The Russian Federation as the Largest Country in the World - Case Study Example

Federation of Russia The Russian Federation is the largest country in the world located in the Asian continent. Russia shares borders with close to 15 countries. Russia has a wide variety of natural resources reserve ranging from oil and gas, timber, coal, ores and many other mineral reserves. The humid continental climate is rife in most parts of Russia, excluding in the tundra region and the farthest southeast. The northeast region bordering Europe has a subarctic climate while the interior region of Northeast Siberia experiences extreme winter (Burns 557). It population is estimated at145 million people. Sixteen percent of the total populations are below the age of 14 years, 56% are between the age of 15 year and 54 years, and the remaining 28% are over 54 years. Men have a literacy level of 99.8% while women are at 99.6% out of 99.8%. As at the year 2014, Russia fertility rate stood at 1.6 children per woman. In 2006, its religion composition was as follows: 2% Christians, 13% Muslims, and 18% Russian Orthodox (Burns 556). The remaining portion comprises of non-believers. Russia has a multi-party system with the president as the head of state and the prime minister as the head of the government. According to 2014 GDP statistics, Russia’s per capita income was 14, 600 USD. While in the year 2007, its poverty rate stood at 13.3% though it has been declining in the recent years. Tourism Russia rich cultural heritage has increased both domestic and international tourism. The Russian government has initiated a number of programs to boost domestic tourism. As a result, the number of domestic trips grew by 4% in 2013 exceeding 2012 growth that was at 3%. On the other hand, international tourist arrivals stood at 23 million in year 2010. Moscow and ST Petersburg have the most amazing tourist destination. Moscow, the capital of Russia, has twenty-four five-star hotels that offer exotic accommodation facilities to both domestic and international tourists. Lotte Hotel in Moscow is one of the best five-star hotels in Russia (Burns 558). There are several international airlines in Russia with low priced flight charges to Russia. The Aeroflot airline is one of the largest airlines in Russia. It offers both international and domestic flights from its hub. Recently, close to 200 regional flight carriers are available in Russia. Direct flights from the Far East Russia to Japan and Alaska are currently available (Burns 559). There are numerous means of transport within Russia ranging from roads, railroads, air transport, and water transport. Railroads are the leading means of transport within Russia. By 1995, Russia had close to 160,000 kilometers of railroad, of which 25% were electrified. Tourism resources and barriers Climate change Russia is known for its cold winter brought about by the country’s high latitudes, huge landmass, and absence of topographic obstruction to shield it from arctic winds. During the cold season, tourists throng the Solovetsky Archipelago Island located in the Arctic Ocean. The island is among the UNESCO world heritage sites in Russia. On the other hand, tourism is low during the cold season, as both domestic and international tourist prefer tropical destination (burns 559). Russia has close to twenty-five UNESCO world heritage sites. The key tourist destinations in Russia include river cruises, tours around the golden ring of prehistoric cities, and the renowned trans-Siberian railway. Some of Russia’s amazing landscapes include the black sea, the wonder lake, Kremlin in Izmailovo, and the tundra landscape. In recent years, Russia has experienced a number of natural disasters that threaten tourism. The most frequent natural disasters in Russia are earthquakes, hurricanes, storms, forest fires and landslides. In the Krasnodar region, floods killed over a hundred people and injured thousands. Natural calamities cause numerous tourist attraction site to lose their splendor and aesthetic value. The level of the damage depends on the fury of the calamity. As a result, it is imperative for the tourism sector to take into consideration the possibility of natural disaster to ensure the industry sustainability. For instance, it should avoid locating tourism sites in areas prone to natural disasters. These disasters cause tremendous and challenging weather hazards, rendering global travelers helpless. Culture Russia has a rich cultural history ranging from literature, art, pop culture, and food. The Russian culture highly regards the issue of family and homeland. Its literature is mostly popular with students. The official language in Russia is the Russian language English is the second language (Burns 560). For that reason, international tourist should learn a bit of the Russian language while venturing into its vast territory. There are more than a hundred minority languages spoken in Russian. The most common is Dolgan, spoken by close to 6% of the Russian population. Religion has always been a prime component of Russian culture. There are over five thousand registered religious organizations in Russia. The largest portion is an affiliate of the Russian Orthodox Church. The Islam religion is the second largest with about 10% to 15% of the entire population. The shamanic, animistic and the Tengrism are the third most popular religions (Burns 555). The Borscht is the most common traditional Russian food that may seem odd to an outsider. Its pop culture has changed considerably in the aftermath of the Soviet Union collapsed. It is similar to that of the west. Political unrest weakens tourism in any country. During the Russo-Georgia conflict In the 1990s, Russia experienced a decline in international travels. As a result, the economy declined. Most foreigners fail to vacation in Russia due to the difficulties in obtaining the Russian visa. To ease the problem associated with visa issuance the Russian government has come up with a plan to soften the tough rules for obtaining the visas (Burns 562). The Federation of Russia is a vast country with numerous unique landscapes. That notwithstanding there are a number of reasons that I would opt not to go site seeing in Russia. First, Russia Gay propaganda campaign has attracted a huge share of international media coverage and activist initiatives around the globe. The incumbent president signed the first anti-gay law. The law prohibits propaganda about non-conventional sexual relation around children. The law bars any affirmative discussion of Gay rights or any action tagged as gay around children. It imposes fine of up to $160 for an individual and 40,000 USD for media outlets (Burns 564). The law applies to non-Russians agitating for gay rights. President Putin signed the adoption bill into law. The law prohibits the adoption of Russian-born children by gay couples. The law also prohibits the adoption of Russian children by any parent whose nation support marriage equality. It also passed a draconian foreign agent law. The law targets non-governmental organization receiving funds from abroad. It required all non-governmental organization within Russia to register as foreign agents with the state. Since its inception, the Russian government has cracked down a thousand non-governmental organizations. The law main objective is to stigmatize and disregard NGOs engaged in human rights (Burns 557). Rampant environmental degradation rife in Russia is another major reason that makes it an unfavorable tourist destination. In recent years, The Russian government initiated several large-scale projects that damage the environment. For instance, the construction of the Russian Olympic village has resulted in the loss of wetlands that were habitats to several bird species. Corruption and abuse of power are rampant in Russia. According to a recent survey, it is the 127th most corrupt country in the world. Bribery is the most common form of corruption in Russia. For instance, the Sochi Olympics program is riddled with corruption allegations. According to a recent survey, the Russian government embezzled close to $25 billion of public funds (Burns 565). The Russian Federation is tough on foreign journalists. Since the incumbent president assumed power, several foreign journalists have lost their lives while at work. Contract assassins hired by the government are responsible for most of the deaths. Nothing much has been done against such killings. The government conducted a crackdown o journalists perceived to oppose the government. These are among the many reasons I would never vacation in Russia. Work cited Burns, Peter. "Tourism in Russia: background and structure." Tourism Management 19.6 (1998): 555-565. Read More