Moscow, the capital of the Russian Federation, was founded in 1147 by prince Yuri Dolgoruky as a fortress on the bank of the Moskva river. Within over 850 years of its history Moscow has developed into the one of the largest cities of the world. Following the Russian Revolution of 1917, on 12 March 1918 Moscow became the capital of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic and of the Soviet Union less than five years later.
Now Moscow is the capital of Russian Federation and a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent. Moscow is the the sixth largest city proper in the world Its population, according to the preliminary results of the 2010 census, is 11,514,300. Moscow is situated on the Moskva River in the Central Federal District of European Russia. In the course of its history the city has served as the capital of a progression of states, from the medieval Grand Duchy of Moscow and the subsequent Tsardom of Russia to the Soviet Union. Moscow is the site of the Moscow Kremlin, an ancient fortress that is today the residence of the Russian President and of the executive branch of the Government of Russia. The Kremlin is also one of several World Heritage Sites in the city. Both chambers of the Russian parliament (the State Duma and the Federation Council also sit in Moscow.
The city is served by an extensive transit network, which includes four international airports, nine railroad terminals, and the Moscow Metro, second only to Tokyo in terms of ridership and recognized as one of the city's landmarks due to the rich and varied architecture of its 182 stations.
Over time, Moscow has acquired a number of epithets, most referring to its size and preeminent status within the nation: The Third Rome, Whitestone (Belokamennaya), The First Throne (Pervoprestolnaya)
Moscow in Facts and Figures:
- Location: Eastern European Plain in central Russia
- Time Zone: GMT +3, Eastern +8
- Population: 11 million 514 thousand 300 (as of January 2010)
- Area: 1,081.00 square kilometers
- Main river: Moskva (503km), a tributary of the River Oka
- Local government: The Governor and the Governor's Office
- Main cultural attractions: the Kremlin, Red Square, Pushkin Museum of Fine Art, Tretyakov Gallery, St.Basil’s Cathedral
- Airports: International – Domodedovo, Vnukovo, Sheremetevo-II. Domestic – Sheremetevo-I
