10 Surprising Facts About Russia
'It is bad luck to return to the house after leaving it, for example, if you forget to bring something' - was said by Winston Churchill about the largest country in the world in 1939, and many of his words are still true today.
Firstly, the name of this country comes from the ancient Russians, the Varangian group (possibly the Swedish Vikings), who founded Kievan Russia.

Photo
Saint Basil's Cathedral, Moscow, Russia
If you didn’t know, Russia is the seventh most populous country in the world. Since Russia is a frequent topic of media headlines, it is good to know some things about that country.
Today, in this article we will show you some surprising and interesting facts about this enormously big and mysterious country and their people.
Russia is an amazing place to visit if you love history, culture, and architecture. While Russia isn’t one of the most popular tourist destinations, it is perfect for anyone that wants to get off the beaten path.

So, let’s get started, shall we?

1.The World’s Longest Railway Is in Russia
Did you know that the longest railway in the world is in Russia? Trans-Siberian Railroad, Russian Transsibirskaya Zheleznodorozhnaya Magistral is the longest single rail system in Russia starting from Moscow all the way down to the port station of Nakhodka with a total of a total of 5,772 miles. Construction on the Trans-Siberian Railway started in 1891 and was completed in 1916 which means it took 25 years to build! Isn’t that crazy?
If you would like to experience a travel around Russia by train, this railway makes it very easy to do so. A huge advantage of it is that you can choose to ride in a first-class cabin or third-class seats ofcourse, depending on your affordability and the experience you would like to have. Through this journey you will be able to go across 4 time zones in Russia. Some tourists have spent even up to 50 hours inside of the longest train line in the world. You are probably assuming that this train line is filled with tourists however, most of the passengers seemed to be random Russians traveling for work. Apart from this, the Trans-Siberian Railway even connects to China and Mongolia, so if you have a desire to visit those countries as well, this is a right place for you to visit and experience.

2.Russia Has many Active Volcanos
Another one of the most surprising facts about Russia is that it has 12 active volcanos! Therefore, Kamchatka is one of the most commonly visited because of its accessible location. This volcano has one of the highest concentrations of active volcanoes in the world.

Can you believe that there are more than 300 volcanoes on the Kamchatka peninsula, including 29 that are still active? The latest eruptive period began in October 2019
If you are someone that loves nature and beautiful landscapes, you should visit Kamchatka. This active volcano has over 1,000 different species of plants.
It’s also home to brown bears, sheep, and wolves. You can choose to visit Kamchatka on your own or go on a guided tour. If you are unfamiliar with the Russian language, an organized tour is the easier option.

Photo
Kamchatka Volcano, Russia 

3. Largest Park in the world is located in Russia
The Park in Moscow, known by its name Izmailovski (has more than 300 hectares) is one of the largest parks in the world. It is even 6 times bigger than the Central Park in New York. What is the most interesting part of its nature is that Russia has 20 percent of the world's forest area. This beautiful huge park was established as a culture and recreation natural spot since 1931.
 In this park you can find many attractions such as the Round Pond with the man-made island, a memorial area, a Ferris wheel, sports and playgrounds, shooting galleries, cinemas, a skate park and cozy cafes.

 Many different festivals, concerts, theatrical performance, exhibitions, dance parties, and fireworks and many other different fun activities are held in this huge area and the best part of it is that all the entrances to the park including these activities are completely free!
Therefore, we sincerely recommend visiting and experiencing this spot, it is suitable for all ages and has enough space and activities for everyone and all types of interests.

4.54% Of the Russian Population Is Female
There is a big difference between the male and female population in Russia.

There are 9 million more women than men in Russia. Did you know that every year, more than 500,000 people die as a result of excessive alcohol consumption?

Therefore, females in Russia make up 54% of the population, males only make up 46%. The population gap began during World War II when 25 million Russian soldiers died during the war. However, men still have a much shorter lifespan than women do in Russia.

