Russia: Introduction

Russia is a country located in northern Eurasia bordering the Arctic Ocean between Europe and the North Pacific Ocean. Neighboring countries include Azerbaijan, Belarus, China, Estonia, Finland, Georgia, Kazakhstan, North Korea, Latvia, Lithuania, Mongolia, Norway, Poland, and Ukraine. The geography is diverse and includes vast forests and tundra in Siberia and mountains along the southern borders. The government system is a federation; the chief of state is the president, and the head of government is the premier. Russia has transitioned from a centrally-planned economy to a more market-based economy in which many state-controlled firms have been privatized and sectors of the economy are liberalized. Russia is a member of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) and the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU).