Russia at a Glance

• Population: 145.2 million


• Capital city: Moscow, approx. 8.75 million inhabitants


• Language: Russian


• Religions: Christianity (Russian-orthodox), Islam, Jewry, Buddhism


• Form of government: Presidential Democracy with federal structure of state

Economy

Germany is Russia's most important trading partner, the volume recording a considerable rise again in 2004. Russia's main exports are raw materials and sources of energy, while Germany largely exports finished products and capital goods. German companies, including many small and medium-sized enterprises, have made considerable investments in Russia. A major success in environment policy is Russia's ratification of the Kyoto Protocol on 27 October 2004, which will also bring economic benefits.

A German-Russian intergovernmental agreement on facilitating travel was signed on 10 December 2003 and entered force on 9 December 2004. Simplifying visa procedures aims in particular at promoting cultural and economic interaction and youth exchange.

Culture and Science

German-Russian cultural relations are also gaining momentum and are increasingly coming to embrace the regional centres outside Moscow and St Petersburg. In 2003 and 2004, German-Russian cultural exchange was particularly successful (Years of Cultural Exchange). In foreign language teaching, German is in firm second place behind English. Nowhere in the world do more people learn German than in Russia. To revitalize bilateral youth exchange an accord on youth policy cooperation was signed at the German-Russian summit in December 2004 that provides for setting up coordination offices in each signatory state. On 11 April 2005, the Joint Declaration on a Strategic Partnership in Education, Research and Innovation was signed. This accord aims at stepping up bilateral cooperation in the education sector, particularly in training specialist and executive personnel. The Goethe Institute is engaged in many places in Russia, above all in Moscow and St Petersburg with its own offices. Numerous other German cultural organizations are also represented.

Links

www.berlin.rusembassy.org (Official representation of Russia in Germany)
www.moskau.diplo.de (German Embassy in Russia)
www.dihk.ru (Delegate of the German Economy)
www.goethe.de/moskau (Goethe-Institute in Moscow)