Many Russians live in rural communities where the way of life is harsh. Russian men often fall victim to hunting accidents, poor health care, and too much vodka. So, there is no doubt that people, especially male population drink a lot of Vodka at all times of the day.

Photo
Saint Basil's Cathedral, Moscow, Russia - The girl standing in front of Cathedral

5.Russia Has 11 Time Zones
Isn’t in interesting that Russia is so big that it has even 11 different time zones and is one of the countries that has the most time zones in the whole world? In this case, France would be the country with the biggest amounts of time zones due to its small islands. In case you decide to travel across Russia, you may experience a jet lag without even leaving the country!

However, in 2011 Vladimir Putin abolished many time zones across the whole country so they could save daylight time, so he wiped-out two-time zones. Therefore, since 2011 there have only been 9 time zones in use inside of the Russia.

6.The Zhivopisny Bridge is the highest cable-stayed bridge in Europe
This is the first cable-stayed bridge in Moscow that opened in 2007. The unmistakable-looking Zhivopisny Bridge covers the Moskva River. This bridge is known and remarkable for its beauty and for being the highest cable-stayed bridge in all of Europe.

Even 72 orange ropes support the bridge and each of them is consisting fifty wire cables. Of course, this structure looks very original and gives originality to this area of Moscow.

 Another unique feature of the bridge is that most of its length runs along the river, not across it. This decision was chosen with the desire not to harm the protected areas on both banks of the river. The bridge is a big tourist attraction in Moscow and one of the most beautiful bridges in Russia.

Photo
The Zhivopisny Bridge

7.Russia Has a Lake with More Water Than Any Other Lake on Earth
Lake Baikal located in Siberia, is the largest lake in the world by water volume and its fresh drinkable water. It even contains 22–23% of the world's fresh surface water and has more water than all of the Great Lakes in North America combined.

Lake Baikal is also known to be a deepest and oldest lake in the world. In 1996 it was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This lake also contains approximately 1,700 to 1,800 endemic plant and animal species.

8. Coldest Village in the World is located in Russia
Since Russia is a country with a very cold climate, it is probably no surprise that Russia is home to the coldest village in the world. Oymyakon is the name of a village where weather’s average is -58 degrees Fahrenheit. The coldest recorded temperature in Oymyakon is -96 degrees Fahrenheit. Imagine that when someone tries to wear glasses outside, the glasses will immediately freeze on their faces. Also, people from Oymyakon have to keep their cars in heated garages otherwise they won’t be able to start. 

If you want to take a trip to the coldest village in the world, make sure to pack for winter.

Even to get there is not easy. You first have to travel to Yakutsk, and from there, it is a two-day car ride to Oymyakon. Despite its weather conditions, people still live there normally with the area equipped with a bank, post office schools and even airport runway. Also, a local dish is mostly meat and fish which is sometimes even eaten frozen.

9.Folk Dancing Is a Tradition in Russia
One of the most important part of Russian history and Russian culture is a folk dancing. One of the most common types of Russian folk dancing is called Khorovod. In this style of dancing people use to dance in a circle while holding hands.

Russians perform their folk dances at festivals, markets, and in the theater. In case you decide to travel to Russia, make sure you don’t miss a Russian folk-dance performance and fully experience the beautiful culture and traditions of Russians.

10.Russians Learn Not to Smile
Another best fact about Russia and their population is that they learn from an early age not to laugh or smile. Russians usually don’t think that smiling is a sign of happiness and friendliness. They see it as a sign of weakness and not showing one’s true feelings. Isn’t that interesting? Russians tend only to smile to people they know well and care about, but not at strangers as many other cultures do. So dear travelers, if you decide to smile to a Russian on the street, don’t expect them to return the favor.

Did you enjoy reading this article on surprising facts about Russia? If you currently planning a trip to Russia, check out our ultimate blog https://travelshopbooking.com/ to see the best deals and offers and experience the world’s most beautiful spots and places.