading:Colin Thubron's Among the Russians, is a precise but eloquent account of his personal experience of travel in Soviet times. Letters from Russia by the Marquis de Custine is a French aristocrat's account of visiting St Petersburg. Bruce Chatwin's What Am I Doing Here? has some fine pieces on Russia.