Russia was ruled by a Communist regime from 1917 until 1991, otherwise known as the Soviet Union. Because of this long history of tyranny, Russia can still stir up mixed emotions with many Americans. Individuals from older generations still vividly recall a time when the Soviets posed a serious threat to the safety of the United States, especially during the Cold War era. Since the end of Communist rule in Russia things have changed and Russia has become a nation with friendlier relations with the Unites States, as well as other countries. The new Russia is significantly more peaceful, less oppressed, and much more of a welcoming travel destination than is has been in the past.

History

During the period between 1985 and 1991, Mikhail Gorbachev served a one of Russia’s most famous General Secretaries and it was in December of 1991 that the USSR was divided into 15 republics. Russia is a huge body of land spanning 10,000 kilometers and 11 times zones. Russia is home to over 1,000 towns and cities. Some of Russia’s largest cities include Nizhniy Novgorod, Novosibirsk, Yekaterinburg, Samara, Omsk, Tcheliabinsk, Kazan, Perm, Ufa, Rostov-on-Don, Volgograd, Moscow, and St. Petersburg. The Russian government has two parts to its Parliament -- the State Duma and the Federation Council. The head of Russia’s government is the Prime Minister.

Tourism

Since 2001, Russia has seen an increase in tourism by almost three percent. Tourists from Germany, Finland, the United States, Great Britain, Italy, France and Japan make up approximately 80 percent of all tourism in Russia. The average stay for a tourist in Russia is 6.5 days. Tourism provide Russia with hundreds of billions of dollars and is a key component to Russia’s new economy. The Russian tourist scene as a whole features thousands of resorts which offer an estimated 500 thousand rooms to Russian tourists.

Holidays

Every country has its own unique holidays and Russia is no exception. New Years in Russia is celebrated on January 1st and 2nd and Orthodox Christmas is celebrated on January 7th. International Women’s day is on March 8th, Spring and Labor days are recognized on March 1st and 2nd, and Victory Day takes place on the 9th. Independence Day is celebrated on June 12th ,while Accord and Reconciliation Day is November 7th. And, finally, Russia’s Constitution Day and is celebrated on December 12th.