Russia is one of the largest countries in the world. It covers over 6.5 million square miles. Its population is nearly 147 million people. Russia is a multinational state with 100 nationalities. Its political, administrative, cultural and scientific centre is Moscow. Russia has hills, mountains, downs, lowlands, plains, deserts. There are forests in Siberia and the European North. The Urals separates the Asian part from the European part of the country. The main rivers are the Volga, the Irtish.