The Russian Federation, commonly known as Russia, is a vast transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia, making it the largest nation by land area in the world at approximately 17.1 million square kilometers. It extends across eleven time zones and shares land borders with fourteen countries. With a population exceeding 140 million, it is the most populous country in Europe and the ninth-most populous globally. It is highly urbanized, with major cities like Moscow (the capital) and Saint Petersburg (the cultural center). The country's diverse ethnic composition includes over 190 groups, predominantly ethnic Russians (about 80%), with Orthodox Christianity as the predominant religion. Governing as a federal semi-presidential republic, the executive branch is headed by President Vladimir Putin, who has held power since 2012 (with prior terms from 2000-2008), supported by a prime minister and the Government. Key institutions include the Federal Security Service (FSB) and various law enforcement bodies. The 2020 constitutional amendments extended presidential term limits and reinforced centralized authority. Economically, Russia relies on natural resources like oil, gas, and minerals, with state-controlled entities playing major roles. Politically, it aligns with authoritarian tendencies, with United Russia as the dominant party, and has faced international criticism for suppressing dissent, media control, and human rights violations. The Russian Federation has pursued assertive foreign policies to maintain influence, notably intervening militarily in Syria starting in 2015 to bolster Bashar al-Assad's regime, securing strategic assets like the Tartus naval base and countering Western presence in the Middle East. It faces ongoing controversies, including UN-condemned actions in Ukraine (annexation of Crimea in 2014, full-scale invasion in 2022), leading to widespread sanctions, ICC arrest warrants for Putin (2023) over child deportations, and allegations of war crimes. Domestically, it has a history of corruption scandals and oligarch influence networks tied to the Kremlin.