Country
Background
Until the disintegration of the U.S.S.R. in 1991, Moscow was
the capital of the Soviet Union. Now Moscow serves as the capital city of Russia,
the largest and richest of the former Soviet republics. Present-day Russia is
continuing to grow and change and is led by a government that is working toward democracy.
In the past, Russia was ruled by tsars.
The Romanov Dynasty ruled Russia from 1613 to 1917 when the Russian Revolution
ended the dynasty's reign. There are many stories told about what happened to
the last tsar, Tsar Nicholas II, and his family. Mystery surrounds one of his
daughters, Anastasia,
who is thought to have escaped when the rest of her family was attacked.
The former Soviet Union was the first country
to launch a satellite into space. The world's
first man-made satellite,
Sputnik,
was launched on October 5, 1957 to the astonishment of
the world. Russia's investment and interest in space continues
to this day with projects like the Mir space
station.
Related
Links There is a lot more to learn
about Russia!
- Explore these sites for facts and
figures about the Russian Federation:
- Join Andrey as he shows you pictures
of everyday
life in Russia.
- Read some Russian
Fairy Tales from Tradestone
International.
- Explore a map of the Russian
Federation.
- Track the Mir
space station.
- When the Soviet Union collapsed,
it split into many different independent
countries and republics. Click on a World InfoZone link below to find more
information about each of these places:
More Countries (past
hosts of Olympic Games)
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