Russia is one of the greatest and biggest countries in the
world with a rich historical and cultural background. The
country spans ten times zones, two continents and reaches out
over 17 m sq. kilometres.
Two major cities mostly known to westerners are Moscow and
Saint-Petersburg. The treasure of Moscow is embodied in the Tretykov Gallery, the Bolshoy Theatre and the Kremlin collections. The most advantageous
Saint-Petersburg art collections are preserved in the Hermitage
and the Russian Museum. Other famous Russian towns also can
boast their unique living atmosphere – castles, churches
and cloisters. You can find it in medieval democratic Novgorod
and Pscov or
Kaliningrad (former German Konigsberg) on the
Baltic Sea Coast, where I lived previously. The Russian countryside
has a vast quantity of free land and is rich in mountains,
rivers, forests and lakes. Nevertheless village life in Siberia
is very different from England and time is endless. Russia
lays claim to many remarkable people that have enriched the
world. Russian writers have made an special contribution to
the golden font of literature. Certain classical traditions
were established by Pushkin, Tolstoy and Dostoyevskiy in Tsarist
times and continued by Solzhenitsyn and Brodskiy in the Soviet
era. Composers from Glinka, Tchaikovskiy, Rachmaninov, Prokofiev
to Shnitke and Shostakovich have left long lasting musical
legacies.
Nevertheless only the Russian people can make Russian history
and culture. In spite of a hard and dramatic past, Russia
today is a nation of enormous diversity and tremendous vitality.
Russian people are special: they are very generous, kind and
honest. In today’s modern life they keep on trying not
to forget their real characters. They save their traditions,
celebrate the wealth of Russia past and strive to reach the
country’s potential in the future.
It is as if the cultural traditions of a century ago have
re-awakened with a newfound strength – ancient cathedrals
are being rebuilt and restored, colourful markets hum with
activity once again and literature and the arts are quickly
regaining the creative reknown they enjoyed decades ago. A
new Russia is now coming into full bloom.
In recent years the thriving economic factors in Russia have
attracted a lot of interest from foreign enterprises.
Russia has become one of the most important markets in the
world. The resource-focused economy is slowly recovering
after weathering its deepest contraction in 15 years in 2009
and the World Bank predicts that Russia's economy will grow
by up to 5 percent this year
with improvement of domestic demand.
Russia's federal budget deficit will not exceed
3.6% of GDP in 2011,as
predicted by the Finance Ministry in December 2010.
Federal budget revenues are expected to
reach
8.844 trillion rubles,
and expenditures will grow by
10.658 trillion rubles.
According to the Central Bank's data, Russia's
gold and foreign exchange reserves amounted to $124.5 billion as
of December 31, 2004, and to $
545,1
billion
as of September 1,
2011.
The Reserve Fund was reported to
have been
772.28
billion rubles ($26.76 bln)
by
September 1,
2011. The aggregate amount of the National Wealth Fund was
2.67
trillion rubles, which
equivalent to 92.63 billion US dollars. The two funds were
created after the Stabilization Fund of the Russian
Federation was split into two separate investment funds on
January 30, 2008. Funds are invested abroad in different
level risk securities and used when oil and gas incomes
fall.
During Russian
president Putin’s 9 years, GDP has grown by 60%. Unemployment
has fallen by one-third and the minimum wage has quadrupled in
just three years. The rate of inflation is down and the
rouble has stabilised. To a great extent, the improvements in
the Russian economy are down to the rise of world oil prices.
But one of Putin’s great achievements is to have brought
political stability. It is undeniable that Putin has sought
to open up Russia to the West. The current President of
Russia is Dmitry Medvedev — he was elected on 2 March 2008 and
inaugurated on May 7.
U.K. Trade and
Investment government organisation analyse Russian
development and notices that "Russia offers good long-term
opportunities for UK exporters and investors. Over the past
few years, trade between Russia and the UK has increased
significantly, and this is expected to continue for the
foreseeable future." In 2010, UK exports to Russia
increased by 51% and equalled
£3.45bn, import from Russia - £7.1bn. Total foreign investment into Russia
in 2010 reached
of US$114.7bn
from US$50
billion in 2007. The UK was top foreign investor,
with about $21.6bn coming from British sources.
They help
exporters from the U.K. break into this lucrative market,
organising seminars, meetings and visits to Russia. But this
is not enough.
They warn you
“the challenges to doing business in Russia should not be
underestimated. In order to create the right environment for
success, UK companies should carry out detailed research,
including the identification of the right potential partners,
and seek professional advice where necessary. You will also
need to be aware of the legal requirements for exporting goods
to Russia.”
To learn how and why to get the best legal advice when doing
business with Russia. Go to the
overview
section of this site
