The national symbol is the brown bear. The national drink is vodka. Local tennis star Anna Kournikova is a global pinup. But what else do you know about Russia?
Geography
Russia takes up one eighth of the world"s land mass. It lies on two continents, Europe and Asia. It is the world"s largest country with about 17 million square kilometres.
Onion Domes
Moscow postcards typically feature the colourful striped domes of St. Basil"s Cathedral and the neighboring Red Square. St. Basil"s was built between 1555 and 1561. Other Russian churches also have flame-shaped domes. The dome"s peak is said to be like the flame of prayer reaching up toward heaven. The cross at the top symbolizes Christ.
Black Bread
Russians like to eat. Russian cuisine is famous for its soups, such as borscht and meat dishes. Rye bread is the most significant Russian food product. Rye to Russians is what rice is to Chinese. During the famines of 1840 and 1848, it was what almost all peasants had to eat.
Matreshkas
Matreshka is a set of nesting dolls. Every doll, except the last and smallest one, consists of two parts. The smaller doll inserts into the bigger one. Sometimes up to 30 dolls can be combined inside the biggest doll. They follow a particular theme, ranging from fairy tale characters to footballers to Russian leaders. The first Matreshka dates back to 1890, and is said to have been inspired by dolls from Japan.
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