Russia is a massive country. It stretches from St. Petersburg in the west over the Ural to Siberia and in the east to the Bering strait. Its total area is over 17 million square kilometers and it is approx. 415 times bigger than Switzerland.
With such a large surface area, it is not surprising that the climate and geography within the country varies greatly. Whilst the geographic 'pole of cold' is in Siberia (Ojmjakon), the temperature in the south of Russia can be compared to that in Nizza. The highest mountains in Russia are 5000 meters above sea level and are in Altai and north Caucasia. The Lake of Baikal in Siberia is home to the biggest sweet water reservoir on the earth.

The country is currently in a political and economical revolution, however the culture remains fascinating and very interesting. Visitors seem to be very impressed by the warmth and hospitality of the people.

Further information can be found under www.russland-aktuell.ru