USEFUL BUSINESS INFORMATION ON RUSSIA

1. Country Brief:

A. Introduction -  The Russian Federation is the largest of the 21 republics that make up the Commonwealth of Independent States. It occupies most of eastern Europe and north Asia, stretching from the Baltic Sea in the west to the Pacific Ocean in the east, and from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Black Sea and the Caucasus in the south. It is bordered by Norway and Finland in the northwest; Estonia, Latvia, Belarus, Ukraine, Poland, and Lithuania in the west; Georgia and Azerbaijan in the southwest; and Kazakhstan, Mongolia, China, and North Korea along the southern border.

B. Climate -  In general, the best time to visit is May-September, when the day temperatures are in the 70s-90s F/23-35 C, and nights are in the 50s-70s F/10-23 C. Spring and early fall, however, are unpredictable: Snow flurries and temperatures in the mid 20s F/-5 C are possible in May and September. Be sure to take waterproof shoes for spring or fall visits - there's a lot of mud. There are a few reasons someone might want to go during the winter: In Moscow and St. Petersburg, the leaves have fallen and the striking architecture can be seen much more clearly; it's also easier to get tickets to see the Bolshoi and Kirov (Mariinsky) ballets and operas, and there are no crowds at other tourist attractions. Those visiting in winter will want to take along their warmest clothes, boots and hats: It's bitterly cold (Moscow is as far north as southern Alaska) and quite dry. We recommend a long, insulated coat - the best you can afford.

C. Geographical Area - 6,562,078 sq mi (16,995,800 sq km); total area: 6,592,772 sq mi (17,075,200 sq km)

D. Language - Russian

E. Currency With Exchange Rate - Russia Rubles (RUB)

1.00 RUB = 0.0391541 USD

F. Population – (2006 est.): 142,893,540

G. Major Cities - St. Petersburg, Novosibirsk, Nizhny Novgorod, Yekaterinburg, Samara, Kazan, Ufa, Chelyabinsk, Perm, Volgograd

2. Transportation:

A. Railway - total: 87,157 km (2002).

B. Road - total: 532,393 km; paved: 358,833 km; unpaved: 173,560 km (2000).

C. Airports - 2,743 (2002).

D. Waterways - 95,900 km (total routes in general use) (Jan. 1994).

E. Sea ports - Aleksandrovsk-Sakhalinsky, Arkhangel'sk, Astrakhan', De-Kastri, Indigirskiy, Kaliningrad, Kandalaksha, Kazan', Khabarovsk, Kholmsk, Krasnoyarsk, Lazarev, Mago, Mezen', Moscow, Murmansk, Nakhodka, Nevel'sk, Novorossiysk, Onega, Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy, Rostov, Shakhtersk, Saint Petersburg, Sochi, Taganrog, Tuapse, Uglegorsk, Vanino, Vladivostok, Volgograd, Vostochnyy, Vyborg.

2. Economy:

A. Major Manufacturing - 

B. Major Export - $245 billion (2005 est.): petroleum and petroleum products, natural gas, wood and wood products, metals, chemicals, and a wide variety of civilian and military manufactures.

C. Major Import - $125 billion (2005 est.): machinery and equipment, consumer goods, medicines, meat, sugar, semifinished metal products.

E. Major Industry - complete range of mining and extractive industries producing coal, oil, gas, chemicals, and metals; all forms of machine building from rolling mills to high-performance aircraft and space vehicles; defense industries including radar, missile production, and advanced electronic components, shipbuilding; road and rail transportation equipment; communications equipment; agricultural machinery, tractors, and construction equipment; electric power generating and transmitting equipment; medical and scientific instruments; consumer durables, textiles, foodstuffs, handicrafts.

F. Trade balance -

4. Trade Associations, Chamber of Commerce, Trade shows and Exhibitions in Russia:

Major Trade Associations

Chambers of Commerce

Major Trade Shows

A) Autotec-Russia

Start Date: 27-FEB-2008 

End Date: 01-MAR-2008

Venue:

Crocus Expo

Moscow,

Russia

Organizer:

International Fairs Agency

Sredny Tishinsky Per. 28/1, Office 628, Chayka Plaza Business Center,

Moscow, Russia.

Tel: +(7)-(95)-4115202

Fax: +(7)-(95)-4115203

B) Autocomplex

Start Date: 03-OCT-2007

End Date: 05-OCT-2007

Venue:

Expocentr' Krasnaya Presnya Fairgrounds

Moscow, Russia

Organizer:

Messe Dusseldorf GmbH

Stockumer Kirchstrasse, 61,

Messeplatz, Germany.

Tel: +(49)-(211)-4560900/4560175

Fax: +(49)-(211)-4560668/4560740

C) Motorshow Russia

Start Date: 28-MAR-08

End Date: 30-MAR-08

Venue:

North-West Exhibition Centre

St. Petersburg, Russia

Organizer:

Restec Exhibition Company

12, Petrozavodskaya Street,

St.Petersburg, Russia.

Tel: +(7)-(812)-3206363

Fax: +(7)-(812)-3208090

5. Useful links:

Russian Importers, Dealers of Japanese Used Cars, Construction Machinery & Auto Parts