Is Russia in Europe or Asia? (2024)

Did you know that Russia is the largest country in the world?

It spans eleven time zones and covers two continents- Europe and Asia.

But even with its vast size, Russia remains a relatively unknown country to many people.

Russia was once the leading republic of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, better known as the Soviet Union. December 1991 marked its independence after the dissolvement of the USSR.

But, let’s take a closer look at the question.

Is Russia in Europe?

Yes, Russia is in Europe.

However, Russia, or the Russian Federation is a transcontinental country that spans across Eastern Europe and Northern Asia.

23% of Western Russia is located in Europe.

Why is Russia part of Europe and Asia?

The Russian Federation crosses continental boarders between Asia and Europe.

By conventional standards, Europe’s easternmost border reaches the Ural Mountains.

The Ural River flows from those mountains into Kazakhstan’s western corner.

As a result, Russia territory located between its western borders with Norway, Finland, the Baltic countries, Belarus and Ukraine to the Ural Mountains is part of Europe.

Russia territory also extends east of the Ural Mountains which is a part of Assia.

This part of Russia is known as Siberia and it goes as far east as the Bering Sea.

The Bering Sea is north of the North Pacific Ocean, which means the Alaska to Russia distance is only 2.4 miles at their closest points.

Fun fact: Alaksa used to be owned by Russia until it was sold to the United States of America in 1866 for $7.2 million.

Russian territory also stretches north to south in parts of Central and East Asia. The country shares a maritime border with Japan in the North Pacific Ocean.

Russia is the largest country in the world by land area, and it shares land borders with many countries, including those of Central Asia, which were once part of the Soviet Union. Mongolia, China, and North Korea also border Russia.

Is Russia in Europe Union?

Russia was one of the European Union’s main trading partners until 24 February 2022.

Most Russian’s live in Europe

Although a little more than one-fifth of Russia’s landmass is in Europe, 77% of Russia’s 146 million citizens live in the territory that is considered to be Europe.

Moscow is considered to be part of the European continent. Not only is Moscow Russia’s capital, but has 12 million residents which are also part of the European continent.

This makes Moscow the second-most populous city in all of Europe.

Russia has many large cities, some in Europe and some not. Examples of European Russian cities include St. Petersburg, Nizhny Novgorod, Kazan, and Rostov-on-Don.

Out of Russia’s top ten cities by population, two (Yekaterinburg and Chelyabinsk) are right on the Europe-Asia border in the Ural Mountains.

Of Russia’s three largest cities located entirely in Asia (Novosibirsk, Omsk, Samara).

The majority of Russian citizens living in Asia are located close to the nation’s southern border, stretching from the Ural Mountains eastward to the coast.

Is Moscow in Europe or Asia?

Moscow (and it’s 12 million residents) live in the European part of Russia.

Russia’s European Origins

Today, Russian territory is in both Asia and Europe. However, Russia originates from Europe.

The countries origins began with Kievan Rus, the first Slavic state, in the 9th century.

Kievan Rus was centered around Kiev, which is now the capital of Ukraine.

Now, Russia is a large Russian Empire it began with the tiny area of Moscow.

From the 13th – 15th centuries, Moscow expanded it’s territory into the European territory it is today.

However, it wasn’t until the 16th century that Russia started expanding into the Asian continent.

Russia conquered Siberia (the Asian part of Russia) between 1581 and 1649.

The Russian Revolution

The Russian Revolution of 1917 at the end of World War I was a turning point in Russian and world history.

It led to the rise of the Soviet Union (replacing the Russian Monarchy), which for more than seventy years was one of the two most powerful countries in the world.

Key Information About Russia

Russia’s Population

Russia is a large country with a population of over 143 million people.

The population density is 9 people per square kilometer, or 23 people per square mile.

Russia’s currency

Russia has had a variety of currencies over the years, but the Russian ruble is currently the official currency.

The ruble is subdivided into 100 kopeks. Banknotes are in denominations of 10 (almost out of circulation, 50, 100, 500 and 1,000 rubles, and coins are in denominations of 10 and 50 kopeks and 1,5 and 10 rubles.

Russia’s language

Russian is one of the most spoken languages in the world.

With over 258 million speakers, Russian is the 7th most spoken language in the world. It’s also an official language in a number of countries, including Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan.

Russian authors such as Leo Tolstoy and Anton Chekhov are some of the most renowned writers in history.

And many scientific discoveries were made by Russian scientists, such as Dmitry Mendeleev’s development of the periodic table of elements.

Russia’s ethnic groups

Russia is a large country with a population of over 143 million people, and it has many different ethnic groups.

The largest ethnic group in Russia is the Russians but also include Tatars, Ukrainians, and Bashkirs.

Wrap Up: Is Russia in Europe or in Asia?

Although Russia spans a large area that includes both Europe and Asia, the majority of Russian citizens live in European territory.

Moscow is considered to be part of the European continent, and out of Russia’s top ten cities by population, two are located right on the Europe-Asia border.

Russian origins began with Kievan Rus in the 9th century and today, the country’s currency, language, and culture are predominantly European.

So is is Russia part of Europe or Asia? Both! Russia is split across both continents.

FAQs: Is Russia in Asia or Europe Continent?

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