Foreigners about Russia: what facts about our country seem surprising to them
«A fifth of the world’s trees are located in Russia. This is 643 billion trees — more than in any country. About 45% of the country’s territory is covered with trees …»
We know a lot about our own country. We know what we can and should be proud of, what interesting and informative things we have. But people from abroad can look at it from a different, unusual point of view.
Despite the abundance of common stereotypes, foreigners are well aware that our country is something more than nesting dolls and vodka.
They know that Russia covers a vast territory of Europe and Asia, it is a country with a rich culture and literature. An employee of the expat website «Expatica» has compiled a list of the most interesting, in her opinion, facts about our country. The choice of some facts may surprise you.
Sarah Fairman:
1. Russia switched to the new calendar in 1918
Most European countries abandoned the Julian calendar at the end of the XVI century. However, it was only in February 1918 that Russia finally switched to the Gregorian calendar, which is currently used to celebrate numerous festivals and holidays. Apparently, the use of the Julian calendar led to the fact that the Russian Empire was 12 days late for the 1908 Olympic Games in London.
2. The USA and Russia are only 4 km apart
Despite the fact that for most of the 20th century, Russia and the United States were in ideological confrontation, they are separated by only 4 km of water. Indeed, in the middle of the Bering Strait there are two islands, Little Diomede and Big Diomede. Little Diomede belongs to the USA, and Big Diomede (Ratmanov Island) belongs to Russia. The islands cross the international Date Line.
3. The first man in space was a Russian
The famous cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin went into outer space in 1961. If you don’t know the difference between a cosmonaut and an astronaut, don’t be surprised. A cosmonaut is trained by the Russian Space Agency, an astronaut by NASA, the European Space Agency, the Canadian Space Agency or the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency.
4. There are many trees in Russia…
One fifth of the world’s trees are located in Russia. This is 643 billion trees — more than in any country. About 45% of the country’s territory is covered with trees, most of which are located in the boreal forests of Russia or the taiga. These densely forested areas were once completely covered by glaciers, and now have become home to a number of bold species, including the Amur tiger, wild boars, eagles and owls.
5. …and lots of fresh water
There is Lake Baikal in Siberia. The lake is not only the deepest lake in the world, but also contains about 20% of the world’s fresh water reserves. Being in this cool part of Russia, the lake freezes regularly in winter, which means that you can even drive across it by car. However, make sure you have the correct permissions and go with an experienced guide.
And here are the opinions of Quora.com users:
Dahyun Kim:
1. Russia borders both Norway and North Korea, which means that there is only ONE country between them. No two countries can be so different from each other.
2. The largest apartment building in Europe is located in St. Petersburg. It is home to more than 18,000 people, which corresponds to the size of a small town.
Leila Thomas:
1. There are 11 time zones in Russia.
2. After the successful invasion of Russia and the conquest of St. Petersburg (then it was called Leningrad), Hitler planned to arrange a big celebration in a restaurant called the Astoria Hotel. The restaurant still exists today.
3. The deepest and largest freshwater lake in the world is Lake Baikal, located in southern Siberia, with a depth of 2,442 feet (744.4 m) and a shore length of 1,300 miles (2,100 km).
Tom Chire:
There are many parallels with Canada — so much vast and empty space.