Siberia is known for its long, harsh winters, with a January average of −25°C (−13°F). [6] Although it is geographically in Asia, Russian sovereignty and colonization since the 16th century have rendered the region culturally and ethnically European. [7] Over 85% of its population are of European descent, [8] [9] chiefly Russian (comprising the Siberian sub-ethnic group), and Eastern Slavic cultural influences predominate throughout the region. [7] Nevertheless, there exist sizable ethnic minorities of Asian lineage, including various Turkic communities—many of which, such as the Yakuts, Tuvans, Altais, and Khakas, are Indigenous—along with the Mongolic Buryats, ethnic Koreans, and smaller groups of Samoyedic and Tungusic peoples (several of whom are classified as Indigenous small-numbered peoples by the Russian government), among many others. The North Caucasus, far eastern Russia, and the western edge of the Kuznetsk Basin in southern Siberia contain an abundance of lead and zinc ores. These are commonly found along with copper, gold, silver, and a large amount of other rare metals. The country has one of the largest gold reserves in the world; mostly in Siberia and the Urals. Mercury deposits can be found in the central and southern Urals and in south-central Siberia. The World Factbook — Central Intelligence Agency". www.cia.gov. Archived from the original on June 13, 2007 . Retrieved 2018-11-01. The Russian landscape varies from sandy and frozen deserts, tall mountains to giant marshes. Much of Russia is made up of rolling, treeless plains called “steppes”. The region of Siberia, which occupies three-quarters of Russia, is dominated by sprawling pine forests called “taigas”. The Russian landscape varies from desert to frozen coastline, tall mountains to giant marshes Lake Baikal—A Touchstone for Global Change and Rift Studies". United States Geological Survey . Retrieved 26 December 2007.

Vladimir Putin, statement in press release, Office of the White House Press Secretary, United States (February 24, 2005). " President and President Putin Discuss Strong U.S.-Russian Partnership" Statistics on the Development of Gas Fields in Western Siberia, Daily Questions on Energy and Economy Garshelis, D.; Steinmetz, R. (2020). " Ursus thibetanus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2020: e.T22824A166528664. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-3.RLTS.T22824A166528664.en . Retrieved 12 November 2021.

Russia's inland bodies of water are chiefly a legacy of extensive glaciation. Ladoga and Onega in northwestern Russia are two of the largest lakes in Europe. [1] However, Lake Baikal is the largest and most prominent among Russia's fresh water bodies, is the world's deepest, purest, oldest and most capacious fresh water lake, containing over one-fifth of the world's fresh surface water. [23] Numerous smaller lakes dot northern Russia and Siberian plains. The largest of these are lakes Belozero, Topozero, Vygozero, and Ilmen in the country's northwest and Lake Chany in southwestern Siberia. Wang, Y; Pedersen, M.W.; Alsos, I.g.; etal. (2021). "Late Quaternary dynamics of Arctic biota from ancient environmental genomics". Nature. 600 (7887): 86–92. Bibcode: 2021Natur.600...86W. doi: 10.1038/s41586-021-04016-x. PMC 8636272. PMID 34671161. Russia, home to over 100,000 rivers, [1] is divided into twenty watershed districts. It has one of the world's largest surface water resources, with its lakes containing approximately one-quarter of the world's liquid fresh water. [20] Russia is second only to Brazil by total renewable water resources. [21] Europe, the second smallest continent, is compact and culturally diverse, comprising approximately 50 sovereign states. For instance, France, the largest country in Western Europe, is known for its cultural richness and Paris, its romantic capital city. Its iconic landmarks include the Eiffel Tower and Louvre Museum. We have a new World Map 2023 and a new EU Map “ European Union Map 2023“. The 10 smallest countries of Europe article has had an update but nothing has really changed. Map Information about the continent

Arctic Oscillation and Polar Vortex Analysis and Forecasts". Atmospheric and Environmental Research, Verisk Analytics . Retrieved 20 May 2018. A recent global remote sensing analysis suggested that there were 1,002km 2 of tidal flats in Russia, making it the 33rd ranked country in terms of tidal flat area. [34] Natural hazards [ edit ] Russia has around 100,000 rivers, including some of the longest and most powerful in the world. It also has many lakes, including Ladoga and Onega(Europe’s two largest lakes), and Lake Baikal, which contains more water than any other lake on Earth. Russia’s wildlife and nature Stroganina is a raw fish dish of the Indigenous people of northern Arctic Siberia made from raw, thin, long-sliced frozen fish. [106] It is a popular dish with native Siberians. [107] Siberia is also known for its pelmeni dumpling; which in the winter are traditionally frozen and stored outdoors. In addition, there are various berry, nut and mushroom dishes making use of the riches of abundant nature. Barker, Adele Marie (2010). Barker, Adele Marie; Grant, Bruce (eds.). The Russia Reader: History, Culture, Politics. The World Readers. Durham, North Carolina: Duke University Press. p.441. ISBN 9780822346487 . Retrieved 11 June 2019. Throughout Russian history there is a long-standing tradition of imprisoning and sentencing to internal exile (within the country proper) political and religious dissidents. [...] Among those sentenced to internal exile were [...] the Decembrists [...]. Several were executed; others were exiled to Siberia, the Far East, and Kazakhstan.Russian Federal State Statistics Service (2011). Всероссийская перепись населения 2010 года. Том1[2010 All-Russian Population Census, vol.1]. Всероссийская перепись населения 2010года [2010 All-Russia Population Census] (in Russian). Federal State Statistics Service. The republics include a wide variety of peoples, including northern Europeans, Tatars, Caucasus peoples, and indigenous Siberians. The largest federal subjects are in Siberia. Located in east-central Siberia, the Sakha Republic (Yakutia) is the largest federal subject in the country (and the largest country subdivision in the world), twice the size of Alaska. Second in size is Krasnoyarsk Krai, located west of Sakha in Siberia. Kaliningrad Oblast, which is a noncontiguous constituent entity of Russia, is the smallest oblast. The Republic of Ingushetia is both the smallest republic and the smallest federal subject of Russia except for the three federal cities. The two most populous federal subjects, Moscow Oblast (with Moscow) and Krasnodar Krai, are in European Russia.