Russia has traditionally been the land of secrets and despite being the largest country on earth, its done quite well at keeping them. But as attitudes change so do passport stamps – and of course the incredible knowledge that comes with them. Did you know any of these crazy Russian facts?
The land of vodka is also home to the world’s longest railway the Trans-Siberian which stretches from Moscow to Vladivostok and takes about six and a half days to travel.
Russian cows and curtains must be very resilient indeed, with the country having permanent daylight savings and eleven timezones to coordinate!
Whilst the original creator is unknown, Beef Stroganoff is a world-wide phenomenon and derives its name from the Russian diplomat, Alexander Stroganov. There are many spins on the dish – with rice, pasta, potato and noodles being the main accompaniments.
Russian Bride anyone? Apparently due to the large number of men who died during World War II, there are approximately 10 million more women than men in Russia. 25% of males die before attaining the age of 55 with theorists suggesting that the risky habits of smoking and heavy drinking are to blame.
The Russian Ruble is the oldest national currency after the Pound sterling, and was the first decimal currency.
A half litre bottle of vodka will cost you around RUB185 or AUD$2.70.
Back in the day when nations could be bought, Russia sold Alaska to the US for only $7.2 million. That was 1867, and about the same amount that Sydney spent on its 2017 New Year’s Eve firework spectacular.
Keep your enemies close. Russia and America are less than 4km apart at the nearest point, which means that on a fine day Trump and Putin could probably partake in a game of charades.
They say ‘it’s all in the name’. Did you know that Vladimir literally means “one who rules the world”? Too bad if our friend Putin spent his formative years desiring a quiet life in the village.
The average life expectancy for men is 59 years years and 73 years for women. So ditch the podiatrist’s advice and don the six inch heels. Russian women really do traverse cobbled streets in them and rarely falter.
Feeling curious about the land up north? Check out these great Russian trips currently on offer!
