Culture Overview
Russian culture has a long and rich cultural history, steeped in literature, ballet, painting and classical music. While outsiders may see the country as drab, Russia has a very visual cultural past, from its colorful folk costumes to its ornate religious symbols. Many folk holidays, which are often accompanied by traditional foods, have gained popularity and have become vital elements of popular culture. Although a wide array of imported packaged products are now found in Russian cities, traditional foods and ingredients remain popular. Normally, Russians prefer to finish their daily meals with a cup of tea or coffee (the latter more common in the larger cities). Vodka, the national drink of Russia, also accompanies many family meals, especially on special occasions.
Some of these special occasions are popular folk holidays such as Maslyanitsa, The Red Hill holiday, Troitsa. Russia also has several official holidays, including the Russian Orthodox Christmas, Victory Day in World War II, Independence Day, and Constitution Day. Women’s Day.
Location
When many people think of Russia, they think of vast, frozen tundra but that's not all there is to the country's geography. By far the world’s largest country, it covers nearly twice the territory of Canada, and It extends across the whole of northern Asia and the eastern third of Europe, spanning 11 time zones and incorporating a great range of environments and landforms, including plains, taigas, steppes, mountains. Russia also contains Europe’s longest river, the Volga, and its largest lake, Ladoga and is home to the world’s deepest lake, Baikal.
Demographic
Russia is the largest country in the world in terms of territory, with a total area of 6,601,668 square miles by comparison, the United States comprises 3,794,100 square miles. And as of 2021 the current population of the Russian Federation is around 146,023,734 million. Although ethnic Russians comprise more than four-fifths of the country’s total population, Russia is a diverse, multiethnic society. More than 190 ethnic groups, many with their own national territories, speaking some 100 languages live within Russia’s borders. Many of these groups are small, in some cases consisting of fewer than a thousand individuals. In addition to Russians, only a handful of groups have more than a million members.
Lifestyle and Social Customs
During the Soviet era most of Russia’s customs and traditions were suppressed, and life was strictly controlled and regulated by the state through its vast intelligence network. Beginning in the 1980s, Mikhail Gorbachev’s reforms eased political and social restrictions, and common traditions and folkways, along with the open practice of religion, began to reappear.
Russia’s middle class growth has generated dramatic changes in Russia’s lifestyles and social customs. Travel abroad has become popular, and consumption has increased. Russia’s middle class has also adopted values that are distinctly different from Soviet practice. The new values include self-reliance and viewing work as sources of joy and pride. The middle class also tends to avoid political extremes, to participate in charitable organizations, and to patronize theaters and restaurants. The rebirth of religion is another dimension of the changed lifestyles of new Russia. Although a majority of Russians are nonbelievers, religious institutions have filled the vacuum created by the downfall of communist ideology, and even many nonbelievers participate in the now-ubiquitous religious festivities.
