Russia has a population of over 138 million people, with ethnic Russians making up about 80% of the population. While Russia shifted after the fall of the Soviet Union towards democracy, it has recently moved towards a more centralized semi-authoritarian state under President Putin. Russia has significant natural resources, especially natural gas and oil, and relies heavily on its energy exports. It also has large investments in areas like defense, healthcare, and space exploration.

1. Russia Background
• Population-138,082,178 (July 2012 est.)
– Russian 79.8%,
– Tatar 3.8%,
– Ukrainian 2%,
– Bashkir 1.2%,
– Chuvash 1.1%, other or unspecified 12.1% (2002
census)

2. “in a nutshell..”
• Russia has shifted its post-Soviet democratic
ambitions in favour of a centralized semi-
authoritarian state in which the leadership
seeks to legitimize its rule through managed
national elections, populist appeals by former
President PUTIN, and continued economic
growth. Russia has severely disabled a Chechen
rebel movement, although violence still occurs
throughout the North Caucasus.

3. Russian Government website

4. Some Key Russia’s Priorities
• Supporting Pensioners and Low-Income Families
• Healthy Lifestyle
• Space Industry Development and GLONASS
• Struggle against drought/ Battling wildfires
• Promoting Sports and Culture
• Integrating Russia into Global Economy
• Innovation-Based Economy
• Developing Defence Industry
• Agricultural Development
• Supporting Small and Medium Business Labour Market
• Regional Development

7. a substantial vote against Putin would accelerate the changes that Russia needs: a
modernised economy, a genuine civil society, a proper legal code and a more credible
assault on corruption.

8. Health
• Russia has more physicians, hospitals, and health
care workers than almost any other country in
the world on a per capita basis
• After Putin became president in 2000, there was
significant growth in spending for public
healthcare
• Putin announced a large large-scale health-care
reform in 2011 and pledged to allocate more than
300 billion rubles ($10 billion) in the next few
years to improve health care in the country

9. GM crops?
• Growing GM plants is banned in Russia.
• however, that GM foods are allowed in certain cases,
eg feed in the cattle-breeding industry, plus maize,
potato, rice and sugar beet.
• GM levels in Russian food remain low, for now anyway-
0.4% of food products tested positive for GM (Under
Russian law, if the GM percentage in a product is less
than 0.9pc, the producer is entitled to mark it as a GM-
free product)
• It appears that the low presence of GM food in Russia
can be attributed to food standards legislation, anti-
GM campaigns and less-than-accepting public opinion.

10. Nuclear Power
• Russia is moving steadily forward with plans
for much expanded role of nuclear energy,
nearly doubling output by 2020.
• Efficiency of nuclear generation in Russia has
increased dramatically since the mid 1990s.
• Exports of nuclear goods and services are a
major Russian policy and economic objective.
• Russia is a world leader in fast neutron
reactor technology.

11. Energy
• 16%
• 18% •48%
• 17%

12. Energy
• Russia is rich in natural energy resources.
• It has the largest known natural gas reserves of any state on earth,
along with the second largest coal reserves, and the eighth largest
oil reserves.
• fourth largest electricity producer after the USA, China, and Japan.
• Russia exports 70% of oil produced, about 7 million of 10.12 million
barrels (1,609,000 m3) a day (2010), the largest net oil export of any
country, as well as a major supply to the European Union. The entire
Middle East, in comparison, exports 20 million barrels (3,200,000
m3) daily.
• increase in energy efficiency, reducing impact on the environment,
• sustainable development
• energy development and technological development, as well as
improved effectiveness and competitiveness.

13. • The petroleum industry in Russia is one of the largest
in the world. Russia has the largest reserves, and is the
largest exporter, of natural gas.
• It has the second largest coal reserves, the eighth
largest oil reserves, and is the largest producer of oil.
• It is the third largest energy user
• Russia is the largest oil producer in the world,
producing an average of 9.93 million barrels (1,579,000
m3) of oil per day in 2009 for a total of 494.2 million
tons.
• produces 12% of the world's oil and has a same share
in global oil exports

15. Improve ties with Europe and
USA
Modernise infrastructure
More liberal economy
More trade

16. Priorities-continued
• Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics
• Science and Education
• Healthcare
• Strategic Initiatives Agency

17. approximately 1.8 largest country in the world in terms of area but
times the size of the unfavourably located in relation to major sea lanes of the
US world;
despite its size, much of the country lacks proper soils and
climates (either too cold or too dry) for agriculture

18. Key Facts
• 11th largest economy by nominal GDP
• 5th largest nominal military budget.
• one of the five recognized nuclear weapons states
• possesses the largest stockpile of weapons of mass
destruction.
• “A Great Power” and a permanent member of the
United Nations Security Council, a member of the G8,
G20, the Council of Europe, the Asia-Pacific Economic
Cooperation, the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation,
the Eurasian Economic Community, the Organisation for
Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), the World
Trade Organisation (WTO), and is the leading member of
the Commonwealth of Independent States.